GTJ

Deleted.

I don't see a huge difference between the two choices, at least with respect to comfort and convenience. A few hours on a comfortable train compared to a somewhat lesser amount of time on an uncomfortable aircraft and automobile. To me, it is an individualized choice where some have a preference for one, and others a preference for the alternative. Cost could be a significant issue, however. Fares to and from Montréal can be reasonable, but oftentimes fares to and from Québec are much more expensive. More generally, big cities typically have more competitive airline fares compared to smaller cities. It could be cheaper to break an airline journey into two separate legs, one to Montréal, and a separate ticket from Montréal to Québec. Traveling by bus or railroad can be the same way: a through ticket from New York to Québec might be more expensive than separate tickets, New York to Montréal and Montréal to Québec (not to mention that a U.S. bus or railroad ticket agent might not even want to be bothered with selling a through ticket to Québec and refuse to sell one). Very fact specific, and one should investigate the various alternatives, including through tickets versus breaking the ticket in Montréal, and not making assumptions of one versus the other.

I had looked at a random date in summer, without trying to ascertain the particular travel date. I have since searched and found a single itinerary from Québec to Fort Lauderdale in October 23, that being the Caribbean Princess (Princess Cruises), available for boarding on Thursday, October 19, 2023, and departing the next evening. As for Via Rail Canada fares on October 19, 2023, I do see the same 42.00 CAD fare available for coach service. The higher fare that you're quoting applies for business class service, a pleasant upgrade of course, but by no means necessary.

Interestingly, the lowest fare on Via Rail Canada, from Dorval to Québec, is 42.00 CAD. From the Gare du Palais one can easily walk the several blocks to the port. If flying into Aéroport international Jean-Lesage de Québec, the uniform daytime taxi fare from the airport to the city centre is 41.40 CAD. In other words, the price for the train from Montréal to Québec is virtually the same price as the airport taxi fare entirely within Québec. If two people are traveling together, then there is some savings for ground transportation by flying to Québec instead of Montréal (compare two Via Rail Canada fares against one taxi fare).

It is the same train that departs from Dorval at 11:55 a.m. that also departs from Gare Centrale at 12:45 p.m. After the train departs Dorval, it is scheduled to arrive at Gare Centralé at 12:15 p.m., and then sit in the station for half an hour before it departs for Québec. Best plan is to board at Dorval, not at Gare Centrale. For connections from international flights, it is ordinarily one hour minimum connecting time. You would have nearly an hour and a half to make it through customs and immigration and to ride the free shuttle between the airport and the Dorval station, or worst case get a taxi for the 5-minute trip between the airport terminal and the railway station. It should be doable, at least if everything goes right. The train would then arrive at the Gare du Palais in Québec at 4:18 p.m. Caution if using taxi to travel from the airport terminal to the railway station. There are two railway stations in Dorval, both called "Dorval." There is the station for commuter trains, known as Exo, located alongside the Canadian Pacific tracks. There is the station for intercity trains, known as Via Rail Canada, located alongside the Canadian national tracks. The Canadian Pacific tracks and Canadian National tracks parallel each other, a few feet apart, but are distinct, and while the two stations are close to each other, it is clumsy at best trying to walk between them. Be certain that your taxi driver brings you to the intercity Via Rail Canada station, and not to the commuter Exo station. If taking the free Via Rail Canada shuttle bus, the bus driver will bring you to the correct train station. Alternatively, you could travel by Orléans Express motorcoach. The bus leaves the airport at 2:00 p.m., and arrives at the Gare du Palais in Québec at 6:15 p.m. (There's a bus two hours earlier, but it departs from downtown Montréal, and you would have to ride a transit bus--route 747--from the airport to the downtown Montréal bus terminal.)

It will dock at the Pavillon des croisières internationales à La Baie, very much in the centre of the smallest community within Saguenay, La Baie. More precisely, it is in the centre of the former Bagotville, which was merged with Port-Alfred (the community immediately south of the Rivière-à-Mars) to form the municipality of La Baie, which subsequently became part of the present day municipality of Saguenay. From the Pavillon des croisières, walk south on either Rue Mars or Rue Victoria about five blocks to Teminus La Baie. There you can board bus route 52 direct to the museum. Fare is 3.75 CAD. Buses operate hourly every day of the week, about 15 minutes on the bus. Departs Terminus La Baie at 30 minutes past each hour, returns from the museum at 44 minutes past each hour (also at 00 minutes, and 14 minutes, respectively, during weekday peak periods). Find the entire schedule here: http://horaires.stsaguenay.com. More information generally on riding the bus in Saguenay (including routes to both Chicoutimi and Jonquière) is here: http://sts.saguenay.ca.

By "assist," do you for the cruise vessel to provide a wheelchair for you, or do you expect the cruise line to push you around in one of their wheelchairs while ashore?

While you have focused on an exchange rate scam, it could have simply been a tax scam. That is, by paying with cash, the taxi driver might not report the full amount as income, and evade the tax on that income. Indeed, it was tax evasion, not exchange rate scamming, that first came to my mind.

I experienced the same type of frustration many years ago, in the early 1990s, with two different railroads in Canada. I had planned long in advance to travel by railroad from Toronto to Cochrane. The portion from Toronto to North Bay was operated by Canadian National, and from North Bay to Cochrane by Ontario Northland, but it was a through train marketed by Ontario Northland and utilizing a set of retired Trans Europ Express cars, complete with compartmental seating. I had been looking forward to this greatly. Imagine my disappointment when, on the morning of departure from Toronto, Ontaio Northland announced that the train would be cancelled between Toronto and North Bay, a distance of 228 miles, and replaced with an Ontario Northland bus. Apparently, it had been planned for Ontario Northland to perform its route periodic maintenance on the cars at its shops in North Bay, and the prior day's southbound train was halted in North Bay to perform that maintenance. The railroad knew about the routing maintenance far in advance, yet sold railroad transportation to me . . . and I was traveling only because of the unique train equipment, not because I had a need to go to Cochrane, and no need to travel aboard the same type of bus that I could travel upon at home. Well, at least I did get a one-half of a train ride, the portion from North Bay to Cochrane, a distance of 254 miles. On another trip, but around the same time, I had also planned to ride on Via Rail Canada, on the overnight train from Montréal to Senneterre, in a roomette, and continuing past Senneterre by coach to Cochrane (yes, once again). Here, the tracks were not in good enough condition for the passenger train to operate between Senneterre and Cochrane, and this, too, was known far in advance to Via Rail Canada. So the railroad provided a taxi for the 184 mile journey. There were only two passengers, myself and a woman traveling from Senneterre to La Sarre, the latter being about half-way to Cochrane. After we dropped her off in La Sarre, the taxi driver and I made a lunch stop in La Sarre; the entire time the taxi driver was calculating how much money he would be making from Via Rail Canada to make the round-trip journey. Again, I had no reason to travel in an automobile to Cochrane: I was there to ride the train. Several years later I did ride the Ontario Northland train the full distance in the opposite direction, from Cochrane to Toronto, albeit in standard Canadian coaches rather than the TEE coaches. Alas, both passenger train routes have since been discontinued. While there is discussion within Ontario Northland to reinstate its train, between Toronto and Cochrane, and apparently new cars have been ordered for that service, it seems likely that trains will never again operate between Senneterre and Cochrane. Such a personal disappointment . . . but the railroads were entirely within their legal rights to provide substitute transportation without recompense.

The reason for the Alaska Railroad to continue taking bookings is that it is a transportation company and many people have a need for transportation. The Alaska Railroad is not limited to providing such transportation by railroad, and indeed its published terms and conditions specifically state: "The Alaska Railroad Corporation reserves the right to cancel, substitute transportation, or alter for any reason, any rail trip or tour itinerary as current conditions, in the Alaska Railroad’s sole opinion, may require." Indeed, the railroad regularly offers bus transportation between Portage and Anchorage, designed for passengers coming from points south on the Glacier Discovery train, and who do not desire the time-consuming train maneuver from Portage to Whittier and back, before proceeding to Anchorage. The railroad charges $105 one-way between Anchorage and Seward ($213 for its first class "GoldStar" service), and so the railroad might be able to make a greater profit by providing substituted transportation. It may seem unfair, but there is no obligation on the part of the railroad to provide any particular means for the transportation it provides. Nonetheless, the railroad should provide at least a partial rebate upon substitution, if only to protect its public reputation. But at its heart, the railroad continues to take bookings because people need transportation. (Take a look at a typical cruise line's terms and conditions and you will find similar, if not more onerous, provisions. For example, the Holland America terms and conditions state: "Except as otherwise provided, Carrier may, for any reason, without prior notice, . . . substitute ships, aircraft or other transportation . . . ." Thus, the cruise line could provide a bus ride between Vancouver and Seward in place of the cruise vessel.)

Not much else to do otherwise: no one will take coins in exchange. Besides, one would not ordinarily have more than about 5.00 CAD in coins.

There are two common New England and Canada cruise itineraries. One is a round-trip cruise from a northeastern United States port; the other is a one-way cruise between a northeastern United States port and either Québec or Montréal. The northeastern United States ports most frequently used are Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Bayonne, and Baltimore (lots of "B" ports!). Most cruises are in autumn (September and October), and if you're planning to travel at that time, all of these ports will be available for a variety of specific itineraries. In that case, your choice of departure port is largely determined by the ease of traveling to that port, and by the amount of time it takes to sail between that departure port and New England and Canada. By departing from Boston, the greatest proportion of the total cruise will be in New England and Canada, the opposite being true for departing from Baltimore. Earlier in the season--in summer--there are many fewer cruises available, nearly all of which sail from Boston, and in the case of one-way cruises, also from Montréal. Based on the overall number of cruise options, departures from Boston provide the greatest choice. There are also a handful of other cruises, including those using small vessels, that may visit more obscure ports, and so if you're interested in these types of cruises you'll largely be retained by the limited number of available cruises and not have much of a choice of departure port.

I think your question presupposes that having Uber arrange for transportation is less reliable than the charter bus service arranged by Norwegian Cruise Line. Given that the chartered bus will need to wait for all of its passengers to arrive at the coach, and have baggage loaded, while Uber will depart as soon as you and your family are ready to go, I would likely reject the presupposition. That is, I would anticipate greater reliability on having Uber arrange transportation for your family alone, than in having Norwegian Cruise Line arrange transportation for you family plus 40 other passengers. Have I understood your question correctly?

Not really. It should be very straight-forward for anyone of reasonable intelligence who routinely uses public transportation. Over one million people each weekday ride a bus in New York City (most transfer to the subway), many of whom are immigrants from foreign countries with limited English proficiency. A native English-speaking person should have no problem. At LaGuardia Airport the Q70 "LaGuardia Link" express shuttle bus provides a complimentary transfer to both the Jackson Heights intermodal bus-subway terminal and the Woodside railroad station. Both the Jackson Heights terminal and the Woodside station are fully accessible, and so the elevators at each ease maneuvering with baggage. At the Jackson Heights terminal, "E" and "F" subway trains quickly whisk passengers to the Eighth Avenue and Sixth Avenue subways, respectively, for $2.75. At the Woodside station, LIRR commuter trains travel non-stop to either Pennsylvania Station or Grand Central Terminal in about 10 minutes, for $5.00 off-peak, $9.00 peak. While this is not as simple as it can be at Newark Liberty International Airport, where a single Coach USA operates directly from the passenger terminals to several bus stops along 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan, changing from an express shuttle bus to the subway or commuter train is neither complicated nor difficult. As for those people who do not routinely use public transportation--or who cannot understand English-- then starting out doing so in New York City might be daunting. But there are not that many adults who have gone through life without having learned how to ride a bus or train! For those few people, and for those who want a car instead, then there are plenty of taxis, TNC vehicles, and black cars. Simply put, LaGuardia Airport is not significantly more or less convenient than the other New York City airport, with respect to accessibility to the various parts of Manhattan.

It is true that the tourist circuit in New York City is centered on Manhattan, so if those are the sights that you're seeking visit, staying in Manhattan is most convenient (albeit at a price). A very quick geography note. The cardinal directions "north" and "south" are not used as much in Manhattan as are"uptown" and "downtown." Downtown, also known as lower Manhattan or sometimes referred to as Wall Street, is the oldest part of New York, has many tourist sights, and is the financial center of the city. Midtown, not quite the center of Manhattan but generally between 23rd Street and 59th Street, became the commercial center, and it, too, has many tourist sights. There are fewer tourist sights uptown, and commerce tends to be more local. All of this said, there is no single "best" place to stay, at least absent a definitive singular place you want to visit. Manhattan is compact enough, and public transportation, by bus and subway, is so quick and easy, one can readily stay almost anyplace and have convenience. Times Square is filled with tourists, Broadway theatres, and hucksters, and it is convenient if traveling by bus because the Port Authority Bus Terminal is one block away. There are a few places that might be a bit out of the way, but not many. If you're traveling by cruise vessel, then staying on the west side of midtown Manhattan would be most convenient in heading to and from the cruise vessel. But again, no single "best" place to stay.

There is no local public transportation to the Cape Liberty Cruise Port, and absent a very ambitious walk, you're going to have to rely upon hiring a driver and vehicle to take you from "The Crossing" to the cruise terminal. The city franchises taxis, and there are TNC vehicles; given the very short distance involved--less than three miles--the fare should be quite reasonable . . . perhaps $10 or so.

The line's use of "BWI" does seem to be a bit unusual. There's two city codes used for two of the main intercity passenger terminals serving Baltimore: BWI, applicable to Baltimore Washington International Airport, and BAL, applicable to Baltimore Pennsylvania Station. Amtrak and MARC use both stations. Of course, commercial airlines use only the airport as their station for Baltimore. Royal Caribbean does not utilize either Baltimore Washington International Airport or to Pennsylvania Station, but rather uses the Maryland Cruise Terminal. The cruise terminal is on the periphery of downtown Baltimore, and is much closer to Pennsylvania Station (which was also built on the periphery of downtown Baltimore, albeit on the opposite side of the city center). It would seem to be more sensible for Royal Caribbean to label the Maryland Cruise Terminal as BAL, given both the geography as well as to avoid confusion with the airport. My suspicion is that the people in charge at Royal Caribbean are not too knowledgeable about transportation generally, and simply chose the code BWI hastily, probably based on prejudice favoring airports, and thus causing the confusion noted here, at least among some cruise line passengers.

I think that you're asking about bodegas, which are omnipresent throughout New York City. The closest to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is on Van Brunt Street, southeast corner of Pioneer Street, the equivalent of a three-block walk from the terminal (walk east along Pioneer Street). Other nearby options are the well-stocked Food Bazaar (formerly Fairway) supermarket, located at the foot of Van Brunt Street, about eight locks of Pioneer Street. Additionally, there is an Ikea store three blocks east of the Food Bazaar, on Beard Street, where a number of imported Swedish snack foods might be purchased (there's also a restaurant there, serving modestly-priced meals, including the meatballs with lingonberries for which the store has become well-known). Finally, if you need a drug store, there is Nates Pharmacy on Van Brunt Street, Wolcott Street and Dikeman Street, about about 3-1/2 blocks south of Pioneer Street. The pharmacy would be good if you're need of drug store supplies (e.g., aspirin), but don't expect any snack foods . . . it is a store for buying pharmaceuticals. The total distance between the cruise terminal and Ikea (being the most distant of the locations mentioned) is one mile, and so if you have already checked-in your baggage at the cruise terminal, you could make a pleasant stroll from the cruise terminal, to visit these locales, before embarking on the vessel. With these places there should be plenty of choices. It is a very pedestrian-friendly area with a burgeoning arts community, and a delight to visit. Explore the marvelous old warehouse buildings that comprise and surround the Food Bazaar. I have been meaning to visit the Hometown BBQ, on Van Brunt Street at Reed Street, a distinctive and well-regard place. There is just so much of interest in this area these days. Just be certain to bring your own grocery bags . . . New York law has largely eliminated to convenience of storesproviding bags for purchased goods.

If Newport itself does not have much of interest to you, then you could spend the day in the larger city of Providence. From the Gateway transportation center, immediately north of Perrotti Park where tenders leave passengers, bus route 60 goes directly into Providence. About every 30 minutes, travel time about 1 hour 15 minutes, $2.00 each way (half-fare for elderly and disabled). http://www.ripta.com/routes/60

No, you are not scheduled to travel by railroad from Denali. Rather, your train departs from Talkeetna. There are several trains that stop at the Talkeena station, and also at the McKinley station located immediately outside of Talkeetna. The train at 5:00 p.m. is the "Denali Star," operated by the Alaska Railroad. It is scheduled to arrive in Anchorage at 8:00 p.m. There are two types of "deluxe dome" cars carried on this train. There is an Alaska Railroad "Ultra Dome" car, as well as a Premier Alaska Tours "Ultra Dome" car (which is marketed as the "Wilderness Express"). The two cars are similar, but not identical, with a meal included in the Alaska Railroad car and a meal available for purchase in the Premier Alaska Tours car. Note that this same train will have departed Denali at 12:30 p.m., but for some reason the tour operator is transporting its clients from Denali to Talkeetna by bus instead of by train (perhaps in order to fit in the visit to a dog kennel).

There is no public transportation that boards passengers at the hotel itself, and there is some of the worst possible pedestrian access to the nearest public transportation. You're likely best served by either using the hotel's courtesy transportation to the airport for a transfer (e.g., Coach USA airport bus to Port Authority Bus Terminal, AirTrain + New Jersey Transit commuter train to Pennsylvania Station), or engage a for-hire vehicle direct from the hotel to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Remaining in Atlantic City, instead of spending a night in Elizabeth, is a practicable alternative. Depending on the location of the particular rental company, there might be public transportation from that location direct to midtown Manhattan.

I assume that you're staying in Elizabeth, rather than Manhattan, in order to save some money. Depending on the particular hotel in Elizabeth, it might be practicable to use public transportation for the journey to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, and possibly save a few dollars compared to the cost of private transportation. Which hotel? Otherwise, there are many for-hire vehicles (taxis, TNC vehicles, black cars, etc.) for which others can provide sound advice.

I am a bit unclear as to what happened. Is it that Via Rail Canada employees offered the opportunity to check baggage, or to utilize red cap service, while in the queue? It can be cumbersome at Gare Centrale to walk down the stairs with baggage onto the platform. Or is it that Via Rail Canada employees refused to allow you board the train unless you surrendered your baggage to them? The expression "checked baggage" is a legal term with particular meaning. It is the surrendering of one's baggage to the carrier, the carrier's transportation of that baggage, the delivery of the baggage to the passenger at the endpoint of the journey, and the acceptance of liability by the carrier for delay or damage to the baggage while in the carrier's custody. The use of checked baggage service is subject to various contract provisions, typically including the prohibition of certain items as checked baggage. In these cases, passengers have a duty to retain these baggage items on their person, and not to check them. Additionally, there is "red cap" service (sometimes referred to as "skycap" service within commercial aviation), and it constitutes a different legal term. A red cap will take custody of baggage and transporting that baggage within a station.Most frequently red caps transport the un-checked baggage of passengers to and from trains, with the un-checked baggage being stored in open and accessible racks in a passenger coach. The limit of liability is typically much lower for red cap service compared to checked baggage service. In any case, however, passengers should be able to refuse to check baggage, or to use red cap service, and passengers have a duty not to do so if the baggage contains prohibited items. If the carrier requires baggage to be taken by it, as a condition for transportation, and in doing so the carrier insists on taking prohibited items or items in excess of its normal baggage liability, then it might be argued that the carrier has waived its baggage contract rights with respect to prohibited items and liability limits. (In years past, I would hand off my baggage to a red cap at Gare Centrale in the morning--sometimes after having returned from a ski trip in the Laurentian mountains and having skis and boots as part of the baggage--and then leave for a few more errands in and around central Montréal. When returning to the station at train departure time, I would walk down the stairs onto the platform, board the train, and all of my baggage will have already been stored on the overhead racks by the red cap. Upon arrival at Pennsylvania Station in New York, I would request an Amtrak red cap to take my skis and other baggage up and over to the LIRR platforms, and store the baggage on the LIRR train. Alas, Via Rail Canada decided to lay off its red caps about ten years ago, and I am not entirely certain what red caps services are presently being offered by Via Rail Canada, if any.)

While some might have done so, most drivers were happy with the wages and benefits they received from Command Bus Company (notwithstanding their claims otherwise during contract negotiations). The service operated by Command Bus Company was subsidized by the City of New York, both as to the fare and the provision of buses to operate the service. Operating vans was competitive, required capital investment (or at least payment for vehicle leases), frequently the target of police department harassment, and in the end not particularly lucrative.

Most of the drivers for Command Bus Company were hired on by MTA Bus Company . . . same routes, same drivers. That said, since the change, MTA Bus Company has hired many new drivers. The hiring process was changed. Command Bus Company used its discretion, within the limits of employment law, to hire drivers, while MTA Bus Company uses a civil service system, including written examinations, to hire drivers. Thus, new driver quality may have changed.