Pilgrimage Cruise on Celebrity Constellation throughout New England and Canada

We departed the port at Bayonne New Jersey on a beautiful fall day, ready for our 13 night sailing on the Celebrity Constellation throughout New England and Canada. This was not to be an ordinary cruise, but was a pilgrimage, led by Father George Kloster with 48 people of numerous faiths represented.

Everyone was impressed with the Celebrity Constellation. What a beautiful ship! The service and food was exceptional. The staff could not do more to accommodate the needs of the group. With talks and Mass scheduled on board, there were frequent liaisons with the on board Event Coordinator to make sure everything was scheduled as required. Some of the folks in this group required assistance to get on or off the ship and Celebrity was waiting to help at all time.

The itinerary was great. We couldn’t have asked for a better time of year to have taken this trip. There was only one day of rain in Portland Maine, but that didn’t stop anyone from venturing out to explore the lighthouses around Portland. Other stops along the route included Newport Rhode Island, Bar Harbor Maine, Halifax Nova Scotia, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Boston Mass and the piece de resistance, Quebec City. If you’ve never been to Quebec, this city is a must see. It is as charming as any European city with cobblestone streets and alleyways and with French being the predominant language, its hard not to think you’re in Paris.

The highlight of our trip to Quebec was a group excursion to the Cathedral of St. Anne de Beaupre. Here our group had a Mass for the anointing of the sick and even folks not in our group, joined in. It was very moving.

At Bar Harbor we did an excursion to Acadia Park with a lobster bake. I don’t think any of us had ever had fresher lobster than what we were served that day. On Prince Edward Island we did an excursion to the House of Anne of Green Gables. The entire island was very beautiful and we had a wonderful Irish guide.

Every port had something different to offer and along with the fall colors, this was a wonderful trip. I can highly recommend this trip to anyone.

by Karen Miller

Toronto

Toronto is a great destination if you love the endless variety of activities that big cities supply. With the cultural mix, there really is something for everyone. Little Italy, Chinatown...with over 100 different distinct communities, the choices are endless.

Getting to Toronto is getting easier all the time. Flying in from Atlanta only took an hour and forty-five minutes on a non-stop flight. Getting around the city is easy due to a public transportation system that includes subways, buses and streetcars.

To get a better sense of the city, I would suggest staying above ground. For first time visitors, consider using the tourist buses that resemble trollys that make a circuit through the city. A day pass will give you 24 hours to hop on and off at different places downtown and the narration from the driver will help you figure out the background of the major tourist attractions and some of the best places to stop. If you don't want to go outside, stick to The Path--almost 7 miles of underground shops, restaurants, movie theaters and more that stretches from the waterfront through downtown. It's a great alternative if you're traveling during the winter. On a clear day, make sure you make a stop at the CN Tower, the world's tallest building. The view from the skybox will allow you to see for miles in any direction. If you're afraid of heights, make sure you skip the glass floored section on this one. Being able to look straight down from such a height
can be disconcerting--especially when those around you feel compelled to jump up and down to test the strength of the glass. Take a trip down to Front Street to visit the tower, the Skydome (home of the Blue Jays), Planet Hollywood (with so many things being filmed in Canada, there are some great additions to their walls here if you're a tv/movie buff) as well as the Hockey Hall of Fame nearby. Hit Yonge or Bloor for lots of great shopping. The city does have distinct areas for different things, so if you're looking for shopping for clothing, for example, you can hit the fashion district. However, one of the great things about wandering around downtown is the mix you can find on a single street, so you'll find clothing stores next to toy stores, which are next to restaurants, which are next to...it could be next to anything.

Toronto is a great destination if you're a theater lover. The third largest English speaking theater district in the world is right there. Tourism in the city dropped off with the closing of 'Phantom of the Opera' last year, but with the opening of 'Lion King: The Musical' in April, Toronto expect that to change. If you're having trouble getting tickets to this show in New York, definitely consider going to Toronto instead. If The Lion King isn't your thing, there are well over 100 other theater groups in the area, so take your pick. With over 5,000 restaurants in Toronto, the toughest thing about an evening out on the town is choosing where you want to go.

I stayed at the Delta Chelsea Inn, Canada's largest hotel, just off Yonge Street downtown (though if you've been to Las Vegas recently, it seems small in comparison with 'only' about 1500 rooms). Rated four diamonds by AAA, the Chelsea was a very nice property with enough amenities so that you would never have to leave if you didn't want to. Their 27th floor features a lounge, indoor heated pool, fitness center and more that are 'adults only' which is a nice relaxing place to visit with a great view. For families, the 2nd floor offers yet another heated indoor pool as well as a game room for kids. Most major hotel chains have at least one property in Toronto, so you have your choice of where to stay downtown.

With the exchange rate being approximately $1.50US to $1CAD, it's a great value. A weekend really won't give you enough time to see and do everything in Toronto, but it will give you a great start. You'll have a list of things you want to go back and do. Next time I'm aiming for a harbor cruise, an evening at Second City, a day trip out to Niagra...