Janet and I recently completed a seven-day Holland America cruise on the Volendam – from Montreal to Boston.  We were accompanied by our long-time friends Jeff and Susan Nopper. (External photo attribution at end of the post #1 – 2.)

Our travel history included two prior HA cruises – the first from Anchorage, Alaska to Vancouver, BC in 2014.  It included a side trip to Denali National Park before the cruise started and the journey by ship was wonderful way to see Glacier Bay; whales and wildlife; and the Alaska coastline that would be a challenge on another mode of transport.

In 2018, we took a second cruise – this one with the Noppers to the Panama Canal from Fort Lauderdale, Florida – not a full transit – through the canal from east to west – but just through the locks.  After a cruise around Lake Gatun we went back through the canal to the Atlantic Ocean and explored the Caribbean.

I’ll give more info in a future post, but on the first two cruises, both of our ships accommodated 2,700 passengers and 1,000 crew members. The vessel for the recent trip up the St. Lawrence Seaway and around Nova Scotia was about half that size – 1,432 passengers and 647 crew.  

Although we enjoyed the first two cruises, we definitely preferred the smaller ship which still had great amenities – pool, great gym and workout facility, pickleball court, casino, theater and, of course, multiple bars and restaurants.

And I’ll have to state that my wife, Janet, is not the biggest fan of cruises – partly because of a tendency for motion sickness. She gave me this cruise for my birthday although it was much better than she expected and she did not get seasick.  

Janet was prepared with patches and medication but did not have to use them – the biggest swells were about three feet around Halifax. 

This was a good thing because our cruise package provided fifteen “free” drinks each day.  Her pharmacist told her to avoid mixing pills or patches with alcohol….

I might add that if you plan a trip, take Susan Nopper with you. Janet is an excellent planner, but Susan is the epitome of a well-prepared and informed journeyer.  She always knew when, where, how what, and why……

I bemoaned the fact that I did not have my college bota bag with me given the drink quota, but there was no way we could consume that much booze.  Coffee drinks also counted and one day I had to work off a caffeine high by walking the deck several miles after having four espressos.

And I have to admit that I supplemented my typical martini or microbrew with some new cocktails including a “Smokey Boulevardier.” 

It was indeed smokey and one of the ship’s officers jokingly came over to the bartender and asked if he needed to alert the ship about an on-board fire as smoke was wafting over the bar as he prepared my cocktail.

The ingredients in the Boulevardier – credited to Harry McElhone, the founder, and proprietor of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris – include:

• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1 ounce Apéritif
• Orange twist, for garnish

But I have to admit, my favorite drink on the ship was their beautiful Bloody Mary.  I also coaxed Jeff Nopper into having his first martini – gin, up with olives.

The food was also superb with multiple eateries – formal and informal available at all times of the day.  For example, take a look at the late night menu available at the Lido Cafe below. 

It reminded me of my Navy destroyer when we had “Midrats from 8:00 PM to midnight:

 “Midrats has been a Naval tradition dating back to 1902, when the Navy decide to make changes to Sailors’ diet by introducing a new meal to the fleet. President Theodore Roosevelt signed the 1902 Navy Ration Act that included a section for additional rations specifically for Sailors who worked the night shift.

Nowadays, Sailors can choose from breakfast items such as eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, and French toast; or dinner items like pork chops, ribs, mashed potatoes,
green beans, steak, and grilled chicken.”

The difference between the Navy and the HA cruise, was after the midnight snack, I didn’t have a watch on the bridge of the ship from midnight to 3:00 AM.

Not to get totally preoccupied with food, but the selection was amazing and  and the quality very good from appetizers to desserts as you can see from the selection of cupcakes one evening and decorated cakes the next.

Fortunately, we were disciplined in our walks around the 1/3 of a mile deck just a step away from our stateroom.  Surprisingly, we didn’t gain any weight.

Montreal – The City of Mary

We had a night and a morning in Montreal before the ship departed and it is a wonderful city in which one could spend days if not weeks touring this metropolis of 1.8 million people.  

Since our time was limited, we took a 90-minute bus tour to see Mount Royal, the underground and the historic buildings:

“Some of the city’s earliest still-standing buildings date back to the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Although most are clustered around the Old Montreal area, such as the Sulpician Seminary adjacent to Notre Dame Basilica that dates back to 1687.” Wikipedia

Of course, even though we were limited to one evening in the city, we set out to find a watering hole or two to quench our thirsts – possibly to build up to the routine on the ship. I will fill you in on the next post, but have to leave you with this one unforgettable memory of Montreal.

We were walking in the late afternoon in the downtown area and came across a middle-aged guy with a baby carriage in which a live rabbit was contentedly riding.  He offered to let the rabbit get out and run around. 

Of course, I wanted to make a comment that this was not the kind of hops I was seeking for  my the Beerchaser blog, but the others told me to hold my tongue and he rolled his cargo away when the light changed.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1 – #2.  Holland America Website (Cruises Search Award-Winning Cruises – Find Deals & Packages (hollandamerica.com).