Monday, May 26th and Tuesday, May 27th, 2025 - Boston, Massachusetts USA

YAY! WE'RE BACK HOME IN THE USA! So excited to be back in our home country after a lengthy, but fabulous, journey around the world.  We have two days in Boston before we sail to our final port of New York.  I am also excited because my younger brother, Dane, and his wife, Claudia, my beautiful sister-in-law will come aboard for the day.  

We are up early this morning to be ready for U.S. Immigration Officers who are coming onboard for a face-to-face inspection.  Afterwards, we will continue to work on organizing our belongings and finish packing up last minute items in preparation for disembarkation on Thursday morning.  Then, we will just wait until my brother arrives!  So excited to spend time with them.  

Monday, May 26th - Family Time

Today was very special.  My brother, Dane, and his wife, Claudia, came aboard the ship for a tour and to have dinner with us.  They live in Connecticut and drove up this afternoon and have a hotel room for the night so we will have the afternoon and evening together..  We hadn't seen each other in a couple of years so I was very excited to spend time with him.  When they first came aboard we gave them a tour of the ship.  Then, we sat in our cabin and had a very nice chat, catching up on each others' lives.  Then, we went to the dining room for dinner.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The ship was eerily quiet.  The final World Cruise Event was held tonight, so about 200 people on the full world cruise went out to dinner and then to the Boston Pops, so there were very few people left on the ship.  Only a few tables in the main dining room were occupied so it was a very quiet evening.  It was great!  We were able to talk and have nearly the entire ship to ourselves!  

After dinner, we retired to the Dolce Vita for a drink and continued conversation.  It was so meaningful to have time with Dane and Claudia.  It's been way too long since we've been together and now that we are both in our senior years it becomes even more important to stay in close contact. I am so grateful to them to take the time and energy to make the trip to see us. As the evening drew to a close, the two of them walked to the gangway and we had to say goodbye.  It was very difficult to let them go, but I am so grateful we had the evening together. 

Once we were back in our suite I quickly got ready for bed since I had to get up very early this morning for one last excursion on this world voyage.   

Tuesday, May 27th:  Our tour today - Hop On, Hop Off Bus

We got up early and spent the day touring Boston using the Hop On, Hop Off Bus.  It's a great way to see a city when we had limited time and we were in a very congested area.  We climbed aboard the bus for the tour and the city's vibrant history unfolded before our eyes!!! As we rumbled along cobblestone streets and glided past leafy parks, the bus became our chariot through time.  With each stop Boston's character leaped out--majestic brownstones in Back Bay, the bustling energy of Quincy Market and the echoes of revolution on the Freedom Trail.

 The lively guide, aside from his tired dad jokes, peppered the ride with tales of midnight riders and tea-soaked harbors, painting the city's past in vivid hues.  From the golden dome of the State House on the serene waters of the Charles River, every turn offered a postcard-perfect view.  It was great to have the freedom to hop on and off to explore various areas at our own pace, and it transformed sightseeing into an adventure. The tour allowed us to experience Boston's charm in technicolor.

Once the tour was over we returned to the pier and boarded our ship.  Since we were mainly packed we had a relaxing remainder of the day and had Bob's favorite lunch, a grilled cheese sandwich, on the pool deck.  After a cruise of mainly cold weather it was nice to have weather warm enough to enjoy a nice lunch outside on the deck.  It will be the last meal on the pool deck before we disembark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have had a WONDERFUL time in Boston.  It was great spending time with my brother and his wife.  The most difficult part about being away from home for so long is being away from family so it was very very exciting to reconnect with them.  


So, we are now on our way to New York City, our last port, where we will make our final disembarkation.  It's always somewhat bittersweet at final disembarkation, since we have become friends with many of our fellow passengers and crew.  However, I am extremely excited to see our family again in a couple of days.  Now, we will have a day at sea to make final preparations and say our good-bye's before we arrive in NYC.


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