For those Doing Canada/New England Cruises.......

[sail7seas]

While the pier in Charlottetown is far from completed, they dropped down asphalt and have made the pier usable for docking. Maasdam did not have to use tenders yesterday. Sure makes it easier on everyone.

 

Dock still needs lots of work but it's great the locals made the effort to make it as easy on the ships/pax as possible.

[boards]

May I be so bold as to ask what makes the Canada/England cruise so inviting to you. I am a Canadian and have not as yet taken that cruise and also haven't travelled very much in that area of our country, have wondered why and what makes it so interesting, other than we know the "Maasdam". Thank you in advance.

[Krazy Kruizers]

For us - we hadn't been to Quebec City and Montreal for over 3 years.

 

We always try to pick different cruises. Really don't like to keep doing the same thing over and over.

 

JMO

[Susie51]

The charm of Quebec City and the scenery along the St. Lawrence River plus all of the lighthouses that can be seen from the Maasdam in both Canada and New England makes this one of my most memorable cruises and one that I would like to do again.

[Two if by Sea]

We'll be taking the Southbound cruise, reaching Quebec City on Sunday. How much of the city will be closed for Sunday, and how much remains open? Obviously we can still walk around, but are restaurants, shops, attractions, etc., available?

[sail7seas]

Everything was open in Quebec when we were there on a Sunday. Almost all the shops, restaurants..... You won't miss anything.

 

Actually, because it was a Sunday our second week there, it was a benefit.

Locals were out enjoying there city and in fact there was a 42k Marathon going on. It was very exciting as the route took them immediately in front of Maadam just 2k from the finish line. We could watch them coming into the tail end of their race.

 

Have a great time. Quebec is fabulous.

 

[sail7seas]

For us - we hadn't been to Quebec City and Montreal for over 3 years.

 

We always try to pick different cruises. Really don't like to keep doing the same thing over and over.

 

JMO

 

 

We love familiarity and comfort zones. We love to return to places we have enjoyed. DH also is not retired so is limited to how long he can be out of his office. When limited to 7 -14 days cruises, the options are not numerous. They all involve pretty much the same thing. Especially when eliminating Alaska as an option as I don't wish to go there.

 

I'm sure I've noticed numerous times you mentioning you 'have been there before' so took a different tour than last time or have looked for different itineraries for back-to-backs as you have been to the islands so many times you look for a change for the second segments???

 

Am I mistaken? Sure is possible. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

But - the cruises don't repeat themselves every couple months nor do we keep doing the same thing each year.

For example -- when I have said that we had done such and such a tour before -- we hadn't just taken that same cruise -- there were years between the majority of those cruises.

The Ryndam cruise we are taking this fall is similar to one we did 3 years ago -- new port for us - Ecuador.

There are lots of cruises that are 10 day cruises - Sea of Cortez - Mexican Riviera -- I know you have never done any of them.

[sail7seas]

May I be so bold as to ask what makes the Canada/England cruise so inviting to you. I am a Canadian and have not as yet taken that cruise and also haven't travelled very much in that area of our country, have wondered why and what makes it so interesting, other than we know the "Maasdam". Thank you in advance.

 

We have lived all our lives in Massachusetts except when we traveled with the Military for a while. We had never been to Nova Scotia, to Halifax, PEI, Portland, Maine and not to Newport for years.

 

We can board one of our favorite ships (Maasdam) 30 minutes from home. We can visit Montreal and Quebec which have been favorites for years. GREAT cities. We visit the places I mention without having to bother driving, looking for hotels to stay over if we want more time there, and in the end.......for us

 

 

The ship is our destination.

 

When we board Maasdam, Noordam and most of the other HAL ships....it almost doesn't matter where they are going. The ship is our destination. We cruise for the ship far more than for the ports EXCEPT in Europe.

 

We have already booked our two weeks for next summer on Maasdam to do the Canada/New England itinerary. Though we have lived within 250 miles of it all for so very many years, it is through the cruising we finally visit these places.

[sail7seas]

But - the cruises don't repeat themselves every couple months nor do we keep doing the same thing each year.

 

For example -- when I have said that we had done such and such a tour before -- we hadn't just taken that same cruise -- there were years between the majority of those cruises.

 

The Ryndam cruise we are taking this fall is similar to one we did 3 years ago -- new port for us - Ecuador.

 

There are lots of cruises that are 10 day cruises - Sea of Cortez - Mexican Riviera -- I know you have never done any of them.

 

 

KK..... What you are not considering in discussing where we should cruise is what WE want. WE don't care about cruising the Sea of Cortez. It means nothing to us. I'm genuinely happy for everyone who loves it. That's great!

 

It's wonderful we all can choose what each of us wants. If all I want to ever do is cruise Canada/New England, what could possibly be wrong with that? I'm not asking anyone else to do that. We get to pick the ships we want to sail and the itineraries we want to do.......don't we?

 

Maybe someday we'll decide to do the Sea of Cortez. I think not. Not on our list of must do's, must sees. Not knocking it any way for anyone else. It just isn't for ME!

 

:confused: I'm trying to figure out why I needed to explain myself as to where we travel, what cruises we select. ???

 

It will be quite nice for us to sail Eurodam in Europe next summer. We haven't been to Europe for about 5 years after having made at least 20+ prior visits.

 

[jhannah]

I don't think I would easily tire of a Canada/New England itinerary. The ports are charming, the scenery beautiful, and the people wonderful. And the seafood!

[sail7seas]

Oh Jim....... YOU are so right!

 

[HeatherInFlorida]

I'm happy about the pier at Charlottetown because I hate tendering ... I love to be able to freely get on and off the ship without hassle. Can't wait for our cruise to Canada next year ... most excited I've been about a cruise in a long while even though I'm told by our friends there that we're going to freeze our buns off:D .

 

I've grown weary of the Caribbean. We continue to cruise the Caribbean simply because we love being on the sea and we just can't afford to go too far afield right now. But my favorite cruises have taken us to Tahiti, the Mediterranean and through the Panama Canal.

 

So given our choice and all the $$$ in the world:) , we agree with KK and would definitely prefer not doing the same itinerary. Diversity in travel expands and nourishes us. Same old, same old wears thin over time.

[boards]

Thank you all for your information. I really haven't given this cruise much consideration because it didn't take us very far from home, but I will now.

[missygirl]

I don't think I would easily tire of a Canada/New England itinerary. The ports are charming, the scenery beautiful, and the people wonderful. And the seafood!

 

We are thinking of this cruise next year. My question is of the seafood...are there excursions for crablegs like in Alaska, the salmon bakes? My hubby could eat them once a week.

 

Missygirl

[peaches from georgia]

There are excursions with lobster bakes. We did 2 of them. One in Bar Harbor and one in Halifax. Aside from the destination of the excursions we went to restaurants for lunch with whole lobsters and the works- corn, clams, mussels, clam chowder, cole slaw, cobbler. Don't miss these excursions!

[sail7seas]

Lobsters and steamed clams/clam chowder are what people crave on excursions to Canada/New England. Maine's hardshell lobsters are so wonderful! The lobster in Halifax and Bar Harbor...everywhere through the whole cruise....is really hard to beat if you are a lobster eater.

 

KK on this board tasted more lobster rolls during our cruises in an attempt to determine which she thought the best. We go much more for the whole steamed lobster than all the mayo and mixings. Just a matter of personal choice.

 

Crab legs were offered for dinner in the dining room but are not the 'stuff of excursions'.

 

Maasdam had a wonderful barbeque on deck twice.....once for lunch and once for dinner. They had fabulous salmon on the grill and it was delicious. That's one of my favorite meals. :)

[localady]

Lobsters and steamed clams/clam chowder are what people crave on excursions to Canada/New England. Maine's hardshell lobsters are so wonderful! The lobster in Halifax and Bar Harbor...everywhere through the whole cruise....is really hard to beat if you are a lobster eater.

 

KK on this board tasted more lobster rolls during our cruises in an attempt to determine which she thought the best. We go much more for the whole steamed lobster than all the mayo and mixings. Just a matter of personal choice.

 

Crab legs were offered for dinner in the dining room but are not the 'stuff of excursions'.

 

Maasdam had a wonderful barbeque on deck twice.....once for lunch and once for dinner. They had fabulous salmon on the grill and it was delicious. That's one of my favorite meals. :)

I can not wait for our cruise through "Lobster country" next year on the Eurodam!! Will need a seafood recommendation or two from Boston sometime if you'd not mind S7S!:D

[sail7seas]

Absolutely, Localady........

 

Just sing out when you are ready for some suggestions.

 

[jhannah]

Legal Seafood down on the waterfront is really good, IMO.

[sail7seas]

We had lobster lunch there two weeks ago.:) DH and our guest had 2 1/2 pound lobsters. I ate the Cioppino. GREAT lunch.

 

DH may be there again tomorrow. There is another Legal Seafood up by Prudential. It is also very dependably good.

 

[missygirl]

The lobster sounds great...which I love so that would fit me fine. I guess he was thinking about were the large Alaska king crablegs that he has eaten here and wishing for a "all you can eat"...he would be in Heaven.;)

Thanks for the information.

 

Missygirl

[sail7seas]

I've never heard of an "All you can Eat" Lobster anything anywhere in New England. I've lived in Massachusetts all my life and no one has any sort of all you can eat.

 

If anyone else has heard of a place doing "All you can Eat", PLEASE let me know. :) We and all of our friends will be there this weekend! ;)