Summit "Live" 9/21/13 Havana Daydreamin in a Northern Latitude

[kennelgang]

Havanna Daydreamin', as well as all the other Celebrity cruisers who have taken or are about to take a New England Summit cruise this year, my wife and friends booked the 9/7/14 sailing when it was only opened to Captain Club Members just prior opening up to the public. While the price has slightly increased since then I was hoping for a considerable discount in the future. My question is for those sailing this year did the price ever decrease to a more reasonable rate at any time leading up to your cruise? The cost for New England sailings next year have, from the beginning, been very pricey.

 

Bob

[Havana Daydreamin]

I am sitting on the Sunset Bar as we leave PEI to type these notes.

 

Accompanying me is my beloved wife, Barbara! A cold Red Stripe. AND an Fuente Opus X from the 2012 Cigar Family Charitable Foundation fundraiser from 2012!

 

Can anything be better!!!?

 

We arrived at PEI on time with some fairly dense fog but we did not hear the fog horn.

 

As we had to meet our Photography PEI Tour in the terminal at 8:15 AM, we did a light room service because we also desired to enjoy our last lobster meal on this trip. More on that later!

 

Here is the view of Charlottetown as we walked from Deck 11 aft to midship to catch an elevator to go on the tour.

 

 

Our tour took us briefly through town into some VERY scenic countryside. I wish we could have stopped more. I just don’t take picures out of the bus windows. But trust me the scenery was excellent.

 

BTW, for those coming on, our guide indicated that you might be here in the prime of colors! Get ready! I can only imagine your delight as it will simply MAGNIFY the beauty of this island!

[Havana Daydreamin]

FIRST STOP

 

Our first stop was at the Gardens of Hope. An individual bought these gardens 25 years ago as a life dream. The gardens are beautiful. I do not include alot of those pictures. But it is well worth seeing. Their gift shop also ships to the US for $9.95. SO, we bought a big box of preserves to greet us as we return home! A point of interest of this garden, is that the owner receives donations for a respite cottage for terminally ill and their families to enjoy for a few days at very low cost! What a marvelous gift he provides!

 

Anyway, here is a picture from there that caught my eye.

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

SECOND STOP - Red Cliffs

 

We then made a very brief journey to the national park and enjoyed the Red Cliffs and Sand Dunes

 

We had roughly a half hour visit here for picture opportunities. I hope you enjoy the ones we share.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

THIRD STOP - Rustico Bay

 

Rustico Bay is an active fishing village. We spent about a half hour there. The lobster boats are mostly out of the water because the fishing season for lobster is over. That said, there were a few in the water.

 

I missed a shot of a bald eagle up close snagging a cleand codfish from a fisherman. WOW....was that a splendid sight that will live in my minds eye!

 

I must be a sucker for these active fishing villages as I will include a portion of the shots that I took there. Actually, all told today I took 170 shots. Some are not as good as these, though!

 

I particularly loved the captain by the red pickup. He was involved with conversation until he saw me taking pictures of the boats out of water for upkeep for the months to come until next season. THEN HE POSED!!!! How wonderful!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ariawoman]

We were considering the Photography tour. Did you enjoy it and would you recommend it, or do you think people on other tours will get just as good of pictures taking them at other spots?

[Havana Daydreamin]

LAST STOP - LUNCH

 

We were left off outside of the terminal and a short walk down the boardwalk we arrived at the Lobster Wharf. You can eat outside on a deck and view the ship and bay. We were seated inside, however, and it was equally delightful! We enjoyed Gahan microbrews made in PEI. I had an IPA. A couple of them. Then an Island Ale Red. A couple of them. Barbara enjoyed the Honey Wheat and the Beach Chair Lager. Not as much as me though.

 

We enjoyed famous PEI oysters on the halfshell and each had our own lobster that was very tasty and expertly deconstructed and dined upon. The new PEI boiled potato was excellent. It needed no seasoning, butter, or sour cream. I enjoyed it as it was. The cole slaw was good too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We walked from there through a park to some close curio shops and got a couple shirts and enjoyed some very fine ice cream in a waffle cone from COWS. Barbara had a MooBerry and mine was a Chip Chip Hooray! I did not get a picture there....well....mostly.....because the ice cream was SO DANG GOOD!!!

 

We leisurely walked back to the ship along the boardwalk enjoying the warm sunny weather and this sight.

 

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

We were considering the Photography tour. Did you enjoy it and would you recommend it, or do you think people on other tours will get just as good of pictures taking them at other spots?

 

That is hard to answer since I was not on the others. We enjoyed this one.

 

I did talk to a fellow cruiser on one of the Anne of Greene Gables tours and he was somewhat disappointed.

 

Bottom line, it all is in the photographers eye and interest.

 

It is very beautiful here.

[Havana Daydreamin]

We enjoyed a pleasant and very crowded sail away from Charlottetown from the Sunset Bar. It seemed that people must have had a very nice day as the conversations were vigorous and animated everywhere. The nice weather certainly had something to do with that! We have been so blessed with good weather. Other than the first sea day being rainy, it has been sunshine everyday. Of all things, even nicer the further we went.

 

Here are some landscape pictures of PEI from sail away.

 

 

 

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

After my cigar was finished it was time to prepare for dinner. We again dined at Blu and had an enjoyable time. We even got to sit next to our cabin neighbors from St. Croix. We enjoyed pleasant conversation!

 

Here are the Blu menus.

 

 

 

 

 

Also the MDR

 

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

Barbara started with the beef and wild mushroom ravioli and then opted for the Red and White Belgium Endive, Frisee, and avocado salad.

 

 

 

I, on the other hand, opted for two starters. The Goat Cheese “Pop Tart” and the Crispy Shrimp wrapped in Feuille de Brick.

 

 

The entrees we enjoyed was the osso bucco and the lingcod. Both were very nice!

 

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

The dessert was the White Chocolate Cake with macadamia nut crust.

 

 

We returned to the cabin to enjoy a relaxing evening. Actually, that meant immediate sleep which was very peaceful and restful. We changed time back to Eastern last night. Still, I wake up. Sitting in the Rendezvous lounge I enjoyed a beautiful sunrise while typing these notes.

 

We have had some of the more memorable sunrises and sunsets on this cruise than any of our previous ones in the Caribbean.

 

Also as a side note, I woke up pondering whether what we thought were dolphins/porpoises might have in fact been Pilot whales instead. I will have to research some pictures once home to get a better idea.

 

The second to the last sea day begins our packing so we do not have to be overwhelmed with that tomorrow. We each have some of our talks that are on our agenda to enjoy. Once again, I will go to listen to Bob McElwee. Today he discusses the headaches and heataches of weaving instant replay into the NFL game. He has been an enjoyable speaker. I believe Barbara has a couple culinary talks on her horizon.

[MEcruzr]

I wondered if your picture was a whale or a porpoise! Harbor porpoises grow 4 to 6 feet in length... pilot whales are about 4 times that size. The picture you posted looked bigger than a harbor porpoise and the dorsal fin curled back like a pilot whale.

[kayehall]

I have a summer place on the St Lawrence in NY. We absolutely love it up there. You are correct about the sunrises and sunsets. So even though we are up there on the weekends all summer, I am now putting this cruise on my "bucket list". And you have had beautiful weather for this cruise!!!

[phdiva]

Adding myself to the long list of people who are enjoying this thread. You've posted something for everyone! I especially have enjoyed seeing the Celebrity Todays. Looking forward to getting on the Summit this Saturday.

[Havana Daydreamin]

I wondered if your picture was a whale or a porpoise! Harbor porpoises grow 4 to 6 feet in length... pilot whales are about 4 times that size. The picture you posted looked bigger than a harbor porpoise and the dorsal fin curled back like a pilot whale.

 

Thank you....I really was thinking about the pilot whales because they just did not act like porpoises as I reflected on enjoying their sight!

[FRMPEI]

 

Here is the view of Charlottetown as we walked from Deck 11 aft to midship to catch an elevator to go on the tour.

 

 

 

Thanks for this photo I view that I don't get to see of my home town. My perspective is normally standing at Confederation landing watching the ships leave. Very neat to see this photo. Did you happen to get ant photos of Rocky Point? This is the area that narrows as you leave the Charlottetown Harbour (Right Hand side as you leave). We also love to go over to Rocky Point because when the ships pass by us they are literally a stone throw away from the bank. Thanks Again and so glad that the weather was beautiful for you yesterday.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[Havana Daydreamin]

Thanks for this photo I view that I don't get to see of my home town. My perspective is normally standing at Confederation landing watching the ships leave. Very neat to see this photo. Did you happen to get ant photos of Rocky Point? This is the area that narrows as you leave the Charlottetown Harbour (Right Hand side as you leave). We also love to go over to Rocky Point because when the ships pass by us they are literally a stone throw away from the bank. Thanks Again and so glad that the weather was beautiful for you yesterday.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

 

 

No, I did not. I got the light house on the right side, and others off port as you could see in th epictures.

 

Glad you enjoyed!

[Havana Daydreamin]

 

 

 

[ny cruisequeen]

Due to the spreading of the noro virus onboard, our boarding has officially been delayed to 5p.m. They are deep cleaning the ship. I have enjoyed every word you wrote, and loved your photos. Thank you so much! Have a great trip home, stay safe and healthy. Hope to meet you on board some day!

[mommo6]

I too want to add my thanks for all of your terrific posts on Cruise Critic. We appreciated them! Have a safe trip home! Hopefully all of us on the October 5 sailing will have a safe and healthy cruise with beautiful weather. Judy

[robtulipe]

According to my BIL who lives in Canada, it's the below zero temps that start the colour change.

If this is true, there should be more change in colour the further north you travel.

It was certainly true when I travelled to Thunder Bay, 21st Sept-4th Oct 1995.

I arrived to completely green trees. That night, there was a frost (-5c) and gradually the trees changed to the most beautiful yellows & reds.

 

Fingers crossed for you ( and possibly us) it's obviously down to the prevailing weather conditions.

Actually the colour change has is more to do with the lack of sun light due to the shorter day light period which results in less photosynthesis thus less chlorophyll in the leaves which is what gives these their green color. The further north you go the change in leaf colour happens earlier because the day light period gets shorter quicker in the Autumn the further north you are.

Where we are in Canada we have not have a below zero period this Fall but the leaves are already starting to change colour in our area.

The cold temperature at night with warmer days is more important for maple syrup production as it results in the sap movement needed for this.

 

See http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html

 

Havana Daydreaming, this is a great thread and the shots of my birth place, Quebec City, were nice .

 

FYI - your quide's name there is spelled Genevieve

Edited October 4, 2013 by robtulipe

[Havana Daydreamin]

SEA DAY - Five

 

Sea days are so enjoyable to us. It was so very relaxing to enjoy the morning with a nice cigar, spending time with Barbara and enjoying the view. No whale sighting until later in the day when a humpback made a brief appearance some distance from the back of the ship. During the mid afternoon we enjoyed a bottle of wine on the Sunset Bar and I included a My Father cigar. How mesmerizing the afternoon became!

 

We did the majority of our packing yesterday so today can be light and easy. We simply have to put in what we wore last evening and through this day. And all will be done to put the luggage on display in the halls this week.

 

Dinner was Formal last evening. Louigi our Matre D was dressed quite well for the occasion. We were seated and followed Kim, our waiter, suggestions for the evening. We had the macadamia crusted scallops, spicy plantain soup, the warm water lobster tail (Yes, it was good, but not like in Bar Harbor or PEI!), and then Barbara enjoyed baked alaska and I had the roulade. I forgot to get the main dining room menus last evening, however.

 

 

 

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

 

 

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

The seas were so very calm this morning awaiting the rising of the sun. The sun gave us a spectacular pre-appearance show. After savoring that sight, it began its appearance to govern the day. It looks to be a spectacular last day aboard the Celebrity Summit.

 

 

 

 

I am writing and posting from Cafe al Bacio enjoying danishes and double expresso. Barbara may not appreciate me for cheating on the day since I talked about getting coffee delivered at 7:30. She was thinking earlier, but I though maybe, just MAYBE, I could sleep in. I should have known better!

Edited October 4, 2013 by Havana Daydreamin