We are cruising on the Viking Octantis, had a stop in Sydney, then Woody Point, and on to Havre-St. Pierre on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where begins the St. Lawrence Seaway.  Along the way to the southwest are Quebec, Montreal, Toronto and into the Great Lakes. In August, we will board the Azamara Journey from Reykjavik, Iceand, to watch the total eclipse of the sun.  The ship will have three stops in Greenland, then St. John's, Newfoundland, and Quebec, arriving in Montreal.  So we will again be on the St. Lawrence River in four months.   This is also called the St. Lawrence Waterway because there are 15 locks between Montreal and Lake Erie to overcome a 551 feet elevation change. After a week on the Octantis, we have determined that this ship has had the finest cuisine of any cruiseliner we've been on.  We were on the Oceania Riviera last year.  Many consider this cruise line to have the best food.  Here is a video confirming ...

  Bus took us to board the American Cruise Line Melody. their newest on the Mississippi.   Watch this 11 min 23 sec video to get a full tour of the boat.   In general: While ships are designed for open, deep-sea navigation, boats are for smaller inland, river or coastal waters. Remember U-boat during the world war, for the German Unterseeboot?  Stands for undersea boat.  So yes, a submarine is a boat. A very large yacht is still a boat. The Melody was actually launched in 2021, measures 269 feet long and 56 feet wide, and is a boat.   Holds up to 180 passengers and has four decks.  Known for large staterooms, with standard rooms of 250 square feet.  The fourth floor has suites, and our room 418 has 405 square feet.   You can read the details here. It is nearly 400 miles from Memphis to New Orleans.  Maybe a 6-hour drive,  Our itinerary, which will take 13 days, or 12 nights, to complete    Frankly, I am surp...