Anything Grandeur and New England Cruise

[teacher2cruiser]

G&Ms for crab cakes just outside of Baltimore. Highly recommended.

 

We are doing a park and cruise package with a hotel near the airport, and we already have G&M's on our pre-cruise list. Glad to see others recommending it as well! Love Cruise Critic.

[KeywestK]

We are doing a park and cruise package with a hotel near the airport, and we already have G&M's on our pre-cruise list. Glad to see others recommending it as well! Love Cruise Critic.

 

Since you will be at an airport-area hotel with your car, I would suggest Pappas in Glen Burnie for your crab cakes. We do love G&M, but once we discovered Pappas (several years ago) we actually preferred them. We lived in the Baltimore area for 45 years and take our crab cakes VERY seriously:D

[teacher2cruiser]

Since you will be at an airport-area hotel with your car, I would suggest Pappas in Glen Burnie for your crab cakes. We do love G&M, but once we discovered Pappas (several years ago) we actually preferred them. We lived in the Baltimore area for 45 years and take our crab cakes VERY seriously:D

 

Thanks for the recommendation!

[runningtide]

If you are staying at BWI, you are only 30 minutes to Annapolis. Great waterfront town and my home for 35 years. Fantastic food, sight seeing, and entertainment.

 

Favorite places to eat...McGarveys, Boat Yard, O'Learys, and Cantlers..

[teacher2cruiser]

Thanks for the recommendations! Since you live in the area, do you have any Washington DC advice for tours, seeing everything, and lodging?

[KeywestK]

Thanks for the recommendation!

 

My pleasure, and I hope you enjoy your time in Baltimore AND your crab cakes. We moved from there a little over a year ago, and as much as I love SWFL, Maryland will always feel like home:)

[JessyCruises]

For Canada, does it only go to Halifax? I know many ships are now coming to Saint John too (where I live).

 

I have never understood the "Maine Lobster" thing. We border Maine and catch our lobsters in the same area in the ocean so they are the same. :)

 

I think I am the only Atlantic Canadian who detests it. But everyone I know who eats seafood says it is the best!

[PSCruiser]

Just off the Grandeur NE/Canada last week.

Excellent cruise, with great crew, food and shows.

At Portland we did the Lucky Catch lobster boat and had a great time. Upon boarding, you don rubber apron and gloves and help with the work!

Bar Harbor, just explored the town, good lobster lunch at the Rt 66 diner. We also went to the donut shop, supposed to be one of top 10 in US. Donuts are made with potato, VERY expensive, not impressed at all.

At both Canadian ports, rented cars and worked out great at both. At St. John we went to Bay of Fundy, Reversing Falls, Seacaves, etc. Halifax we went to Peggy's Cove and some other villages where the buses don't go. Budget in St. John, and Hertz in Halifax are both less than a block from the ship, and both cars rented for under $50 US.

[teacher2cruiser]

Just off the Grandeur NE/Canada last week.

Excellent cruise, with great crew, food and shows.

At Portland we did the Lucky Catch lobster boat and had a great time. Upon boarding, you don rubber apron and gloves and help with the work!

Bar Harbor, just explored the town, good lobster lunch at the Rt 66 diner. We also went to the donut shop, supposed to be one of top 10 in US. Donuts are made with potato, VERY expensive, not impressed at all.

At both Canadian ports, rented cars and worked out great at both. At St. John we went to Bay of Fundy, Reversing Falls, Seacaves, etc. Halifax we went to Peggy's Cove and some other villages where the buses don't go. Budget in St. John, and Hertz in Halifax are both less than a block from the ship, and both cars rented for under $50 US.

 

This is all great information! Do you have a review posted anywhere?

[easyboy]

At St. John we went to Bay of Fundy, Reversing Falls, Seacaves, etc. Halifax we went to Peggy's Cove and some other villages where the buses don't go. Budget in St. John, and Hertz in Halifax are both less than a block from the ship, and both cars rented for under $50 US.

Thanks for your timely info. We will be on those ports next week and we'll do the same.

[PSCruiser]

This is all great information! Do you have a review posted anywhere?

 

No, I didn't do a review but would be happy to answer questions.

 

The Lucky Catch has a website with details.

 

The Budget location you want in St. John is located at 4 Water St. Water St. is the street that the pier is on, when leaving the ship just turn left, walk about a block, and cross the street.

 

The Halifax Hertz location is right at the pier. Just walk outside the building, don't cross the street, and turn right, about 1/2 block. The info booth inside the pier was extremely helpful, and outlined our trip on both street and road maps. Could not be easier.

Edited September 30, 2016 by PSCruiser

[CrabbyHarper]

Ditto on the recommendation for Pappas. But be very careful about crab cakes. Be sure to ask the server where the crab came from - the crab NOT the packer! From time to time restauranteers cannot get the real blue crab and substitute crab from Thailand or other places. Real blue crab is from Maryland, Virginia, and possibly from Louisiana or Texas.

 

Real Baltimore crab cakes are to die for! Ersatz crab cakes not so much.:(

[teacher2cruiser]

Have any of you experienced a LOBSTER BAKE as part of a Royal Caribbean excursion?

[teacher2cruiser]

Here are my NE/Can Compass scans from June this year

https://pixeldra.in/u/JJqiSB

 

Also check the Destinations section for tips on the ports

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20

 

THANK YOU! I have these printed, and they add to my excitement and anticipation!

[annielauree]

Just returned from the NE/Canada cruise a week ago.

Boston was a rainy yucky day, but we did a bus tour (ship excursion) and had a very good guide, Jewels.

 

From Bar Harbor, I can recommend a restaurant right near the tender location. Unfortunately, I don't recall the name, but it has LOBSTER on a huge sign on the side of the building. We had taken a private taxi tour of the area and the driver had recommended it as a good place for lobster. The lobster was delicious, and since it was lunch time and I didn't want or need the full dinner, I was glad to see they offered a menu selection of just lobster. Perfect and exactly what I wanted. The bonus was that soft shell lobster was in season so it was sweet and easy to eat!

 

In St. John, we walked the port area, had good, (but not extraordinary) chowder. As craft beer fans, we enjoyed sampling the local beer.

 

In Halifax, I highly recommend Halifax Titanic Historic tours and the owner, Paul McNeil. It was a fabulous 4+ (more like 6) hour tour in a Town Car including all the historic detail and interesting stories you could ever want, starting with a front row view of the changing of the guard at the Citadel and ending with a visit to a working fishing village and delicious seafood lunch, right next to the place it was caught.

[easyboy]

Thanks for sharing.

[teacher2cruiser]

just returned from the ne/canada cruise a week ago.

Boston was a rainy yucky day, but we did a bus tour (ship excursion) and had a very good guide, jewels.

 

From bar harbor, i can recommend a restaurant right near the tender location. Unfortunately, i don't recall the name, but it has lobster on a huge sign on the side of the building. We had taken a private taxi tour of the area and the driver had recommended it as a good place for lobster. The lobster was delicious, and since it was lunch time and i didn't want or need the full dinner, i was glad to see they offered a menu selection of just lobster. Perfect and exactly what i wanted. The bonus was that soft shell lobster was in season so it was sweet and easy to eat!

 

In st. John, we walked the port area, had good, (but not extraordinary) chowder. As craft beer fans, we enjoyed sampling the local beer.

 

In halifax, i highly recommend halifax titanic historic tours and the owner, paul mcneil. It was a fabulous 4+ (more like 6) hour tour in a town car including all the historic detail and interesting stories you could ever want, starting with a front row view of the changing of the guard at the citadel and ending with a visit to a working fishing village and delicious seafood lunch, right next to the place it was caught.

thank you!

[teacher2cruiser]

Thanks for your timely info. We will be on those ports next week and we'll do the same.

 

Did you do a review?

[cwms]

We're planning on taking this cruise in July.

Looking at the cruise details, for the MDR, they list 2 formal nights and 2 semi-formal nights. Isn't that a bit much?

My last cruise on Grandeur was a 7 night to Bermuda with just 1 formal night.

On a cruise, formal for me is a blue blazer, khakis and tie. Packing a suit for me ain't happening.

Do I have to skip the MDR for formal night?

[atb]

I'm not sure the designations, but I thought they got rid of the semi-formal thing. You will be fine in blazer and khakis even for formal. My DH usually brings his tux - for New England (in the fall), but he does that for me. He cleans up really NICE:D

He would not wear his tux in July. even for me.

Edited January 26, 2017 by atb

[easyboy]

Did you do a review?

Sorry I did not.

[SailBadtheSinner]

Just returned from the NE/Canada cruise a week ago.

Boston was a rainy yucky day, but we did a bus tour (ship excursion) and had a very good guide, Jewels.

 

From Bar Harbor, I can recommend a restaurant right near the tender location. Unfortunately, I don't recall the name, but it has LOBSTER on a huge sign on the side of the building............

 

 

The name of the restaurant is Stewman's Lobster Pound Downtown. As you leave the ramp to the tender dock on to the street, take a right. It will be the next building on the right.

 

 

SBtS