loretta

I booked on the HAL website the past two years, traveling solo on my birthday. Both years, I received a "Happy Birthday" cupcake,and a card signed by the captain delivered to my cabin. It was funny, in 2023, it was announced at the "Ask the Captain" show that the captain had the same birthday as me. The entire theater got up to sing him Happy Birthday and I did too (but replaced my name with his!).

Same problem since early this morning using two different laptops.

Sorry, this is a bit late in responding. I have taken a few land trips to Loreto but haven't taken a cruise tour yet, but I have a cruise on HAL in March 2025 and am looking at taking one of these tours. It's probably hit or miss, but on a scuba diving/fishing trip several years ago we had a very exciting sighting of a blue whale close to the Loreto port that was about the size of a school bus! At Magdalena Bay, a few days later we took a tour out of Lopez Mateos. It was an amazing experience, and it may be close to where the tour takes you. I believe we were there in March or April. We had whales following alongside our boat and they breached frequently, adult whales and some with babies, and we weren't feeding them. It was truly amazing to be able to see them so closely! It was a long drive but well worth it. We were with our scuba dive master, but we didn't dive, and our small boat held about 12 people and there was a variety of tourists. If it's a bigger boat you'll be on, your experience may be vastly different.

Just my opinion... I also read Anne of Green Gables when I was young, and it didn't interest me at all. But I decided to give it another chance several years ago when I took my first Canada/NE cruise. It was free for my Amazon Kindle, so I didn't have anything to lose. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it again and had a more humorous understanding of her trials and tribulations through adult eyes. I've never read the series to end though. Luce Maud Montgomery also wrote an excellent book "The Blue Castle" which is on my favorites list but I don't remember where it was set, it was also free on Amazon Kindle. She was a very gifted author! I'm going on almost the same cruise for the fifth time in August and it's my ritual to read most of AGG during my cruise. I took one AGG tour the on my first visit but have no desire to do another one. If you're looking to do something budget and on your own, the town is lovely to just stroll around. The Governor's mansion is an easy walk from downtown and offers free tours through the end of August: Government House Tours | Tourism PEI. Somewhere along the way there is a Canadian military museum which was also free and very interesting to visit if you're into that sort of thing. I don't know what I'll do this August except to have a lobster roll at this place which I've done before on the recommendation of several locals, and it was delicious! Water Prince Corner Shop and Lobster Pound – Specializing in seafood for over 30 years (waterprincelobster.com). Whatever you do, I'm sure you'll have a lovely time!

I'm not a real fan of the lanai cabins. They are smaller and I think the ocean view cabins on the same deck (as long as you choose carefully) are much better for the price. I paid for an upgrade for one a few years ago (I think it was the Veendam) for a B2B from Montreal/Boston/Boston//Bermuda and back to Boston. I didn't spend a lot of time using my lanai chairs on the first leg but on the second leg I wanted to but there were some painting/upgrades going on outside of my cabin and my area was blocked off and no access or chairs for me. I went to guest services, and they kept on telling me it would only be one day, but it ended up being three days and I persisted and told them I never would have paid for an upgrade if I knew that I couldn't use my lanai benefit on the Boston to Bermuda. They communicated with HQ and finally gave me a refund for the 2nd leg. I do love being on the Promenade Deck and have Canada/NE cruise booked again for this August and in an obstructed view cabin. I can just walk out the doors to feel the ocean air and temperatures.

Glad you found the chocolate! That's too bad about the movie. I was on the Regal last December and watched it then. Since then, I've also watched it a few times on Kanopy which I get from my library for free - it's that good!

Loving your review! I know you're a reader and a chocolate lover. Princess has an extensive roster of movies to watch in your room and one that I love is Peace by Chocolate. If you haven't seen it and they still have it, I recommend watching it before you get to Halifax. It's a true story about a Syrian family who lost their chocolate factory in the war and relocated to Antigonish and the dad started making chocolate in their kitchen and selling it at churches. He eventually got funding to open up a factory and they are now one of the richest families in that area. They have a chocolate on the boardwalk in Halifax and their chocolates are yummy!

I've been enjoying all of your trip reports. I admire you for the progress you have made in making to improve your health and wellbeing. I know what a divorce train wreck can be. I know you're hurting and want to feel loved and wanted again. I hope you are getting the advice that it might not be a good idea to look for another partner right away. You said you "were not in a good place" when you met your ex, and it seems like that didn't turn out too well. Take your time and focus on what you want/should be and want in a partner, and the perfect mate will appear without looking for them. You've done a fantastic job with your healthier eating/drinking and don't worry about indulging on your cruise!

On a HAL cruise in Portland, we did the mail ferry Casco Bay Islands Ferry Schedule - Leaving Portland, Maine (cascobaylines.com). I want to it again on my next cruise this August. Very easy walk from the cruise dock and was pretty inexpensive. I don't know if it was the captain or someone else, but they gave us a lot of information about the history and population of most of the islands we stopped at. It was fascinating to see what was dropped off at some of the stops- one was just one 2'x4'! For other stops there were stacks of food wrapped up in cling wrap in banana boxes that were refrigerated until shortly before we left and lots of pallets of booze. We enjoyed the journey and hearing about the amount of time it takes to get back and forth and seeing the effort it takes to live on the islands. Not much time to get off except at one stop for ten minutes, which I didn't do, but it very enjoyable. You can bring your own food if you feel you need it. I think we took the 10 am and was back in Portland in time to have a leisurely lunch (lobster rolls!) and then back to the ship. There weren't any whales though!

Wish you good luck at the dentist tomorrow. Several years ago, I had a toothache (upper) and a bad cold. I went to the dentist. Turns out there was nothing wrong with the tooth, it was a sinus infection that was pressing on the tooth nerve. He prescribed antibiotics and the pain went away pretty quickly.

I LOVE your live reviews and hope that you will still continue them in some way. I noticed at least one post from the after cruise review you said that you said you were bored which probably led to sleeping more than you usually would. Some of your posts didn't have your usual excitement about your adventures, food or drinks. If Alchemy couldn't provide you with a favorite drink, I would go to another bar instead of settling to drink Dirty Martinis which don't seem to be your style. It was so wonderful how you helped clean up the mess from the dropped Alchemy drinks and I wish you could have shared that in the moment and what the beautiful bartender's reaction was! I imagine you get a rush from sharing your shenanigans in the moment, as do we, and the interactions with your followers (which you have many more than you think)! I hope you can find another cruise that will align with your limited time off. We love your on the ground reporting!

Great minds think alike! I posted this comment a couple of days ago but glad to see others with a discerning eye picked up on it too.

Thank you so much, I missed the earlier post about him amongst all your other goodies. I will definitely look him up!

I've enjoyed your trip report very much, thank you for taking the time to share your adventures with us. I've done several HAL cruises out of Montreal or Boston to CA/NE and have thoroughly enjoyed each one and seen a lot. I am interested in your tour in Quebec, it goes to some places that I've never been to. I don't see anything on the HAL excursions for something like this. Can you share how you found it?

I prefer HOU but I know several people who prefer to fly into IAH for different reasons. HOU has a lot of SW flights so there may not be any more gates for additional flights. But at least they're giving several months notice.

Since the Galveston cruise port is growing, IAH going away s going to put a wrench in a lot people's cruise plans later this year and beyond.

Saw this today: We’ve made a tough decision to suspend Southwest service at four airports in our network as peak Summer 2024 travel ends in early August. We are no longer accepting reservations beyond August 4, 2024, for travel in or out of Bellingham, Washington (BLI), Cozumel, Mexico (CZM), Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), and Syracuse, New York (SYR).

No, I don't gamble.

I encountered the elusive Saint Greg in the flesh on a cruise in the last six months. I respected his wish for being anonymous and didn't take any photos. On good days, he does have a very nice part in his hair. 🙂

@sid_9169 might be tempted to plan a heist for those masks!

I just signed up to follow this and you're now at 350. Long time lurker on The Tribe and your trip reports. I've thoroughly enjoyed all of your adventures, accomplishments and trials and tribulations. I will miss your posts but wish you the best of luck in following your dreams!