Sydney Canada Tours (HAL)/private

[Jade13]

Any suggestions on what to do in Sydney?

 

Ideally we would like a half day in the morning. I am interested in going to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. DH does not want to rent a car (HAL's tour is too late, I think leaving at 11:30am). Someone else said to go to the Fortress of Louisbourg.

 

Any suggestions or recommendations on a driver? We will only use someone who takes cash that day.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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Baddeck & the Alexander Graham Bell Museum Moderate ActivityLimited Capacity

Price Price $59

Duration Approximately 4 Hours

Description

 

Travel to the beautiful resort village of Baddeck, situated on an inlet of the lovely Bras d’Or Lakes. It is here that Alexander Graham Bell spent the last 37 years of his life, and you’ll visit the Alexander Graham Bell Museum operated by Parks Canada, which does full justice to the outstanding accomplishments of the man best known for the invention of the telephone, and remarkable contributions in the fields of medicine, genetics, electricity, sound and speech, as well as aeronautics and marine engineering. The museum itself is architecturally striking, as its design is based on the tetrahedron form Bell used for his flight test kites. It houses an extensive collection of Bell artifacts contributed by the Bell family. On the picturesque 45-mile drive to Baddeck, you will see Boulanderie Island, the Seal Island Bridge, Kelly’s Mountain and St. Ann’s Bay.

 

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Relive History at the Fortress of Louisbourg Moderate ActivityLimited Capacity

Price Price $69

Duration Approximately 3¾ Hours

Description

 

Mingle with period-costumed interpreters portraying historic characters as you step back in time to 1744 at the Fortress of Louisbourg. Meticulously restored to its original appearance, Louisbourg is Canada’s most ambitious attempt to recall the past relationship between France and the American Colonies, and is the flagship of the Parks Canada system. Your visit is in two parts, beginning with a 45-minute guided outside walking tour of the restored buildings (including the Chateau St Louis with its beautiful furniture, tapestries and paintings). The balance of time (approximately 1½ hours) is free to explore this fascinating site on your own. Come live the excitement of a day in 1744 as you stroll the lively streets, perhaps stopping for a snack or meandering through the gardens. Re-enactments erupt at every turn as you explore the city, admiring the many buildings furnished to period or browsing through the myriad of exhibits.

 

Notes

 

Considerable walking is involved. Wear sturdy walking shoes and dress warmly. Bring s jacket or windbreaker. This tour is not recommended for persons with special mobility needs or wheelchairs. This excursion does not operate in May.

 

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Sailing on the Bras d'Or Lakes Easy ActivityLimited Capacity

Price Price $149

Duration Approximately 4 Hours

Description

 

Sail away to "where the only sound you hear is the wind in your sails." You are invited to join the Amoeba for a sailing experience as unforgettable as Cape Breton’s Bras d’Or Lakes. Bras d’Or is an inland sea forming the heart shape of Cape Breton Island. The pristine waters cover one third of the island, to a depth of over 900 feet, the deepest saltwater lake in Nova Scotia. After a one-hour drive from the ship to Baddeck, sail on the Bras d’Or Lakes on the deck of the 67-foot staysail schooner, the Amoeba. View Alexander Graham Bell’s stately mansion, Beinn Bhreagh. Watch for bald eagles in their natural setting, and aAfter your sailing experience, you will have free time to visit the resort Village of Baddeck.

The Medallion Collection is a series of exclusive experiences offering unparalleled access to events and sights not normally readily available. First-class style, smaller groups, multi-day Overland Adventures-elite activities for a privileged few.

Notes Dress warmly; bring a jacket or windbreaker. This excursion does not operate in May.

[Jade13]

You'd get the best bang for your buck by getting a local compamy to do thi for you try Unique charters @ 902 849 0863 or Tartan Tours @ tartantours.guided-tours.ca hope this helps

 

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Tartan Tours the one with all the bad reviews. The ship didn't dock and the owner has refused to any refund.

 

We won't pay in advance with any private driver for this type of tour and only in the rare instances when the venue being visited requires payment up front (such as swimming with Dolphins, Tiger Temple in Thailand exclusive morning and so forth).

 

Do any of these companies have a web site? I think both Louisburg and the museum will be too much for one day with a 4:00pm departure. We would want to be back by 2:30pm.

 

Also, is the town in walking distance to where the ship (Maasdam) docks?

[maryann ns]

The ship docks right in Sydney near the main streets, but you really want to get outside the city.

 

Go to Louisbourg or Baddeck. Take a drive along the Bras D'or Lakes. The scenery is spectacular. Then come back on a land tour to drive the famous Cabot Trail.

 

One cruiser had a bad experience with Tartan. I never pay in advance.

[travelbig]

One cruiser had a bad experience with Tartan. I never pay in advance.

 

I was e-mailing with 2 people who were having trouble with Diane at Tartan Tours in 2009. So, I imagine there were many more who we just don't know about. The problem was when a ship didn't make it to port because of weather conditions. That happens sometimes with Sydney. Last year Diane was asking for a deposit to be paid with an International Money Order. When the ship didn't make the port, the passenger got in touch with her promptly and Diane said she would refund most of the deposit minus a fee, but she didn't refund anything. She now takes a credit card number to hold the tour, and doesn't ask for money up front. I don't know what her policy is now for missing the port. Our ship did dock in Sydney. We had beautiful weather and a wonderful tour with Diane.

[Jade13]

The ship docks right in Sydney near the main streets, but you really want to get outside the city.

 

Go to Louisbourg or Baddeck. Take a drive along the Bras D'or Lakes. The scenery is spectacular. Then come back on a land tour to drive the famous Cabot Trail.

 

One cruiser had a bad experience with Tartan. I never pay in advance.

 

We decided to go to Louisbourg in the morning. I a now trying to find out what is in walking distance to the ship for when we get back.

[Jade13]

I was e-mailing with 2 people who were having trouble with Diane at Tartan Tours in 2009. So, I imagine there were many more who we just don't know about. The problem was when a ship didn't make it to port because of weather conditions. That happens sometimes with Sydney. Last year Diane was asking for a deposit to be paid with an International Money Order. When the ship didn't make the port, the passenger got in touch with her promptly and Diane said she would refund most of the deposit minus a fee, but she didn't refund anything. She now takes a credit card number to hold the tour, and doesn't ask for money up front. I don't know what her policy is now for missing the port. Our ship did dock in Sydney. We had beautiful weather and a wonderful tour with Diane.

 

Did you go on the tour after the passengers who did not receive their refunds? With few exceptions we pay in cash that day. I would never use a company with multiple people who posted who were told they would receive a refund but never did. I can understand the fee to cover a charge if the operator would be loosing that money in the transaction/exchange.

 

What is the companies policy if the ship does not dock? I always get it in writing that we will not owe any money as we wouldn't if we took a ships tour.

[travelbig]

Did you go on the tour after the passengers who did not receive their refunds? With few exceptions we pay in cash that day. I would never use a company with multiple people who posted who were told they would receive a refund but never did. I can understand the fee to cover a charge if the operator would be loosing that money in the transaction/exchange.

 

What is the companies policy if the ship does not dock? I always get it in writing that we will not owe any money as we wouldn't if we took a ships tour.

 

I had already booked our tour with Diane before all this happened with the other ships not making the port. My deposit had already been paid, just like theirs. If my ship had not made the port, I would've been in the same situation as them. This was terrible publicity for Tartan Tours, but she has changed her policy in regard to a deposit. I still don't know, however, what her policy is if the ship misses the port. I have read on these threads about it happening because of the weather. Probably depends on whether the ship has azipods too. This same cruise of ours we did miss Cornerbrook because of high winds. The ship did not have azipods and the captain would not risk damage to the ship.