This video is part of a series! If you’d like to go back and watch the first video of boarding day on the HAL Volendam, click here: ruclips.net/video/_Zxu2ucw5Nw/видео.htmlsi=CZl1STRXitG-GlMQ
When we visited Sydney, we also had fabulous "blue sky" weather. We got some amazing reflections photos of the ship and other landmarks. Your excursion on Viator sounded interested, sorry that they were so disorganized. Normally, we only book excurions through the ship, but sometimes we do viator or shore excursions group, and had had good luck. In Sydney, most of the ship excursions were very long drives on a bus, and we didn't want to spend that much time on locations that didn't interest as much. We just did the "Spirit of the Fiddle: Kitchen Party Experience", which we could walk to right at the cruise terminal building. We loved it. This was so much fun! We loved the music and oat cakes. They explained the significance of the Cape Breton music, the musicians and the musical instruments. Also, on the Zuiderdam, we had the Breton Thunder Band perform two nights in the World Stage, and they were amazing. Not sure if you had the opportunity to see them. I think that you only had a very short clip of them in one of your videos.
wow that excursion sounds great! I'll definitely have to try something different next time I'm in Nova Scotia, there's really a lot to do and see! Yes, I did see the Breton Thunder band perform, they were amazing! I wasn't sure if I was allowed to film that's why I only shared a short clip :)
I am really loving your vlogs! I'm 33 and have been on several solo trips, but have never been on a cruise. Really considering booking a cruise after seeing all your wonderful experiences!
I’m considerable older🫢 and have been on 4 solo cruises since I retired. Love it and you always have one thing in common with your fellow passengers….Cruising!
My first cruise was on the Konningsdam (HAL) . Fell in love with cruising the moment I got to my cabin. The staff on HAL is top notch. I've not seen service like that anywhere on land in years.
Pjila'si Unama'kik' (Welcome to the land of fog). I'm a Mikmaq resident from Membertou. I'm glad to see you made it to Cape Breton Island on a beautiful day!
Oh Dear .... breakfast sandwich at the famous Clucking Hen Cafe & Bakery and I'm willing to bet that you did not pick up a six pack of the best Butter Tarts in the entire country. A truly, dangerously delicious, genuine 'only in Canada' sweet tart. A return visit will be needed fer shure. Enjoying your excellent videos Meredith.
We just did this same cruise on the HAL Zuiderdam in September, and loved it as much as Meredith did. With only one sea day, you are very busy visiting each port. We were not even planning to do this cruise, when HAL offered it to us in June as a "free" cruise. Of course, free was for an inside cabin, but they had severe discounts available to over cabins. We were going to get a Signature Suite with Club Orange for less than a standard balconey, when our HAL PCC found we could get a Neptune Suite for less than than, and we jumped on it. This is a great cruise, easy to get to the ports from US and Canada. I highly recommend it. And, if you go, I. highly recommend staying extra days in Quebec City, what a great, unique city, I had no idea. Meredith's videos are great!
Another great Vlog Mer - many thanks. Looks like you were so lucky with the weather. We are off to Iceland on Thursday with Fred Olsen Cruise Line. Cruise number 35 for us.😊
Aaah this was a wonderful one, the view from the brunch table, the gondola ride (love gondolas), the look out point and the little guy!!! That was a priceless gift/souvenir! Love it so much , so happy that you had such a great day. Also, I just want to share i truly enjoy your videos, dang I watch your whole channel in like a week, yeah I need a life, anyways, thanks for keeping it real, no drama, real good info and insights, NO CLICK BAIT (THANKS MY FAV) and your outfits helps me a lot since im that type of person that never “has anything to wear” 😅 looking forward for next videos! Could you also add to your videos, like places you stay near port, and how you manage to get from x place to the port? I was invited to ncl breakaway from NY but i have no clue, what airport is better? What hotel close to the port? How is it like around the port? I did enjoy that you covered all that in your Virgin Sail from SJ, PR. 💕
@@Valerieesquilin thank you SO much!! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed watching them!! Yes, I will definitely make sure to talk about the hotel and transportation to the ports! For NYC, I live close enough that it’s just a quick train ride for me into the city, so I don’t stay at a hotel the night before. There are soooo many options though and you can take a quick taxi or Uber to the port super easy!
@@MerCruisesSolo I had told you in an earlier post that you’re videos have encouraged me to get back into cruising after my wife passed, booked 3 solo cruises next year. I live in Puyallup Washington so my trial solo cruise is next May to Alaska from Seattle. Thank you for sharing these solo cruises…
@@northwestman1 yes, I remember! I hope you have a wonderful time on your next cruises, I lived in WA state for a few years and it’s so beautiful there. An Alaska cruise will be amazing (I went in May as well and loved it!)
@@MerCruisesSolo didn’t know you lived out here, cool. Yes, then I have back to back Caribbean cruises next fall … I really do look forward to seeing your solo cruise videos Mel. Thank you
I always enjoy it when another one of your videos pops up. I think the only thing that would’ve made those chairs and that mountain overlook better would’ve been a nice glass of champagne or Prosecco love the clip of you and the wind sculpture.
@@erinf4712 they did sell various light snacks and drinks up at the top! Didn’t see Prosecco but I had a nice seltzer and completely forgot to film it 😂
Thanks for sharing another beautiful day with us. You have definitely convinced me to do this itinerary on HAL. Sadly it won’t be until 2026 as my 2025 is already booked! I may even give it a try solo. Normally I bring someone with me as I’ve always been leery of solo cruising as I’m not super extroverted. Maybe it’s time to step out of my comfort zone! I hope you enjoy your cruise on Beyond next. Celebrity is my favorite cruise line and Beyond is a beautiful ship. And sailing with Captain Kate is always a treat, I’ve sailed with her twice so far. I’ll look forward to watching your vlog for that trip and see what you think.
love to hear this, I am so excited about cruising on Celebrity Beyond and definitely hope to run into Captain Kate!! I am also not very extroverted, but I love solo cruising as it allows me to be on my own schedule and not dependent on anyone else or expected to entertain whoever I'm cruising with. It's the best! :)
What a gorgeous day to get such beautiful views! I've always chickened out of booking third party tours (partially because of that anxiety about getting back onboard, partially out of convenience) but am looking more into them for an upcoming Mediterranean cruise. Would you be willing to share your dos and donts?
@@ofjustimagine absolutely! I would recommend reading ALL of the reviews on any tour you’re looking at (if there are no reviews I probably wouldn’t book). I’d also definitely leave yourself spare time both at the beginning and ending of the tour. If the ship ends up coming in late you’ll want a buffer, and of course I always leave several hours in between your arrival time back to the ship and the ship’s scheduled departure time - that way even if the tour does run over or late you still have plenty of time to get back onboard before sail away!
@@trikynguyen3680 I have not tried MSC or Princess yet! My next cruise will be on Celebrity, which is also a new cruise line for me. Lots of lines still to try! 😊
@@howardosden3112 I know, I think maybe they didn’t get a shipment or the demand for the beyond burgers was low so they didn’t order them… was very bummed but at least they had the beyond hot dog and that was very good!
It seems like it would have been better if they had a more unified shore excursion...instead of being slightly different for everyone. People might have felt left out? It sounds like this wasn't booked through HAL though... On another note: your videos are well done. Hope you are enjoying your travels!
They paid less for their excursion as it included different things. I agree that they should group folks together who booked the same excursion, but given the choice I'd have rather been with at least some other cruise passengers compared to just being by myself with the guide, that would have been (even more) awkward!
@@MerCruisesSolo Very true... it was a tiny group. I guess it is a call by the tour operators and I'm sure they just wanted to go forward with it! All things considered, looks good though.
This video is part of a series! If you’d like to go back and watch the first video of boarding day on the HAL Volendam, click here: ruclips.net/video/_Zxu2ucw5Nw/видео.htmlsi=CZl1STRXitG-GlMQ
When we visited Sydney, we also had fabulous "blue sky" weather. We got some amazing reflections photos of the ship and other landmarks. Your excursion on Viator sounded interested, sorry that they were so disorganized. Normally, we only book excurions through the ship, but sometimes we do viator or shore excursions group, and had had good luck. In Sydney, most of the ship excursions were very long drives on a bus, and we didn't want to spend that much time on locations that didn't interest as much. We just did the "Spirit of the Fiddle: Kitchen Party Experience", which we could walk to right at the cruise terminal building. We loved it. This was so much fun! We loved the music and oat cakes. They explained the significance of the Cape Breton music, the musicians and the musical instruments. Also, on the Zuiderdam, we had the Breton Thunder Band perform two nights in the World Stage, and they were amazing. Not sure if you had the opportunity to see them. I think that you only had a very short clip of them in one of your videos.
wow that excursion sounds great! I'll definitely have to try something different next time I'm in Nova Scotia, there's really a lot to do and see! Yes, I did see the Breton Thunder band perform, they were amazing! I wasn't sure if I was allowed to film that's why I only shared a short clip :)
I am really loving your vlogs! I'm 33 and have been on several solo trips, but have never been on a cruise. Really considering booking a cruise after seeing all your wonderful experiences!
thank you so much! Definitely give solo cruising a try, it's amazing!! 😊
@mirjambaar her vlogs are very convincing ,right? She needs to earn some commissions from our bookings!!! 😅
I’m considerable older🫢 and have been on 4 solo cruises since I retired. Love it and you always have one thing in common with your fellow passengers….Cruising!
My first cruise was on the Konningsdam (HAL) . Fell in love with cruising the moment I got to my cabin. The staff on HAL is top notch. I've not seen service like that anywhere on land in years.
Pjila'si Unama'kik' (Welcome to the land of fog). I'm a Mikmaq resident from Membertou. I'm glad to see you made it to Cape Breton Island on a beautiful day!
Oh Dear .... breakfast sandwich at the famous Clucking Hen Cafe & Bakery and I'm willing to bet that you did not pick up a six pack of the best Butter Tarts in the entire country. A truly, dangerously delicious, genuine 'only in Canada' sweet tart. A return visit will be needed fer shure. Enjoying your excellent videos Meredith.
I have been interested in a New England- Canadian provinces cruise for awhile and I am really enjoying your trip. Thanks for sharing!
@@shellmerrell6187 thanks so much for watching!
We just did this same cruise on the HAL Zuiderdam in September, and loved it as much as Meredith did. With only one sea day, you are very busy visiting each port. We were not even planning to do this cruise, when HAL offered it to us in June as a "free" cruise. Of course, free was for an inside cabin, but they had severe discounts available to over cabins. We were going to get a Signature Suite with Club Orange for less than a standard balconey, when our HAL PCC found we could get a Neptune Suite for less than than, and we jumped on it. This is a great cruise, easy to get to the ports from US and Canada. I highly recommend it. And, if you go, I. highly recommend staying extra days in Quebec City, what a great, unique city, I had no idea. Meredith's videos are great!
Un lugar precioso, Mer , gracias por compartir😊😊
thank you, yes it was!
Another great Vlog Mer - many thanks. Looks like you were so lucky with the weather. We are off to Iceland on Thursday with Fred Olsen Cruise Line. Cruise number 35 for us.😊
@@Peter-dl3up yay!! That sounds amazing, have a great time! 😄
Nice vlog! Nova Scotia is beautiful!
@@chrisrobertson3189 thank you, I agree! 😊
Aaah this was a wonderful one, the view from the brunch table, the gondola ride (love gondolas), the look out point and the little guy!!! That was a priceless gift/souvenir! Love it so much , so happy that you had such a great day. Also, I just want to share i truly enjoy your videos, dang I watch your whole channel in like a week, yeah I need a life, anyways, thanks for keeping it real, no drama, real good info and insights, NO CLICK BAIT (THANKS MY FAV) and your outfits helps me a lot since im that type of person that never “has anything to wear” 😅 looking forward for next videos! Could you also add to your videos, like places you stay near port, and how you manage to get from x place to the port? I was invited to ncl breakaway from NY but i have no clue, what airport is better? What hotel close to the port? How is it like around the port? I did enjoy that you covered all that in your Virgin Sail from SJ, PR. 💕
@@Valerieesquilin thank you SO much!! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed watching them!! Yes, I will definitely make sure to talk about the hotel and transportation to the ports! For NYC, I live close enough that it’s just a quick train ride for me into the city, so I don’t stay at a hotel the night before. There are soooo many options though and you can take a quick taxi or Uber to the port super easy!
@@MerCruisesSolo appreciate this so much Mer!! THANK YOU !! YES I definitely enjoy the channel!
Thanks for sharing your cruising adventure; some places I’ll never see. Appreciate you’re videos Meredith
@@northwestman1 thank you so much for your support!! 😊
@@MerCruisesSolo I had told you in an earlier post that you’re videos have encouraged me to get back into cruising after my wife passed, booked 3 solo cruises next year. I live in Puyallup Washington so my trial solo cruise is next May to Alaska from Seattle. Thank you for sharing these solo cruises…
@@northwestman1 yes, I remember! I hope you have a wonderful time on your next cruises, I lived in WA state for a few years and it’s so beautiful there. An Alaska cruise will be amazing (I went in May as well and loved it!)
@@MerCruisesSolo didn’t know you lived out here, cool. Yes, then I have back to back Caribbean cruises next fall … I really do look forward to seeing your solo cruise videos Mel. Thank you
I always enjoy it when another one of your videos pops up. I think the only thing that would’ve made those chairs and that mountain overlook better would’ve been a nice glass of champagne or Prosecco love the clip of you and the wind sculpture.
@@erinf4712 they did sell various light snacks and drinks up at the top! Didn’t see Prosecco but I had a nice seltzer and completely forgot to film it 😂
Thanks for sharing another beautiful day with us. You have definitely convinced me to do this itinerary on HAL. Sadly it won’t be until 2026 as my 2025 is already booked! I may even give it a try solo. Normally I bring someone with me as I’ve always been leery of solo cruising as I’m not super extroverted. Maybe it’s time to step out of my comfort zone! I hope you enjoy your cruise on Beyond next. Celebrity is my favorite cruise line and Beyond is a beautiful ship. And sailing with Captain Kate is always a treat, I’ve sailed with her twice so far. I’ll look forward to watching your vlog for that trip and see what you think.
love to hear this, I am so excited about cruising on Celebrity Beyond and definitely hope to run into Captain Kate!! I am also not very extroverted, but I love solo cruising as it allows me to be on my own schedule and not dependent on anyone else or expected to entertain whoever I'm cruising with. It's the best! :)
What a gorgeous day to get such beautiful views! I've always chickened out of booking third party tours (partially because of that anxiety about getting back onboard, partially out of convenience) but am looking more into them for an upcoming Mediterranean cruise. Would you be willing to share your dos and donts?
@@ofjustimagine absolutely! I would recommend reading ALL of the reviews on any tour you’re looking at (if there are no reviews I probably wouldn’t book). I’d also definitely leave yourself spare time both at the beginning and ending of the tour. If the ship ends up coming in late you’ll want a buffer, and of course I always leave several hours in between your arrival time back to the ship and the ship’s scheduled departure time - that way even if the tour does run over or late you still have plenty of time to get back onboard before sail away!
@@MerCruisesSolo oh, good point about coming in late! Thank you!
Yeah ,new video arrives
@@trikynguyen3680 🙌🏼😁
You did MSC right? I want to see how they are. I was on Enchanted Princess last month
@@trikynguyen3680 I have not tried MSC or Princess yet! My next cruise will be on Celebrity, which is also a new cruise line for me. Lots of lines still to try! 😊
you should do icon or utopia next
maybe... they are sooo pricey, will have to wait until I can find a deal! Not too much in the way of deals for solo travelers on RCCL!
Really enjoy your videos.
thank you!!
The fact that the Dive In ran out of burgers bothers me. It's not like it's a huge menu!
@@howardosden3112 I know, I think maybe they didn’t get a shipment or the demand for the beyond burgers was low so they didn’t order them… was very bummed but at least they had the beyond hot dog and that was very good!
It seems like it would have been better if they had a more unified shore excursion...instead of being slightly different for everyone. People might have felt left out? It sounds like this wasn't booked through HAL though... On another note: your videos are well done. Hope you are enjoying your travels!
They paid less for their excursion as it included different things. I agree that they should group folks together who booked the same excursion, but given the choice I'd have rather been with at least some other cruise passengers compared to just being by myself with the guide, that would have been (even more) awkward!
@@MerCruisesSolo Very true... it was a tiny group. I guess it is a call by the tour operators and I'm sure they just wanted to go forward with it! All things considered, looks good though.