Regal Princess October 14 to 21, 2017 New England/Canada

[Bimmer09]

Happy Thanksgiving to you Norris and Carol from one Canadian to an American even though Thanksgiving was in October

 

Thank you my friend!

Yeah you have to sort out that October Thanksgiving thing LOL.

Best wishes back at you.

We were going to dine at one of our favorite fancy vittles but no pretension restaurants for TG dinner but as both of us have been ill recently with bronchial coughs we are dining at home where our barking won't matter. (Cherry Circle Room- see my Tripadvisor review and eat there next time in Chicago)

I had to go buy a bottle of Cognac today for the gravy Carol is making...can't wait to pour some of that on the turkey!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Good evening Norris. After a short trip to Houston this past weekend, work, and life, I got a bit behind but all caught up now. Following and loving this review. Have you and Carol been to Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada on your adventures? So amazing. Your pics are so welcome.

 

I am trying (begging) for a cruise next July on Azamara Journey with hubby. So far, not enough begging. From London to Dublin and there abouts. Have never been on Azamara but I am liking what I see. We haven't done a cruise since 2015.

 

Wishing you and Carol a very blessed and peaceful Thanksgiving. Little Snowy says she gets some catnap or a little bit of turkey for her day.

 

Hi again, and thanks for continuing to read my saga.

Butchart Gardens is covered in my first review with lots of pics- see Coral Princess 2011.

We did it after we got off the ship. That afternoon on a whim and driven by "we may never be here again" logic, Carol decided we had to see the gardens and it cost us $700 for two to get there and back on a seaplane and $100 for a taxi to take us there and wait 90 minutes.

A huge splurge but the gardens made us forget about it as did the wonderful seaplane ride. We bought some seeds which grew well in our sandy Michigan soil (we live on a sand dune). They were only annuals so short lived. The Gardens are a remarkable labor of love.

Snowy does not eat any human food or do anything that a normal cat does- no lap cat, no squeezing into boxes etc but she does appreciate a string on the end of a stick, and tossing fake mice around in the air, and climbing on a cat tree. Catnip pillows are many in number and she has no shortage of toys. She doesn't know what day it is so tomorrow is any day as far as she knows. She hasn't a clue about Pilgrims and turkeys.

Azamara-why not? We are booked with them to Cuba in January 2019. Very pricey but the itinerary can't be beat and neither Princess or Celebrity go there. We like the ship (Journey) having sailed on the Ocean Princess and there's much about Azamara that I like. We have 35 hours in Havana and two other ports are visited. I love the Azamara officer interaction with passengers which X does too and Princess runs a mile from in comparison. But Cuba is the reason we are booked, first and foremost and I will be a kid in a candy store with the cameras there. We fell in love with Cuban music 20 years ago through Ry Cooder's efforts and Carol speaks Spanish. I'll try my German on them...

I hope Houston is recovering well- we love that city a lot and have many happy memories there and will be back!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

I'm all caught up! Having just been in that neck of the woods on another line, I'm enjoying reliving the adventure. Bravo on your review!

 

Hi there! A new name to me so welcome, welcome.

Glad you are enjoying.

Which cruise line did you sail with?

Norris

[Bimmer09]

If you like gardens and sculpture you might enjoy a visit to the New Jersey Sculpture Garden in Trenton/Hamilton, NJ if you are ever in the area. A most unexpected beauty in a frequently thought less than beautiful state and area. As a "Jersey Girl" I rather like it.

 

 

 

Hi, I lived in NJ from 1986 (Nov) to 1998 (May) and am a big fan of the pastoral, green side of the state. I never did see the gardens you mention but like the look of them so thanks for the appetizer!

Norris

[CruiserRob]

Rob, I passed your note to a handwriting expert and he says that your "mother's" writing looks suspiciously like your own.

You can stay however.

Norris

 

 

 

Curses foiled again

 

 

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[deliver42]

Norris, Happy Thanksgiving to you and carol.

 

Mel

[Bimmer09]

ST ANDREWS

It's a one horse town, but he was on vacation so we didn't see him grazing.

The bus parked down this street, at left, opposite the white church and we had an hour to explore



 

 



 

We had some shopping to do-for a fridge magnet and I found one in here

 

We had some Canadian currency which we took along to tip guides and so I used that in the shop. It also reminded me I was in a Foreign Country. Exchange was $1.20 Cad for $1 US.

 

Exhausted from shopping we went around the corner to the harbor where there was a bench awaiting. Here we could gaze out at the sea.



 



 

 

[Bimmer09]

A pleasant sunny hour by the sea

 

 



 

 

In Memoriam



 

 

Fantastic mural



 

 



 

 



 

This was a nice, relaxing, low-key excursion, made especially so by the pleasant weather .We allowed ten minutes to walk back to the bus and begin the journey back to Saint John.

[Bimmer09]

Norris, Happy Thanksgiving to you and carol.

 

Mel

 

Mel, we are wishing you the same!

Thanks for reading along once more.

We are watching the Chicago parade on TV. They use our street to marshal the bands, horses etc so we enjoy that, although sometimes they don't do a stellar job sweeping up after the horses.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

It's Thanksgiving Day in the USA as I write and so I might as well give thanks to Carol for suggesting back in 2011, when we canceled our plans to visit Munich during Oktoberfest, "why don't we take a cruise to Alaska!!" I kept my fingers crossed, hoping that she should like the Coral Princess experience. Princess was a leap in the dark for us-so many lines to choose from and we gave them a shot and have given them the bulk of our cruise business ever since. A good fit for us!

The die was cast and a dozen cruises later here we are. I have written about all of them on CC and have another one on the horizon and a couple more booked beyond that(but not with Princess). So many great memories thus far and if not for the Gentleman's Seafaring Journals they would be bleeding into each other as a mental mush. To everyone who reads them and especially those that comment I give my Thanks.

Norris

[MisterMet]

In each port I had hoped to get an opportunity to photograph the stern so I could show you where are cabin was but in each port there was a barrier preventing that. Thankfully Ron (needtocruisesoon) has already uploaded one, taken in Brooklyn on embarkation day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our "deluxe" balcony cabin with loveseat is directly above the letter N in PriNcess, 3rd deck up, just to the right of the thick white metal band that splits the aft into Starboard (us) and Port.

 

 

 



 

We are docked in Saint John, New Brunswick where it is a sunny 58 degrees

 



 

 

 

 

Our tour bus leaves at 10.20 a.m and will take us to our excursion which is Kingsbrae gardens and St. Andrews, far from the madding crowd.

 



 

 

We are greeted on the gangway by some local fishermen

 



 

 

 

 

 

Let's go- the bus is waiting!

 

 

 

Norris,

 

Looks like you met the Gorton’s fishermen of television commercial fame! The fall pictures are lovely. We don’t have much of a fall in Florida (85 degrees as opposed to 94 in summer), but it beats shoveling snow!

 

We are about to host 15 guests for Turkey Day and I’m thinking of what I’m to say as we sit down to eat. Your latest post gave thanks to Carol for suggesting cruising and I’m on board with that. Pam and I have so much to be thankful for it’s hard to know where to begin. Wishing Carol, you, and everyone else reading this wonderful review a fantastic Thanksgiving and a wonderful Holiday Season.

 

Trip

 

 

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[Bimmer09]

Coming back into Saint John on the bus Bonnie decided to give the Reversing Falls another shot and luckily this time there was one parking space free for us. There were already plenty of sightseers there and we were given just 10 minutes off the bus.

 

I couldn't walk around much to get different angles and avoid getting people in the shots

 

 

 

and I had to avoid the glare of the sun

 

 



 

 



 

 

SEnGFdhX3mQ

 

Norris

[morbihan]

Happy Thanksgiving Day to all you people over the pond. Not celebrated here - in the UK today - but Black Friday has been welcomed with open wallets. Not by me. I don't like shopping.

 

Enjoying the journal very much Norris. As usual

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

 

Looks like you met the Gorton’s fishermen of television commercial fame! The fall pictures are lovely. We don’t have much of a fall in Florida (85 degrees as opposed to 94 in summer), but it beats shoveling snow!

 

We are about to host 15 guests for Turkey Day and I’m thinking of what I’m to say as we sit down to eat. Your latest post gave thanks to Carol for suggesting cruising and I’m on board with that. Pam and I have so much to be thankful for it’s hard to know where to begin. Wishing Carol, you, and everyone else reading this wonderful review a fantastic Thanksgiving and a wonderful Holiday Season.

 

Trip

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Trip, greetings to you and Pam

Fall-wise we left this cruise as late as possible-after this the Regal did two 5 day cruises which would have been too short. Seven days was too short as I would have been happy to keep going East in Canada and up the St Lawrence to Quebec would have been amazing. That is a bucket-list item for us. Canada is over-blessed in scenic beauty.

Alas the Fall color wasn't vivid and rich along our path.

Until this cruise we have always taken a driving holiday due North from our Michigan house to either Ontario or more recently staying within Northern Michigan on a shangri la of orchards and wineries called Mission Peninsula near Traverse City. We stay in a Winery there. Here is Fall 2016 late October...

The winery has Lake Michigan views to the West and to the East

 

 

(Pics taken before I upgraded my camera and lenses)

We love our road trips!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Happy Thanksgiving Day to all you people over the pond. Not celebrated here - in the UK today - but Black Friday has been welcomed with open wallets��. Not by me. I don't like shopping.

 

Enjoying the journal very much Norris. As usual��

 

I'm chuffed and gobsmacked that you are still following along and enjoying!

We stay out of stores when it comes to shopping and instead shop online at one particular retailer who sets a very high bar for every other. We can get stuff delivered same day in many cases. I work in retail so shopping at this time of year is not something I would enjoy and I am never enticed by a cheap TV going on sale at 5 a.m in Walmart. No stampede on my tombstone.

Enjoy your day!

Norris

[SuiteTraveler]

On this day, we went to the Reversing Rapids and then St. Martins to the Sea Caves where we had a chowder and home made biscuit lunch at The Sea Caves Restaurant and found a wishing stone on the beach. Later we went to a small local craft market and our bus broke down. During the breakdown, we got off the bus and hung out by the side of the road. The pine trees nearby had just been trimmed and the smell was fantastic. Later the Mayor of St. Martins, Betty Ann Chatterton, arrived with bottled water and cookies for everyone on our bus. We have no idea how she found out about our bus breaking down, but she could teach a lot of mayors what you are supposed to do! My grandfather was the mayor of a small town for most of his life and Ms. Chatterton embodies the same spirit my grandfather had about doing what is right and actually caring about people even if it will not gain you anything at all politically. Within 45 minutes we had a new bus and were off to the old market in downtown St. John for more shopping, a stop by the Reversing Rapids to see them in full reverse, then back to the ship. All in all another great day on a great cruise!

 

Happy Thanksgiving Norris and to everyone else in the US and US territories who may read this!

[Lucky TGO]

Hi Norris,

Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your family. I like to tell you with all the Great picture you have posted. The one you panted In my mind has to be the best of all. The one you said you felt like you are standing in front of a crowd naked. I can’t stop laughing!!!!!

Tony

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris,

Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your family. I like to tell you with all the Great picture you have posted. The one you panted In my mind has to be the best of all. The one you said you felt like you are standing in front of a crowd naked. I can’t stop laughing!!!!!

Tony

 

Tony, thanks for the good wishes and I hope you and yours had a nice relaxing day!

I'm glad to see you are still following along.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

On this day, we went to the Reversing Rapids and then St. Martins to the Sea Caves where we had a chowder and home made biscuit lunch at The Sea Caves Restaurant and found a wishing stone on the beach. Later we went to a small local craft market and our bus broke down. During the breakdown, we got off the bus and hung out by the side of the road. The pine trees nearby had just been trimmed and the smell was fantastic. Later the Mayor of St. Martins, Betty Ann Chatterton, arrived with bottled water and cookies for everyone on our bus. We have no idea how she found out about our bus breaking down, but she could teach a lot of mayors what you are supposed to do! My grandfather was the mayor of a small town for most of his life and Ms. Chatterton embodies the same spirit my grandfather had about doing what is right and actually caring about people even if it will not gain you anything at all politically. Within 45 minutes we had a new bus and were off to the old market in downtown St. John for more shopping, a stop by the Reversing Rapids to see them in full reverse, then back to the ship. All in all another great day on a great cruise!

 

Happy Thanksgiving Norris and to everyone else in the US and US territories who may read this!

 

Mrs Chatterton the Mayor sounds like a real public servant. You certainly had an interesting day. Thanks for sharing. There are so many ways each of us can go when the gangway hits the harbor. It was a great day and indeed a great cruise. Happy to have shared it with you!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

 

The bus returned us to the ship and Carol went back on board. I stayed ashore and took a couple of pics of the ship, such as the one above.

 

 

 

There was no opportunity to take photos of the stern which was something I had wanted to do as there was a metal fence cutting off access. It ran all the way to the bow as you can see above.

I was on a mission to find something I knew to be close to the dock and kept my eyes peeled as I walked along the harbor front. The dock is right in town so no need for shuttles. It was a nice day for a walk anyway

[Bimmer09]

I stopped to ask a local for directions

 

No answer, just a blank stare. So much for Canadian hospitality!





 

I'm at Market Square according to the building nearby.

 

It's a beautiful day though



 

 



 

 



 

 

I still haven't found what I'm looking for. I walk across the very wide streets to King Street and there Find a Traffic Warden who must know these parts. He steers me right.

[Bimmer09]

"People Waiting" by John Hooper, British-born sculptor

 



 



 



 



 

 



 

 



 

 

Wooden sculptures completed in 1977. He has other figures in Ottawa.

Mission Accomplished-back to the ship!

[SuiteTraveler]

Mrs Chatterton the Mayor sounds like a real public servant. You certainly had an interesting day. Thanks for sharing. There are so many ways each of us can go when the gangway hits the harbor. It was a great day and indeed a great cruise. Happy to have shared it with you!

Norris

 

If we go to this port again in the future, I think I'd like to try out your tour to the botanic gardens and St. Andrew - it looked very nice! I think what made our tour great, even though our bus broke down was our tour guide - an extremely nice lady who told a lot of jokes and made the entire day a lot of fun. She was from St. Martins - even showed us where she lived as we drove by and talked extensively about the moose she guaranteed we would not see. LOL!

 

Oh my the People Waiting sculpture is somewhat nightmarish - especially the figure of the small girl in the pink dress!

[Bimmer09]

There were some nice nautical touches, as well as clean restrooms on the ground floor of the Cruise ship hall.

 

 

To get back to the ship I show my Cruise card and picture ID to a Security officer then up on the escalator to boarding level and a walkway across to the ship which has risen in the water while I was gone.

 

My purchase ashore

[Bimmer09]

We have always eaten at the Crown Grill once a cruise and I had penciled it into my mind for Wednesday night, leaving Saint John. When we walked past it the day before I pointed it out to Carol- "there?!" she said pointing to the far side of the now-open to foot traffic Wheelhouse Bar.

A 3 piece band was playing at the time in the Wheelhouse with the drums taking dead aim at the CG straight ahead. "Fat chance of having a quiet dinner there" she said. I agreed.

The Wheelhouse Bar usually has doors on it and nice ship models in a Gentleman's Club decor with stuffed leather sofas and ship paintings on the walls. There is usually a low stage for a band tucked away in a corner and a polished wooden dance floor. All of those features no longer live and harmonise to make a pleasant room on the Regal.

 

It's at the end of this corridor, spilling out into the walkway



 

 

There are some hints to the Grand Class style of Wheelhouse Bar across the walkway



 

 

The Sprawl begins here



 

 



 

 

Nice bar artwork and Munich beers were being featured this week



 

Although they are nothing to do with the topic I saw these chairs along the way on deck 7-maybe opposite Princess Live? They struck me as S Class inspired from our Celebrity Cruises.