By Lill Johnson | From BayLines Express, October, 2024
I consider myself very fortunate to have done a lot of traveling to many destinations, including Europe, the islands, and of course elsewhere in the States. Each trip was very positive and remains etched in my mind. Some of the trips included riverboats, which brought much enjoyment.
This past winter, my sister and I got in touch with our travel agent. We told her what we were looking for, and she suggested a week-long cruise with Holland America. What we liked about this trip was that it would be convenient, leaving and returning to Boston, lasting one week, in July. We immediately got to work and put together all the necessary paperwork, not only for us, but also for my guide dog. Once that was successfully done, all we had to do was look forward to July 20th.
When the great day came, our ship was docked, waiting for us. Before we knew it, we were on board. They treated us very well. They asked me if I needed a daily schedule in braille, which was quite a nice surprise. They showed us where our cabin was on the seventh deck, and they showed us where to find other important locations on board. Those were actually easy to find. Our cabin had an outside deck and even a special box for my guide dog to use for her needs. Normally when I travel with her and stay overnight, I put an elastic band or ribbon on the doorknob so we can easily locate the door to my room. I did that on the ship. Sure enough, my amazing, beloved dog brought me to the correct door all week.
The ports we traveled to were most exciting. At each location, we had choices to make as to which excursion we wanted to go on. All points of interest sounded so filled with history and more, and we finally made our choices.
Our ship had 1,500 passengers and a crew of about 700. Everyone we met was so friendly, smiling all the time. Our first stop was in Portland, Maine. We basically walked around, taking in various sites. We then continued on to Canada. The first stop was at St. John’s, New Brunswick. We chose to go on a photographic excursion. The guide was very informative about what we saw. There was an area called the tidal bore, where the tide went far out and we could walk on the ocean floor, until we were told to get back onto the beach with great haste, before the tide came back in—all at once. The next stop was Halifax and this time, my sister, guide dog, and I had a private tour with a driver who was so informative. He would stop and let us get out and take in the sites. One place was a lovely public garden which displayed many beautiful plants and trees, and lovely paths we could take in so many different directions. We also stopped and saw the changing of the guards. Halifax is filled with history. Lobster is highly recommended in Canada, and of course we enjoyed each time we ate it. The next port was Sydney, also in Nova Scotia. Again, our tour guide told us so many interesting stories about this beautiful place. Alexander Graham Bell was born there. He married a totally deaf woman. Their relationship was so special. A park was even named after them, and on one bench was a statue of both husband and wife. They had four children who all did well.
Our last port was on the way back—Bar Harbor, Maine, where we heard and saw a lot. We know that Maine blueberries are a favorite. Puffins are a lovely, colorful bird. Photographers took many pictures of them. Acadia National Park is very popular. We were told that millions of people visit its many acres in October to view the colors of autumn.
You are probably wondering about the meals on the ship. I am not kidding—each meal was so flavorful, and presented beautifully. The menu always changed each day with many choices and there were three dining rooms to choose from. Dress during the day was casual, while at night, we dressed as though we were going out for dinner to a nice restaurant.
The shows in the evening varied. Twice we heard a group of four men called “The Suits.” They were fantastic, singing songs from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. One night, there was a presentation about how the ship is run, including many details. This crew was on top of everything, in every way. Our drinking water came from the ocean and of course it had to go through many filtration processes. It was so good and refreshing.
I was asked to speak about myself and my guide dog and felt honored to have been chosen. When finished, I was given a bottle of champagne. My dog was welcome no matter where we went. Her manners were impeccable.
When we finally arrived back in Boston, we wanted to take the trip all over again. We could not get over the fact that in a few hours, the ship would head out with a group of new passengers, and to a different destination. I would highly recommend Holland America, and cannot find anything negative to say about our fabulous cruise.