A fall color cruise was a bucket list item. Unfortunately a hurricane stripped trees of fall colors in many ports. Prince Edward Island was damaged. It closed on our first leg but opened for the second. We booked and enjoyed a Green Gables tour even though damage was evident. Tree damage (almost as bad in Halifax and Sidney) didn't keep us from enjoying Alexander Graham Bell's house and the most pictured light house in Canada. A back to back cruise let you visit different venues on your way up and back depending on weather. We ate Lobster in Portsmouth and toured Acadia by glass top golf cart in Bar Harbor. Small Canadian ports were wonderful and friendly dives into marine centered life.

MSC Cruise Line was a different experience. The ship was beautiful. Live music and shows in the main showroom and lounges were excellent. Shows in the smaller venue (like Cirque de Sole) were a $12 up charge. In room movies were $10 each. TV was boring. American cruisers who prefer college football over European soccer should not cruise with MSC during football season. We paid $30 to HEAR Tennessee beat Alabama on Knoxville radio. Satellite reception was so poor regular TV was often out of service. We suspect the things we disliked most were intentional to direct passengers to alcohol and gambling. We do neither.

Boston by car allowed us to visit Salem just before Halloween. Download the audio walking tour on a phone and share blue tooth speakers to thoroughly enjoy the witch experience. The Captain of the Mayflower's grave and building ages in Salem amazed us. After Boston hotwire a room halfway to New York. We caught Hugh Jackman's Music Man at a matinee and Wicked at 7 PM before leaving town to Hot wire a cheaper room near our next stop, the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Read more