The opportunity arose with some special pricing on a Northeastern Cruise from Boston to Northeastern USA Canada NCL Cruise aboard the NCL Jade in September of this year. So I booked us both for the Northeastern Cruise and since I received my Diamond Level NCL frequent cruise level this year. I was able to upgrade to a balcony for free!
Our Delta Business Class Flights are discussed in my previous blog, but the pricing was attractive at only $966 USD from Puerto Vallarta to Boston roundtrip for 2 of us. Aeromexico was the airline partner, so we returned via Mexico City. We also plan to arrive at least the day before the Northeastern Cruise, but in this case the arrival was so late, we added another day. Staying downtown at The Dagny Hotel, it was a nice luxury hotel within walking distance of several restaurants, bars, and stores.
Sleeping in the first day due that late arrival, we venture out and find the Boston Trolley Tour. It is the usual way that I like to orient myself to my first visit to any city. After driving around for several hours while getting the history and sites in our Boston tour. A planned stop at the USS Constitution, and will finish at a local Irish restaurant for lunch.
We disembarked in the area where the USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides” as she was nicknamed. We spend some time exploring the ship and stories. This ship is still a working Navy Ship and is taken out to sea several times per year. Originally set to sail on July 22, 1798 with a history of various engagements during its history including the War of 1812.
As we continue on our Northeastern Cruise, our first port of call was the next day in Portland, Maine. We met some friends who took us around the area including the famous Portland Head Light and Fort Williams. This is supposedly the most photographed lighthouse in the USA. We of course stopped for a Maine lobster lunch during our Northeastern Cruise.
Our next days port of call was Halifax, Nova Scotia where we had arranged the NCL Tour Lobster Lunch & Peggy’s Cove. We take the bus to Peggy’s Cove and have lunch in the onsite restaurant Sou’Wester, of course this time it is Nova Scotia Lobster. I was told by my travel mate it was better than the Maine Lobster! We had plenty of time to explore the rocks and light house here. Just down the road is the memorial site of the Swissair 111 air disaster.
Onward to our next Nova Scotia city, we stop in Sydney the next morning. Here we have booked the NCL Tour “Spirit of the Senses” which was a tribal indian museum with an Indian Storyteller. The history and times of the Mi’kmaq are the founding people of Nova Scotia and remain the predominant Aboriginal group within the province. The Mi’kmaq are the original inhabitants of Nova Scotia and are the largest First Nations people in the eastern Maritime Provinces of Canada. They have lived in the area for over 10,000 years, and their culture includes art, music, language, history, and spirituality. The Mi’kmaq signed treaties with the British Crown in the 18th century, known as the Covenant Chain of Peace and Friendship Treaties.
The city of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island became the next stop where we did a simple Double Decker English Bus tour around the town. Charlottetown is the capital of Canada’s Prince Edward Island. It’s on the southern coast of the province. The Province House National Historic Site hosted the Charlottetown Conference of 1864, spurring the country’s birth. Victoria Row has shops, restaurants and the Confederation Centre of the Arts, with its musical based on “Anne of Green Gables.” Nearby is the Gothic Revival St. Dunstan’s Basilica.
Our last port of call on this Northeastern Cruise, is Corner Brook, Newfoundland the northeastern most island of this area. We are booked on the NCL Tour “Corner Brook Highlights” which is actually in a school bus with a “Newfie” driver and tour guide. Lots of insights and anecdotes are told by him and his life there. Corner Brook is a city located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Corner Brook is the fifth largest settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the largest outside the Avalon Peninsula.
Our short but interesting historical Northeastern Cruise was a hit! I had been to most of these places before on my motorcycle, but it was nice to spend more time seeing the history and sites this time. In addition, we upgraded our Beverage Package on board and we really enjoyed all the premium wines and spirits on the NCL Jade on the Northeastern Cruise!
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