navybankerteacher

Yes - that’s it. My favorite “pilgrim monument” is at Corn Hill Beach in Truro - marking the spot where the Pilgrims found a large stash of corn which had been set aside by local Indians as a winter food reserve - - before they even got to Plymouth they had commenced stealing from the locals.

Then, I would suggest spending a bit of time on the starboard side an hour or so after sailing while rounding the end of Cape Cod to get a glimpse of the granite tower.

Bermuda is not tropical -

40 years ago was 1984 - the Big Red Boat started sailing in 1985. The posts to which you seem to have responded were talking about how cruising was a high end activity in the 1970’s.

Because when you are on an island there are several thousand other cruise passengers there overcrowding whatever ther is to enjoy, and you never get to spend an evening and night so you can really get to know the place.

Given the uncertainty over mooring position, I would suggest port side for the sailing parts of your cruise. There is nothing to match a sunrise at sea that first morning, and a seeing sunset at sea is a good way to end your last day.

After cruising in the Caribbean once or twice to get a sense of places, cruising is the absolutely worst way to spend time in the Caribbean. However it is the best way to come back from travel in Europe. It can be an excellent way to get a feel for a region - or to revisit places which keep calling to you (the coast of Turkey and the Aegean, for example). Like most everything else: it depends.

“Wealthy” is something of a subjective term. It has generally been possible for selective average income people to afford some higher cost activities by allocating resources and doing without some things a lot of other people might take for granted. (Just think how many $ a person could set aside for a cruise if he/she opted not to grab a Starbucks Vente while on the way to work every morning). In the 1970’s a couple or weeks on the Jersey Shore was a big vacation - while cruising was simply out of the picture for most.

True - they are in the higher price range — but then just a quarter century ago cruising itself was a high price vacation option. Only in this century did cruising become a mass market activity - so today’s new mega-ships serve that purpose; while refitted and new build smaller ships will continue to serve the upscale market they always did.

Are you aware that there will be at least seven new cruise ships coming on line in 2024 - which carry fewer than 1,000 passengers?

There are very few scheduled Norfolk departures, and sailings out of Baltimore are iffy now due to the bridge problem - but I have heard that they are likely to go from Norfolk. If cost is a major concern, you should widen your horizon to include New York, Charleston and Florida sailings - where the vastly wider choice (including cost of air) could prove economical.

QM2 and the older HAL ships (2,000 or so passengers are the largest we go for) - but really prefer the 650 or so passenger Oceania ships. Have no use for the usually hideous, crowded mega ships which are coming off the ways now - where if you want a decent meal you have to go for the alternative restaurants.

Why not consider a southern Caribbean itinerary sailing from San Juan (architecture, shopping and food) spending a couple of days in that amazing old Spanish colonial city before boarding a sailing to Bonaire and Curaçao (beaches) and possible other ports on your bucket list?

A very good idea - while you probably have a better than 68.375% chance of making that flight, you would surely be stressed from the last day of your cruise until you got into your seat on the plane.

From Midtown you could take IRT #2 or #3 train from Penn Station to Wall Street and walk (4 short blocks) to Pier 11 for the ferry to right next to BCT; or Lexington Ave line from Grand Central to Wall Street and Broadway for a somewhat longer walk to Pier 11.

Of the lines mentioned: only HAL’s Maasdam (before their cost cutting pushed her down to mass market category) - and, especially, Prinsendam — now to get that “blown away” feeling, it’s Oceania, Asamara, or one of the truly premium lines.

QM 2 sails from Brooklyn to the Caribbean every year.

Ordinarily, a cruise ship is dry docked every five years. I would be surprised if a line would sell spaces on a cruise and then cancel because of scheduled drydocking. In your case, it would seem that some unanticipated major maintenance was required. The line’s management should know well in advance when routine maintenance would be required - and would have no way of anticipating unexpected problems.

Expect hot weather - but very little different from rest of the year in the Caribbean. You will be in peak hurricane season, but the fact is that the odds are that you will not be impacted - and if you are, it will generally mean a change of one or more ports of call. You go on a cruise: you take your chances; if you cruise during hurricane season you add the chance of a hurricane impacting your itinerary. Enjoy.

I am inclined to agree: the whole point of taking a cruise (likely costing thousands of dollars) is to spoil yourself with a good time. Does messing with luggage up and down stairs and on and off subway trains to save yourself about $50 fit in with that intention? While I am glad to suggest ways of using public transportation to people who ask about it, I am not a committed advocate of penny pinching. That said, for an out-of-towner who wants to spend a night in New York before sailing from Brooklyn, I will recommend a Wall Street area hotel and the passenger ferry across to BCT.

IRT #2 train to Wall Street station - which is about 4 short blocks (straight east on Wall Street) from Pier 11.

I have never seen any attempt to adhere to scheduled check in times - in several NY sailings.

I am sure there are folks living in uptown Manhattan who also would like to be able to contribute to the air pollution and heavy traffic which now comes close to strangling midtown and down town - while ignoring the abundance of public transportation. If people were more adept at arithmetic they would also be less likely to insist upon being able to drive into the area.

I’m surprised that you have not been advised. I do know that Princess regularly sails from Brooklyn - you might want to look at hotels in lower Manhattan: more interesting, safer neighborhood, with good restaurants, very convenient to the passenger ferry which takes you to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.

If your port is Brooklyn you might want to stay in lower Manhattan - inexpensive hotels, Wall Street area. Interesting part of town, lots of good restaurants and very easy passenger ferry across to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.