Canada & New England (2023) - A Tapestry of Color

Day 0 - Of Work and Rest

It has been some time since the three of us traveled solo. Our last solo endeavor was California, and that was a bit of a nerve-wracking experience. Since then, we’ve traveled to Switzerland, Ireland, and Italy, with family and friends.

The year 2023 has been a busy one for us, with different projects and assignments occupying much of our time. People at work have been less patient and more insistent, and a major project in August that required lots of planning, training, and meetings since April has rounded out our hectic schedule. Ideally, we would have wanted to take a break in August, but that’s when school starts, and Luna begins attending classes. That in itself required a bit of a shift for me, and I had a few emotionally fraught weeks as I got used to not being with her all day multiple times a week.

As a result of the above, we felt the need for a break. We found ourselves less patient, more frustrated, and easily irritated by things. That’s why, instead of a sprawling European trip, which is initially what I wanted, we decided to go for a calmer and more relaxing journey. The result is a cruise leaving from Quebec and ending in Miami. It provides a sense of adventure, going to places we’ve never been before, but still within the confines of the cruise experience. Plus, we know that cruising in October means lots of older folks on the ship, so the FOMO of nightlife would be minimal.

Join us as we take multiple modes of transportation to get to Quebec, board our ship, and make our way back to Miami.

Day 1 - Of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Our day began at 4:30 AM. The soft light of our alarm clock gradually woke us up as the sounds of an enchanting flute played. This was met with both of us grumbling about it being too early. Still, we quickly woke up and got ready, and within fifteen minutes, Cynthia’s parents had arrived.

The process of getting through airport security was fairly smooth. Not taking a car seat makes a huge difference. Also, we asked our friend Rafa to let us borrow her super compact stroller, which folds into a pretty small case. Using Clear got us to the front of security, and then TSA precheck did virtually nothing for us. We still had to remove our shoes, while no one had to take out their laptops. I’ll always be puzzled about how TSA functions; sometimes, while in the TSA precheck line, I still have to take out my laptop, kindle, medicine, everything. Other times, it’s the most laissez-faire operation. I’ll always contend that air travel makes no sense, and there needs to be some standardization.

The flight to Montreal was smooth aside from the lady in front of Luna, who would turn around and give Cynthia the stink-eye anytime Luna would press on her tray table. She wasn’t even making noise or kicking. If only that lady could experience some of the other kids we know. Ha!

Montreal airport isn’t impressive. It’s dark and plain. After leaving the secure zone, we stopped for a very Canadian meal - Burger King. We then took a shuttle to Dorval station, where we would board our train to Quebec City. We were super early to the station, and it had to be one of the most plain stations I’ve ever been in. We waited two hours for our train.

Finally, the train arrived, and it would be another 4.5 hours of travel until we reached our destination, or so we thought. Little by little, the train kept stopping. Once, because they needed to change the engine about four times to allow another train to use the track, then slow down to a crawl because of supposed rail work. The trip took us closer to 6 hours. I’d booked three seats together, but a fourth person sat in our area. She looked like an adult version of Gaby from Gaby’s Dollhouse. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a cute kid’s show where the main character is Latina and she plays with cats - like Latinos do.

When we arrived in Quebec, we’d debated walking to the hotel since it was only a 10-minute walk. But by this point, we had been traveling for 16 hours straight. So, we hailed a cab and got to the hotel in 2 minutes. Hotel Port Royal. The unit was very nice and Luna got to sleep in a full-size bed all by herself.

Tomorrow, we board our cruise ship, the Caribbean Princess.

To recap: in 16.5 hours of travel, We took a van to the airport, a plane to Montreal, a shuttle to the train station, a train to Quebec, and a Taxi to the hotel. Tomorrow, we complete transportation bingo by boarding a boat. Also, Luna was awesome. Despite the rigors of travel, she was super well-behaved and took it better than most adults.

Day 2 - Of The Token Young Couple

We woke up refreshed, sleeping a little into the morning. Once I got up and dressed, I walked out into the city to find a bakery. To my surprise, no bakeries or cafes were within a ten-minute walk from our hotel. It now made sense why the hotel stressed making breakfast reservations with them. Still, I walked out into the city, guided by Google Maps. On this walk, I found the city to be eerily empty. Even though it was Thursday at 10:00 AM, I walked empty streets virtually void of people. Eventually, I got to a more touristy part of town, where I found some people who were mostly tourists. There, I found a coffee shop.

The process of embarking on the ship was smooth. Being the traveler that I am, I had done everything ahead of time - we had our medallions, our passport information in their system, and all our documents were easily available. Before we knew it, we were on board. The Caribbean Princess is an older ship; although renovated in 2019, it still isn’t on par with the more modern ships that have come out recently. There are some nice details, like huge touchscreen panels with information, maps, and itineraries. As a side note, Luna is obsessed with scanning her medallion so her photo can pop up on these giant screens. Also, the Caribbean Princess is geared to an older crowd. The decor is upscale and toned down; it’s a far cry from our usual Carnival fare.

Going into this trip, we knew we would be one of the younger couples on this journey. But we didn’t think we’d be the only young couple on this journey. Seriously, so far, it’s us and maybe two other couples that are sub-60s. Everywhere else, we are in a sea of gray, scraggly facial hair, slow walking, and faces of confusion. So much so that someone approached us and asked, “Are you the token young couple of the cruise?” Aside from us, everyone loves Luna; we get comments everywhere we go. What has been nice is many have said that she is very well-behaved, so that’s nice. At one point, we found a violinist and a pianist playing in the main piazza; Luna got in front of them and started dancing. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch this tiny person spin in circles.

Dinner on the ship was smooth and easy. We both got the drink package for this trip, and it’s been magical. There is something nice about not having the anxiety of a bill at the end of the trip because it’s all been paid for upfront. It’s given me the freedom to try different drinks and just plain have a drink whenever I want without worry.

We clocked out early; Luna still hasn’t recovered from our 16+ hours of travel. Tomorrow, we visit Quebec City properly - taking our ChatGPT-created walking itinerary.

Day 3 - Of The Funky Foot

We woke up early and made our way to breakfast, knowing we’d only have a short amount of time to spend in Quebec City. After our meal, we boarded a shuttle for the city. The shuttle dropped us off where? Right next to our hotel from yesterday!

Truth be told, we have spent more on this trip than what we initially wanted. So it was decided to skip purchasing absurdly expensive excursions from the cruise line. Instead, I used ChatGPT to craft itineraries for us. Here is the prompt I used in case anyone wants to try something similar:

“You are my tour guide. I need you to create a walking itinerary for Quebec City starting at the cruise terminal. I am traveling with my wife and a toddler. The walking itinerary should take no more than four hours to complete in a circle, accounting for time spent at each stop. We do not want to walk more than 15 minutes in between stops. Our interests are culture, food, architecture, local crafts, and locations where our child can play. Please provide me the name of the location, an address, the reason why you chose that location and how long you anticipate we spend there. The output should look like a bulleted narrative. Ask me any questions you may have to effectively complete this task.”

There were tweaks along the way, but essentially, this is what I did for Quebec City and every other stop on this cruise except for New York City.

Our first stop was Place Royal, a small village square surrounded by old buildings. Being here and in Old Quebec surely reminded us of being in Europe. In fact, for a while, we actually felt like we were in Europe. There, we stopped at La Maison Smith, a Quebecoise coffee shop, where we had some French vanilla lattes, very nice. The coffee shop was ChatGPT recommended.

Our second stop was Quartier Petit Champlain, a row of streets with cute boutiques and shops. This was a definite throwback to France and Italy. We stopped off in a few stores but refused to purchase when the shopkeepers didn’t treat us too well.

We then took a funicular towards upper Quebec City, landing on the Terrasse Dufferin, a large boardwalk terrace overlooking the lower city and the river. It was a pretty site, with loads of tourists and people walking around. Along the terrace were landmarks of several cannons and kiosks, all named after notable individuals from the city.

From there, we visited the grand Hotel Chateau Frontenac. This place is huge! It looks like a massive complex of buildings, a castle onto itself. We got to walk through the outside of the hotel and took a glimpse inside - it looked fancy. With security and doormen stationed outside, it was impossible to get in.

Lastly, we ventured to Parc Montmorency, a beautiful park overlooking the lower city. What was beautiful about this park was the golden-leafed trees. Luna played with the leaves and we spent a little time here enjoying ourselves.

From here, we made the slow and meandering walk back toward the ship. We could have stopped off at more spots, but Luna was getting ridiculous in her sleepy state.

Quebec was pretty and charming, although it still had the air of a city that was not lived in by locals but rather an amusement park meant for tourists. So many shops and restaurants were closed, and very few people were out and about who didn’t look like tourists. This was unlike any other major city I’ve been in. We mentioned that we’d like to come back here once Luna is older or if we come on our own.

Later that evening, we went to dinner, where I ordered a Pork dish that was unknown to me. When it arrived, it didn’t look great. I tried it and it was alright. Cynthia had some and immediately spat it out, saying it tasted like funky foot. Not wanting to let food go bad, I finished it, although I wasn’t super enthused.

After dinner, we caught a show, then went to the Piazza, where Luna dazzled and charmed the crowd by dancing around the main Piazza floor.

We are celebrities on this ship. People talk to us everywhere we go. The crew engage us in conversation. And everyone loves Luna.

We are at sea for the next two days, but tomorrow is Steak House night!!!

Day 4 - Of Music Chasing & The Big Boy

Today would be our first day at sea and the first formal night of our voyage. We woke up at a leisurely pace and eventually made it to breakfast. The more Luna dances around when live music is playing, the more people approach us about it. So, at breakfast, people would approach our table to tell us how much she amuses them.

After breakfast, we joined the Officers Vs. Guests Trivia Jenga game. Cynthia was on the guest team, but unfortunately, they lost to the officers. It was a close match, but the officers had some specialized knowledge that most guests wouldn’t have, at least not this demographic. The clinching question that gave the officers the upper hand was, “What is the official currency of Laos?” I can guarantee you that the Cream O’Weat crowd had no idea, but the officers, having a crew of people from all over, definitely did.

Afterward, the three of us went to play board games together. That was a lot of fun, although I am pretty sure Cynthia and I are playing Checkers wrong. We are both making up rules.

We walked around a bit more and called it a morning before taking Luna for a nap.

A small note: one of the guys in charge of the photography department keeps hounding us about going in for Studio photos and shots around the ship, and we don’t need to pay for them if we don’t like them. See, we fell for this scam last year when we went on a cruise. Not again! I said, “Nope, we are good. We did this a year ago on another ship.” This will come into play later.

Tonight was formal night. We started getting ready and dressed early to take photos before dinner. We ended up taking some of those formal photos with the same photography guy and another photographer. When we were done, he offered to do the studio shots again. We turned him down. Later, as we were walking around after dinner, the second photographer asked if it would be okay for Princess to use our photos for promotional purposes. We said sure. But part of me wonders if this is another way of them getting us into a studio to take photos. We’ll see. They told us someone from management would reach out to us. Look, I get it: out of this crowd, we stand out more than most.

While taking photos, someone handed me a duck for Luna. It’s this neat little thing where you receive a duck, and you can either keep it or leave it somewhere for someone else to find. The catch is that you need to take a photo and post it to the facebook group for that sort of thing. It’s a cute little treat and Luna got a kick out of it.

Dinner was at the ship’s Steak House. I admit, I was a tad disappointed because, on Carnival ships, after having gone on more than trips, most of the Steak House staff are Eastern European. In this steak house, it was all Filipino guys named Rudolfo. The food was great, and the goal was not to get so full that we couldn’t do dessert. Success! We made it out of there full but not busting.

The rest of the night was us chasing live music around the ship. Luna would get on the dance floor in each venue and charm the crowd. At first, she’d be shy; then, she’d start twirling and hopping. At one point, a reggae band started playing in the main Piazza. Luna started dancing and the lead singer joined her while dancing and singing. When we were done, she said, “Papa, I danced with the big boy!” Hmph.

After much dancing and fun, we ended the night at the Lido deck food court with a little ice cream and a tiny bag of popcorn I stole from the back of a counter.

When I asked Luna what her favorite part of the day was, she said: “Dancing with the big boy.”

:(

Day 5 - Of Bob & the Tiny Dancer

This would be our second day at sea. In our time on the Caribbean Princess, it’s been plain to see that this ship is in need of modernization in terms of its amenities and its programming. Then again, it’s possible they’re simply catering to the crowd they’re expecting - old. They’re little things, details, like how photos are still printed and posted on a wall for collection, whereas on most ships, it’s all done on an app now and you just print the ones you want. There’s not a lot of fun & games here, especially at night - everything is mainly live music, the main production shows, art auctions, and seminars about the next ports of call. Oh, and gambling, mainly bingo; you know why.

The day consisted of meals, board games, and watching a trivia show called “True or Moo,” where the host dressed in a giant cow costume. When we arrived, he called out to Luna and said, “Even our Tiny Dancer can play!”

While Cynthia and Luna watched the man in a cow suit ask trivia questions, I made my way to a nearby bar. Admittedly, with drink package in hand, I’ve kept a steady but reasonable supply of Aperol Spritz going. While ordering my drink, a gentleman asked me, “Hey, is your daughter the one who dances at the Piazza? I hope you’re enjoying those moments.” I told him I was. We got to talking, and he said he was surprised that there was even one young couple on this “geriatric cruise,” much less one with a daughter in tow. I shrugged and explained that neither Cynthia nor I have ever needed to be with people our age and that, in fact, we enjoy the company of those older than us. He introduced himself as Bob, nice guy, and one of the few who have engaged me in conversation outside of the initial “Your daughter is amusing.”

On our way back to the cabin, we caught sight of “Big Boy.” I related how Luna said dancing with him was her favorite part of the day. He gave Luna a five, and she got bashful and flirty.

:(

After dinner, we caught the live show, which is worth mentioning. You see, the seas were a mess. Waves were enormous, about 15 meters, according to the captain, and the ship was rocking hard. The main production show was canceled due to safety. So they tasked one singer to create a show from scratch in about an hour and a half. The show was rough, but the performance was great. This one singer performed about eight numbers of varying styles. Kudos to her, the house band, and the production team for pulling it off.

From there, we followed the live music until we got tired, made our way to the food court, and had Luna eat a quarter cup of rainbow sprinkles. Tomorrow, we visit Halifax!

Day 6 - Of Halifax & The Problem with Passing

Before I begin today’s entry, a side note: Cynthia and I have often found ourselves in a bit of a dilemma on this trip. The dilemma is the problem with passing. What do I mean? The folks on this cruise walk slowly and use walkers or other mechanisms. Even walking at a good clip, they meander from side to side, blocking otherwise two-lane halls. The issue we face is, do we patiently wait behind these folks and get to our destination much later, or do we blow past them when the opportunity arises? Cynthia is better at this than I am, but I often find myself often finding a path around them.

Now, onto Halifax! Again, I used ChatGPT to plan the itinerary for us, and I was pretty excited about what it came up with. Oh boy, I was wrong.

Our first stop was to visit the Halifax Farmar’s Market! Super cool. Nope. Closed on Monday.

The next stop was to the Discovery Centre, a super cool place for kids to learn and explore! Awesome. Nope. Doesn’t open for another two days.

We tried to find a place for Maple Bacon donuts. All the cafes were closed or didn’t sell donuts. Not ChatGPT’s fault, but damn.

Ultimately, we walked along the windy boardwalk, which was initially lined with unopened stores and restaurants. Our path took us to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Luna loved it. We got to look at lots of neat boats and ships. Luna’s favorite part was using a mechanism to make the propeller of a ship move. There were treasures and shipwrecks, the Titanic, and the Halifax Explosion. All in all, it was a worthwhile stop.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time in Halifax because everyone needed to return by 2:00 PM. So we left the Museum and walked through the now lively boardwalk, where we ate a Beavertail - essentially a narrow elephant ear. Also, we had a classic Poutine. Not bad, although between those two things, we were pretty full.

On our way back, we found a great little playground for kids. One of the fun things about Halifax is that there are areas sprinkled about where kids are invited to play, whether it be a playground or some hopscotch and crab-walks on a random sidewalk.

At night we got dinner and watched a show. People call out to Luna by name as we walk around the ship. They don’t know our names, but they know her’s.

Halifax was a neat place to visit and one I would like to see in Spring or Summer when things are more lively. We could see ourselves visiting and spending a few days. Much the same way we felt about Santa Barbara in California.

Tomorrow, our stop is Portland, Maine! I am looking forward to it.

Day 7 - Of Portland & RVA Vibes

I’d been to Portland before. It was in-passing, way back in 1999, when my family went to Boston and Maine. I don’t remember much of Portland except for warehouses, so I was excited to see the city - especially since there is another Children’s Museum here for Luna.

ChatGPT has created a pretty nice itinerary for us, but again, the limitations of using AI came up - The Children’s Museum was closed on Tuesday. Also, Maine Pantry, a place that sold local foods and produce, was permanently closed as of a year ago. Additionally, it asked us to visit the Eastern Promenade, which perhaps would have been nice but was pretty far away and didn’t seem worth the trek.

Instead, we walked around town. In doing so, we quickly realized that Portland had serious Richmond, Virginia vibes. And if you don’t know, Cynthia and I LOVE Richmon. So Portland was kind of up our alley. When I say vibe, what I mean is that the buildings are brick; there’s a sense of history here. Also, the people are friendly, the stores aren’t chain-establishments, and the food scene is bonkers. One guy who was working a heritage men’s store - which I was very excited to peruse, said that Portland has over 250 restaurants.

We visited a local shop where everything inside was either designed or made by someone in Maine. I bought a shirt designed and printed by someone nearby. Luna got a shirt from someone in Bangor. Next door was a store of jewelry made by Turkish families. We also got a snack at Elevation Burger, a grass-fed burger spot that we absolutely loved in Miami but only lasted a few years. We also visited the store where Maine Pantry used to be and bought some local delicacies.

So, although the ChatGPT itinerary failed us, we made the most of our time in Portland, really enjoying the vibe of it.

As clouds gathered and it was time for us to return to the ship, we walked along the harbor side, passing the ship and seeing a few marinas. We took some time to sit at a metal swing and just enjoy a few moments together away from people - it was just the three of us with nowhere to go and nothing to do but enjoy the moment.

Moments like this dot most of our trips, unplanned and singular events where everything disappears, and we get to enjoy the here and now. Like at a mountain top in Utah, a lake in Ireland, along the river in Luzern, on a bridge in Florence, or a walk in Lucca. I feel like lately it’s harder for me to do that, to just be in the moment, but today’s moment of it was nice. Luna patted the chair next to her and said, “Papa! Sit next to me. It will be fun!”

I found it difficult to take artsy photos in Portland while in the city itself; although the buildings are pretty, the city itself didn’t lend itself to the type of travel photography I like doing. I also didn’t want to spend time creating the shots I would have wanted to take. Being with Luna is volatile, and spending too much time in one spot taking photos would have been tough. I feel that taking photos in Boston will be similar. These places have a certain beauty to them that can be appreciated best when there, and I just don’t think I have the time, or Luna and Cynthia’s patience, to really try and make these types of photos work.

When we got to the ship, we napped and woke up late. We skipped a formal dinner - giving our bodies a chance to recuperate.

At night, we caught the show and some live music before calling it. Tomorrow, we are in Boston and hoping to visit the New England Aquarium.

Day 8 - Of Aquariums, Lobstah Mobstahs, & Micaela

The last time Cynthia and I were in Boston, it was for the Cotopaxi Questival with Josh and Danielle. Questival is a 24-hour team-based scavenger hunt/community/race/shenanigans extravaganza. To clue you in on how ridiculous the whole thing was, I dressed as Waldo from Where’s Waldo, and Cynthia & Danielle dressed like Yetis. It was a blast, and all those memories came flooding back.

This time, Boston would be different. We took a taxi to the New England Aquarium. This place was a delight, Luna was immediately fascinated by the giant cylindrical aquarium at the center of the building. Also, as soon as we walked in, we were greeted by a bunch of penguins! Yes!

We took our time enjoying the different exhibits while gawking at the different animals that swam by in the huge cylinder.

So, it’s hot. Relatively hot, at least. You see, we packed for cold weather - wool, sweaters, jackets, etc. But it was about 73F in the shade and about 80F in the sun. I wasn’t happy about this. One of the reasons I travel is to get away from the heat, dammit!

After the aquarium, I had to go to James Hook & Co, known for their lobster, or should I say lobstah rolls. Going back to Questival, one of our favorite team names was the Lobstah Mobstahs; we were the Ab-llama-manable SnowMen. Cotopaxi’s mascot is a Llama. Anyway, the lobster roll was worth the wait. Sitting atop that crispy bread were huge chunks of lobster, and it was fantastic! Had it not been so expensive, I would have ordered a second.

From there, we walked through Quincy Market. We weren’t too impressed with this place, as there were a lot of beggars. We stopped off at a candy store and then took an Uber back to the ship.

Most of the crew greet us splendidly; we are easy to remember amidst this crowd because of our age and because of Luna. I’ve also always made it a habit to address people by their names and converse with them when we can. Some crew has taken to Luna, but none more than the photographer, Micaela. I think she also likes us because we speak Spanish to her. Luna also likes her a bunch and is one of the only photographers she smiles for. I mention her because, on every cruise, there’s someone we get along with swimmingly, but names are forgotten over time. I want to keep this as a record for the future and for when it comes time to write reviews and commendations.

It was formal night, but despite getting all dressed up, Luna was in a bad mood. So, the night was pretty chill. We had dinner, caught 5 minutes of a comedy show, a little music, and finally, Luna got to see Big Boy, where we all danced together.

Subraya, the head of the photo department, approached us to take our photos again in a studio, but he offered to do it for free if he could use the images for promotional purposes. We are considering it, although I feel a bamboozle coming on. We’ll see what happens.

Tomorrow, we are in Newport, Rhode Island.

Day 9 - Of Newport & Mother

Newport, Rhode Island, is an interesting destination because its big draw is looking at wealthy people‘s houses. Observing opulent wealth isn’t a big pastime of ours, especially since we spend so much time walking the streets of Coral Gables, Pinecrest, and South Miami on a regular basis. We have our fill of looking at houses we will never afford.

Still, we took the small lifeboat that was doing the tender service since the ship anchored out away from the island. It was a 20-minute trip. Once we arrived, we were greeted by the quaint town of Newport. It’s the picture of quintessential boating Americana. Pastel colors, brick buildings, sailboats, Vinyard Vines, and The Black Dog stores. I imagined I’d be seeing guys in boat shoes, khaki shorts, and sweaters tied around their chests.

When we got onto land, one of the first people we saw was Micaela, who told us this was her favorite American port; she also recommended a pizzeria in town. She gave us a hint that the crew loved going to this pizzeria, and if the crew liked someplace, it was because it was amazing. We kept this in mind.

We began by walking the streets, visiting Bowen’s Wharf and Bannister’s Wharf. Both wharves were pretty, with cute shops and cafes. Apparently, this weekend would be the last most of this town would be open. Our ship would be one of the last to visit, and after this, even though it was 70F outside, everything was closing for the winter. We walked down to Thames Street and hung out at a pier, then walked to a few different parks where we thought there’d be stuff for kids, but they were just quiet green spaces.

Still, walking around was peaceful and serene.

Eventually, we made our way toward the pizzeria Micaela told us about. Turns out, it’s called Mother Pizza. Oh boy, we went in for a couple of slices, and those slices were AMAZING. I got a pepperoni with blue cheese and maple (yes!), and Cynthia for a margarita. So good! The box for the pizza had funny slogans like “Mother Knows Best" and “Call Your Mother” with their phone number next to it.

We got back to the ship and took a nap.

Our night was easy and breezy. We went to formal dining, had dinner, and caught a show. Luna didn’t want to do anything else. So we got sprinkles, a bunch of desserts, and called it a night.

On the plus side, we asked Micaela about the studio session her boss had offered to us; in exchange, we gave them the right to use our images for promotional purposes. She said it was legit and that her boss was a great guy and wouldn’t swindle or try to charge us after; in fact, they were a bit desperate to get people who were comfortable enough and of a certain age group to model for photos.

We’ll see how it goes.

Tomorrow we are in New York!

Day 10 - Of A New York State of Mind

We started the day listening to Jay-Z’s “New York State of Mind.” It got us in the mindset of visiting a city we have a lot of history in. This is our sixth time in Manhattan as a couple and our first with Luna. There was a stint when we’d come here for every anniversary or at least once a year. We love New York, not so much to live here but to visit.

Living and Visiting NYC is something that came up while we were in town. When riding the Subway, everyone looks angry, sad, or a mix of them. Recently, I heard a comedian say, “Do you want to know why New Yorkers are the way they are? It’s because we are constantly dealing with crazy people all the time!'“ I get it, and it’s true. You can’t walk a city block without someone or something weird happening.

In fact, at one point, we saw a crowd of people gathered around a performance; there were news cameras and everything. Only to find that it was two girls in tight white body-forming clothing, dancing slowly to a single note played constantly. We stood there for a few minutes, and nothing changed. We were confused, and I think some of the crowd was also confused.

Let me backtrack. We took a very expensive cab from our cruise terminal in Brooklyn to Times Square. Immediately, we made our way to the M&M store, where Luna’s face lit up. We filled bags of M&Ms, got gifts for her teachers, and got a machine to scan Luna to tell her what color M&M she is - Maroon. Afterward, we briefly stopped at Junior’s Cheesecake and got an Oreo Cheesecake - Mmmmmmm.

From there, we walked toward Rockafeller Center, where we saw the aforementioned “performance.”, Luna saw folks ice skating, we got lunch at Sweetgreen (I love Sweetgreen), then finally went to FAO Schwarts.

New York was pretty packed for a non-descript Friday. No major holiday, nothing of note really going on. Still, there were people EVERYWHERE. That included FAO Schuwartz. Luna played with some toys, but ultimately, she decided to get a Peacock Princess dress. I know what will soon be happening.

Once done, Luna was acting up a bit, so we took a 40-minute Subway ride back into Brooklyn and then a short Uber into the Cruise Terminal.

In years past, whenever we were in Manhattan, I only had to look out for Cynthia - now, being with Luna was a different situation. I was on high alert at all times, especially when walking the streets. I didn’t have much time to take photos or admire the city I so often think about. Why? Because the second you stop, someone is trying to sell something, ask for something, beg for something or just plain push you aside. I can see why everyone on the Subway looks so miserable.

Still, I love New York and can’t wait to go back either with Cynthia alone or when Luna gets older.

We got back to the ship and took a quick nap.

When we woke up, Luna wore her new Peacock Princess dress. Oh boy, she was approached every twenty feet by someone. It was wild. Also, I am not a fan of how often men comment on how pretty she is - like, bro, relax with that. Additionally, folks love to give her candy, which is fun because Luna doesn’t even like candy.

After dinner, we went to see Big Boy, where she was taken up to the middle of the floor and sang with the female lead performer of The Static Band, Nancy. Luna is the star of the ship. The crew knows her by name, and by extension, everyone knows Cynthia and Me.

Before calling a night, we went up to the top deck and caught the city at night; what a beautiful sight. Also, after 11:30 PM, the ship started moving. From our window, Cynthia and I got to see the ship squeeze in under one of the bridges leading out of the city. That was a cool experience to see. I knew we fit, but for a moment, it looked like we were a few decks too tall.

For the next three days, we are at sea before arriving in Ft. Lauderdale, boo. Tomorrow we are doing the studio photography with Subraya.

Day 11 - Of Photoshoots & Big Boy Dancing

It’s our first sea day of three before returning to South Florida. Boo.

The main event was our family photo shoot with Subraya. We met him around 11:00, and he took us to the studio. There, we spent the next two hours and a bit taking photos. This isn’t the first time we’ve done something like this, so we weren’t wholly unfamiliar with the process. Me being who I am, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak. The photoshoot went great; Subraya told me he’d provide a drive to upload them to my laptop, never mentioned a price, and was just a nice photographer to work with. Until he hands me the drive with the photos, I’ll expect some sort of upsell or bill. I hope I am wrong.

In the evening, we ate dinner early because the Static Band told us they’d play Luna’s favorite Spanish song at their early set. When we arrived at 6:30, the female lead, Nancy, called Luna to the middle of the dance floor, then told the crowd how Luna calls the male lead singer “Big Boy.” From there, they began singing “Vivir” by Marc Anthony. I thought others would join in dancing to this song since I’ve heard several Spanish-speaking guests. Nope. So Cynthia and I got up and did what we did.

In fact, I think we danced in a way that intimidated anyone from joining the dance floor. As I looked around, decks 5, 6, and 7 were full of people looking at the dance floor at Cynthia and I dancing, Luna and Big Boy dancing, and finally, Me, Cynthia, and Luna dancing together. It was fun.

We then caught the Whitney Houston tribute show and finally went back to the cabin and called it an early night.

Tomorrow we have another sea day.

Day 12 - Of Meandering Mornings & Crew Friends

Today was our second sea day; this time, we had nothing planned. We woke up, and although I got ready fairly quickly, the ladies meandered about their business. We eventually got to breakfast, noticing that the upper decks were filled with people outside and sunbathing. There wasn’t much planned; we played board games, checked out shops, and I had many Aperol Spritzes.

I got to see Bob again at the Explorer’s Lounge bar, and we got to talking. His wife Patricia came around, too. We talked about travel, work, raising kids, being a grandparent, retirement, and generally about life. They were pleasant to talk to, and I think he was surprised I remembered his name without asking.

We also got to hang with the photography staff for a little bit.

In the past, whenever Cynthia and I went on cruises, we usually became familiar with a few bartenders and crew. For the first quarter of this trip, it didn’t seem that would happen, at least not with the bartenders. But over time, and I think mostly because of Luna, a lot of the crew have taken to us. Just about everywhere we go on the ship, there’s the crew we know by name; they know us, and we can have a conversation that goes beyond the mere formalities.

Micaela is the main one among that group of known crew. Then there are the folks in her department: Carlos, Nikin, and Subraya. There’s wait staff like Kenny near the dance floor on the main deck. Reuben, Precious, and Mantshana from the Lido deck. Lenato at the Shops. Ivana, Leopoldo, Yadira, and Marymie at the coffee shop/ice cream parlor. Also, Rupa the hostess at the Coral Dining Room. Of course, we can’t forget the entertainers, Keron (Big Boy) and Nancy from the Static Band and Luciana from the Starlight Dup. And others whose names I am surely forgetting.

Understandably, Cynthia and I stand out among this crowd, but even more so because of Luna; it’s nice to be able to connect with this varied and diverse group and exchange stories, jokes and laughs. They also gave Luna little toy ducks (apparently, this is a thing among Princess travelers) or candy.

We went to the Italian specialty restaurant tonight. The food was good, but having gone to Italy not too long ago and after having indulged in experimenting with a bunch of different recipes I’ve cooked myself, it wasn’t mind-blowing. I personally did enjoy a mandarine liquor that was quite nice. Thankfully, we didn’t leave there super full; the portions were small despite it being a 5-course meal. I am glad we went.

After dinner, we tried to find music, but Luna was being weird, so we swung by the photo gallery and socialized with the crew. Before we left, Big Boy came around and brought Luna a toy duck just for her.

To cap off the night, we got Luna sprinkles and called it early.

Tomorrow is our last day here; despite being a 12-day cruise, I still could stay on longer. Neither of us is in the “bored” stage. It’s been very enjoyable.

Day 13 & 14 - Of Farewells and Miami

Our last day was both lazy and active. Lazy in that we woke up when we wanted, got breakfast when it was convenient, played board games for Luna, and walked around the ship at a leisurely pace. But it was active in that we had people we wanted to see before we’d disembark; we also had to pack everything and just begin the preparations of entering back into the routine of our everyday lives.

Luna, like it had been the entire trip, was the star. People came up to her and presented her with gifts ranging from teddy bears, stuffed moose, rubber ducks, necklaces, and other things.

After dinner, though, we made our final rounds to say farewell to the people who had shown us kindness and attention over the last twelve days. What struck us was how often some of these crew members cried. They’d tell us how Luna reminded them of their children back home - ones who were 3, 4, 6 years old. I couldn’t help but think how I’d feel if I was away from my family for so long.

Saying farewell to the crew is tough because they mean something to us, and we won’t forget them. Sure, we may not remember their names, but we’ll remember who they were, how they made us feel, and the laughs we had. Still, despite the hugs and mentions of keeping in touch, we are just a couple of people out of thousands they see weekly; who are we?

Aside from the crew, some guests spent some time talking to us and saying their farewells. So many thanked us for the entertainment we brought them by dancing with Luna or watching her on my shoulders as I walked around the ship. I even had a nice long conversation with Bob, the gentleman I met earlier in on the ship. Turns out he was in the military for a few years and then worked for the postal service with his wife.

By the night's end, we had said our farewells, danced our last dances, got our last cup of ice cream with sprinkles but no ice cream, and called it a night.

The disembarkation process was very smooth, probably the smoothest we’d ever experienced. Luz and Paco picked us up and drove home, where we immediately unpacked and started the process of returning to normal. I even went to work. Welcome home.

Trip Summary

This is the first time I’ve written a travel journal for a cruise, despite having been on at least 15 cruises by now. Why this one? It’s the longest cruise we’ve ever taken and the first long cruise we’ve taken with Luna. This particular journey was also different in that it wasn’t to the Caribbean or some island; it was a one-way flight to Canada, a train, a hotel, a floating hotel, then skipping down the east coast of the United States until we got back home. It was places new and old but all new to Luna.

The places, the guests, and especially the crew weave the tapestry of what this trip would turn out to be - and there are memories and stories we won’t soon forget. Luna’s crush on Big Boy, her nightly routine of eating a half-cup of sprinkles, and her rockstar status. My being skeptical of Subraya and his photo session when all the guy wanted was to shoot some young people for the ship’s studio, my constant consumption of Aperol Spritz, and my letting go of inhibition and dancing with my daughter every night in front of a lot of people. Then there was Cynthia’s amiability with everyone, her caring for Luna, her ruthless skill in checkers; how she was very pretty everywhere she went, and the joy she got in trying new stuff at breakfast.

During my Switzerland blog, I mentioned the concept of having “More Colors” in my life, moments of peace and joy with my family. This trip was indeed more colors. And it only helps to reinforce the notion of wanting to dedicate more time with them, and doing what I can to make it happen.

So for this trip, the time I spent with Cynthia and Luna was a strand of the tapestry, a color of its own. The crew we spent time with like Micaela, Kenny, Keron (Big Boy), and others, was another thread of color. The friendly and amiable fellow guests offered a unique thread of color we’d never experienced. The places, like the eerie emptiness of Quebec, the oceanic beauty of Halifax, the Richmond-esque nature of Portland, the familiarity and awe of Boston, the affluent and charming town of Newport, and finally the chaotic concrete jungle of New York, these too were colored strands. They all came together to produce something that was exactly what we wanted.

The title for this journal will be A Tapestry of Color.