LIVE - Liberty OTS - Canada & New England - Aug 29 (9 nt)

[mets123]

How often do the HOHO buses run? What is the cost and where do you catch it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aring75]

9 minutes ago, mets123 said:

How often do the HOHO buses run? What is the cost and where do you catch it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We booked ahead of time in the cruise planner app for $59 each. I’m not sure if you can purchase tickets directly. 
 

The buses run about every 20 minutes or so. We had one stop which was canceled due to heavy construction nearby, but it was in town so there were other stops nearby where you could walk to see those sights without too much trouble. 
 

They give you a map of all the stops before you board so you get a “lay of the land” ahead of time. 

[aring75]

Oh! And the first/last stop is directly at the cruise terminal. 

[jjtt]

58 minutes ago, aring75 said:

Oh! And the first/last stop is directly at the cruise terminal. 

This is good to know!

[Luckynana]

 

I've been enjoying following!   Our trip became way-laid when we had to leave the ship in Halifax due to my DH's requiring emergency surgery at the hospital there.  Everyone in Halifax were super friendly.  Perhaps we'll once again take this NE/Canada cruise again!

[aring75]

2 hours ago, Luckynana said:

 

I've been enjoying following!   Our trip became way-laid when we had to leave the ship in Halifax due to my DH's requiring emergency surgery at the hospital there.  Everyone in Halifax were super friendly.  Perhaps we'll once again take this NE/Canada cruise again!

I hope to hear that your husband is okay! We are definitely looking forward to our stop in Halifax. 

[Luckynana]

 

Thank you, @aring75  He had to have gallbladder surgery and was fine afterwards, thank goodness!  We were able to fly home a week later.    Enjoy your day in Halifax!  Make sure you get some poutine, and have a beaver tail for dessert!   Our Travel Insurance covered all of our expenses.😉

Edited September 4 by Luckynana

[aring75]

Dinner in the MDR was “A Taste of Italy.” I think this is probably my least favorite menu, but we still found good things to eat.

 

 

 

Mark tried the minestrone soup. He thought it was pretty good. Not many vegetables though. 
 

 

 

I opted for the beef carpaccio. It was certainly fine, but it didn’t compare to what I had in Chops. That was great. 
 

[aring75]

We felt like we needed something green, so we both got a salad as well. 
 

Caesar for me. 
 

 

 

And the garden salad for Mark. 
 

 

 

We both had the NYStrip steak for our entree and it was very mid. It was probably around 1/4” thick. I know that sounds like an exaggeration, but Mark said, “I didn’t think you could cut them this thin.” I don’t have a picture, I think we were laughing and I got distracted. 😂

 

Dessert.

 

Mark got the vegan oat berry bar. He said it was very tasty, but some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream would have been good. If you are ordering because it is vegan, they do have vegan ice cream, but I’m not sure about a whipped cream substitute. 

 

 

 

I got the chocolate-hazelnut cake. This was not what I was expecting, but this is easily my favorite dessert of the cruise so far. It needs the ice cream to help cut through the richness, but this was delicious. 
 

[aring75]

Entertainment for night 6 had outdoor movies. Kung Fu Panda 4 at 6:00 pm and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire at 9:00 pm. (It was cold out on deck though!)

 

There was family karaoke at 7:00 pm and Adult karaoke at 8:30. 
 

The Headliner showtime in the theater was “El Gaucho” shown at 7:15 and 9:15 pm. 
 

There were a couple of different game show type activities. And the silent disco was held in the Star Lounge at 10 pm. 

[aring75]

Day 7 is a sea day on the way to Halifax, NS. It’s been cool today in the 60s, but we’ve had very calm seas. 
 

The Captains Corner presentation was held in the theater today at 11 am, but we were held up in the guest services line. 

[aring75]

We decided to try lunch in the dining room today after looking at the menu on the app. 
 

After we were seated, however, we noticed that it was a completely different menu. We weren’t the only ones who noticed. There was quite a lot of grumbling from the tables around us as well. 
 

The menu is posted at the entrance to the dining room, so it might be a good idea to check there on your way in if it matters to you. 
 

[aring75]

The shrimp risotto was very tomato-y. I was expecting it to be more cheesy, but it was good. 
 

 

The Caesar is as it ever was. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. 
 

 

 

The Royal Chicken Sandwich is described as a Cajun spice fried chicken, but it was very bland. It wasn’t dry or anything, but even some salt & pepper in the batter would have helped. 
 

[aring75]

After lunch we won $100 in the casino. Then we lost $100 in the casino and decided to go watch the ice show. 
 

The ice skating show on Liberty is called Encore! An Ice Spectacular. Make sure you get there early. It was 80% full 20 minutes before the show and by the end it was standing room only. 
 

 

[aring75]

We had a Moët & Chandon champagne tasting at 3:00 pm. It’s not listed anywhere in the daily planner, so if you are interested, book ahead of time in the app or online. Or check at Vintages after you board. 
 

 

 

They also have a Macallan tasting, a Women of Wine tasting, a Taste of the Caribbean cocktail tasting, and a premium wine tasting. If you don’t see them listed before your cruise, ask about them once onboard. 

[aring75]

Had a bit of sea fog roll in this afternoon. 
 

 

 

 

We’ve overheard a few complaints about the ship’s horn blowing so often. 
 

 

But I love it!

[aring75]

We are dining in Giovanni’s Table specialty restaurant tonight, but here’s a copy of the MDR menu. “A Taste of the Caribbean”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Luckynana]

2 hours ago, aring75 said:

Had a bit of sea fog roll in this afternoon. 
 

 

 

 

We’ve overheard a few complaints about the ship’s horn blowing so often. 
 

 

But I love it!

I love the sound of the Fog horns also!   I grew up hearing them often since I lived not far from the Ocean.

[aring75]

Dinner in Giovanni’s was a lengthy affair. They were very crowded (every table was occupied) and it seemed that they may have been short-staffed. We enjoyed our meal here nonetheless. 
 

 

I chose the meat & cheese board thinking it would be nice to share. This was huge. Probably enough for 3-4 people to share. 
 

 

 

Mark tried the arugula salad and said it wasn’t really anything special, but it was cold and fresh and the dressing was very light.

 

[aring75]

You can order any of the pasta options as a “half order.” There’s still quite a good portion. 
 

We tried the Gorgonzola gnocchi and the Carbonara. Both were delicious. 
 

 

 

 

Mark had the filet for his main course. He ordered it medium and it was cooked perfectly. 
 

 

 

I decided on the Ossobucco. The last time I ordered this was on HAL at their Italian restaurant. It was superb. Just fall-apart tender. This one was good, but a little bit of a let-down in comparison. There was a creamy polenta underneath that was quite delicious!

 

Edited September 5 by aring75

[aring75]

Dessert was the panna cotta. A nice, light end to a very heavy meal. 
 

 

 

And the chocolate-hazelnut cake. This was more of a “mousse” like filling and not really a cake. That’s good though! It made it seem like a much lighter dessert also. 
 

[aring75]

The pool and kids splash areas have not been very busy this sailing. The weather has tended to be a little cooler. 
 

 

 

 

 

Just a reminder, Royal has swim vests in multiple sizes available for pool play. 
 

[aring75]

We woke up in Halifax, Nova Scotia this morning already docked alongside Pier 22. We looked outside to see the Enchanted Princess preparing their tender boats for passengers and the Seven Seas Grandeur pulling in to the berth next to us. The Seabourn Quest was docked as well. 
 

[aring75]

Took a nice, leisurely stroll along the waterfront. Today’s weather was amazing!

 

 

 

 

[aring75]

Stopped at Salty’s for a table on the water, some local cider, and crispy beer-battered fish & chips.