I’ve always considered Summer to officially start on Memorial Day and end on Labor Day.  I suppose it will always be that way for me.  The official dates of Summer for 2013 were June 21st through September 22nd, so that’s the period I will cover!

Beth and I started the Summer of 2013 off in Boston, taking a cruise on the Carnival Glory to St. John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia.  We had never ventured north on a cruise ship, and were very glad we did something different for a change.

This was the scene leaving Boston Harbor.

If you haven’t cruised on a Carnival ship lately, you need to.  Almost all of the ships have now undergone extensive renovations.  Guy’s Burger Joint,  The Red Frog, Blue Iguana, and other venues have all been added to bring your cruising experience to new levels.

And the staterooms are awesome as well.  For this cruise, we chose an 11th floor balcony.

Making this cruise even better was knowing that one of our favorite crew members from past cruises, Nolan Villamor, would also be aboard the Glory.  I am confident Carnival will one day promote Nolan to Maitre’d!

St. John, New Brunswick is a neat port city, where the St. John’s River flows into the Bay of Fundy.  The tide fluctuates as much as thirty feet daily, making the “reversing falls” a continual attraction.

During Lobster Season, you will even find McLobster at the golden arches!  Yes, I had to try one, and it was surprisingly good.

We bought tickets for the “Pink Bus,” where you can ride anytime the entire day for one price.  We ride out to the falls in the morning, and then back that afternoon to see the river flowing both ways!

St. John is full of beautiful, historic buildings.  One fine residence displayed this plaque by its front door.

Onward to the seaport of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The harbor is very active, and historical buildings are everywhere!

Pubs and eateries are everywhere along the harbor in Halifax.  You can also purchase a Harbor Ferry pass, where you can also access the city’s bus transit system all for one low fare.

Thomas The Tug is another popular sight along the harbor.  You can purchase rides on it also!

After departing Halifax, we would have a full day at sea before arriving in Boston.  Our cabin was the most forward cabin on the port side of Deck 11.  Would recommend this part of the ship to anyone.

Boston Harbor is a beautiful place.  The sun was coming up as we entered.

Cruising from the Port of Boston is a breeze.  Just a $20, 15 minute cab ride from the airport to the ship!  If you love cruising, but are somewhat tired of the Caribbean, give cruising out of Boston a try.  It was a refreshing change!

Next time, we will plan at least a day for sightseeing in Boston.  This year, we had to get back to Nashville for the rest of the Summer of 2013!  Be on the lookout for Part 2!

Trey Lewis is a licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of Tennessee with Ole South Realty, 615.896.0019  direct 615.593.6340 and VP Sales for Tennessee’s largest home builder, OleSouth.com, specializing in new homes in the Greater Nashville area to include Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Gallatin, Clarksville, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.