This is a very long review as I am trying to cover all the areas suggested by Cruise Critic.

We have cruised with HAL in the past and love the small ships. After a long and miserable winter we were eager for a break that would not break the budget. This cruise was ideal as for the first time in 30 plus cruises - we could drive to and from the ship instead of spending a lot of money on plane fares.

We drove from our home in New Brunswick to Quebec City and found our hotel near the airport without difficulty. We stayed at the Grand Times Hotel Aeroport de Quebec. I highly recommend this hotel. The staff at reception was very welcoming and were also bi-lingual - a big plus as my high school French is rarely used. The room was large and comfortable and very clean. Hotel does not have a dining room however a serve-yourself breakfast area is set up in the lobby and offers a surprisingly varied and more than adequate breakfast that was included with the room price. The hotel is just less than a city block from several restaurants all in comfortable walking distance. We had a thoroughly delicious meal at Mikes Restaurant that evening and after breakfast the next morning were taken to our ship as part of the package - knowing our car was parked at the hotel's spacious parking lot for free until our return from the cruise. Excellent bargain. Read more