Caribbean Princess Review

Quebec City to NYC - Fall Colors Missing

Review for Canada & New England Cruise on Caribbean Princess
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Tonto Yoder
10+ Cruises • Age 70s

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Sail Date: Oct 2016
Cabin: Interior

We spent four full days in Quebec City prior to the cruise. It is a beautiful, clean and safe city with a great history. Just shopping is doing yourself a disservice. Be sure to visit the citidel for a tour. Special rates are available for active and retired military. It is stiil an active installation. Foodies will love the city. There are several restaurants that you need to make reservations for at least a week in advance to be sure you can get in. Chez Boulay is one worth visiting.

Embarkation and disembarkation went smoothly. As we have Elite status there may be other opinions for first time cruisers. Spending an overnight on the ship, with departure at 6PM was overkill. This really was a nine day cruise. I wish they would have added another stop and departed on embarkation day. Our inside cabin had as much space as the balcony rooms, and was quite adequate. Unfortunately, our cabin, C105 butted up against the stairway to the bridge. So, at various times, vibrations were felt in our room from crew running up and down the stairs. Not much of an issue for me, but my wife is a lighter sleeper. We did not ask for a different cabin.

We have traveled extensively on Princess, and always look forward to seeing crew members that we have interacted with on previous trips. It took about two minutes after getting our room key cards to run into the waiter from our recent 89 day cruise around Africa. You really get to know the crew (if you want to) on the longer cruises. Needless to say, even with anytime dining, we got to sit in Seksan's section each night. He even remembered our preferences. There were a total of five wait staff that we encountered from the Ocean Princess, and two security personnel. Hugs around with the security personnel when they recognized my wife. We have now added a few more crew members that we will look for on future Princess cruises.

Cabin Review

Interior

Cabin IC

Good size, clean. Noise from crew stairway to bridge. If you are a light sleeper it could bother you; if you are hard of hearing, no issues. The cabin is far forward on the starboard side. If you are traveling on the open seas with questionable weather, this is not the cabin for you.

Port Reviews

Sydney (Nova Scotia)

HIstorical area close to docks. Easy to walk and very interesting. Old city with wonderful people.

Corner Brook

Not much to see in town. Not sure about the surrounds and all the tours were sold out early and there were minimal choices at the dock for doing anything on your own.

Quebec City

Great city. Take the hop on - hop off bus to get an overview, then check our what interests you. Be sure to take the tour at the citadel if you are into history. Active duty and retired military familes get a great break on the prices. It is still an active installation.

Halifax

Easy city to walk. Take the HOHO bus to get the lay of the land. Be sure to take the Whiteside ferry to John's Lunch for a real fresh seafood. Fish and chips is thier specialty. There are a few good micro breweries here worth trying.

Saint John (New Brunswick)

Nice farmers market. Good choice of restaurants in the market. Reversing rapids a good site to see near downtown. The St John river empties into the Bay of Funday and when the tide comes in, it overrides the river flow, hence the reversing rapids. Great docents at the Visitors Center at the rapids.

Bar Harbor

Easy to walk. Rainy day, so no one got to see Cadillac Mountain whether on a tour or not. Leaves were changing and saw some brilliant oranges and reds. Up till now, the leaves were all green. This was not a Fall Colors tour by any means. Good town to get lobster.

Boston

Boston is a city you have to visit at least once. We arrived on Columbus Day and schools were out. Hence, more people downtown than usual. The HOHO bus is one of the best in the US. VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE drives.

Newport

Mansions and money. All are common to Newport. The HOHO bus is a good way to see the mansions from the outside. A harbor tour would be a better way as the great mansions all face the sea. Friendly people in a walkable city.

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