Going on Jewel 10/14/06

[famtrav]

We are doing something different for a change! We are from the deep south and have always done tropical destinations. We are flying to Boston, sailing to Maine and Halifax. I am so excited. This will not be a sunbathing cruise, and add a flight to that. I have always been a pretty good packer, but we will need warm clothes. How warm I am not sure. We always strolled the deck after dinner as well. My skimpy cocktail dress may not be practical. I went to Ohio for a wedding in Oct a few years ago and it was freezing. I had fall clothes and it was not enough. We will be on the Jewel, heard great things about the ship. Anyone have any rec's for shopping, whale tours, eating, etc? The itinerary is pretty neat. A stop every day but the last. We stop in Martha's Vinyard, Portland, Bar Harbour, New Brunswick, and Halifax. As sick as I am of Mexico, I feel comfortable when we go, it's so familiar. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Minybear]

What I have been told is to pack for summer and winter. The temps are going to be in the 60's and in the evening it will get really cold. It will be rainy on and off. The weather will be unpredictable. If you have ever been on an Alaska cruise you will pack the same way. So you have to pack for layering of clothing. Pack t-shirts and sweat shirts and warm coats. We have booked the JS and I cannot wait to experience the balcony but when we go out on the balcony we will need to bundle up due to it will be cold.

 

I know there is 2 formal events (unknown which days) on the Jewel. I still need to go get a formal or a cocktail dress myself. I hope I can get something that has some long sleeves so if I go out side I can be somewhat warm.

 

This will be the first time on the East coast. We have never been in Boston or anywhere in that general location. Everything will be totally new to us. We have already booked all our excursions. I wish we could have booked a whale watching excursion but we decided to do something else. There is so much to pick from and you can get very easily confused.

 

If I can answer any of your questions please feel to ask. Also you can go on the New England board to get further info on the excursions.

 

Have a great trip. We will see you when we get off the ship. What type of room did you book?

 

Thanks Minybear

[negc]

Dress in layers. The weather can be warm, cool, chilly or downright cold. A nylon windbreaker should be enough when you are out on deck most days. We did this itinerary on the Enchantment of the Seas last September, loved it and saw much that even we, as native New Englanders hadn't seen before. The duck tour in Portland, Maine was a lot of fun. New Brunswickers will provide you a big welcome when you dock in St. John, and Halifax is a wonderful, modern city with lots of history and plenty of things to see and do. When we were in Martha's Vineyard, we found a driver with a 9 passenger van who gave us a good tour of the island for $10 a head (less than what a similar tour would have cost us through the shipline). Boston has so much to see that you could spend a week there and not see much more than the highlights. Get a good tour book and check it out and make a list of those things most important to see. If you are staying in Boston before or after the cruise, I am sure that many folks who are from this area would be happy to answer any questions you might have. Ask away, and someone will respond.:)

[famtrav]

Thanks so much. I'll have to get creative with my clothes and packing. Hope my luggage makes it with me! Hey Minybear, which excursions are you doing? Did you get them off the RC website? This is all new to me. I can't wait.

[sailor moon]

We were originally booked on this cruise and had to cancel :( I was soooooooooooo looking forward to getting away from the heat of Texas! I guess I am going to live vicariously through you.... :)

[rubrrick]

Bill said it best. Layer your clothes. One thing about the Jewel, and we were aboard her this spring doing a ta and Baltic's cruise....the ship itself stays quite warm, so I was constantly running around in a nice Tommy Bahama short sleeve shirt.

 

Rick

[Minybear]

Thanks so much. I'll have to get creative with my clothes and packing. Hope my luggage makes it with me! Hey Minybear, which excursions are you doing? Did you get them off the RC website? This is all new to me. I can't wait.

 

Would you believe we had also originally booked this cruise (10/14), but due to my husbands job he decided he wanted this week better (10/6). If only I had held off on canceling our cruise for 10/14 we could have been on your cruise due to things worked out where we could have picked that date.

 

This is what we are doing.

 

We are not staying at the Sheritan. We are staying at the Boston Harbor Hotel (bhh.com). It is water front. Only 5-10 minutes to the port.

 

We are coming in the day prior (10/6) and right after we get in around 7pm or 8pm we are going to be doing the Ghosts & Gravestones tour in Boston. http://shophta.com/acb/stores/15/product1.asp?SID=15&Product_ID=6 . We did this in San Diego CA and dearly loved doing it.

 

The excursions we are taking is:

 

Martha's Vineyard Island Tour

 

Maine Lobster Bake & Historic Fort Seamimel

 

Best of Acadia National Park & Mount Desert Island

Portland Horse Drawn Wagon City Tour

 

St Martina & The Bay of Fundy

 

Haunted Historic Halifax Walking Tour

Walking the Boardwalk and seeing the Titanic Museum

 

Minybear

[emilygrace]

We did this cruise on the Jewel in 2004 and it is still my all time favorite cruise! I just loved all the ports (we had Sydney NS instead of Martha's Vineyard) and everything about the experience. The Jewel was only a few months old at the time and just sparkling! I'm sure she is the same now.

 

St. John was my favorite port. We did a city highlights tour and after the tour bus dropped us off at the pier I walked back into downtown and wandered around on my own. DH needed a nap!

 

In Halifax we took the free FRED bus up to the Public Gardens and walked around and walked over to the Citadel and then walked back down to the ship, stopping at the Maritime Museum to see the Titanic exhibit that is there.

 

We had booked this itinerary for next Oct. but it has been cancelled, so we are now looking at 2008 to repeat it. Hoping to go into Boston 3 days early. We went in one day early last time....flew in on the red eye from CA, and spent the whole day exploring before we collapsed from exhaustion. Got up the next day and went straight to the ship.

 

When we went it was September and still quite warm, so can't advise you on the weather. I find the interiors of the ships to be warm, too.

[sueernieb]

famtrav,

We have an active board on the Meet and Mingle Board for this cruise. We would love to have you join us.

 

Sue

[CruisFran]

Yes, famtrav, please come over and join us!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=249153

 

Time is flying, we'll soon be off cruisin'!...yahoo! :)