Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Disembarkation Day (09/18/25)

 

As usual on the nights before disembarkation, I didn't get much sleep.  But I was lucky to be awake enough to capture this view of the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge on our way to port.  This was one of those rare days where it was warm enough to go out on the balcony in my jammies (please don't imagine how I look in them) and capture a few more shots like the one below:

- - - - - -

Today's disembarkation ritual went off easier than expected. But first, a little explanation on how luggage gets organized on the pier for collection....

Each cabin is given a set of tags listing an assigned disembarkation group by color and number.  Each color designates where the cruiser is going post cruise:

• Silver: To the Airport with cruise line arranged transfers.
• Silver: To the Airport with cruise line arranged pre-flight excursions, with Airport drop-off.
• Blue: Self-Arranged post-cruise travel 

Each group disembarks in numerical order, Number 1 being first, and Number 30 being last.  We were in Blue 29, with group 30, usually the last of numbers to be called. Although the announcements implied that all groups should be disembarked by 9:30, the paperwork we were given said 10:15.  If the paperwork was true, we would miss our 10:00 ferry and have to wait for 75 minutes for the next ferry up the East River.

Knowing that we had a lot of time to kill, we had a very leisurely breakfast at 7:30, making it possible for the room steward to turn the room for the next cruiser as soon as possible.   Around 9, we left the main dining area one last time and went to a seating area to wait for our group to be called.  This time we got lucky.  We were hanging out where all the handicapped passengers wait to be wheeled on shore.  So, when we heard that all Blue groups' luggage was on the pier, we walked out with others being wheeled.  (Both of us were using our canes this trip, so we technically qualified to get off the ship a little early.)  Within 5 minutes, we were off the ship looking for our luggage in a "virgin" storage area, and were out the door and at the ferry dock by 9:20.  

There is something very new going on at the Red Hook ferry terminal on cruise days.  NYC Ferry was giving away free rides to Wall Street for cruise passengers debarking today. (They plan to continue this for a while, hoping that they can drum up enough passengers to relieve automobile congestion at the cruise terminal, and make this a long term solution to traffic problems near the cruise terminal.)  We took one of these rides, then transferred to another ferry taking us to North Williamsburg.  Although we may have spent more time in getting home, we spent much less on our return trip's Uber ($44) than on our trip to the terminal ($84).  We made it to RQS's place around 11:30 am, and were able to stay relaxed until we got home.

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #3 (09/17/25)

 

Our last day on the ship, and we already reached a high point with the culinary challenge and galley tour.  Princess seems to do this on every cruise, and it's a fun presentation by the culinary staff of the ship.  On one side is an actual chef who knows what he's doing and does it very well.  On the other is a staff member acting as a clown, having fun and ruining a recipe for (usually) an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert.  This presentation shouldn't be missed.  Following this presentation, cruisers are encouraged to visit the galley and ask questions of the staff.

- - - - - -

But let's put first things first....

We were unable to do laundry last night.  So, I knew that I had to wake up bright and early to get to the laundry room and not wait for a machine.  Showering and dressing before 8 am is difficult for me (it'll be much worse tomorrow, on disembarkation day), but I made it to the laundry room by 8:05 - where 2 of the 5 washers were in use.  I asked some people to watch my laundry bag as I walked down to guest services to get some tokens.  On my return, I loaded up the washer and struck up a chat with 2 people from Canada.  It was a good chat, and I stayed in the laundry room until the wash was done.  And that's when RQS came in, saying we had to get some breakfast.  I loaded the dryer, paid another token for a 60 minute run, and it was off to breakfast.

We didn't have time for a dining room breakfast, so off to the buffet we went.  And again, I struck up a conversation with another out-of-towner wanting to see a baseball game.  Again, I was an instruction manual for someone wanting to see a game in Flushing.  Once the couple left, we decamped to the laundry room to await our dried clothes. 

Once our clothes were dry, we dumped them off in our cabin, then went to the culinary challenge.  There were no seats left, so we sat in the aisle's steps to watch the show.  RQS enjoyed it (as I expected), and then we went to the galley tour.  From there it was off to the gastropub for lunch.

- - - - - - 

Lunch at the gastropub was pleasant.  I chose their mushroom dish for an appetizer, as the other 2 menu choices were not appetizing to me.  And then I had the signature burger - which was tasty, but over embellished with fried jalapeño peppers.  This was the high point of the meal, as the pudding like dessert was marred by the popcorn embellishments.

And then, we packed for our return home....

- - - - - -

At 7, we went for our last specialty dinner of the trip.  It was a good meal,  Around 9, we put out our luggage for delivery to the pier.  And then we went to see the comedian in the main theater.  He was funny, but I left just before the show ended - I was ready to pass out, and I needed sleep.

 

 

 

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Boston, MA (09/16/25)

 

The above was the view from our Bridge Cam this morning.  At first, it looked like it would be a cloudy day. But as time went on, the day improved.  Yet, we just weren't in the mood to get off the ship.  So we spent this last port day on the ship instead of exploring Boston as we originally planned.

- - - - - -

We woke up around 9, and were having breakfast in the buffet until 11.  And then we walked outside to get some fresh air.  There is something about being on a quiet ship on a port day that is relaxing. For example, there was no crowd around the pool today.  If one wanted a deck lounge chair, it was there for the taking.  The ship was empty, and those left on the ship had it to themselves.

There is one problem with staying on the ship on port days - all of the shops and most of the restaurants are closed while in port.  One can't take advantage of everything the ship has to offer, as this is the one time many of the ship's personnel get a break from work.  Although the spa may be open, I've never found anyone rushing to get treatments due to the inflated prices charged by this venue.

For the most part, this was a day to relax, and relax we did - until it was time to go to dinner.  Tonight was "Surf and Turf" night, the one night that the main dining room goes all out to serve cruisers.  Was the surf and turf good?  Yes, but the steak was drowning in sauce - something I don't like on most cuts of meat.  (At least, RQS had the duck breast, and she enjoyed it to the fullest.)  While at dinner, I struck up a conversation with the man at the table next to us. RQS and enjoyed talking with this man about cruising, life, and other things, and chatted for the better part of an hour after our table was cleaned by the wait staff. 

After dinner, we tried to do a load of laundry.  Unfortunately, we were too late to get a load in and done in time.  Tomorrow, we'll have to squeeze this task in, between everything else we have scheduled. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Portland, ME (09/15/25)

 

Portland, Maine.  It's a nice place to walk around when the sun is not too high in the sky.  There is enough old architecture in the port district, that one can easily find interesting buildings to photograph. And yet, it's a relatively modern place to be in, most of the traditional seaside businesses having left the main road years ago.

When we arrived in Portland, US Customs and Border Control requires everyone to get off the ship, so that they can verify every passenger on the ship's manifest.  We woke up early, so that we could get off the ship at our appointed time.  And then, we hit a minor roadblock: someone typed my name wrong on the manifest.  My name was changed from Marian to Narian.  AARGH!  Once the CBP person caught this error, he fixed it and sent me (and RQS) on our way. 

However, this doesn't mean that Portland's nautical past has been forgotten.  Take a walk down any of the side streets and you'll see traces of its nautical past.  For example, the above establishment has been here for years.  Now, it's a full service tavern.   

At the end of the pier is the original Luke's seafood restaurant. From its humble seafood processing beginnings in Portland, it has morphed into a restaurant chain with branches around the world.   We killed a couple of hours before walking to Luke's as it normally opens at 11 am.  One problem: they had no electricity when we arrived.  (A circuit breaker was triggered, and they had to reset it.)  We appreciated this delay, as it gave our breakfasts more time to be digested.

When we finally got into Luke's, we ordered the fried clam bellies, and they were on our plates before RQS was finished in the washroom.  We feasted, and the lady at the next table struck up a conversation on cruising.  It was a nice thing to chat with a stranger about something we all enjoyed - especially our trips to Bermuda.

All too soon, it was time to return to the ship.  So we walked the mile back to the ship and decided to rest for a while before the evening's activities started.

- - - - - - 

Tonight was dress up night, and we again donned our finest for the photographers downstairs near the atrium. I couldn't wait to take off my blazer and tie to be comfortable while dining at the ship's steakhouse.  This would be our second visit to the place, and I tried to order different things from what I ordered on our last visit.  Well, I almost did just that, but had the same dessert.  Today's main course was a veal chop so thick that I couldn't finish it all.  RQS was wearing something similar to what I would have worn had I been able to go as Marian.  (Well, there will be opportunities to do that once the Orange Snowflake leaves office.)

After dinner, we went back to our room to relax for 30 minutes, and then on to tonight's entertainment in the ship's theater. Tonight's show was a musical revue called "On The Bayou", and it was a pleasant performance of songs with a New Orleans area theme.  (Mind you, this was a little bit of a stretch, but the best way to label these numbers.)  Most of the performers did their songs justice, and in contrast to the last night's performer did her songs better.

 

Next it was off to the lounge where we saw Carlos Oscar and his comedy routine.  (Think of Joe Pesci as if he had a Puerto Rico background.)  As much as most comedians don't get me to laugh, Carlos did. Much of his routine got into the differences of men and women, but not in a nasty way.  Instead, he exaggerated how our behaviors seem, such as women flothes shopping for themselves and then for their partners.  Would I see him again?  If this show is an example, it will be on the last night of the cruise.

 

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Saint John, NB (09/14/25)

 

Our last day in Canada, and I met someone from where I used to work.  Long story of our relationship made short: He is a Type-A, and I am a person who doesn't fit into a type mold. As such, we butted heads when working, but were pleasant and polite now that we are no longer at the bank.

- - - - - -

We arrived on a Sunday and had breakfast in the buffet.  That's where we sat next to a former rival coworker and shared pleasantries. It was nice to know that there were no hard feelings.  Then, we decamped to our cabin to pick up some things and go into town.

For those readers who haven't been to Saint John yet, the passenger port has room for two ships on a normal day.  There is a shopping area next to the terminal with stores housed in shipping containers.  Once out on the main street, one will find street merchants selling their wares, with stores, pubs and restaurants doing their thing on the other side of the street.  To go inland from here requires navigating up some steep streets to the top of a hill.

Since it was a Sunday, most of the shops in this district were closed.  But, as one would expect, the church was open for Sunday services.  It was the first time that I've visited this city where the port district was quiet.  It was a perfect day to photograph some of the old and unique buildings in this part of town.  Sadly, the candy store that sold us "Toxic Waste" candy was no longer in business, nor was the city's police museum.  So we walked back to the ship for a late lunch.

- - - - - -

Eventually, dinnertime came and we were seated next to a nice British couple.  Even though we were at separate tables, we were close enough to consider our tables to be shared.  I had two appetizers, a main and a dessert, and I was well sated after the meal.  (The appetizer was a poached pear with blue cheese, and the dessert was a poached pear with cinnamon.  So I don't feel that guilty about having two pear dishes.)  All too soon dinner had to end, and we went back to our cabin for a few before the nightly theater entertainment started. 

  

 

 

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #2 (09/13/25)

 

Another sea day, and I wish we could be in port today.  However, we were still at sea, and it'd be another day before we would reach Saint John, NB.

- - - - - -

The day started out with us going downstairs for breakfast, where we encountered lackluster service.  Both of us ordered blueberry pancakes with sides of bacon and sausages.  When breakfast was delivered, the waiter brought the pancakes to our table first (without syrup), then served the table next to us, and finally served us the syrup, with the two servings of sausage and bacon on the same plate. If we had to pay for this service at a local diner, we'd never eat there again. Yet, I'd rather eat here, than in the buffet.

After we rested, we went to the pop-up pizza place for lunch.  This time, I decided to have a non-alcoholic beer with the meal - and I was surprised at how good Heineken Zero tastes.  (It's far from a perfect flavor for beer, but it's close enough to enjoy with a pizza.)  This time, we shared a table with 2 other couples and had a good conversation.  I held back a little on one of my opinions, as it was better to make one's key point in a non-challenging way.

When we finished lunch, it was back to the room again to rest some more.  (Both RQS and I seem to need a bit more rest than usual on this cruise.) Around 6:40, we went down stairs to eat, and had to wait a little bit before being shown to our table.  Again, we struck up a good conversation with the couple at the next table, and we wished we had more time with them.

 

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Charlottetown, PE (09/12/25)

 

Today was a big disappointment.  This would be the second cruise we've taken to this port, and we had to skip this port again due to weather conditions.  The last time we were supposed to be here, it was on the heels of a hurricane.  This time, strong winds coming from the wrong direction made it unsafe to make port. (It seems strange that the waters weren't choppy from where we were.  But that's another story.)  So, we had an unexpected sea day, and more time to spend money on the ship's onboard activities.

- - - - - -

We decided to go to the MDR for breakfast today, and service was sloppy.  Although the food was good, I couldn't wait to leave and get back to our cabin to relax.  About 2 hours later I woke up after napping, and then it was time for lunch.  (There often isn't that much to do on sea days, save to relax and eat.) 

Even though this was a sea day and the main dining room was open for lunch, we didn't go there.  Instead, we went to one of the casual dining restaurants staged for lunch in the premises of the evening specialty restaurants.  During the day, Princess's pizza restaurant, Alfredo's, uses Sabbatini's space for its meals - and if one wants a custom personal pizza, this is the place to go at lunch time. Both RQS and I enjoyed our pizzas and wondered whether we'd have enough room in our stomachs to eat at the Crab Shack pop up later in the evening.  Although we could have dessert there, neither of us wanted Tiramisu. (Alfredo's on other ships usually has its own space, as well as O'Malley's gastropub.)  So, it was back to our cabin to rest.

Around 4:00 RQS decided to do laundry.  We still had tokens from our last laundry run on the Ruby Princess, so we hoped that the same tokens would work - they did.  About 90 minutes later, we retrieved our laundry from the dryer, and then proceeded to Crab Shack for dinner.

On the Island Princess, Crab Shack is not a lunch time pop up.  Instead, it is a dinner time venue in a cordoned off section of the buffet.  Other than that, it is the same pop up venue in a different area of the ship than on most Princess ships.  On our last cruise, we ordered the seafood bucket for two.  This time, we both ordered the seafood pots which contained clams, mussels, shrimp and crab (claws and legs).  It was tasty as expected.  Next time, we'll try the seafood boil for comparison.  

Once done with our meal, it was back to the cabin to rest while the food digested.... 

 

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Sydney, NS (09/11/25)

 

 

  

My first impression of Sydney, NS is one of a bleak and dreary place as evidenced by the bridge cam picture above.  There is no way I could do this place justice today, as the drizzling rain made it impossible to explore the town and get to the nearby museums in town.  Hopefully, RQS and I will return to this place on a sunny day and have the chance to do some exploration in good weather.

The one thing of note in Sydney is the giant fiddle near the cruise port.  I joked that should resurrect Seward Johnson and commission him to erect an appropriately sized sculpture of Itzhak Perlman next to it.  But that's my strange sense of humor at work.  RQS and I went to the stores in the nearby shops and we opened up our wallets:  RQS bought 2 pairs of gloves, while I bought 2 necklaces (at CA$10 each) for when I'm in Marian mode.  We then walked over to a record store (well stocked with classic vinyl albums) and got into a chat with one of its proprietors.  He said that he was impressed with my (limited) knowledge of classic albums, and I made sure to get his card before leaving for the ship.

- - - - - -

Around 7 pm, we went to another specialty restaurant, the Crown Grille.  This restaurant is a wonderful steakhouse where (on other ships) I was never served a bad meal.  RQS ordered the strip steak and I ordered the lobster tail - both were yummy!  Our only complaint was that we had to wait 10 minutes or so to be seated, the food, the service and the ambience of the place.  It'll be nice to eat there again later in the cruise.

 

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Halifax, NS (09/10/25)

 

I knew that I was going to hate waking up today, as I knew that I wouldn't get enough sleep before our scheduled shore excursion.

But first....

RQS and I had to get up at 6, so that we'd be ready for our shore excursion to Lunenburg by 7:30.  With neither of us having enough sleep the night before, I knew that we'd both be exhausted by the time we got back to the ship.  I was up early enough to get some shots of Port Halifax before we docked at Pier 20.  (All my previous cruises to this port docked at pier 21.)  

The first thing we did after showering and dressing was to go to the buffet. Being up at 7 made it so easy for us to both find a vacant table and find something to eat.  Too bad we're not early birds.  Around 7:30, we made it to one of the staging stations (a ship restaurant) to await our group number to be called.  After a short walk to an awaiting bus, we were on our way to Lunenburg.

 

 

 

Our first stop along the way was to Amos Pewter in Mahone Bay.  We saw the "Soup to Nuts" presentation on how pewter is made, and participated in using the skills needed to make a pewter ornament.  It was a nice demonstration, and made us appreciate the work the artisans do at this studio.

From Mahone Bay, it was off to nearby Lunenburg.  Old town Lunenburg was a planned colonial settlement, and a Nova Scotia treasure.  All of the buildings in this district reek of history, even if they are post colonial in style.  It was here where we decided to have lunch and enjoy our day away from the ship.  
 

After lunch, we explored the old town a little, but didn't have that much time or energy to do this place justice.  Hopefully, we may be able to find the time and money to visit this part of Canada by land and explore it as my parents once did 55 years ago, when I was a child.

All too soon, we were on our way back to the ship.  After a stop at a Maple Syrup store (a stop geared to generate money for both the store and the tour company), we were on our way back to the ship.  Sadly, we had no time to find a place selling needle and thread (I wanted to secure a button to a jacket), so this task will be put off to our next port stop.  And then, it was time for both of us to take a much needed nap before dinner.

Dinnertime came, and we went to the main dining room for dinner.  We were seated at a shared table with 5 other people, and had a nice time.  However, we noticed one thing: Service was so slow for a 7 pm seating, that we could not make it to the theater in time for the nightly entertainment. 

 

 

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #1 (09/09/25)

 

The above is a view fro our balcony this morning.  The seas have been relatively calm.  However, being near the bow of the ship, one feels the waves more than if one was near the stern of the ship.  Hopefully, we'll have smooth sailing for the rest of our cruise.

- - - - - -

For the most part, we relaxed today, leaving the room primarily for meals.  Having nowhere to go, and no one to see takes away many of the headaches that keep a person from truly relaxing.  Since we didn't get up early enough for a "sit down" breakfast, we went to the buffet instead.  This was a mistake.  The buffet was very crowded, and we had to share a table with another couple.  I noticed a saying from Neil Degrasse Tyson on one lady's shirt, and I opened up a chat with her.  Her friend came back, and the 4 of us were having a friendly conversation, lightly toughing on current politics.  The woman next to me was very upset at her church's pastor, as he was vehemently anti-abortion and showed the fetus at various stages of development in the womb.  This woman's job was to see that others could get the health care they needed, and understood why certain pregnancies had to be terminated, mostly for the viability of the fetus or the life of the mother.  This woman complained to her church's elders (I don't know what happened), but the pastor made another unforgiving rant the next weekend.  It's sad to see a woman's faith tested by the willful ignorance of a religious leader.

RQS and I took care of some minor errands before going back to the room to rest.  Around 6:30 pm, I got dressed, and we went to the ship's Italian specialty restaurant for dinner.  Although the food was very good, the service was slow. (I had made a joke to the lady who seated us: we have something to do tonight, so we have to be out of here by 10 pm.  She smiled, saying that was the end of her shift.)  We enjoyed our 5 course dinner, but we didn't get out until after 9 pm.

Both of knew that tomorrow would be a busy day, as we had to get up by 6, so that we could meet at 7:30 to be escorted to our tour to Lunenburg.  So, I suggested that we call it a day, and we did. 

 

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Embarkation Day (09/08/25)

RQS and I got up a little bit before 9 am today, and we took our time getting showered and dressed before making our way to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.  Both of us were a little forgetful in our packing.  She forgot a sweater she wanted to wear (and would need to wear) in cooler weather, and I forgot my memory stick that I planned to use on this trip in my shirt pocket left at home.

Around 11 am, our ride took us to the cruise terminal.  Traffic was slow (as expected) for a weekday, but we made it to our destination at noon. Unlike our prior experiences in Brooklyn, it took less than 15 minutes from the time we dropped off our bags with the porter to the time we made it to our cabin.  Cruising on a smaller ship has its benefits, as there were hardly any people queued for processing (compared to other cruises) due to our ship's low capacity AND the use of the Princess Medallion.

Once RQS and I were finished with the muster process, we went downstairs to have lunch in the main dining room.  Although the wait staff were polite and professional, I could tell that they wanted lunch service to end, so that they could get a much needed break before dinner service began. (We got to the restaurant 20 minutes before lunch service ended.)  It was an enjoyable lunch, with my salmon prepared the way I like it - grilled, not too dry or moist.

After lunch, both of us took a nap before unpacking our suitcases.  (I usually take out my packing cubes and take clean clothes out as I need them.) Yet, we didn't unpack the way we usually do, as both of us had our own agendas - me to take a nap, and RQS to take her photos.  And then, both of us relaxed until dinner time. 

At 7 pm, we went to the dining room for dinner, and there was a long line to the door.  Someone pointed out that the line we were standing on was for people who didn't have reservations.  So we went to the other line, and were seated at a shared table with 3 other people.  Everyone else at the table were seasoned travelers, so our conversation lasted until well after 9 pm.  Hopefully, we will see these people again on the cruise.

Finally, RQS needed to buy a sweater, so it was off to the ship's store to buy one.  She found something she liked, and wanted to buy two - but only one was available in a color and style she liked.  Then it was back to the cabin for the night. 

 

 

By the time you read this, we'll be ready to be landlubbers.

 

 

 

By the time you read this, we'll be back from our cruise.  We originally planned to take this cruise in June, but one thing got in the way: an offer from Princess Cruises to "Move Over" to a different Canada/New England cruise, so that they could make our cabin available for people who paid for a "Guaranteed" cabin. In exchange, we'd receive a free cruise, the money paid for this cruise returned to us as refundable onboard credits.  Within 10 minutes of receiving this offer, we accepted it and were booked on this cruise.  Little did we know that this cruise would be even more popular than the cruise we originally booked.

(New Cruise Cabin Location Above)

 

(Old Cruise Cabin Location Above) 

When we booked the new cruise, we were given a balcony cabin on the Aloha deck (12) of the ship.  this deck is just below the Lido deck (14), and I expect that the cabin will be a little noisy until late hours on the ship, due to the buffet area being above us.  I'm not sure whether it is much of an upgrade from the obstructed cabin we originally had on the Emerald deck (8), as it was near the main atrium.

- - - - - -

We've been on this and similar Canada/New England routes before, so choosing shore excursions wasn't as important to us as it could have been if this were our first cruise together.  We've already been to Peggy's Cove, NS, so we weren't that interested in going there again for a photographic tour.  But, we hadn't been to Lunenberg, NS yet.  So we booked this excursion.  We would have liked to get the Alexander Graham Bell excursion at another port, but this was sold out before we had a chance to book it.  So, we had a few days without scheduled excursions to explore some ports at our leisure.

This will be the 4th cruise we are taking this year.  We have one more left to go.  Strangely enough, we'll enjoy having most of autumn to enjoy on dry land.... 

 

Soon, another cruise. But first, some shopping.

 

Soon, RQS and I will be going on another cruise that (hopefully) will reach all of the above ports.  This year's route differs from the above route we planned to take in 2022, as we don't expect that a hurricane will prevent us from reaching Sydney and Charlottetown on this trip.  The last thing I want from this cruise is to make another unplanned visit to Cornerbrook with nothing to do there.

- - - - - -

Today, I received some important materials we'll need before our trip. We're counting down the days to go, and taking care of things that need taking care of between our two cruises.  I have a co-op board meeting, lunch with two friends, and a dinner with Vicki scheduled.  RQS will be coming up here this coming weekend, so that she can buy a new printer and have me deliver it, and her back to her place at the end of the weekend.

So, what did with most of my day?  If you said "Relax", you'd be correct.  I didn't get showered and dressed until 4 pm (or so), and took a drive up to Poughkeepsie.  It was a nice day for a drive, and even the rush hour traffic wasn't too bad.  Ending up at Aldi, I looked for things that would not need refrigeration, such as bread.  But I noticed one item that interested me - a Bluetooth folding keyboard. For $10, it was worth a try.  The darned thing works, but is not practical due to its size.  It'll be nice to keep around when my main keyboard needs to be replaced, and the stores won't open for another few hours.  Sometimes, toys can still be useful.  Once done with Aldi, it was time to go food shopping at Trader Joe's. Today's food haul was a record expenditure for me at this store.  I can't complain about the prices, but I can see the effects of inflation and the Snowflake's tariffs starting to kick in.  $67 later, it was time to go home. 

Once home, I couldn't get the food into the refrigerator quick enough - my GI Tract was acting up again.  And soon enough, I was in for the night, and no longer in the mood to do laundry as I once planned. 

  

 

I started repacking my bags for my Alaska cruise

 

 

As I write this, we are in the middle of a nasty heat wave in the NYC area.  The temperature peaked around 97 degrees in the shade, and I was very glad that I took the opportunity to stay inside and relax. This meant that I had no excuse not to work on repacking my luggage in preparation for our Alaska cruise.  Somehow, I still have to figure out how I'm going to bring my winter coat with me, even though I doubt I will need it.

- - - - - -

About a month ago, RQS and I were about to go on a New England / Canada cruise when we got an offer that we couldn't refuse: The cruise line would pay us (in refundable cruise credits) to take a different cruise (up to 10 days long) to the same region.  Instead of each of us paying $2000+ to take the cruise, we'd get a free cruise with the money we paid for the original cruise refunded to us (minus charges) once the replacement cruise ends.

We took Princess Cruises up on this offer 5 days before the cruise was to sail.  This left me with a packed 28" bag, a 20" carry-on bag, my backpack, and my CPAP machine - all ready to go on a summer 10-day cruise. Now, I had to repack, pulling out all but a couple of short sleeve shirts, replacing them with warmer garb. There was no way I was going to travel as Marian, given the current political climate.  Certain minorities are being rounded up (legal residents and non-legal residents), and ICE is treating many of them worse than we treated the Japanese-Americans sent to internment camps during World War 2.  Cruelty is a trademark of this authoritarian administration, and I don't want to be one of his victims trying to travel as Marian through any CBP checkpoints.  Luckily, it made much more sense for me to dress as Mario on the Alaska cruise, so much of the packing I did for the cruise we did not take made it easier for me to repack for this cruise. 

For the most part, repacking for Alaska is relatively simple.  Replace most summery gear with wintry gear and assume you'll have autumn weather often interrupted by rain  Even if we lived in "normal" times, I'd still be traveling in trouser-like garments in Marian mode (if I were full-time), as Alaska is a very informal place to visit.

- - - - - -

On other matters....

Right now, my brother's availability may be the weakest link in us getting the rental permit for the family homestead completed. Officially, someone has to inspect the place.  However, the place has already been through 2 inspections by the same fellow working for the town, and it will be up to my brother to take care of things.

By now, I would have been reporting about a 10 day cruise

 

This is how I looked over 6 years ago.  I now have a better hair style, and I have a partner that I can count on.  But picture is a reminder that no swimsuit is going to make me look like something other than a transgender woman when presenting as a female.

Why do I mention this?

RQS and I will be spending a few days away from home, as our cruising has been postponed for a while.  Any short, inexpensive trip we take will have me presenting as a female, and will be in hotels which have a swimming pool.  So, I'll finally be able to break out and use this swimsuit again.

Right now, we're looking at places we can reach within a 3-4 hour drive, an inexpensive train ride, or by a cheap flight.  One of these places is Mystic, Connecticut.  A person can easily spend a day viewing the maritime museum at Mystic Seaport, and visiting the nearby Aquarium  But, what else is nearby?  Do we want to spend an evening at the casino?  I'm not so sure if that's the best way to spend an evening or two.  If we were in Mystic, we could do a day trip to Newport, RI.and view a couple of the Gilded Age mansions there.  This would force us to leave on a Monday, and return on a Friday.  Is this practical for us?

Where else could we go?   Philly?  Boston?  Toronto?  Looking at these options, I found that these options would be more costly, as we'd be buying tickets and reserving everything at the last minute. I know one thing - we will discuss this when we're next together.

Preparing for my upcoming cruise while thinking of battles of the past. (A short post with a long title.)

 

As I write this, I'm taking care of preparations for my upcoming cruise.  Although our ship will be visiting the above ports, it will not be in the order we were supposed to go when we last booked a 10-day cruise with all of these ports.

When we originally planned to take this cruise, I intended to go as Marian, as I never had problems with people on either side of the Canadian border.  This time is something else.  Now that the Orange Snowflake is in power, I want to be as invisible as possible to anyone loyal to his criminal regime.  That means that I'll have to travel as Mario.  AARGH!

- - - - - -

One thing I can say is that I'm glad that I didn't legally transition as of yet.  Reports I'm getting from social media are that transgenders are getting notices from the Federal Government that their gender markers have been "Corrected" when they get their new passports.  Now, they have Federal and State issued IDs that no longer match.  How cruel can one be to minorities?

The other night, I watched "Good Night, and Good Luck" on CNN.  The bravery of Edward R. Murrow should inspire today's media leaders.  Instead, they all capitulate, forgetting the lessons of the past. Too bad we don't have enough people like him to stand up to bullies that are in charge of the levers of government.  

Now, I have to find a different gift for RQS.

 

Recently, I tested the waters with RQS about the cruise I was going to gift her.  She had a reaction similar to mine as if I were sailing solo - getting on a cruise that sails to 3 mediocre locations and not getting off the ship is not a cruise worth going on.  So, I'll have to figure out what I want to give her within the next two or three weeks or so.

The talk about the cruise we won't take got us talking about a cruise we might take - a 7 night Eastern Canada / New England cruise sometime next year.  The cruise we're interested in will sail out of Boston and make port in two places we've never been to before - Sydney, NS and Eastport, ME.  Eastport is the one place from which we'd take a shore excursion - to a US national park in Canada!  You might be asking, how could a US national park be in Canada?  The answer is simple, Campobello is a piece of Canada only accessible from the USA, and FDR's vacation home was on this island.  So, both nations have made the Roosevelt home and grounds a national park, and both nations maintain it.

So my big question is: What should I get RQS for Xmas?

California Vacation 2023 - Sea Day #1

 

Sea Day #1.  

This was a day to relax.  We had nothing to do and nowhere to go. So we stayed in bed and had a late breakfast.  After exploring the ship a little, it was time for lunch in the main dining room. And that is where we shared a table with two ladies who went to college together.

Often, it is quicker and easier to get a table in the main dining room when one is willing to share a table with others.  This is something I tend to do on most of my cruises, as it allows me to meet with new people and learn new things.  This time, RQS and I were able to share some of our Eastern Canada / New England cruise experiences with others who had an interest in the itinerary.

After lunch, we decided to rest a while before dressing up for dinner.  RQS made a stop at the ice cream station on the lido deck where she got a specialty dessert for us to split.  (Getting these desserts is a perk we are entitled to in our cruise package.) It was yummy, but not something I’d have every day.

Soon enough, it was time for us to get dressed for the evening. Unlike one extremely formal cruise line I want to take soon, I didn’t need a “Dinner Suit” for formal night.  Princess is happy when women get dressed in nice dresses, and the men get dressed in a blazer, shirt & tie with a pair of dress slacks.  This would be the first time we got dressed up since our last cruise, and we enjoyed it.

Dinner in the specialty dining restaurant (the steak house) was good.  But one thing marred it a little.  The place was understaffed, and it took a while for service to get started.  When it did, it was up to the level met by the complimentary restaurants on the ship.  RQS was impressed, as it was a consistently higher level of service than NCL has on its ships. Yet, both of us agreed that NCL’s steak house had the better quality steak.

So how would we rate the ship so far in this cruise?  Princess has better quality service.  There are not as many attempts to upsell the cruiser extra products and services to make money.  We both prefer NCL’s buffet, but prefer Princess’s main dining rooms.  We are not as happy with Princess’s Medallion experience as we’d like, as the App doesn’t carry all the information one might need from the daily Princess Patter (such as times restaurants are open), but it is something I’d like to see implemented on other cruise lines.  

After dinner, we met up with a couple of people at the lounge.  We had a nice chat, although the band was playing too loud for comfort.  I wonder - is the band playing loud because the older demographic of the cruisers imply hearing troubles?  Who knows?  But I’d have loved to have chatted in an area less noisy.  At least, I was able to use my louder male voice for conversation.

Sometimes, the total price of a cruise can be so tempting....

 

 

For those who wonder how I can consider interesting long distance trips and cruises, I suggest that they look at the above trip and how I would book it.  The January 28, 2023 trip above allows for a couple of nights in Honolulu before a 7 night cruise around the Hawaiian islands.  If I were to budget $500 for hotels, and another $100 for meals while in Honolulu, I'd be able to take this trip for approximately $3,300 before the cost of excursions.  Add on $700 for excursions I haven't taken in Hawaii, and I could take this bucket list trip again for $4,000 or so.  But it takes flexibility in thinking and of scheduling to do this.

RQS and I have fun looking at cruise prices and enjoy trying to figure out whether a specific trip makes sense.  Lately, I've been trying to come up with a way for us to take a Panama Canal cruise from Los Angeles, just to be an excuse to see my 90 y/o uncle.  There are trips (such as a Norwegian Fjord cruise) that we have had to put off for this year, so that we could take a cruise from LA and see my uncle.  And we have settled on a Princess cruise that goes to San Francisco, San Diego and Ensenada, MX.  It's not the ideal cruise for me.  But it is a cruise on which RQS could accompany me.  And that is the most important thing.

People traveling solo have many problems, as the tourist world is designed for couples and for families. The only reason that the above cruise came to mind is that the price has dropped and that there is no single supplement.  Couple this with affordable airfare, and I'd spend half as much as I did on my most recent cruise to take this vacation.  Hunting these bargains is a must if one wants to travel on a budget.

- - - - - -

Last year, RQS and I took a second New England/Canada cruise because the base price was too cheap to ignore.  Although we spent twice as much for the cruise than it was advertised for (ads in the United States market do not include taxes, port fees, or gratuities), it was still well worth taking at the time.  Shoulder season is a great time to cruise, as fewer people want to cruise these routes at the beginning or end of a cruise season.  

Bargain hunting shouldn't be limited to things like shoulder seasons.  For example, I took a cruise at the end of 2021 that seemed as if there was more crew than passengers.  I was willing to take the Covid-19 related risk, as I was fully vaccinated.  And it was a great cruise!  So I look for bargains from United States ports, and see if I can make the overall price of the cruise (including the cost of airfare, if needed) fit my budget.  If so, I'm ready to pack my bags and go!  If not, I'll keep scanning the lists to see if there is something worth tracking.

Right now, I occasionally look at cruises originating in the Tampa area.  I have a friend who lives there, and RQS has family in the area.  One of these days, we'll find a way to get there inexpensively, visit our friends and family, and take the cruise.  Until then, this trip will have to wait until the temptation is too much.

Second Cruise - Day 0: Travel to Queens.

 

Day 0: Travel to Queens.

Normally, I drive to RQS’s place and park my car in her neighborhood.  This week, it was not the case, as I couldn’t leave my car on a city street due to alternate side of the street parking that takes place during weekdays.  So, I called a cab to the station, and had a one way chat with a cabbie which had a bone to pick with Uber and Lyft for not having to follow any regulations for passenger rides.

When I arrived at Croton Harmon, I found that I had just missed a train to the city, and had to kill time before a local train arrived.  The train ride was uneventful, but I realized that I had nothing to eat before getting on the train. So I stopper into the food court at Grand Central to pick up a quick bite to eat, then hump my bag and CPAP machine onto the subway.  In the post-Covid Grand Central, there are few places to have a seat, even to eat something from one of the food vendors still open.  Everything is geared to standing up at a high table, to keep people from lingering.  Luckily, I found a ‘handicapped table’ which I used while quickly eating a sandwich.

Eating the sandwich was the smartest thing I could have done.  I took the subway to Bleeker street, where I could connect with the M train going out to Queens.  This was a big mistake, as there were no (or few) M trains running this afternoon.  (I had checked service outages before making this route decision.) So, after waiting more than 30 minutes, I bailed and went back to Union Square to catch another train to RQS’s neighborhood.

The whole trip took 4 hours, for what would normally be a 2 hour trip.  I was both hungry and tired before I got to RQS’s place, and after a little rest, we went to eat.  Shortly after dinner, we went to bed early, in anticipation of the trip to come.