Cruise Diva's CRUISE DIARY
~ Golden Princess Canada & New England ~
Part Two
Tuesday: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Noted as one of the principal shipping and
shipbuilding ports on the east coast of North America and the
"Gateway to Canada," Halifax is also an important center of maritime
history and home to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. For my
first visit to Halifax since 1997, I chose a tour focusing on
"Treasures of RMS Titanic."
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The grave
of the "unknown child"
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It was from Halifax that cable-laying vessels set out to recover
the bodies of the great liner's unfortunate victims. While
performing that grim task, crewmembers also plucked bits of debris
from the Atlantic. Now housed in the Maritime Museum of the
Atlantic's permanent collection are one of the world’s only intact
deck chairs from the Titanic, paneling from her lounge, newel
post face panels, balustrade moldings, and a wall cabinet. The
exhibit also explores the response of Halifax to the disaster.
Through additional permanent and temporary exhibits, the
museum highlights other shipwreck treasures. Before leaving the
museum, I entered another era as I stopped in the ship chandlery,
which looks just as it did in the early 20th century.
It was in Halifax that the maiden voyage of Titanic really
ended. The city's citizens were in mourning, feeling a kinship as
though the victims were their own. In fact, a local millionaire died
in the sinking and a Halifax-born woman was counted among the
survivors. Several cemeteries are associated with the Titanic
tragedy and a visit to one demonstrates the difficulties of
recovering and identifying the dead. The most poignant grave is the
beautiful monument to the "unknown child," erected by a group of
Halifax firefighters who carried the tiny coffin across town to its
final resting spot.
Sound macabre? Such a tour could be, but our guide's respect and
sensitivity for the topic made it informative and, at times, even
lively. While our only stops were the museum and Fairview Lawn
Cemetery, he shared interesting comments as we passed other points
of interest.
Leaf peepers report: Not good.
Halifax was hit by the devastating winds of Hurricane Juan and
hundreds of trees were destroyed. The city was in the midst of a
massive clean-up effort.
If you go... Leave yourself
some time to browse through the stalls set up by local crafters and
vendors in the renovated area of the Halifax passenger terminal
building.
Back on board Golden Princess it was Pub Night, a hilarious
comedy show hosted by Cruise Director Paul O'Loughlin and his staff,
assisted by "volunteers" from the audience. Even though I've seen
the skit many times, the cruise staff's rendition of "If I Were Not
Upon the Ship" had me laughing out loud.
Wednesday: St. John, New Brunswick
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St. John
Reversing Rapids
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In order to properly see as many attractions as possible during
my first visit to St. John, I signed up for a "photo" tour. I
figured the bus would stop for Kodak moments and I was correct. In
addition, our guide was a professional news photographer who offered
tips on how to get the best shots. Even with a point-and-shoot
camera, his suggestions improved my composition.
Unfortunately, our tour was held up by several tardy
participants. To the shore excursions staff's credit, they were
rounded up and weren't left behind. However, the morning weather was
rapidly deteriorating and by the time we reached our last two stops,
the rain that threatened all morning was falling. Had we departed on
time, we'd have completed the outdoor portion of the tour before the
rain began in earnest.
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St. John Old
City Market
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Despite the weather, we found St. John to be a charming city set
amid scenic wonders. The "reversing rapids" were particularly
spectacular during our visit—each day at high tide the enormous
force of the water in the Bay of Fundy actually reverses the flow of
the St. John River. Our final tour stop was the old city market, a
colorful (and dry) photo op—beneath a roof fashioned in the shape of
an inverted ship's hull.
Leaf peepers report: Rockwood Park
was ablaze with gorgeous, albeit wet, color!
If you go... A nice touch was
being greeted by representatives of the city who presented each
woman with a rose and each man received a pin. Again, set aside time
to browse through the stalls set up by local crafters and vendors in
the passenger terminal building.
After such an invigorating (blustery!) morning, I was glad I had
afternoon of indulgence to look forward to back on board Golden
Princess. The Lotus Spa offers a complete menu of salon and spa
treatments, but I made up my mind quickly—an Ocean Seaweed Massage
combines seaweed, aromatherapy, and detoxification with a head to
toe massage regime. Just the ticket for an afternoon treat. I wasn't
disappointed as my therapist worked on shoulder muscles sore from
lifting suitcases and tote bags... by the time I accepted a cup of
lemon tea and dressed, I felt relaxed as well as invigorated.
If you go... Port days are an
excellent time to schedule treatments in the Lotus Spa—watch for
enticing special price reductions!
Gales of laughter from the Princess Theater drowned out the
cheers of baseball fans in the nearby Player's Bar... Billy Vader
was on stage and proving why he's a perennial favorite with Princess
passengers. I honestly chuckled all the way back to my room after
his comedy show!
Next -->
Part Three
-- Bar Harbor, Maine and Boston Massachusetts
Part Four
-- Newport, Rhode Island
Part Five
-- Debarkation and lasting impressions
Back to -->
Golden Princess
Cruise Diary Review, Index
Part One
-- Embark in New York and spend a day at sea
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