Beyond our expectations!

Hi!  We just returned from back to back cruises on the NCL Dawn--Boston to Quebec City and return to Boston.  We've cruised on the Dawn before and like the ship, its size and the restaurants available.  Usually we book inside cabins to save money, but decided to splurge on a balcony room this time. We were celebrating our 50th anniversary.  The room was great and we really enjoyed being able to see so many sunrises.  If you do decide to take this cruise, we recommend getting a room on the starboard (right) side of the ship.

The ports of call were varied up and back, with only Halifax being duplicated.  These were areas we had never seen before and enjoyed each one.  Having fantastic weather (60-82 degrees) helped, too.  We booked excursions to Peggy's Cove (Halifax) and to the Bay of Fundy (St. John) and were extremely pleased with our tour guides and the tours.  The tour to St. Martin's and the Bay of Fundy is not to be missed.  How amazing to walk on the ocean floor and explore ocean caves at low tide.  This also included two stops at the reversing falls--one to see the water running toward the ocean and one later to see the tide pushing the water the other direction.  Amazing!

We booked a private tour, Tartan Tours, found on the internet for Sydney, Nova Scotia to do part of the Cabot Trail.  It was a little more expensive than the NCL offered tour, but did more of the trail including the VERY scenic part to Neil's Harbor.  We also got to experience a 71 sec. ferry ride!  The bigger buses can't use this ferry and have to go around the bay, taking time away from the trail.

Quebec City is quaint with a very European flavor.  Lots to do there just walking around.  The nearby falls--higher than Niagara Falls, but not as wide-- was a short bus ride away.  In season there is a zip line that goes across the falls.  Unfortunately that was closed, as we might just have given it a try!!!  Or maybe that was a good thing!!

In La Baie on the Sequanay Fjiord, we did do the NCL Cultural Experience excursion.  We highly recommend this.  It was fantastic and very informative about the history of the area--live animals and actual motor vehicles on stage!

As you can tell, we really did love these back to back cruises.