Autumn cruise to Canadian maritimes

Planning a quick trip to the Canadian maritimes, we wanted to visit Quebec City and Newfoundland again, but making that drive in ten days would leave little time to see the land again. So, we cruised-- in the rain. Only Quebec City could be this beautiful in gray.

To be sure, I'm not a cruise-type. I want to explore forests, look for wild creatures, and wear jeans. But, look at cruising like having dinner. If you want an appetizer or a little taste of everything on the menu, that's a cruise. Bus excursions don't stop when you see a wonderful photograph, and often have entirely different sites on their menu that don't interest you. But you get a look at new lands, which is infinitely better than staying at home watching TV, painting the house or cutting grass.

Leaving New York under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.

If you want the entire buffet, three plates of steak or pieces of Boston creme pie, take the car.  You stop when and as often as you want. It's not a vacation chosen by someone else and you can fish for a week if you find the Perfect Spot, hike to the mountain peak on the horizon or jam to music on the car radio and drive your own tour.

Now, I'm almost a rookie at cruising but enjoy listening to other people who notch their suitcase handles with the number of cruises they've taken and the differences between the cruise lines. My bucket list can be stashed in a soup can now, and trips to Farawayville and Palm Tree City I can hear about and be satisfied. Kind of.

This year's cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line was just a quick hop to Canada and places we've been before. But gasoline there is $5.50 a gallon, so just the drive would quickly jack up the cost. The ferry trip to Newfoundland for two passengers and the van is about $360. Add food, occasional hotels (sleep in the van as much as possible), and the cost quickly becomes more than the cruise.

Corner Brook, Newfoundland, and our ship, the Norwegian Gem.

 Traveling by car, you can enjoy these small towns as they really are, and not how they are when the ships dump off thousands of tourists.  Corner Brook, Newfoundland, is a town about the size of Hanover, and its makeup changes dramatically when a ship, with its 2,400 passengers, anchors at the dock. Some shops and attractions are open only when ships come to town. That's not how the city is, but instead is performing for its tourists.

There is plenty to like about cruises, despite the skimpy scenic highlights. On the cruises I've taken, we hit the free onboard restaurants, where unlimited steak, lamb, frog legs, sweet potato rice cakes and lobster is available. If you don't like it, take it back and they'll bring something else. You can pay more for specialty restaurants, but why?

Another cruise ship backing into Halifax, Nova Scotia. Four ships in dock.

We enjoy meeting new friends, and share tables whenever possible. We get caught up in their energy and still feel their smiles today.  It's interesting that some other passengers disliked that arrangement so much they'll never do 'freestyle' cruising again. They want to dine at the same restaurant, table, waiter, time, and the same people every night. And am I dressing up? Not a chance.

Nightly entertainment (comedians, dancers, magicians, singers) is excellent and when at sea, there's always plenty to do, even if it's the constant trivia games, Sudoku, climbing walls or just sitting in the lounge and reading something you've picked up at the library. For a real challenge, try ping pong on a windy ship deck or shuffleboard on a wet deck. Hot tubs, pools and slides make you forget that it's raining.

On our trips, the vast majority of passengers are senior citizens, although different cruise lines cater to different age groups.  Our group was old.  Retired.  There were more walkers, canes and wheelchairs on board than in the local senior citizen high-rise. It's doubtful I could have handled another heading-stuffing whiff of old ladies' perfume.

Then I looked in mirror and saw an old guy staring back at me. It's one of those 'slap my face' realities.  I'm one of  'Them'.  Still, there's something comforting about 1,000 old people -- like me-- clapping in time and singing the lyrics to "Margaritaville", "Piano Man" and  "American Pie".

Spent an hour in Peggy's Cove. Could have spent a week.

 Better yet, the frail older ladies who leave their walkers behind to dance rather vigorously  to "YMCA"-- even as the boat rocks. Even us old guys  get up and try to dance, thoroughly embarrassing ourselves, since we'll probably never again see anyone on the ship again. Still, a guy is a guy, and 95 percent of us still look like a frog in a blender.  Awful. Or comical.

On future visits to the maritimes, we'll probably drive.  Many trips are graded by the photos brought home, and while these pictures will remind me of my love of Canada, they were nothing special. It rained nearly every day in port and most at sea. In a car, you can drive out of the rain or make alternate plans. During a cruise, if it rains, there's not much to do about it. Well...

Excuse me, waiter, please bring me another steak!