Just got off Breakaway New England/Canada cruise Oct. 9-16 2022; My review

[skierjj]

Bartender “Jackson” told us about Syd Norman’s pour house band playing that night; we are so glad he did because we were hooked on this band all cruise. We were like groupies waiting in longer and longer lines as word of mouth popularity grew for this band.

First night was 60s, 70s and 80’s. Awesome! 

[skierjj]

You know that feeling when you have the right amount of wine and good classic rock and you just feel like dancing? It was to the “Bliss” lounge for dancing next. Not too many people in there at that time so I kinda made a fool of myself that night; luckily I didn’t stay too long. No pics. Mike went to casino. I joined him for awhile.

[skierjj]

For Portland, Maine, Mike chose to do a trip advisor tour. The vintage fire truck tour. It was fairly short, a beautiful day and fairly cheap (about $40 each) and a good value. We were pleased with Mike’s choice.

We walked about a mile to the kiosk.Got checked in and loaded up in our seats. Good guide, funny stories and jokes. A couple of kids as passengers were funny too.

Good overview of Portland and it’s history.

[skierjj]

Here are some from Mike’s phone:

[skierjj]

Time for lunch. It was late for lunch and we got a good table with the tail end of live music in the courtyard of the restaurant. We had lobster rolls and Glenna had clam chowder and a really great “Shipyard” IPA beer. It was all delicious.

[skierjj]

Walking back to ship, Mike went back to ship to take a nap. Glenna and I took our time. There were little artists and craft booths set up along the way.

[skierjj]

That night was Velvet dinner show. We enjoyed it but food wasn’t great. I liked the salad the best. Show was fun and entertaining. The venue was maybe 1/2 full.

[skierjj]

Mike won big in the casino that night! Whoo Hoo! On Ultimate X double double bonus video poker.

[skierjj]

We woke up to very thick fog the next day, Wednesday October 12th. The captain said it was unsafe to tender to Bar Harbor. We had a 9:15 An Intimate look at Arcadia National Park tour through NCL. 
Many people filled up the Manhattan room for hours. We just got breakfast and waited in our room.

Some of the early morning excursions were canceled.

Finally the Captain gave the all clear. It was kind of madness at the Manhattan room. But the NCL staff tried to keep it light and tried to answer peoples questions as best they could. 
Our tour got called and we lined up. This time they had large catamaran type tour boats for tenders and they were very comfortable.

 

[skierjj]

Mike on the catamaran tender

[debenson0723]

Loving all the detail in this review.  Taking notes for next year and hope to follow in your footsteps.  Love the firetruck tour!  Thanks for posting.

[skierjj]

We found our guide and our comfortable mini bus. Our guide was very knowledgeable. He lives in the Bar Harbor area. His wife works in one of the gift shops there. He gave us information on the history of Acadia National Park. Factoid: 75% of America’s wealth could be found on Bar Harbor Island on any given summer in the gilded age. The millionaire’s (billionaires in todays money) gave huge plots of land  and money to see that the park became a national park, with the efforts of volunteers to see that it got done.

Our time in the park was abbreviated with the fog fiasco in the morning. 
Up to Cadillac mountain we went with reservations needed (by the tour company). It was the highlight of our tour.

[skierjj]

Fog moving back in. See if you can see the Breakaway peeking out in the fog:

[skierjj]

More from Cadillac mountain:

[skierjj]

Driving down through the trees we got our best views of fall colors of the trip:

[skierjj]

A couple more from Acadia National Park.

[skierjj]

Time for lunch: we chose Paddy’s Irish pub. Did a little sightseeing and shopping. Bar Harbor is a cute tourist town. 

[skierjj]

Some flowers of the shopping area. And lobster bisque.

[skierjj]

More fall colors:

[skierjj]

Back on the ship. Glenna and I hit the thermal spa suite as often as we could. Tried for once a day at least. It is fabulous. We both like the pool with all the different jets, bubbles strong waterfall on your back, jacuzzi. She likes the sauna. We both love love love the heated tile loungers. I can only read a couple of pages from my book and I’m out. Snoring. Embarrassing. 

[mimi7ccr]

We're doing this same cruise next September but on MSC.  We will stop in Newport, and I have so enjoyed your description and pictures.  I plan to read the Vanderbilt book also.  Thanks also for the Fire Truck Tour info in Portland.  Keep it coming!!

 

[skierjj]

Tonight dinner was at La Cucina Italian. I had shrimp linguine. But the main show was our Italian Barolo wine and Dawn, our wine steward to preform this chemical experiment decanting this wine. Fun to watch, great to drink.

[skierjj]

Tiramisu for dessert. My favorite (and really only) dessert on the ship. I’m not a big dessert fan. I know I’m weird.

Tonights entertainment is Syd Norman’s band doing Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours album from beginning to end. Along with the story of making the album.

I think we gave up seeing Six or Levity but well worth it it my opinion. Mike and I saw Six on the Bliss earlier this year.

the band was great!

[skierjj]

More pics of band from Mike’s phone:

[skierjj]

St.John, New Brunswick. We arrived really early due to extreme tidal changes here. I wanted to do “Bay of Fundy trail” excursion through NCL but it was super expensive. So I’m my research I came across this retired engineer and his port maps here on cruise critic. If you are going to any of the ports that he has maps for, they are well worth your time to look up. They are extremely detailed with gps coordinates etc!