The Longest (& most ostentatious) Carnival Glory to Canada Review [6/25 5 Day:Boston]

[ShakyBeef]

Speaking of uncanny... that another review of such excessive length would be written about a 5-Day New England/Canada cruise on Carnival Glory is kinda freaky coincidental.:p And it's practically the same week! To explain, my DH wrote a 'cruise memoir' of crazy length about this same cruise (except we went out of NY, instead of Boston), and posted it here as he wrote it, a couple years ago. Our cruise was June 18th, 2011. The coincidence is striking me as creepy/ crazy/ funny.

 

I'm enjoying your review, OP.:) Thanks for posting it. I hate to tell you, though, it's not the longest Carnival Glory to Canada review. DH's was 267 pages in MS Word, with 107,391 words.:eek: But he went waaaaaay off (cruise) topic several times and it took him 6 months to finish it (he wrote it after the cruise).:rolleyes::p Yours is sure to be much more topical and concise at a mere 22 pages:D. Darn, I'm out of smilies. Time to end this post.

 

Seriously, though, I am enjoying your review and will be following along. It's quite impressive that you took the time to write this while on your cruise.

[Crusin Karen]

Speaking of uncanny... that another review of such excessive length would be written about a 5-Day New England/Canada cruise on Carnival Glory is kinda freaky coincidental.:p And it's practically the same week! To explain, my DH wrote a 'cruise memoir' of crazy length about this same cruise (except we went out of NY, instead of Boston), and posted it here as he wrote it, a couple years ago. Our cruise was June 18th, 2011. The coincidence is striking me as creepy/ crazy/ funny.

 

I'm enjoying your review, OP.:) Thanks for posting it. I hate to tell you, though, it's not the longest Carnival Glory to Canada review. DH's was 267 pages in MS Word, with 107,391 words.:eek: But he went waaaaaay off (cruise) topic several times and it took him 6 months to finish it (he wrote it after the cruise).:rolleyes::p Yours is sure to be much more topical and concise at a mere 22 pages. Darn, I'm out of smilies. Time to end this post.

 

Seriously, though, I am enjoying your review and will be following along. It's quite impressive that you took the time to write this while on your cruise.

I read every single word of that review and remember it well! Pictures were fabulous! Hope you are planning another cruise with DH and your 2 little girls! :) Didn't your mother have a name for your DH. Son in law or something like that???

[ShakyBeef]

I read every single word of that review and remember it well! Pictures were fabulous! Hope you are planning another cruise with DH and your 2 little girls! :) Didn't your mother have a name for your DH. Son in law or something like that???

 

 

Son-In-Law, yep that's it.:cool: That is exactly what she calls him, to this day. And she has such a charming way of saying it.:rolleyes::p

 

Thanks for the kind words.:) But I really don't want to hijack Iletired's review thread, so I'll stop talking about DH's. I just couldn't help but comment on the strange coincidence. When I saw this thread title, I had to read it.

 

Well, Iletired, where's our next installment?:D

[omalley16]

Channel 17 is my favorite too, I watched it all the time when I was on my cruise to Canada (4 day out if NY on the Glory back on June 24, 2010). Only 12 days until I get to see it again! Loving the review, even though I'm not going to Canada this time.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[kylesmom]

The real kicker wasn’t my ridiculously horrible alarm clock app that makes me solve math problems in order to wake up,

 

I have the same alarm!!!! Drives me crazy!!! Loving your review!!! Cruising on the Glory July 14th!!!

[Laurab23]

Oh man, I swore off CC because I hate to read anything the week before I cruise, but this one has me hooked so I keep coming back to check. Put me out of my misery! Post!

 

PS: you write/speak juuuuust like a foreign student I just had in my house for a year. I sent this on to family members and they are convinced he's playing a joke on me! It's uncanny!

 

I thought you weren't going to post anything before our cruise? Caught ya!See you soon.

 

Laura

[wmowan8485]

Thanks for the post. I was on the Glory June 6th... :)

[Seago2]

I thought you weren't going to post anything before our cruise? Caught ya!See you soon.

 

Laura

 

..... But then I saw THIS! How was I to resist? So I changed the rules and gave up all news- deleted all news apps- swear to God, and I read like 5 papers a day- and I'm starting to read books (in preparation for the cruise, right?). Well I didn't count on my attention span being +/- 45 seconds long, so while I'm building it up to a half a page at a time I have to keep coming back and checking this review!

 

But the OP admitted he is building up tension by not releasing new installments until we beg! Hell- I'm just glad Skyfall is still playing and I am definitely bringing three woolen blankets. It's Carnival- I imagine I have to bring my own deck chairs to rearrange, too? :p

[nautica34]

Great review and pictures! Look forward to reading/seeing more.

[bleigh918]

I'll be sailing on the Glory in a few weeks and look forward to reading more of your report! :)

[footballmom]

More please!! I'm on the July 14 sailing!

I'm also a teacher!

[iletired]

Speaking of uncanny... that another review of such excessive length would be written about a 5-Day New England/Canada cruise on Carnival Glory is kinda freaky coincidental. And it's practically the same week! To explain, my DH wrote a 'cruise memoir' of crazy length about this same cruise (except we went out of NY, instead of Boston), and posted it here as he wrote it, a couple years ago. Our cruise was June 18th, 2011. The coincidence is striking me as creepy/ crazy/ funny.

 

I'm enjoying your review, OP. Thanks for posting it. I hate to tell you, though, it's not the longest Carnival Glory to Canada review. DH's was 267 pages in MS Word, with 107,391 words. But he went waaaaaay off (cruise) topic several times and it took him 6 months to finish it (he wrote it after the cruise). Yours is sure to be much more topical and concise at a mere 22 pages. Darn, I'm out of smilies. Time to end this post.

 

Seriously, though, I am enjoying your review and will be following along. It's quite impressive that you took the time to write this while on your cruise.

 

Oh my. I stand corrected. Someone writes more than me? Too bad I can't change the name of my thread!

 

Oh man, I swore off CC because I hate to read anything the week before I cruise, but this one has me hooked so I keep coming back to check. Put me out of my misery! Post!

 

PS: you write/speak juuuuust like a foreign student I just had in my house for a year. I sent this on to family members and they are convinced he's playing a joke on me! It's uncanny!

 

I've traveled abroad (lived in China, internship in Paris, traveled across Europe multiple times) so I've picked up some foreign mannerisms. I'm a native born American and speak standard American English.

 

Did you happen to go to tea on a sea day?? Wondering about that! :) Do you have to dress up? We've gone for high tea as a family once and loved it!

 

I am still loving your review and constantly checking for updates...now I have figured out how to subscribe so I can get an email when you write more! :D

 

No, I thought about high tea, but I did not go. Next cruise, I shall check it out!

[Laurab23]

..... But then I saw THIS! How was I to resist? So I changed the rules and gave up all news- deleted all news apps- swear to God, and I read like 5 papers a day- and I'm starting to read books (in preparation for the cruise, right?). Well I didn't count on my attention span being +/- 45 seconds long, so while I'm building it up to a half a page at a time I have to keep coming back and checking this review!

 

But the OP admitted he is building up tension by not releasing new installments until we beg! Hell- I'm just glad Skyfall is still playing and I am definitely bringing three woolen blankets. It's Carnival- I imagine I have to bring my own deck chairs to rearrange, too? :p

 

I am so hoping Skyfall is on the outdoor screen.I will be there watching it!

[cruiseclues]

Thanks for the photo review...looking forward to more. :):):):)

[iletired]

Saint John, NB.

Have you ever had those days where you knew you had to do something so well that you physically woke yourself up multiple times at night to make sure you’re up? Well, That was this morning. I knew I had to high tail it out of the ship to get my rental car and drive the 2.5 hrs (let’s face it, 1h45 going 126 in a 110…) to Hopewell Cape. I think I woke up at 3, 4, 5, and finally for good at 5:50 something. Room service came (no freaky near encounter like yesterday) and I got ready for my day while we were docking. If you are interested in 2470 or its counterparts, they were very noisy in the morning and now (As I type just as we are out of port). It isn’t much of an issue because it calmed down on sea days, just the hour before and after docking we heard noise. It made sure I was awake at least!

 

 

 

I had already packed my bag so I was ready to head out. I waited on Deck 2, as was instructed on our Carnival Caper- only to find out that because of low tide they moved the location to Deck 3. I was a bit ticked because I needed to high tail it out and would have been the first few people off the ship if the original plans were there. I had to wait again in a line on another floor. The Carnival staff who told us we were originally were in the right place found us once we were in our new line and apologized and explained what happened (They were going to have two gangways), but didn’t let us go to the front of the line because we were duly following her orders.

 

 

After we got out of the port, a nice volunteer (there are lots!) helped me get to the Enterprise lot. Enterprise is further away, but cheaper if you are young (24) than Avis, which is a two minute stroll away. I had to walk up a hill, and turn right at some hockey stadium, eh. I got my car, prepaid a half tank of gas (Cheaper that way, FYI. Gas is HORRIDLY EXPENSIVE!!!!!! ½ Tank in Canada = Full tank in USA). I had Cory who helped me out, great guy, and let me borrow an aux cable for the ride. Once I got my GPS set up, I finally got to the moment I was most excited for: hit 126kmh on Route 1 and hit cruise control. Thank god I was finally on my way and my stress went down.

 

 

 

 

For those interested in going to the cape (Hopewell Rocks), it is about a 2.5 hour ride. For those who speed (I went 126… me and my random numbers), about 1h45. You won’t push it much shorter than that, and I beat the bus crowds. Once you get past Moncton, it’s like driving in a rural non-interstate road, so one slow car will screw everything up. I got decently lucky, until someone going 40 in a 60 pissed me off enough to break another New Brunswicken (spelling?) traffic law (other than speeding) and pass across a solid line. Ha.

 

 

I arrived at Hopewell and walked a short distance to the entry way. There is a fee, which is below $10 per person. I used my student card to get a reduced fee. Johnathan, the shaggy haired attendant who gave me my ticket, was very friendly. He helped me find a good local place for some poutaine (Spelling?), Canada’s classic fries and gravy dish. Sooo good. I went after I went to the Rocks, but let’s discuss that after.

 

 

There is a $2.00 shuttle that you can take to get down to the beach level, otherwise, it is about a 20-30 minute walk, depending on what direction you take. I went as far left as possible to the kayak areas, and then walked on the beach from the far end back to the other end. It is a gentle stroll. Being from Syracuse, I was impressed to see some Orange gear! I saw a few people from Upstate NY! Go Cuse!!!!!

 

 

 

I really loved the walking on the beach, but I went alone. I love my mother but knew she could not walk. If you can’t walk or have trouble walking, this isn’t for you. I’m sorry. Beautiful vistas from a bench, but you should look for another activity that can be more engaging than sitting watching people do all the work.

 

 

Here are some huge tips:

1) BRING AN OLD PAIR OF SHOES. Then, bring your current shoes and leave them in the car. Wear your old shoes in the park, and change before you get in the car. This was something I thought ahead to

2) Bring MULTIPLE extra socks. I wore no socks on the way home and felt skuzzy about it.

3) You know how in life when you wear a white shirt and you get ketchup or tomato sauce on it immediately? Well… that was me today. Wear shorts! Even if it’s raining, its so much easy to not get pants dirty, I tried rolling it up, but that was an epic failure.

4) Bring a towel – I did. I put it on my car seat to keep it from getting all messy afterwards.

5) Bring an extra pair of shorts to wear (or pants) after you leave.

6) Bring plastic bags to store the muddy crap in. Another wise guess. I was on the ballpark with a few, but the other ones were good!

 

 

I really enjoyed walking across the ocean floor. I got there an hour and a half after the peakof low tide (11:30 vs 9:46). You can only walk three hours before and three hours after low tide. I still got a lot to do in the two hours I walked. You can walk across mud flaps, rocks, and see the streams. I had my own “mini reversing falls” as I saw cracked form and water rush backwards from the tides. Oddly, while I did capture lots of rocks, many more were so stuck on the larger seafloor, I couldn’t get them out. I spared the cute lil’ animals in shells (I’m arguing with my mother because I don’t know what these are called, but you know what I mean, I hope. I hate not being able to think of the word), and decided not to take any of them. They are living creatures too! I did step all over some random plants that was scattered.

 

 

At times, I felt like I had the dreaded movie quicksand moment in the mud. At one point I was stuck in my calves in mud. Here’s a tip: follow the pebbles if you walk on the mud. They are safer. Rock in sight, it should be right. If the mud is all alone, leave it alone and walk away. After gently twisting, I got myself out. Worse comes to worse, I could have lost a shoe, or just used my mad swimming skillz (yea I just wrote that!) to swim back when the tide swept in. There were lots of great vistas and I took wayyyy too many photos.

 

 

 

 

-

 

In the end, all things must be over. I made my way to the stairs as the tides were starting to creep back in and bought a few things at the boutique and headed to get some poutaine. Frys is a small little shack on the left hand side of the road on the way OUT (LEAVING the park), not the big lobster dinner special place. If you didn’t know it was there, you wouldn’t go. It was a small family enterprise, that offered some great specials. I had the maple-cheddar bacon poutaine, and it was to die for. They took credit, but only cards with chips. I only had US cash on me, so the lady allowed me to use that. I let her keep the change as a favor- I paid nine dollars. In six short minutes, I was eating Canada’s most glorious dish (Aside from mayple syrup, but you can’t really call that a meal, can you?).

 

 

[iletired]

Photo of Frys:

 

 

I made my way back to the ship. The first twenty minutes were great- the same partly cloudy to sunny skies. However, past Moncton going back, it was a horrid downpour. For the next hour and a half, I drove back in horrible rain, hoping I can make it. I did, and made my way to Enterprise at around 3. The ship left at 4, so I made time that I was looking at. After doing some double checking (I was blown away with the gas!!!) on why my bill was higher (mostly because of the gas), they took me and another couple back to the ship. (I walked to the rental place, but they drove us back!).

 

 

 

Returning wasn’t bad, just a bit of time for security. Thanks to the downpouring rain, it started to fog up. I decided to ferment insurrection and write a Quebecois liberation message on the foggy mirror- Vive le Quebec libre!

 

 

 

Upon returning, I tried to shower but found my hot water not working. I made my way to the upper deck after saying screw it in my muddy mess (I changed out of pants at least) and watched the ship sail away. I ran into our neighbors, who happens to actually be someone from Cruise Critic (croozlady??). It was nice once we made that connection. Hopefully we’ll run into each other again! What a random way to meet someone from the internet without knowing them. PS- They are good neighbors.

 

 

I remembered the secret door- deck 6, and ran. I wanted to catch it as we were leaving port, and we were already around 50 feet out of port. I ran out, in the rain (well, I lie, I was under the overhang) and watched the ship sail out, as I froze in shorts, sandals, and still, a hot muddy mess (Well a cold mess, but the expression is a hot mess…) Thankfully, when I returned the shower was lukewarm, after running the hot water for fifteen minutes for it to get hot.

 

 

 

--

Dinner again went splendid. We got Edwin again, and I guess since we requested him we got near immediate seating after only five minutes in line. Good! I was starving and thirsty after hiking and trotting around the Bay of Fundy. I had the spring egg rolls (Everyday menu) and the cucumber soup, which I thought was a tad salty. I was impressed by the braised short ribs- melt in your mouth greatness. It came with fried rice and egg plant. The portion was the largest portion of food I have gotten so far! I couldn’t finish. I concluded the only way a Frenchman could: cheese and some more of my wine. Not to mention, warm chocolate melting cake.

 

 

My quote of the evening: Am I drunk or are the walls moving? I had two glasses of wine (more like one and a half- they have really small glasses on the ship for wine) and I felt the ship move and asked my mother if she felt it. She said I was drunk (Which to her, anything more than a sip is…). The ship had been rocking and continues to rock as I type. Quite exciting! The fog has since returned and the ship is moving at a fast pace (18kts) and through rough seas. The storm from leaving Saint John must be stalking us. GO HOME YOU’RE DRUNK (not me).

 

 

I made my way to the Hasboro game show. As a game show addict and one who wins at Monopoly (and likes to cheat the bank since banks like to cheat us all the time [and don’t lie, we’ve all done it]), I was excited. I got most of the trivia questions right, but I was disappointed they only seemed to be picking younger children for the activities, especially as he even said there was one for the younger crowd later in the week. It would have been nice for an adults only one. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed it. I was on the blue team, which won both of the mini challenges.

 

 

We moved up towards the front to watch the Love game (I joked my mom and I should be on as mother and son- don’t ask me what I told her my reply to “when did we first meet” would be), but first was BINGO. For the past three months she’d been trying to explain how the whole bingo card thing went, so I went up and got a card (on her behalf). The line was a bit long, and people were nice. Bingo went well- but here’s the kicker: the person in front of me had the winning card. Looks like I need to run faster! But she and whoever she was with sat next to us as we played, at the very least we could get in on the emotions of a good win! Me, being in my inexperienced years, pulled the 2,000 pull tab and got super excited… only to realize I only won a dollar. Killjoy.

 

 

 

The Love game was hysterical- the younger couple was right in front of us on the stage, there was someone married 28 years, and a very amusing elderly gentleman and his wife. I won’t get into the comedy of the situation, but let me tell you I was dying laughing, and I’m a happily single guy and thought it was hysterical!

 

 

 

 

I took it easy for the rest of the evening, vegged out on my Kindle, walked around a bit, and took some photos of the fog- it looked like a fog machine was placed in the middle of the Lido deck pools, but no, it was me who was walking through the freest fog machine known to man: mother nature. Now, some of you may have read by now I’m in the weird shaped 2470 room. This room is making quite the noise and vibration now- I’m not sure if it is because of the speed (17.9kts) or the weather that is causing the thrusters and whatever else s under to make the level. I’m used to noise disruptions as a certain snorer is close to me.

 

 

Other random notes:

1) It’s nice to start seeing random people you’ve met over and over again, such as the nice people you met driving back from the rental car place (who somehow managed to get a transatlantic cruise for 400pp), or someone who remembered you from waiting in line

2) I’ve seen a lot of southerners here- CA, TX, FL. I guess some are from the Northeast region, but many others appear to take a cold cruise

3) This is the most multipolar cruise I have ever taken. I know everywhere complains that weather can change in an instant. On this cruise, every six hours, it’s like the cruise director rolls a dice and that’s the weather: sunny (Roll snake eyes), swealtry (roll a 1 and a 6), foggy (roll a 2 or a 3 or a 4 and any other number), rain (roll two even numbers), cold (Roll two odd numbers except snake eyes), and whatever other combo I can’t think of. I asked a crew member about it, and he said the weather has never been like this, and while they have encountered some fog, this lingering fog is unheard of.

4) I love room service. Sooo nice to get coffee in the AM.

5) I wish I could swim, if only the weather was nicer.

6) Aft Lido is covered and much warmer. Note to self: next time it’s raining and 50 degrees, go there.

7) I got a $15.27 stateroom credit because the price of my cabin went down? Oh well, it covers the cost of my corkage fee!

8) Oddly, as much as I want to order a drink, I have yet to do so. What is wrong with me, I’m on vaycay!

 

That. Is. Le. End.

[Zolor23]

I'm wondering what this "poutine" is. I've heard it's very good, but it looks like a mess. :/

[Seago2]

Thanks for the latest installment!

[iletired]

I'm wondering what this "poutine" is. I've heard it's very good, but it looks like a mess. :/

 

Poutine is simply: french fries and gravy, with add ins (usually cheese, sometimes meat) as well. Mix it all together, and you have one fattening and wonderful meal!

 

It's not a mess! But you might want to eat it with a fork if you're concerned about that.

[SenatorsFan]

I'm really enjoying your review! Glad to hear you liked your poutine, personally I won't touch the stuff!:eek: Fries with gravy and cheese, no thanks.:)

Heather

[Seago2]

Meh, Saint John is still not moving me at ALL, and especially not after seeing all of that mud.... Unless those are harp seals in that one pic... Trained harp seals... I'm skipping it. We're renting a car in Halifax, so I'm officially skipping Saint John as of now.

 

I'm going with my son on one cruise and then my husband gets in with us for the second segment. Nothing like a guy who loves his mom!!!

 

I'll look for Edwin.

[iletired]

Meh, Saint John is still not moving me at ALL, and especially not after seeing all of that mud.... Unless those are harp seals in that one pic... Trained harp seals... I'm skipping it. We're renting a car in Halifax, so I'm officially skipping Saint John as of now.

 

I'm going with my son on one cruise and then my husband gets in with us for the second segment. Nothing like a guy who loves his mom!!!

 

I'll look for Edwin.

 

Saint John doesn't have a whole lot of adventure stuff to do with the Bay of Fundy, which is why I went out far- the place I went was 2 hrs away.

 

It isn't much of an exciting city with museums as Halifax, but I'm sure there might be something small for you to at least sea (pun intended).

 

They have those tours with the bus, I'm sure there is stuff to do, but I wanted adventure, just not ziplining, because that's too scary for me. I prefer my feet on the ground, ocean floor, or quicksandlikemud. Saint Martin's is an hour away and had similar things as Hopewell, but I didn't go because I wanted to "go big or go home" since who knows the next time I'll be in the area!

[Ehpride]

Okay, I am looking forward to that burrito. That may be my first lunch onboard :)

[flames18]

Leaving in two days for the same cruise, hope you can finsih your review by then, I am so enjoyng reading your posts. I hope I can find some maple bacon poutine closer to the port! Please keep posting!

[cherylatwork]

Leaving in two days for the same cruise, hope you can finsih your review by then!

 

Same here!

 

Cheryl