Day 4 Boston

[After leaving Joan at the Acela Providence Train Station and riding to Boston, the next leg of this trip began with getting to the Majestic Princess for a 10-day cruise.]

I had booked my seat through to Back Bay, the terminus, but looking on Google Maps, I determined that South Station was closer. It was easy getting off the train (probably less crowded than later) and I didn’t find a taxi stand as I stood on Summer Street. At a distance of a mile and a half and relatively flat, I decided that I could push my luggage and enjoy the beautiful autumn weather in Boston.

Attempting to stay in the shade, I crossed the Summer Street Bridge, stayed on the south side as I passed numerous businesses and storefronts. A bit of sun happened as I was waking over the I-90 interchange, but as I got near the harbor, traffic lessened. Once on Black Falcon Avenue, I had to walk past the passengers leaving and boarding the NCL Gem, walking further to the eastern end. Making sure I didn’t give the big bag to a NCL porter, I handed it off and began the process of queuing, a counter, queueing and boarding the Majestic Princess.

Taking my roll-on with me, I headed into the dining room. They were serving a simple lunch at Allegro (MDR 7 aft), so I started with the Tuscan-style chickpea soup, followed by broiled salmon with lemon and dill sauce. From previous experience, I knew that this might be the only time the orange souffle would be offered (at least at lunch), so I made sure to enjoy it this time.

Heading to cabin C236, no luggage yet, so I left the small roller and a note for my steward. I made a request to configure the cabin with additional bed padding, no duvet, and hiding the hair dryer and ice bucket. I grabbed my camera and began to reconnoiter the ship. I started passing the Crown Grill bar, and then headed to the pool deck. Viewed from the deck above, not many people were taking advantage of the early afternoon sun. The Majestic is a medium-sized ship, capable of 2500 passengers, and put into commission in 2017. My topside pictures included looking over into the port and watching aircraft landing at Logan. Moving down to the buffet, more of my fellow passengers were seated and eating.

Heading back outside, I encountered the “skywalk” where glass panels allowed a view to the pier. My acrophobia wasn’t happy, but I did make a crossing. Its bow gave a view of the emergency vessels. In the stairwells various themes of art were displayed. I could determine no pattern as I descended past the decks with staterooms. As we were in port, the shops and casino were closed, Specialty dining venues were set up, but empty. Bars weren’t crowded, but seemed to be having some activity. Many passengers were patiently waiting on the “cabins are available” announcement, sitting on multiple levels around the atrium. I did poke my head (and camera) into the theater, impressed by its size.

At 5pm, passengers with platinum status were invited to a reception Deck 7 aft. I apparently am platinum? In any case, while there over cocktails and nibbles, I had a nice chat with Judy and Jerry, observing the bartenders were pouring “good booze”.

Back to the room, and my steward John Paul had read my note and had implemented my requests. I pulled on a polo shirt (changing out of my t-shirt) and headed to the bar and solo meeting. No one there, so I asked for a whiskey to tie me over until dinner.

Back in Allegro (my note says I should have been in Symphony, the midship main dining room) I was seated at a shared table, but, due to the later hour, dined alone. A special sail-away dinner, I started with seared garlic prawns followed by a Greek salad. Being in Boston (sort of), Yankee pot roast seemed an appropriate choice. The red blend from Concannon was being poured, so I quaffed a glass with my meal.

Day 5 Portland, Maine

Back in June of 2022, recovering from the COVID-19 lockdown, I made a road trip to visit the cathedrals on the Atlantic seaboard side of New England. I’d flown from Florida to Portland, Maine and rented a car, gradually heading south to Fall River and Providence. So when the Majestic sailed into Portland, I already had photographs of the two cathedrals. After breakfast of oatmeal in Allegro with three couples, I returned to the cabin to get an ibuprofen with my morning pills before going ashore.

My research had some suggestions for activities: the Portland Observatory is 100ft from port. Atlas Obscura featured the Palace Diner in Biddeford and Len Libby Candies in Scarborough = a trip of 20mi south where both could be seen. I’d not had a chance to promote the latter field trip to others, and the lighthouse/observatory was on several excursions, so might be crowded. Opting to just wander, I set off.

The synagogue had its outside doors open, but not the entry doors. The Catholic Immaculate Conception Cathedral was similarly closed. The rising brick towers of the State Street Congregational Church loom next to the Episcopal St Luke’s Cathedral.

Red brick buildings abound in Portland, but St Luke’s is clad in cut stone blocks. Open, a photographer was taking shots to add to the Cathedral’s web presence. I added to my shots from 3 years previous, noting that my recent travels had brought me to another church with sanctuaries at either end of the nave. Leaving St Luke’s I just wandered, with no specific goal in mind.

Storefront

Reviewing my pictures, I was looking for interesting subjects: doors and entries, steeples, street art, façades and other bits of architecture. I passed the Maine Irish Heritage Center and the Duck Bakery. It took me a bit to locate the port, and I didn’t return on board until after 3pm. The buffet was still open, so I grabbed a salad and waited on the phone call from Marcus of T-Mobile. Initially I shared a table with a woman from Australia, later with a couple from Vancouver.

There was a Captain’s Reception, where I sipped on Glenmorangie. At dinner, I headed to my assigned table in Symphony. One assigned woman remained as my companion, as the others had all dined elsewhere.

No notes made, nor menu photo’d, but I ate my soup, fruit salad, seafood orecchiette and an Indian veggie main. I went to Double Down where I discovered the delights of Slainte, the Jameson Black Barrel whiskey.

Day 6 St John, New Brunswick

With an hour lost overnight, the delayed docking in the port allowed me to have a leisurely breakfast of oatmeal at a full table with 7 others. We had 12 hours in port, and I’d booked an excursion for the late afternoon. But first on my list was the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Two kilometers from the port, I reached the east-facing entrance just after 11. The external façade is primarily an off-white limestone, with edges, cornices and the upper tower in sandstone. The building sits on a slight rise on Waterloo Street.

Blessed to find it open, the central aisle rises three stories to a peaked vault with wooden trusses above the clerestory windows over the side aisles. Niches with statues of the apostles line the nave walls. At the west end, a large carved wooden reredos sits in back to the classic high altar, while a marble stone main altar stands in front in the sanctuary. The bishop’s chair is off to its left, up three steps and under a carved wooden crown.

A young Sri Lankan priest of the Order of the Companions of the Cross approached me and we chatted for a bit, particularly since I would be visiting his home country in less than a year. He explained that the bishop was a younger man, and had said Sunday Mass at 10 (when we were still not docked) per his usual schedule. The priest took me into the chapel dedicated to the Virgin, where the Stations are mounted on the walls. There is a lovely triptych with icons over the altar there.

Leaving, I entered the nearby Trinity Anglican Church where I learned that 80 minutes away was the Anglican cathedral for the province of  New Brunswick. With a long nave, the local parish is a simple stone church, a large stained-glass window filling the southern wall over the gold altarpiece.

Barely noon, I found a taxi driver (Syrian, Ahmed) willing to take me to Fredericton, and I was able to add Christ Church Cathedral to my list. A class neo-gothic building in warm sandstone with oxidized green roofing, a single tower rising over the crossing. Set in a large triangular campus across from the St John’s River in the provincial capital of Frederickton.

Unfortunately closed, I was still able to admire the exterior. On our drive back, some of the trees along the highway had begun to turn, their leaves taking on the colorful autumnal foliage that draws many to New England states and the Maritime provinces.

Arriving back at the port with time to spare, I joined a group of about 20 in the terminal building for the Moosehead Evening Pub Crawl excursion. Locals Wendy and Dan split us into two groups and we headed into town. We visited three pubs, tasting beer at each. Steamers Lobster Company was first. At the second they also served bacon-wrapped meatballs with a maple syrup glaze. Bigtide is a brewery with their own offerings. Our final stop was at Oleary’s which featured Moosehead Beer. I noted that there were no real tasting standouts.

Back to the ship, I changed for dinner and was seated by 7:45, solo. The sun was setting out in the harbor, visible through the window. My starter was the warm crab and artichoke dip with plantain chips, followed by the Bahamian pea soup and dough boy. That led logically to island-spiced jerk chicken with a rum marinade. The banana, chocolate and dark rum mousse tart was presented for dessert, and was quite colorful and tasty.

Day 7 at sea

After breakfast of yogurt and granola, I attended the excursion talk on Sydney and Charlottetown, the ports 2 and 3 days hence. Passing through the shops, I stopped at Effy and listened to their spiel. They had a drawing, and I was the big winner, getting a bag of small bling and a gift certificate, which I passed on to someone who intended on spending big bucks on jewelry.

The dining room was open, serving lunch at noon. Going Asian, I had the Thai spring roll and the summer roll appetizers. Always a sucker for corn chowder, the soup followed, and then the salmon poke bowl.

After dining, I must have rolled and read, as there’s a picture of me with a duck on my shoulder, and one of the captain’s reception. My notes show that I felt bored.

Dinner found me solo again at the assigned table. Two starters, the lump crab cake and the country-style pâté and two mains, the gnocchi with truffled cream and duck à l’Orange were my fare for the meal. I went to Double Down for a drink after dining, and returned to my cabin to read before sleep.

Day 8 Halifax, Nova Scotia

Up for breakfast of granola and yogurt again, this time solo. I’d booked a shore excursion, Annapolis Valley & Wine Tasting which started 2 hours after we docked. I’d been to Halifax on a previous cruise, so I’ve visited and photographed the 3 cathedrals, and the option of a 3-hour trip (one way) to Yarmouth at the southwestern end of Nova Scotia to visit its cathedral didn’t fly as an option.

The tour took about an hour to cross the harbor and get out to the wine region of Annapolis Valley. There is a local grape, tidal bay, which 16 local wineries tweak, each selling their own take on the wine. I was in group 17, with driver JD; I noted that the bus was full of “Yank” couples. We visited three wineries: Grand Pré, Mercator and Benjamin Bridge. At each we tried 3-4 samples. I found the whites to be off dry, while the reds were thin and light. At our last stop, a bubbly was included in the tasting. Each site showed us a bit of the production process before offering the tastes.

The bus had us back just after 3, and the buffet was still serving, so I climbed up and built myself a salad and made some notes in my journal. After dropping the journal and camera in my cabin, I returned to the upper decks and snapped some harbor shots of Halifax with my phone.

There was another Captain’s reception, but the queue to enter extended to the atrium, so I opted for a drink at Double Down, talking with DC, an ex-Navy vet, until it was time for dinner.

There was a queue to dine at Symphony, where I had a table, so I snagged a pair of couples from Vancouver, BC to come join me, as the table had regularly been just me. We had a great conversation, Mike and Sandy, and Greg and Vicky. My meal started with the Asian chopped salad, continued with a small portion of spaghetti bolognaise, and capped with seared diver scallops and chorizo on polenta.

Instead of dessert, I had a small cordial glass of port. We parted, and I headed to the bar for a nightcap, where I got into a discussion with several other passengers and the barkeepers, not heading to my cabin until 11.

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