still cold first of May

[Thoth]

I'm leaving from Montreal on 7 May. I understand that the average high in Montreal for May is in the 60's F. Right now it still looks like winter is hanging around.

I'm hoping 3 weeks makes a huge difference !!!

[Urban trekker]

It`s not just that area - there was some snowfall around both Seattle and Vancouver yesterday - spring is taking it`s time arriving on the west coast as well.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[fergusonvt]

I'm leaving from Montreal on 7 May. I understand that the average high in Montreal for May is in the 60's F. Right now it still looks like winter is hanging around.

I'm hoping 3 weeks makes a huge difference !!!

 

 

We are about 1/2 hour south of Montreal and its only 39F right now. The historical average for that time period is low to mid 60's.

[c.jenelle]

Oh we are in for a treat. I leave on May 7th as well!

[Thoth]

Oh we are in for a treat. I leave on May 7th as well!

 

I'm packing some warm cloths for sure. Those shorts are staying at home.

[LiftLockCouple]

No, you will not need your shorts in May but you could have very pleasant weather perhaps only requiring a light jacket. Your itinerary is very nice.I spent 10 years as a child / teen on PEI, still a favourite place for me to return to. The other ports are all favourites for different reasons. Have a great cruise.

[Thoth]

No, you will not need your shorts in May but you could have very pleasant weather perhaps only requiring a light jacket. Your itinerary is very nice.I spent 10 years as a child / teen on PEI, still a favourite place for me to return to. The other ports are all favourites for different reasons. Have a great cruise.

thank you for the encouragement. I do look forward to that trip. This being my second New England/Canada cruise and I have to say that I found the people of the Maritime provinces to be the nicest out of 11 cruises.

[LiftLockCouple]

We are hoping for warm weather here in south eastern Ontario as well. Our son is to be married on May 7. I really don't want to be shivering while they take the pictures !! I took the liberty of checking your roll call and see you are planning to go to Fortess Louisburg. I have been there once, maybe 10 or more years ago, it is my favourite Canadian historic location. It seems like a strange out of the way place to build a fortified town but I discovered there was a very good reason for the French to build it. We were there in July so the staff were all there. The scale of the reconstruction and history is very interesting. I'm sure it will be cool while you are there. It was just in the high 60's or low 70's in July the year we were there.

[Thoth]

We are hoping for warm weather here in south eastern Ontario as well. Our son is to be married on May 7. I really don't want to be shivering while they take the pictures !! I took the liberty of checking your roll call and see you are planning to go to Fortess Louisburg. I have been there once, maybe 10 or more years ago, it is my favourite Canadian historic location. It seems like a strange out of the way place to build a fortified town but I discovered there was a very good reason for the French to build it. We were there in July so the staff were all there. The scale of the reconstruction and history is very interesting. I'm sure it will be cool while you are there. It was just in the high 60's or low 70's in July the year we were there.

I was surprised Louisbourg was available, but apparently it is since I booked the "Forge & Military" program via HAL's website. From what I heard it normally only opened in June.

When I booked the cruise, I had hoped to visit the Cabot trail, but later learned that the trail isn't an easy day trip from Sydney...evidently. I think they do a shore excursion from Sydney which largely is a token gesture.

Louisbourg should be great, and no....I don't expect a warm day.

[LiftLockCouple]

It looks like you are correct. I went to the Fortress website and you appear to be there a few days before the first opening. I'm sure you will find it very interesting. I enjoy history so would find it enjoyable even without all the summer staff there. I visit the Maritimes every year for family but have yet to go around the Cabot Trail. Had time to get to Sydney and Fortress Louisburg several years ago but didn't get to the trail. It is still on the bucket list. It is just far enough distant from where we are normally that it hasn't yet happened. I guess the cruise passengers have the same problem ( time ) in Sydney getting to the Cabot Trail. Maybe in the future one of the lines will make a point of staying for 12 or more hours to allow the passengers to see more of the area. We were in Skagway Alaska in 2009 for 13 hours which gave the passenegers time to get around.

 

Wayne

[Thoth]

It looks like you are correct. I went to the Fortress website and you appear to be there a few days before the first opening. I'm sure you will find it very interesting. I enjoy history so would find it enjoyable even without all the summer staff there. I visit the Maritimes every year for family but have yet to go around the Cabot Trail. Had time to get to Sydney and Fortress Louisburg several years ago but didn't get to the trail. It is still on the bucket list. It is just far enough distant from where we are normally that it hasn't yet happened. I guess the cruise passengers have the same problem ( time ) in Sydney getting to the Cabot Trail. Maybe in the future one of the lines will make a point of staying for 12 or more hours to allow the passengers to see more of the area. We were in Skagway Alaska in 2009 for 13 hours which gave the passenegers time to get around.

 

Wayne

I'm a Wayne too. Skagway...that was a great port. White Pass Railroad was perhaps the best shore excursion ever. Canada/New England is second only to Alaska as my favorite cruise. The Caribbean can be nice, but every island gets to look like the same beaches and t-shirt shops.

[Thoth]

Today I recived an e-mail that the "Forge & Military" tour has been canceled.

Why would the cruiseline sell a "living history" tour knowing that such programs don't start until June ?

They refunded my money and now I had to pick another tour.

Louisbourg is open in ....June.

Cape Briton National Park facilities...June

Highland Village at Bras D'or Lakes...June

Keltic Lodge...opens June.

 

After calling HAL they assured me that this tour to Louisbourg is a ...GO.

Even though the tour description clearly states..."this tour does not operate in May" HUH ??

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-destinations/ExcursionDetails.action?excursionCode=1265&portCode=YQY&destCode=N&requestSource=shoreExcursions

 

They told me the same thing about Forge & Military also....then cancelled it.

?

Anyway, I'm giving this second ( no living history ) tour a chance.

[Thoth]

I just returned from my Canada/New England cruise.

If it isn't raining, one should be fine. It rained all day while in Sydney.

Montreal, Quebec City, and Halifax had tolerable weather. It was a very windy day on Prince Edward Island.

The Maritimes and Quebec in May are coldish, but well worth the cost saved as compared to the far more expensive summer and fall.

[LiftLockCouple]

welcome back Wayne. Sorry to hear about the rain in Sydney and the wind on PEI. I lived on PEI for 10 years as a youth so know the wind well. Were you able to enjoy Lousiburg at all given the weather? Here in South eastern Ontario it has been raining off and on for 3 days with another 5 of the same forecast.

Wayne

[Thoth]

welcome back Wayne. Sorry to hear about the rain in Sydney and the wind on PEI. I lived on PEI for 10 years as a youth so know the wind well. Were you able to enjoy Lousiburg at all given the weather? Here in South eastern Ontario it has been raining off and on for 3 days with another 5 of the same forecast.

Wayne

Thanks !

I most certainly enjoyed the interior parts of Louisbourg, by meeting these 18'th century characters. It was just too wet to see anything outside.

The Anne of Green Gables farm was very nice. Where the winds got to me at PEI was at the nearby national park. All part of the fun, I guess.