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PHOTO REVIEW! Just off the Volendam to Canada/New England!


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16 hours ago, Rubyfisch said:

All the photos are from my Pixel 6 smartphone. I'm generally pretty happy with the camera - particularly in low light.

 

There are some interesting, longer itineraries (like 10 or 11 days) that hit some of the farther out Canadian ports, but those aren't in the cards of us right now with work and other commitments.

Gah .... Wrong tread - I thought this was mine .... Sorry.

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On 6/9/2024 at 10:24 AM, Bostonjetset said:

 

Hi fellow cruisers.  I just returned from the Volendam's 7-night cruise to Canada and New England, departing Montreal and ending in Boston.  I usually post reviews in a diary style format so you can read my thoughts as I wrote them during the trip.

 

BACKGROUND:

I sailed on this trip with my mother.  I am 41 and she is 70.  My mom loves to travel and my father does not so that coupled with the fact that I get a lot more PTO than my husband means I can escort mom on a couple trips each year.  Other than Boston [obviously!], I have been to Montreal and Quebec City before [on land trips] but never to any of the other ports.  My mother had been to all of the ports EXCEPT for Montreal and Charlottetown.  Her last time in Quebec City was about 45 years ago though.  We only had to fly one way for this cruise as it ended in our homeport which is always a delight.

 

 

Please feel free to ask questions or make comments and I will reply. 🙂 At the end of the daily entries I will post my final thoughts.  

 

 

Hi, one more question! Also from New England, were the seas rough while sailing?Thanks, and best to you!

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22 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Us too. We just booked. Now I have to “cram” to plan: flights, hotels, sightseeing pre-trip. One thing for sure- we’ll Uber and not try driving 😉😜😇. We just don’t need the “excitement”.

 

Is there a good local liquor store (not sure of what types of stores sell wine in MA) near the port? (Do grocery stores?)

 

 

 

22 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Us too. We just booked. Now I have to “cram” to plan: flights, hotels, sightseeing pre-trip. One thing for sure- we’ll Uber and not try driving 😉😜😇. We just don’t need the “excitement”.

 

Is there a good local liquor store (not sure of what types of stores sell wine in MA) near the port? (Do grocery stores?)

 

 

Hi, here is the closest package store, a short flat, walk from the port. Corossol Wines is located at 899 Congress St, Boston MA 02210 on the ground level of the ORA building, next to the Hyatt Hotel.

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Hi, I am from nearby Ct, and the seaport area-is a little congested, and wine/ beer/spirits, in Massachusetts,  is sold in package stores, like CT. Here is one that I can see is an easy walk from the port :Corossal  Wines, located at 899 Congress Street Boston.


Enjoy, can’t wait to step on the ship!

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1 hour ago, lovecruisingrn said:

Hi, one more question! Also from New England, were the seas rough while sailing?Thanks, and best to you!

Hey there. The seas were not really rough in my opinion. The first 2 days were in the river so very calm but even once we were in the Atlantic I didn’t feel anything particularly rough other the last night when the sway was noticeable. But not enough to make me seasick nor anyone else that I noticed.

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On 6/9/2024 at 2:56 PM, Bostonjetset said:

Day 4: 06/04/2024 [Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada]

 

Charlottetown was lovely; truly lovey!  I knew very little of Prince Edward Island other than it being Canada's smallest province, the home of the fictional Anne of Green Gables [of which I have very little interest], and practically the "birthplace" of Canada as a country.  As such, I really didn't know what to expect.  It turns out the provincial capital is a wonderful city to stroll around on a sunny 60 degree day.

 

We followed one of the self-guided walks published on the tourist map, looked through some churches [including the adorable "All Souls' Chapel"], had an ice cream at Cow's, and ate a nice waterfront lunch of P.E.I. mussels and a lobster roll for mom.  Of course we had to pick up some of the handmade local soaps for sale at the craft market by the port.

 

Back on the ship around 3.30pm. we were able to use the main pool and the hot tubs for a bit before they got crowded.  Sometimes it pays to be back on the ship an hour or two before "all-aboard".

 

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We’re also from the Boston area, and we just booked a similar cruise on the Volendam for next year (10 days rather than 7). At the PEI stop, were the areas you visited close to the dock? We’re also not interested in Anne of Green Gables, but it seems like a lot of the excursions cater to that subject.

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53 minutes ago, FirstTeacher said:

We’re also from the Boston area, and we just booked a similar cruise on the Volendam for next year (10 days rather than 7). At the PEI stop, were the areas you visited close to the dock? We’re also not interested in Anne of Green Gables, but it seems like a lot of the excursions cater to that subject.

There are plenty of sights within walking distance of the dock in Charlottetown. Even just walking around the town is lovely. **Disclaimer, I like to just walk and wander in places, and actually prefer the smaller not-yet-ready-for-prime-time stops. There are plenty of spots to eat ashore, and a lovely shopping area right near the dock.
On all my visits, there was a walking tour shore excursion option, which is definitely worth it. Otherwise, I highly recommend a visit to St. Dunstan's.

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On 6/14/2024 at 4:11 PM, lovecruisingrn said:

Hi, I love your whole review. I am sailing for my 70th out of Boston on the Volendam, and is the one thing I wanted for my birthday! 
I plan to read your entire post, word for word! 
Do you remember where the ship docks in Quebec City? I have an excursion on the lower city, and wonder if it is walkable. 
Thank you, and hope to see you in Boston, your CT neighbor.

Hi! One last question, since you have been so gracious 💕I only see smart casual dress every night! Wonderful, but is it true?

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22 hours ago, FirstTeacher said:

We’re also from the Boston area, and we just booked a similar cruise on the Volendam for next year (10 days rather than 7). At the PEI stop, were the areas you visited close to the dock? We’re also not interested in Anne of Green Gables, but it seems like a lot of the excursions cater to that subject.

Everywhere in my pictures we walked to from the dock. I was not interested in the green gables stuff either haha. There is enough to do in Charlottetown for the day close to the dock for sure. 

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2 hours ago, lovecruisingrn said:

Hi! One last question, since you have been so gracious 💕I only see smart casual dress every night! Wonderful, but is it true?

We had two dressy nights but honestly most people didn’t dress very formally. All that was required was a collared shirt and no shorts. A few ladies wore sparkly dresses. No tuxedos that I noticed. 

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