Glory to Canada Review 7/2/11 - with Pictures Amidst the Fog

[Rossey]

I hope I didn't miss this in your post. What is the cost to park at the pier and is there a good supply of spaces? We'll be parking three cars for the July 21 sailing. Thank you.

[gigi1313]

can you share more info on the Theodore tour? i *know* ds3 would love it... i just could not find it on the list of shore excursions on canada (unless i don't know what i'm looking for! LOL!)... was it in Halifax or St Johns?

 

Thanks for your great review thusfar... i am enjoying every word/photo :)

[roswellmom]

Great review and terrific pictures. We'll be on Glory 7/30 and can't wait. Thanks for reminding me to bring long sleeve shirts and a jacket.

 

[babyblue78]

We *MUST* do this cruise sometime! The NY sailway, we have never been to Canada, it would be so different. Love your pictures! :)

[Monkey30]

I hope I didn't miss this in your post. What is the cost to park at the pier and is there a good supply of spaces? We'll be parking three cars for the July 21 sailing. Thank you.

 

There is plenty of parking at the piers.. more than enough for what is needed.

Parking is $30.00 per day

[Tink35]

What a great review. Thank you so much for the pics too. Leaving Saturday! Can't wait!

[loohoo1]

I am loving your review and awesome pics. Thanks! We will be on the 5 day 7/25 sailing!!!! I may need to re-think what to pack based on the weather you experienced. We have to fly to port so I'm trying to squeeze everything in a carry-on, lol. :eek:

[gigi1313]

What a great review. Thank you so much for the pics too. Leaving Saturday! Can't wait!

 

See you there!!! Can't wait either! :)

[LisaT12]

Enjoying your review!! Are the shows the same as last year?? What about the menus?? Thanks!!:)

[Ms. Fun Bunch]

Nice review. Have never sailed from New York but your pictures have me planning a cruise from NY soon!

[Motorbutt]

I am really enjoying your review. My Mom and I will be on this cruise 9/17. I was wondering if you would be able to tell us the best place to get lobster rolls, we will also be in Portland and Boston. We went on this same cruise quite a few years ago and had a good time. What are some of the other activities that you have done when you were in port? How did you like the cruise director, I have never heard of him. Thanks! :)

[nybumpkin]

I hope I didn't miss this in your post. What is the cost to park at the pier and is there a good supply of spaces? We'll be parking three cars for the July 21 sailing. Thank you.

As someone else posted, it $30 per day to park at the pier. Yeah, it's expensive - but that's NYC parking. We paid $15 for the night to park at the Hampton Inn at LaGuardia the night before sailing, and that was in an outer borough. However, we've never had any problem finding a parking place at the pier - plenty of spots available.

[nybumpkin]

can you share more info on the Theodore tour? i *know* ds3 would love it... i just could not find it on the list of shore excursions on canada (unless i don't know what i'm looking for! LOL!)... was it in Halifax or St Johns?

 

Thanks for your great review thusfar... i am enjoying every word/photo :)

Here;s a link for information about Theodore: http://www.mtcw.ca/FleetTT.php. We booked it independently in Halifax, and I don't see it listed on Carnival's excursions. If you walk down the boardwalk, you'll come to Murphy's Cable Wharf (they operate this tour) and there will be a booth to book the tour. You can contact them ahead of time to reserve a spot as well. Theodore is a real tugboat, fitted out as the character. The crew gives the kids a book to follow along as they sail through the "Big Harbour" to meet all of Theodore's friends. On our tour, Theodore's captain let all of the kids come up to the wheelhouse to "steer" Theodore. Our son absolutely loved the tour.

[nybumpkin]

We *MUST* do this cruise sometime! The NY sailway, we have never been to Canada, it would be so different. Love your pictures! :)

Thanks, Karah! It is a different cruise, but to me the NY sailaway (and return) makes it worth the price of admission!

[nybumpkin]

I am loving your review and awesome pics. Thanks! We will be on the 5 day 7/25 sailing!!!! I may need to re-think what to pack based on the weather you experienced. We have to fly to port so I'm trying to squeeze everything in a carry-on, lol. :eek:

I brought one sweatshirt and two pairs of long pants, and that worked fine for me. Hope you enjoy your cruise!

[Catrin]

I am enjoying your review!

 

We cruised this itinerary last year.. last week in August.. completely in the Fog. The Fog broke free our last day at sea.... one of the most glorious calm sea days in my 11 cruises!

 

As much as I enjoyed Canada, I am very much looking forward to go back to the Caribbean this year!

 

Catrin

[nybumpkin]

Enjoying your review!! Are the shows the same as last year?? What about the menus?? Thanks!!:)

The shows are the same as last year. For the most part, the menus are the same but there are a few changes. On elegant night, they offered a "basa" fish entree we hadn't seen before, and DH couldn't decide between it and the lobster - so our server brought both. He thought the basa was okay, but he preferred the lobster.

[jerseyralph]

What a terrific review! You have truly helped those who have booked or are considering booking this cruise.

 

I am pretty good at organizing my family trips. Well, you have me beat!

 

I have enjoyed reading every word. You have taught me a thing or two and we have sailed this itinerary three times!

 

Be Well and enjoy planning the next family cruise.

[nybumpkin]

What a terrific review! You have truly helped those who have booked or are considering booking this cruise.

 

I am pretty good at organizing my family trips. Well, you have me beat!

 

I have enjoyed reading every word. You have taught me a thing or two and we have sailed this itinerary three times!

 

Be Well and enjoy planning the next family cruise.

Thank you so much.:o I like this cruise so much I hope I can help others plan for it, knowing that it's not the Caribbean.

[nybumpkin]

We opted to stay on deck to sail away from Halifax, rather than go to dinner early. DH wanted to take photos on the way out of the harbor.

 

 

 

Georges Island. Note the military helicopter to the left.

 

 

Georges Island

 

 

Halifax Harbor

 

 

Boys on balcony

 

 

Maugher Beach Light

 

 

 

The result was that we ended up having dinner in one of the overflow dining rooms. The table was fine, but there were too many tables in this room for the assigned staff – they were hustling. DH and I opted for the chateaubriand, which was excellent. The boys were still pretty full from lunch – they didn’t even stay for dessert.

[nybumpkin]

After dinner, DH and I went to see Justin Illusion. I don’t profess to have any knowledge of how an illusionist does these acts, but he certainly was a lot of fun to watch. It’s an excellent show.

 

 

I then went to check to see whether the Camp Carnival late night party would be taking place. I had signed up on our 11 YO on Monday, but the counselor advised me to check to see whether the party would actually happen – they didn’t have many takers for the party. Between what the counselor told me and what my son heard from other kids, it really sounds as if Carnival has overestimated the level of interest versus price for this party, and the end result was that the party was canceled for lack of registrants. And on a cruise with a lot of kids! When we did this cruise last year (and times previously), the late night party for this group was $26. With the new “Night Owls” program, it’s now $33 plus a 15% gratuity – over $37 per child. It’s too bad – son always loved this party. He was disappointed, but he certainly understood when his friends told him their parents thought it was just too expensive.

[nybumpkin]

During the night the fog rolled back in – and stayed. We awoke the next morning to sun shining – through the fog. It never rained, but it was pretty cool all day. And it was foggy.

 

 

 

Lido Deck in the fog

 

 

 

Aside from sitting on our balcony, I didn’t spend much time outside. After breakfast, we went to trivia (DH took second), then coffee and cards on the Promenade deck. Lunch on deck 10, followed by some shopping and down time on the balcony.

 

 

 

Red Sail Restaurant

 

 

We went to tea at 3:30 (very nice – but no scones!), and then the “fun farewell” party was at 5. We spent some time chatting with our cruise director Josh – just a really nice guy.

 

 

 

We made sure we went to dinner around 6 so we could ask for the table we had the first two nights – Table 237 with Joven, Miguel and Cesar. They seemed happy to see us – apparently the night before a group took their service area and we were a bit easier to serve. I opted for mushroom soup and short ribs, and they were good. Dessert for me was the Grand Marnier soufflé – very good, but very rich.

 

 

Last evening in the Golden Dining Room

Last evening in the Golden Dining Room

 

 

Last night sunset

 

 

After dinner, we finished packing and then went down to the Burgundy Bar so DH could try the Jack Mojito I had sampled a few nights before. He had been waiting to try a mojito all week…and it was good. However, it did give both of us some crazy dreams during the night….

[nybumpkin]

I awoke around 6:00 and we were already under the Verrazano. DH had planned to get up early to take pictures, but he just couldn’t find enough energy to get out of bed at the appointed hour. I was out on our balcony from the time we passed the Battery until we docked.

 

 

 

Lower Manhattan, 6:30 a.m.

 

 

The 343, a very special fireboat....

 

 

Hudson looking south, early morning

 

 

New York is just such a unique port. Early in the morning, you see a city barely awake – New York really doesn’t waken completely until around 10. We sailed by Ground Zero and the new Freedom Tower, past the tunnel entrances, Chelsea Piers, and the Intrepid. All the while, you watch the city wake up. You see more people, more cars. Down below, there’s a tugboat helping to push Glory into her pier. And then there’s the longshoremen working the lines to tie off the ship.

 

 

 

34th Street and the Empire State Building

 

 

Gramma Lee T. Moran hard at work..(I breathed in diesel fumes taking this photo.)

 

 

Intrepid

 

 

 

 

We left our cabin around 7:45 and went to the Lido restaurant for some breakfast. I wasn’t very hungry, and neither were our sons, but we managed enough sustenance for the drive home. VIP debarkation for non-self assist met in the Golden Dining Room at 8:30, and we were off the ship by 9:00. We had returned to Pier 88 instead of Pier 90, which was our pier of departure. It did require a bit of juggling to get our car and load up, since our porter could not take our luggage up to the parking deck on Pier 90. DH had to go get the car, exit out onto 12th Avenue, and drive around to enter the port area again to pick us up. However, wewere in our car on the way home by 9:20. We were home before lunchtime.

[nybumpkin]

I always like to end my reviews with my own thoughts and observations about the cruise. Please understand that I’ve never had a bad cruise. Some better than others, yes – but no bad cruises. Was this our best cruise ever? For me, no – but then, it was only a 5-day cruise. I think my best cruise ever was an 8-day out of NYC on Carnival Legend in 2006, sailing to San Juan, St. Thomas and Tortola. That cruise was very different from a 5-day Canada cruise. And this one far exceeded last year’s Hurricane Earl cruise, if for no other reason than having much better weather.

 

 

 

For DH, however - he absolutely loved this cruise. Thought it was one of the best. Please understand that over the last few cruises we've taken, he wasn't really happy with the experience. This cruise, however, he had a wonderful experience. It rekindled his enjoyment of sailing.

 

 

 

Carnival Glory: This was our third cruise on Glory. To us, she’s a very comfortable ship; for me personally, she’s the one ship we’ve sailed that doesn’t have a space where I say, “What was Farcus thinking?” A few nits here and there, such as the door to our balcony. On most cruises, you hear complaints about balcony doors slamming. Well, ours was the other extreme – it didn’t want to close. I ended up trying to slam it shut (only slightly successful). Overall, though, Glory is a well-maintained ship with nicely decorated lounges.

 

 

Crew and staff: Absolutely no complaints here, either. Our stewards kept our cabin immaculate and our wait staff at dinner was superb. Staff at other times of the day worked hard to clean up after passengers – despite some rather demanding passengers. (What comes to mind for me is the 3 or 4 year-old hellion who grabbed a metal tray from fish and chips, ran over to the stairs, and tossed the tray down the stairs to a (for the child, at least) satisfying resonance. The parents did nothing to discipline the child, but a staff member calmly walked down the stairs, picked up the tray, and brought it to the “to be cleaned” dish collection.)

 

 

Other guests: At least based on the past guest party, there were no “milestone” cruisers on this sailing. We, along with two other families, constituted the “most sailings” group with 14 apiece. There were a lot of first-time cruisers on this sailing. This was the cruise that got us hooked on cruising – I hope others are similarly hooked. Most guests seemed to enjoy themselves. There are always a handful of those I will call “entitled” (see the paragraph above about the little hellion), but on a cruise with 3000 people I would say 2800+ didn’t fall into that category. Passengers fell into all age groups – young families, older couples, singles, family reunions – you name it.

 

 

 

Entertainment: We sailed with Josh two years ago on Miracle when he was subbing as CD for Malcolm, who had become ill. We thought he was okay at that time, although we thought he doubled up on announcements. Fast forward two years and Josh has really come into his own. Very confident, very personable, and he obviously loves what he’s doing. For me, the telling point was when I saw him in the lobby on Saint John morning, putting up July 4 decorations. I just don’t expect to see the cruise director hanging up the decorations, but it obviously meant a lot to him to celebrate July 4 in style. And as I said previously, this ship had more July 4 celebrations than any ship we’ve sailed. We had a chance to talk to Josh during the “Fun Farewell” party and enjoyed getting to meet him.

 

 

The only shows we saw were the Welcome Aboard show, Jim McCue in the comedy club, and Justin Illusion. We didn’t go to the production shows, “Just Rock” and “Livin’ in America,” as we’ve seen both previously. Never made it to the piano bar on this cruise. The ship’s orchestra was very good – they did a couple of concerts in the lobby and they were enjoyable.

 

 

Food: As I noted previously, this was the first cruise where we opted for Your Time Dining. What we found is that for most people on this cruise, Your Time Dining meant … 6:30. I don’t know if it differs on a cruise with fewer children, though. A friend who sailed NCL with her family told us that NCL’s “freestyle” dining was fine, as long as you didn’t want to eat at 6:30. On our next cruise we have early dining booked – no real reason to have Your Time Dining on that one. At any rate, the food on this cruise was all good. I did miss crème brulee and tiramisu, though.

[nybumpkin]

The next cruise is next month. We’re driving to Charleston for Carnival Fantasy, mostly because we’ve never been to Charleston. I know Fantasy will be a far cry from the ships we’ve sailed up to now, but it will be nice to experience a totally different type of ship. After that … I think we’ll wait to see what oldest son’s schedule looks like before we book anything. He may or may not want to sail with us, but I’d like to see if we can fit in one more cruise with him before he graduates. He’ll be Platinum too….