Well, we are sitting in the library at the computer and waiting for our color to be called. Bags are somewhere in the bowels of the ship, overstuffed as usual. We had breakfast in Compass Rose and decided we'd better finish the morning wait while there were still chairs left. This is the saddest part of the cruise. But we are looking forward to Montreal.


We were really pleased with the itinerary. We've had a really good time. I think it is definitely the people you cruise with and the staff that sets the tone. JoAnn and her Frank are very special people. One of those you meet on board and wished they lived in your neighborhood so you could have a Sat Night dinner out or a bridge game at home with them. The other two couples she brought aboard were equally as special.

We made this a tour heavy cruise and had very little down time except for the two sea days. I would book with less all day tours next (well, on PIP, I think it will be all down time!) I took 500 photos and I will post some of them when I get back. We did the all day tours in Halifax, PEI, Bar Harbor, Sydney. We made our own tour in Quebec with a cab driver and went to Mont Morenecy Falls and Ilse De Orleans (excellent!) and then did the ships walking tour in Quebec City. I would have just wandered there if I knew how charming it really was. Too much history for me. The Tea at the Chateau Frontenac was nice and so was the Carriage ride back to the ship.

Service has been impeccable. The entertainment was entertaining and you'd never know the lead singer in the production show was ill and they scrambled to entertain us. We were not unhappy missing the production shows since they had not changed since we were on in June in Bermuda.

I think the food was good, but there were some days where we ordered from the simplicity menu because the choices were not quite what we wanted. The quality is good, but I think it has been better at other times. One night there were 3 pork entrees on the menu. Not that I keep kosher, but, there could have been some variety.

The Navigator is lovely, but, I still prefer the Mariner. Maybe I will be on the Diamond or Voyager for 2006 in the Baltics and will have a new comparison. Maybe there will be a new ship to try by then.

I will probably have some more thoughts and do a review when I get home and settle in!