Aurora to Canada/USA

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CaroleF
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#51

Post by CaroleF »

Yes we had to show the ESTA when we checked in at Southampton and later on in the cruise I saw several people with the librarian who seemed to be helping them fill in an ESTA form but I thought passengers were not allowed on the ship without one. When we went down to the Immigration on the ship we definitely had to show our ESTA as well as the Green Immigration form - a portion of which was torn off, stamped and given to us and apparently we need to hand it in before we leave the US, so I understand. The Captain said this morning that he'd received compliments from the Immigration team saying that it was the fastest they'd ever done the inspection on board a ship. It took just a little over 3 hours apparently for the passengers and crew to go through.
Today, at Sea it's very foggy and we can hear the fog horn every so often. The forecast at the moment for New York on Tuesday is about 23C, hopefully not much higher - for me anyway. Sale in the shops today but very little clothing now on sale. I found that the amount of cosmetics is much lower than it used to be. Very little make up at all, most of it is perfume.
Newport tomorrow!
Carole


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#52

Post by cruisin_duo »

Carole,

Hope you enjoy Newport. We enjoyed looking at the large houses when we went many years ago.

Lovely to see you’re both able to enjoy the cruise.

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Dancing Queen
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#53

Post by Dancing Queen »

I love this itinerary and we've done it several times, I adore Boston and could happily spend a week there.

The downside of course anywhere in America is US immigration but once that's out of the way it's all plain sailing ( pun intended !! ) other than our first time in the US when immigration took about four hours I think we've been quite lucky and usually cleared within about half an hour.

We've been to Newport a couple of times specifically for the Newport Jazz Festival ( not sure if it is still an attraction ) saw Aretha Franklin one year which was AMAZING !!
Last edited by Dancing Queen on 16 Sep 2019, 18:08, edited 1 time in total.
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CaroleF
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#54

Post by CaroleF »

We made it to New York and it's been very warm and sunny, but not too hot, for the whole of our visit. We had an incident when we visited Newport Rhode Island. When it got to everyone back on board time there were quite a few announcements asking a crew member to contact the crew office immediately. It turned out that he's disappeared while on shore. This meant we were delayed between 2-3 hours leaving and the ship was visited by Border Officials, Homeland Security etc. The Captain was very apologetic but just said there was an official issue that had to be dealt with, of course we all knew by then what had happened. It also meant that all crew leave was stopped by the Homeland Security people while we remain in US waters. Of course many of the crew were looking forward to getting ashore in New York. Apparently the officers were allowed off so we were told. The crew seemed remarkably phlegmatic about it. We seemed more upset for one of our waiters than he was. He said, it happens, one of those things. One of our table companions seemed to know quite a lot from his butler. There's a fund he said which is paid into by all the cruise lines to pay the fine that is given to the cruise line when a member of crew goes AWOL. This is refunded if the crew member is found and, according to the butler, the member is quite often found. What happens to them then I don't know.

We enjoyed Newport even though there was quite a queue for the tenders back to the ship but it went down remarkably quickly. It's a lovely place to wander around, present purchased for youngest grandaughter - pink and glitzy, she'll love it! New York has been hectic as I'm sure it always is. We had to alter what we'd planned a bit because of John's foot issue. However, we managed a day in the Hamptons which we really enjoyed, partly because we had such a wonderful guide who'd actually lived there for a lot of his youth. We heard of another trip that went yesterday and the first thing the guide they had said was that he didn't know very much about the Hamptons! Not much use. We had a lovely lunch in East Hampton in a place called Rowdy Hall, recommended by the guide. We enjoyed looking at the very expensive shops and studying the estate agents - a minimum of 1.3 million should do it - but if you have over 10 million you're in!
pumpkins in the fields ready for Hallowe'en.

We're just about ready to depart New York so more later.

Carole

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david63
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#55

Post by david63 »

Last year on the USA/Canada cruise we were told that whenever a ship visits USA they anticipate that two or three crew members will "jump ship" so it comes as no surprise.


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#56

Post by Ranchi »

Newport is lovely. We chanced upon the International Tennis Hall of Fame there. It was home to the USLTA championships until about 1914. We even managed 15 mins on a grass court. That was after our walk along the cliffs and a paddle.
Last edited by Ranchi on 20 Sep 2019, 09:33, edited 1 time in total.


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CaroleF
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#57

Post by CaroleF »

Today we're at sea, a little bit of a swell this morning, clear skies but not much sun as yet. Don't know if I said we now have Patrick Maguire as Captain, not come across him before. We were very lucky with the sail out from New York, a lovely sunny afternoon and as far as we know everyone back on board. Sam, our Port Presenter, did a wonderful commentary as we left, pointing out all the places of interest. He has been amazing. We have had him on one cruise before and he really does put most of the other Port Presenters to shame. He doesn't use notes, his knowledge is amazing and he spends just as long telling passengers, sorry we're guests now aren't we, how to travel independently in every port. He warned us that the yellow cab drivers don't always know where they are going as most don't have SatNav whereas the Uber drivers do.

In New York John went to an evening of jazz at The Cotton Club and thoroughly enjoyed it, arriving back on board about 11.30. He recommends it to any jazz fan. We've been a table of 6 since almost the start of the trip, two ladies not coming back. Then last night one of them suddenly appeared. We had thought of trying to see if we could all move to a table for 6 rather than communicating across an oval table for 8, good job we didn't. I don't think we'll see much more of this lady though. Her friend apparently was very cross about something so she left her to come down to supper. We're assuming that the waiters have to serve more tables as the service has generally been slow. It was very slow this morning in breakfast too. We had all finished our cereal/melon/fruit segments etc and the main cooked course was served but still no toast. It used to be that the first thing we had was coffee/tea and then toast. Mind you the quality of the toast is much better. It does look like toast and not bread that's just been shown the toaster! One other thing we've noticed is that the amount of toast seems to have been cut. I've never been asked before if I would share toast with my husband and one other person on our table this morning said they'd been asked the same about sharing. I would willingly share but I like white toast and John likes brown so unless they could do half and half it's difficult. We were on Aurora for the 65 night cruise January 2018 and the service is definitely slower than it was then.

We've had to fill in a second lot of Canadian Immigration forms as we go back into Canada after Portland and Bar Harbor. It will be a tender in Bar Harbor and possibly in Sydney as well. Someone has said that rain is forecast for Sydney so don't know if that will affect our ability to tender. It's our last port so it would be a shame if we have to miss it.

There's a lot of pushing of Britannia on board. There's a whole presentation this morning about Cruising with P&O and I'm assuming it will be mainly about Britannia and Iona. Obviously the passengers on this cruise are shall we say on the older side - just like us! I haven't heard any enthusiasm for Iona at all. Quite a few people have been on Britannia and the reactions are mixed, what you'd expect I suppose. A couple at breakfast this morning were very enthusiastic and liked it better than Azura apart from the fact that the Promenade deck, such as it is, in at the top of the ship and they said it tended to be very windy when they were trying to do laps of the deck. I seem to have had quite a few mailings from P&O about Britannia, I don't know how the sales are going at the moment.

There certainly seems to be a bit of a swell at the moment, I can feel a Stugeron moment coming on!

Carole

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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#58

Post by Kenmo1 »

Carole, Oli's trolley tour of Acadia National Park is a good trip out in Bar Harbour if you are looking for something to do but you need to book as soon as you get off. It took us up to the top of Cadillac mountain with stunning views. I am going back a good few years but I know we walked up the main street to an area at the top of the street where there was a booking office.

Maureen


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#59

Post by Quizzical Bob »

Hi Carole,

We are on Regal Princess en route to New York and we have just seen you sail past on a reciprocal course. I waved at you, did you wave back? :wave:

Hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise,

Robert


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#60

Post by Ranchi »

There used to be a free HOHO bus that ran around the National Park. You had to pay a couple of $ park fee but otherwise free.

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david63
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#61

Post by david63 »

CaroleF wrote: 20 Sep 2019, 15:17
Someone has said that rain is forecast for Sydney so don't know if that will affect our ability to tender.
If it is raining and you have nothing planned I would stay on board. The "centre" of Sydney in the rain is nothing to write home about and certainly not worth the tender journey to and from (from memory it was about 15 minutes last year, but that could depend on where she drops anchor)

The only thing that was remotely interesting was the "violin"!

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Gill W
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#62

Post by Gill W »

We did the 24 night USA /Canada cruise last year on Aurora, and, as I recall, didn’t have to fill out a green form for entry into the US.

However, I also recall that David did the 30 night Arcadia version last year, and everyone from that cruise wasn’t registered as leaving the USA. Maybe they’ve brought back the cards to make sure everyone is registered as having left the US.

I really liked Sydney, although we were berthed alongside and we had a lovely sunny day there. In the morning we did the excursion to Fort Louisboug, which I really enjoyed, and in the afternoon we walked along the boardwalk.
Gill

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Southern Belle
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#63

Post by Southern Belle »

Hi Carole
I'm enjoying your reports as I'm hoping to do this cruise at some point.
Can you tell me which cruise terminal you were in in New York and were there shuttle buses or can you walk out?

Jan

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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#64

Post by david63 »

Gill W wrote: 21 Sep 2019, 09:01
I also recall that David did the 30 night Arcadia version last year, and everyone from that cruise wasn’t registered as leaving the USA.
That is true - however it all got sorted and we had no problems going in/out of the USA last month.


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#65

Post by Ranchi »

Any types of egg based dishes off the menu in US waters?

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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#66

Post by Gill W »

Southern Belle wrote: 21 Sep 2019, 09:40
Hi Carole
I'm enjoying your reports as I'm hoping to do this cruise at some point.
Can you tell me which cruise terminal you were in in New York and were there shuttle buses or can you walk out?

Jan
Last year, on Aurora, we were berthed in prime midtown Manhattan, right next to the Intrepid. It was an easy walk to the Times Square area, so there was no need for shuttles.

I have read that sometimes the berth is in Brooklyn, which is less convenient. Not sure if they do shuttles from Brooklyn.
Gill


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#67

Post by BrianI »

Looking at the webcam, Aurora was berthed in Manhattan this year.
Brian


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#68

Post by CaroleF »

Yes were were berthed in Manhattan so no need for shuttle buses. When we left Bar Harbor yesterday we had to put the little green tear off cards we were given when we went through Immigration in Boston as Bar Harbor was our final US port of call. It was a beautiful day in Bar Harbor, quite hot in the afternoon. We both really liked Bar Harbor and we've realised that the ports we've enjoyed most have been the smaller ones - Charlottetown, Newport Rhode Island, Portland and Bar Harbor. Today we're in Saint John's New Brunswick and for the first time the weather hasn't been so wonderful although we didn't get any of the rain that was forecast. It's been overcast and a bit chilly - preparing us for getting home I suppose. I'll write some more later but John is wanting to check his emails so better let him have access. Sorry to hear about Thomas Cook. The Captain this morning assured anyone who had a booking via Thomas Cook would be contacted by P&O and their booking was safe.

Carole

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Southern Belle
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#69

Post by Southern Belle »

Thanks Carole and everyone. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it will be Manhattan when I get there.

Jan


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#70

Post by BrianI »

Southern Belle wrote: 24 Sep 2019, 11:08
Thanks Carole and everyone. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it will be Manhattan when I get there.

Jan
You can see which terminal here.
https://www.nycruise.com/schedule/

Brian


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#71

Post by CaroleF »

We have just had to take a detour to Halifax to get a passenger ashore whose health was deteriorating and they needed to get to a hospital. I do feel for them, we were lucky and got back on board, this poor person won't. It's a very overcast rainy day in Halifax. We're now back at sea again and according to the Captain it won't affect our arrival into Sydney tomorrow. The forecast for Sydney that I looked at a little while ago was for rain and possible thunderstorms. As it's a tender port whether this will affect our stay I don't know.

We've just come back from the Baltic/Ligurian lunch - a lot of people and there's apparently another on on 27th. We were on a table with the Staff Chief Engineer, the Chief himself was supposed to be hosting our table but he had to work because of the detour we took we were told. The lunch wasn't, in my opinion, as good as previous ones as far as the food was concerned - I was hoping for fillet of beef which we'd had previously but the choice was salmon or rack of lamb with a sort of potato cake, carrots and parsnips. I asked if it was possible to have the lamb rare and was told yes but it wasn't. It just didn't seem as special as some Peninsular lunches have been. Maybe it's just my taste, John enjoyed the salmon. The lunch seemed incredibly noisy as there were so many people - it was held at the back of the Alexandra restaurant.

Last night we went to see the Headliners performing "Astonishing". We'd never seen it before and it really was good, very slick with the gold envelopes for us to be involved in the card trick. Most of us did as we were told and got the correct result but some people managed to get it wrong - naming no names - John! The theatre was almost full and there was loud applause at the end. We've had some odd films this time. On the 65 night South American cruise we saw some really good, recent films and went to the cinema more times than we had in the previous year, this time we've hardly been. A couple of days ago "Dumbo" was shown - on an Adult only ship? I know it's a recent film but seems an odd choice. Today "The Favourite" is on which is I suppose recent. We've already seen it and I wouldn't want to see it again - brilliant acting from Olivia Coleman but not my sort of film.

There's been a lot of talk about how passengers see the future of P&O and many of them - all of a certain age - feel that P&O are really writing them off and are only interested in young families and larger ships. People are asking how they are going to attract us older passengers in the out of school holiday times like this sort of time - schools are back and how many young people can afford the time or money to do these longer cruises? Several people have mentioned Saga's new ships - they just wish they didn't have the Saga tag! Some are looking at Fred Olsen but many - like us - have been on them and find them expensive compared to P&O and such small cabins and very old ships. Cunard have been mentioned as have Oceania. We were in port at Saint John with Oceania's Riviera - I think she's one of their older ships. There seems to be a real demand for ships like Aurora amongst us older people but maybe P&O have decided that we are likely to look at one of the other Carnival brands so they are not bothered - I don't know.

The 'B' word has been mentioned especially after today's news but most people just seem to want us to get out of the EU, no matter which way they originally voted. We are quite grateful to be away from it all but we'll be back a week today and I don't suppose anything will have been settled.

Even if the weather deteriorates now we have been incredibly lucky with some wonderful sunny days. Apart from our hospital drama it's been a really good cruise and we're now looking forward to some peaceful days at sea before joining the fray again!

Carole


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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#72

Post by CaroleF »

Now we're on the way home. We did get to Sydney but it was very foggy and the Captain did put a tender down to have a look see but it was no good. He said he would wait at anchor for a few hours to see if it cleared but he didn't hold out a lot of hope. Some people, John included, had an early tour and he had to be in the theatre for 7.45 so he'd had Room Service Breakfast and then had to come back to the cabin. Anyway after a couple of hours it was announced that in view of the situation all Port Tours had been cancelled as the time was moving on. Then, not long afterwards, the Captain announced that he was very sorry that the decision had been taken that we would abort the stay in Sydney and head homewards. The fog had cleared and it was sunny for about 10 minutes then the fog came back down again - we certainly couldn't see the land from where we were anchored, so it was no great surprise that we had to miss Sydney. There were a few moans around the ship but most people seemed to understand that no way could tenders be sent out in thick fog.

That was on Wednesday and yesterday it was thick fog for most of the day, this morning it's a little better but it's not so rocky as it was yesterday. So we now have a few relaxing sea days before we get to Southampton next Tuesday. On Wednesday evening we had Graffiti Classics in the theatre. We saw them on our long South America cruise and thought they were excellent. This time the make-up of the group had altered, the lead Irishman we'd seen before wasn't there and one of the girls was different I think. However, they were just as good and they got a standing ovation at the end of the performance. They are on again on our final night apparently.

We'd been asked to let Reception know if we had a preferred disembarkation time but it did say it would be delayed as there was so much luggage to disembark. We went to Reception and were initially told that the earliest available time was 9.45 but when the girl checked she said that as we were Baltic we would be given the earlier time of 8.45 so we'll see.

Last night we had the Peninsular Cocktail party in Carmens, I think there was also one in the Crows' Nest. The drink certainly flowed and the waiters were coming round with bottles to top up glasses which I'd not seen before. The Captain, Patrick Maguire did talk about the fact that Oriana had left the fleet - great groans - and he said yes but time moves on and then started to talk about Iona and there were a few more groans. He didn't go on about it but did say we might find it offered more than we thought. He then did the usual raffle draw of our invitations and I was absolutely amazed when my name was called, felt incredibly shocked as I had to walk across the floor. The prize was one of those zipped picnic things where on one side there is room for a bottle and the other side there are two glasses, bottle opener and two napkins. There was also a bottle of champagne to go with it. I was asked if I wanted to take the bottle to dinner or have it all sent to my cabin and I agreed to that. Still feeling amazed this morning.

All in all I think most people think that we've been very lucky with the weather and can't complain about missing a port at the end of the cruise. So that's two ports we missed - Corner Brook at the beginning because of Hurricane Dorian and Sydney at the end. Given that we had splendid weather all the way over from Southampton and at all the ports - well apart from an afternoon shower in Boston - we've been lucky. Hopefully we'll have a smoothish journey back to Southampton.

Carole

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Gill W
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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#73

Post by Gill W »

Wow, congratulations on winning the raffle - what a nice suprise!

Just back from Azura, and Iona was mentioned at the Peninsular party - people seemed quite receptive, and there was a good show of hands when the captain asked who had already booked (including us)

Last year, coming back from Canada on Aurora, it was very foggy for 3 or 4 days, so I hope the sun comes out for you soon, as it did seem to make the days dull, in all senses of the word.

As a coincidence, on Azura, we went to reception to register our disembarkation time, and we were also given 9.45am, which they said was the earliest available slot (we've lost our Baltic status now)

We actually got off the ship at 10.40. They had to keep stopping disembarkation as they kept running out of trollies in the baggage reclaim hall. This was at the Mayflower - I think the larger ships usually go to the Ocean Terminal, so a combination of a larger ship than usual and a longer cruise than usual slowed everything up. Hope it's better for you
Gill

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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#74

Post by GillD46 »

Just caught up with your recents posts - we are in Cyprus. Glad you made it through your cruise, apart from your couple of missed ports. And congratulations on winning the raffle.

Safe journey home x
Gill

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Re: Aurora to Canada/USA

#75

Post by Kenmo1 »

Carole - we will be getting on Aurora as you get off and it is unlikely that I will get the chance to follow any update you put on. Just wanted to say thank you very much for the review and more importantly I hope all goes well with your husband's visit to the Consultant.

Maureen

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