AKR2011

Once outside of the museum, there are a couple of ships that you can tour. That would have been cool, but we were very hungry. It was now mid-day and well past lunchtime. My parents found a cafe right next to the museum and went there, while Alex and I ventured down the boardwalk a bit. I really wanted some poutine and found a shack specializing in that. Alex and I split this, which was a very good idea. It was a lot of food! We then went over to Cow's Ice Cream and split a small cup. Dave's Lobster is in this port too, as well as Beavertails, so it's nice to know that you can have these Canadian treats at multiple stops.

I should mention that NCL offers two Hop-On-Hop-Off tours. One does not include any admission, but ours included the Citadel and Maritime Museum. This worked out very well for us. The ticket line at The Citadel was a bit long, but we just walked in with our stickers on. The same was true at the Maritime Museum, which is where we went next. I absolutely love maritime museums and have been to many. The one in Halifax is huge and has tons of smaller ship models, as well as full-size ships. There is an exhibit featuring Cunard Cruises and another focused on The White Star Line. There is also a big section of the museum dedicated to Titanic with a bunch of artifacts from that. We were here for over an hour and enjoyed our time. I also found a really nice ornament in the gift shop.

The double-decker buses used by the tour company were from the 50s and seemed cool at first. We went on top and sat in front for a nice view. However, that diesel smell was not good, and Mom and I were not feeling great. We hopped off when we reached The Citadel. This is a historic battleground site that has been transformed quite a few times. Alex and Dad love these kinds of places. Mom and I can only handle them for a while. There were modern exhibits inside, and many people dressed in character and were walking around talking to the guests. We stayed for over an hour and grabbed some cold drinks at the snack bar before getting on a different bus. There are many buses in the fleet, so you don't have to wait long for another bus to show up. This was a very well-organized tour and had guides talking and explaining the sites as we drove through the city.

Day 5 was Halifax, and we were scheduled to do the Deluxe Hop-on-Hop-Off Tour all together as a family. With the Free at Sea and Latitudes Discount, Alex and I repaid $108 through NCL for this. I have heard great things about these kinds of tours but have never taken one. My parents were excited as well and did one in Boston many years ago. We were scheduled to arrive at 8am, and our tour was supposed to leave at 8:30. Unfortunately, we were delayed once again. We all had breakfast together in O'Sheehan's and watched out the window as the captain was trying to dock us. The Escape was already there and docked, but we were taking forever. I really have no idea what happened, but it took over an hour to get us docked and tied up, and of course, everyone was lined up at Deck 7 (im)patiently waiting to get off the ship. We eventually got into line too, and it was a hot mess. We were backed up passed the atrium jewelry shop, and it only became worse around the elevators. We didn't get off until after 10am. Luckily, there was a fleet of double-decker buses in port ready to take us around Halifax. Halifax is a very industrialized city, and there is a lot to see. We decided to ride the bus most of the way until we were ready to get off. We hoped to do The Citadel, Public Gardens, Maritime Museum, and Brewery. My family is not into cemeteries, but there is a Titanic Cemetary and they offer tours there that you can join in on if you want.

Back on the ship, I went back to our room to shower and change, and I found our latest towel friend waiting for me. I then went to the coloring activity and hung out with Crew Member Zoran, one of my favorite people on The Pearl. He spoke about customs and how hard it is for the crew to get cleared. Once a month they release the names of those that can go ashore in Bar Harbor, and even though Zoran has done all the paperwork needed, has not been cleared yet. He was hoping to get cleared in Sept. Otherwise, it would be another month again. That being said, he was looking forward to tomorrow in Halifax, when we would be in port with The Escape. Friends were on that ship and they could hang out together. It was really nice to just color and hang out for a bit. The ship was really quiet since most passengers were still ashore. Canada has a rule about bars and only one per deck is allowed to be open. As the afternoon went on, it became pretty busy at the bars that were offered. Luckily, they added extra staff at those for support. We had Magnums/Shaker's on Deck 6, The Atrium Bar on Deck 7, O'Sheehan's on Deck 8, and Topsider's on Deck 12. After 5:00, more bars were opened up. I grabbed some pretzels from O'Sheehan's and played Scattergories after coloring, then attended the Music Lyrics Game Show. Bar service at The Atrium was busy, but the crew always took care of me there. My parents and Alex then found me and joined in the Norwegian Pop Quiz, and then we played Ring Toss together. We were trying to rack up signatures this week and looked forward to finding out what prizes we could get at the end of the cruise. I wanted another try at the Bamboozled Tabletop Escape Game, so we convinced my parents to join us. Now remember, Alex and I did this last week with Emilie and Luca. We should know how to complete the challenge. Unfortunately, we could still not get through everything. We did get all 6 locks unlocked, but we couldn't figure out what to do with what we found in the box. No one else completed it either, but we still had fun. We headed to dinner in the main dining room together after the game and then went to the Elton John show. We all enjoyed that one and agreed that this was a great show. However, Jason Ostrowski got off the ship after this week, so that's the end of this one. We all headed to bed after the show since tomorrow was another day in port.

When our driver returned - right on time, I will add - we asked him to drop us at the end of the boardwalk. The boardwalk in Sydney is not nearly as long as the one in Charlottetown, but it is still nice. They have a sign for photos, and there are plenty of shore birds that Alex was excited to see. I was ready to return to the ship, but he wanted to stick around and count birds. Once at the port area, I found the world's largest fiddle and had a kind fellow passenger take my photo with it. I also popped into a small shop in port that was a drugstore. The couple that owns it are cruisers, and they told me that they noticed in their travels that passengers always need OTC meds and affordable American snacks, but there is never a shop right in port. This is how they decided to open their shop. There were many snacks, candy bars, cold and flu meds, aspirin, first aid, etc. I grabbed some lozenges for Alex, who was feeling a lot better but still waking up with a scratchy throat. The price was right and they made a difference the next few days.

Today Alex and I planned to hike the Baille Ard Nature Trail. My research said that it was a great place for birding and an overall nice hike. Getting off the ship was messy again, but we eventually made it. Were we cleared to leave at 9am as scheduled? I don't believe so, but this was a bit better than yesterday. I will give them that I guess. The port area does not have a lot to offer, but there are a few shops outside and a big building that plays some of the sea music I love. That building houses a huge room of crafters selling homemade goods, and I found a really nice ornament there. Before our tip, I tried to set up a cab ride to the trail, and I was messaging a cab company, but we were never able to fully connect. Luckily, once we left the building, there was a lot full of Taxis. They do city tours and such, so if you don't have something booked, you can just hire a driver to take you around. I asked about the Baille Ard Nature Trail, and the first person that I spoke to was unfamiliar with it, but then he asked another driver who knew exactly where it was and agreed to take us. Our driver actually went to school for forestry and worked on maintaining the trail. He has his degree now, but his family is in India and he has to travel home for lengths of time, so a permanent job in forestry doesn't work. Instead, he drives cabs during the tourist season and has the flexibility to go home in the winter months. We were charged about $8.00 American according to my credit card statement to get to the Baille Ard Trail, and we arrived around 10:45. Our driver wanted us to call him when we were ready to go back, but I am cheap and didn't want to pay for data, so we just asked him to come back at noon. Research told me that this was not a long hike. The Baille Ard Nature Trail has multiple loops and has some parts that are closed as they are working to improve it. It was not very crowded and felt very familiar to us. The woods were very much like those in The Catskills where we are from. Alex did not find any exciting birds, but of course, there were plenty of birds there overall. We bumped into some friendly locals and just enjoyed being on a hike together. This was the perfect spot for us.

Hi all. I am so sorry for not getting back here sooner. Life has gotten the best of me the past couple of days, but I am going to try and finish the Canadian ports today. After being up late playing cards the night before, I actually slept in today. Alex and I woke up together and had breakfast at the buffet. We really enjoyed eating in the Great Outdoors area and this was also a good place to fill up our water bottles before heading into port. When researching Syndey, I didn't find a ton of exciting things to do. My parents originally signed up for some kind of bagpiping excursion that was canceled a few weeks before. They ended up doing a concert of some kind instead, but they reported that it wasn't really worth the cost. If you chose to stay on the ship, there were of course many things to do:

Thank you for your feedback! It always helps to have multiple opinions. Our room was also a bit smaller, but we're pretty easygoing with that. I definitely agree that entertainment showed some sad cuts. And yes, getting off the ship was ridiculous! It was completely different the second week vs. the first. I have no idea what happened there, but I cannot get over how messy it was. They should have at least extended time in ports. We make the most of every vacation, but we are also hoping that some things change before we go on another sailing in 2025. I feel bad that this was my parents' first cruise experience. They still had a good time, but it could have been a lot better too.

The Sun was my husband's favorite, but we went in 2014. The size was great and the crew was absolutely fantastic. Our biggest complaint was that the sports bar had limited hours instead of the 24-hr. O'Sheehan's. Maybe this has changed?

The ship itself is pretty average, to be honest. Most of the smaller ships are similar, so we are looking at a bigger one in 2025. That being said, The Pearl crew is pretty special. That was a stand-out for us. Entertainment-wise, we definitely noticed a lack of bigger shows in the theater and that was disappointing. Luckily, Seaside Duo was always great and we made our own fun with games and drinks from our favorite bartenders.

I will post the next port tomorrow, but here is the Freestyle for the day. As always, lots to do:

Alex and I rested at the cabin for a bit and then eventually went to O'Sheehans for small bites. It was a beautiful sunset as we headed out to our next port. Then I went to Pure Variety while Alex hung out with my parents. Pure Variety was again very enjoyable with the dancers being the highlight to me. I met the rest of the family down in the Maltings are after and we played cards for a few hours while enjoying some drinks. I love a good Old Fashioned, but with Jameson of course. The bartenders at Maltings made some great ones for me. We went to bed after our cards since tomorrow was another port day. What started as a hot mess getting off the ship ended up being pretty great after all.

Back on the ship, we arrived back at our room with a new towel animal friend, and clean laundry. This was our third free load of the cruise and we had one left. I love getting my clothes back in the cute little basket all pressed. My white pants from the week before had gotten stained in Bermuda, and they returned white as new. And of course, you get all those yellow laundry tags that never seem to go away. We continue to find them all the time now that we are home.

Where it's wave over wave sea over bow I'm as happy a man as the sea will allow There's no other life for a sailor like me Than to sail the salt sea boys to sail the sea There's no other life but to sail the salt sea... - Great Big Sea I mentioned previously, sea shanties are my jam. I love all sailing songs and Alex and I have gone to quite a few festivals highlighting this kind of music. When we got back to the town square, a local band was singing sea songs and playing some Great Big Sea - my favorite Canadian band ever! I was rocking out and people thought that I had requested the music. I definitely had not, but I was so happy with this surprise. I left them a tip and then grabbed a snack. Alex went for Cows Ice Cream, which is super creamy and delicious. I opted for a Beaver Tail, which is fried dough with all kinds of toppings like Nutella, nuts, hot fudge, etc. I went simple with cinnamon sugar and added a scoop of their ice cream on top. It was a delicious treat! It was getting a little late, so we decided to head back to the ship after this. There was a bit of a line by the port, and we used the time to get our Christmas ornament. Two gangways were open when we reached the ship since the tide had gone back up, and this definitely made a difference.

When you reach the end of the boardwalk, you go into town. The sidewalks are marked with paint to follow the trail of your choice. We followed the green stripe to eventually get back to the town square. I thought this was a great way to help tourists navigate. The sidewalks pass an area that teaches about the history of the area, as well as the Beaconsfield House. That was on my list to visit, but it was unfortunately closed today. This was a really lovely walk, so I'm glad that we did it. Taking the cab also allowed us plenty of time to enjoy it without feeling rushed.

The weather fluctuated between clouds and sun for the hour or so that we were on the boardwalk. It was a really nice path that was well-maintained and full of friendly people. Alex bumped into another birder and got to share some stats while I just enjoyed the walk. My feet were swollen and sore again despite wearing my hiking shoes, but there were plenty of benches along the way.

On our way to Dave's, we popped over to a visitor's center for a walking map and to ask about going to Victoria Park. I thought it was close, but they said that it was a 45-minute walk. I popped into a shop, and one of the nice young workers called us a cab there. There is a roundabout right in the square where the cab pulled up in less than 10 minutes. We had a super nice lady who spoke about Canadian politics and dropped us off at the end of the boardwalk where the park was. I used my credit card to charge in Canadian and then tipped her a couple of American dollars. My card was charged about $8.00. Not bad! We walked through the park and Alex enjoyed finding all kinds of birds. It was later in the day, but he still found plenty to see. There is a nice path through the park and it wasn't very busy.

Once in port, I had one thing on my mind - Lobster Rolls! Mom and Dad had some kind of food tour through the ship. They were not super impressed with the lecturer but said that the food was good. I learned in my research that Dave's was a great spot for lunch, so that is where we went. Alex had never had a lobster roll before and didn't even think he liked lobster, but he agreed to give it a try. I like mine Connecticut Style - hot and buttered - and Alex ordered the same. Lobster rolls are probably one of my all-time favorite foods, and today Alex learned that he enjoys them as well.

O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all of us command... I went to college by the border and Canadian Studies was actually a requirement. I even had a friend who majored in it. I've been to some parts of Canada in the past, but Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia were new to me, and I was very excited about these ports. I woke up to cloudy skies on my walk, and my feet were a bit sore as well. Bummer! I only walked a few laps before going back to the room, and there I noticed a Canadian Customs form outside our door. I think it was supposed to be in our room on Embarkation Day, but since we were B2B, we missed some things. We didn't even get the strawberries on this leg, but that's ok. I looked at the form and saw that it it was supposed to be turned in yesterday. I was really upset and immediately went to fill it out. Alex and I both signed, and then I ran down to Guest Services while he got dressed. An officer saw me in line and asked what I needed, and I showed the form. Another passenger in front of me was mad and said that I was cutting him. I explained that this man was speaking to me. He huffed and puffed and walked off. Then the officer apologized to me. I avoid this line at all costs. It's always long and no one is happy to be there. The nice officer saw that I was stressed and put me at ease. He said that it was okay and we could definitely get off the ship. I was so relieved! Alex and I grabbed some breakfast and met my parents for the 10-Minute Mystery and Trivia. Later Alex and I were the only ones to participate in the Jenga Challenge. We played for a solid half hour and neither of us was giving up. I wish I had photos, but I was standing on the milk crate that the blocks were kept in by the end there since the tower was so high. In the end, I won bragging rights! We were supposed to be able to get off the ship at noon, but some passengers needed to turn in their customs forms. Canada was also not clearing us. Plus, it was low tide. I added a couple of photos taken after we eventually made it off the ship of that low tide. They would only be able to open one gangway as a result, and this made it even more messy. Everyone was crowded in the hall trying to get out. It was after 1:00 before we finally made it out. No one was very happy with the way that this was handled. Communication was definitely lacking, but hey, we were finally in port!

I really struggled at Le Bistro the second time. I let NCL know in my post-cruise survey that the menu needs more and better options. I hope they listen.

I will end this for tonight, but here is the Freestyle for the day. Again, so much to do on The Pearl:

Alex and I often do not dine at La Cucina, but we had a great meal here tonight and Alex looked pretty snazzy in his suit 😍 I was excited to have pesto pasta and the Osso Bucco. Alex had the calamari followed by the snapper and really enjoyed his as well. I loved the cannolis for dessert while Alex had the chocolate tart and really liked that too. We really loved our meal and will probably book this one more often. We made a stop back at our room after dinner to change and checked out the Bridge Viewing Room. It had photos of the crew and a ship model, as well as a bunch of computer models. The curtain to look into the bridge was closed, and I went back a few times to see if it would ever open, but I always found it closed, unfortunately. Alex and I grabbed drinks at the Malting's Whiskey Bar and played some Abducktion there. Then we met Mom and Dad for the 80s Game Show. Since we had so much fun last week, we wanted to go back again. It was once again a blast and my mom especially loved it. They had gone to O'Sheehan's tonight for dinner and my mom was very happy to have nachos that were Celiac-friendly. After the game show, Mom wanted to go to Karaoke. Man, Bliss was packed! She and I each signed up for a song, but it took over an hour to be called up. We had seats at the bar in the back and our awesome waiter was there and remembered us. Lots of Jameson was served, and he also made us the infamous Alien Brain Hemmorage Shots that they no longer do. Lots of other shots and drinks were consumed as well. We continued to tip and he kept bringing us fun things to try. This was such a fun night, but I was quite tired by the end and we had our first port of this leg tomorrow. A ton of photos are coming up soon, so stay tuned for that as head in Canada.

As you all can probably tell by now, I love a good sea day. I am dreaming of a Transatlantic at some point in the future when I can have days at sea watching the world go by. It will probably be my first cruise when I retire, so I have about 25 years to plan 😄 This morning was a beautiful one for my sea shanty walk. I was up around 5:30 and then woke Alex up for breakfast in Summer Palace. He was still a bit congested, but he always felt better once he left the room. Alex hinks he may have been allergic to the detergent used to wash the sheets or whatever cleaners were used in the room. He always felt better once he was up and moving. We went to the Atrium after breakfast and my parents met us for Trivia. Once again, it was really packed. At one point I was able to find Cruise Director Will and suggest that they move Trivia out of this area. Unfortunately, Bliss was used for art auctions most days and Spinnaker was usually reserved for things during the day too. He said that The Atrium had more seating than the bars on Deck 6 too. They just need a better place for it in my opinion. We did Bean Bag Toss after Trivia and then my parents went to Bingo while Alex and I went to the Platinum Wines Around the World. We didn't get to that the week before and really enjoyed it. There were a bunch of us and many wines to try. It was free-flowing and fun. We then met Mom and Dad for lunch in Summer Palace where I was happy to have a couple of my favorites - Hummus and Milk Chocolate Cheesecake! We went to Deal or No Deal after, which was very fun to participate again, but none of us were chosen or big winners today. Dad and Alex took and walk and Mom and I did the 80s Movie Trivia together. We did pretty well and had a lot of fun. We also played Last Man Standing before Alex and I had to head back to our rooms to get ready for tonight.

My parents were quite hungry after enjoying their first drinks, so we took them to Summer Place. My mom has Celiac's Disease and was able to plan out her meals with the staff there. We all had a great meal, and then we toured them around the ship from top to bottom, stopping at a couple of bars along the way. My parents then went to get unpacked, and Alex and I hung out in The Atrium drinking and grabbing seats for Trivia and the Brain Race. My parents really enjoyed playing with us, and this was the first time that Alex and I really looked around at our new fellow passengers. This was an older crowd than the previous week and there were also a lot more people packing in for Trivia. We had dinner at Moderno tonight with my parents, and I was personally there for the salad bar! Alex and Dad loved the meats and Mom was happy that she could eat just about everything there, with the exception of a few things on the salad bar. The cheese bread is always gluten-free and delicious. Mom and Dad wanted to settle into their cabin and rest after dinner since they had been up since 3am this morning. Alex and I went to The Atrium for Seaside Duo and a few games of Carcassone on my tablet. As usual, the drinks were flowing and the bar staff were rocking out with us. Tip your bartenders and they will always take care of you. We had a funny moment when we ordered our first drinks and called on by name. The people sitting by us were amazed that they knew our names. That is the beauty of a B2B. We headed to bed after the show and were excited for a lovely day at sea tomorrow ♥️⚓