7 Night New England & Canada Discovery (Boston To Montreal)
Sail date: June 24, 2017
Ship:
Veendam
Cabin type: Oceanview
Cabin number: 781 & 783
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 7 years ago
Review summary
I liked this itinerary, but wish that we had longer days in Bar Harbor & Sydney. Ship needs improvements but its defects can be overlooked by the crew.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Easy and organized
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The dining room was very nice and the service was friendly and attentive. The menu changes nightly with a few standards that you can count on. We also enjoyed Canaletto, the specialty Italian restaurant and Pinnacle, the steakhouse. Both were excellent.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
This is a small ship so there are not a lot of activities. The fitness center was average. The thermal spa was nice and I highly recommend the weekly pass. The Lido pool was only used by small children and the pool on the back of the ship was very windy and often empty.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Holland American does a nice job for entertainment. The piano bar entertainer was excellent as was the jazz trio and classical duet. They had a night where the Philippino crew entertained the crowd which I really enjoyed. When we visited Nova Scotia which is famous for its Celtic music, the ship brought on board some native musicians who were excellent. When we visited Highland Village the next day, (a living history museum), the orientation film was sent to music by the band who had performed the night before. The comedienne and the magician were also fantastic. The Veendam dancers and singers were also extremely talented, but the selection of music that they performed to was geared toward an older crowd.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Very friendly and helpful. I think the size of the ship fosters a nice sense of camaraderie among the crew.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
Deck 4 has an odor that I think is in the carpet which is in need of replacement. Deck 5 was not much better. The ship's glass sculpture in the atrium was always dusty. It's an older ship with older decor.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Fairly large for a standard room and the bathroom felt bigger than others we have sailed on. There is a smell on this floor that we could not get rid of and we tried.
Pretty little town, but make sure to spend time in Acadia National Park. You can use a free shuttle to get into the park but if you want to go to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, you have to hike or pay a shuttle company/taxi to get you there.
Nice city with an attractive waterfront. There is a Hertz rental car office a short distance, but make sure you make a reservation in advance if you want a car. If you have to choose between Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg for a scenic visit, pick Lunenburg.
Small town and port, but very friendly. Taxis line up at the dock for passengers and car rental companies will pick you up if you make arrangements ahead of time. We rented a car from Discount and drove to Highland Village which was an absolutely beautiful living history museum. Right next door is a pub at a hotel with a great chocolate shop attached - Jill's Chocolates - a must!
We rented a car here and Hertz & Avis are a quick walk away, but you need to reserve in advance. You can also get a horse and buggy ride or easy taxi from the port. The town is cute to walk around, but we drove to the Anne of Green Gables House and then along the Cavendish National Seashore to Dalvay by the Sea. It was a perfect day.
What a beautiful city and completely accessible from the port! We did a Quebec City Food Tour on our own in the old city. It was great - good food and drinks plus history and local knowledge. Quebec City is also great for shopping and sitting at a sidewalk cafe and people watching.
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