New England/Canada cruise????

[BuddyBee]

We just returned last week from this cruise and loved everything about it. In fact, we considered booking again for next year, but we have an out of state family wedding and that may have to be our vacation.

 

We felt the Summit was in excellent condition. We originally sailed on her when she was quite new and shiny. She is showing her age a bit, but is still lovely and well kept. We particularly like the size and layout of the M Class ships.

 

As far as Fall color, the best we saw was outside of Quebec. As someone else stated, that can vary year to year. I would tend to think that the last cruise would be the best chance, but you never know.

 

Regarding Corner Brook - we didn't take any shore excursions, but I saw pictures from others that did and they were exceptional. We also spoke to someone who walked the trails around the lake and said it was wonderful. However, I don't think Celebrity goes there next year.

 

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the age of the passengers of these particular Fall cruises. Because it is after the time that most schools are in session, and because of the length of the cruise, most of the passengers will be older and retired. That doesn't reflect anything about the cruise, the ship, or the passengers, just a bit of information in case it matters to you.

 

Our opinion - Highly Recommended!

[Iamthesea]

Buddybee - We sail next Fall on October 4th....the last cruise. What was your sail out date?

[BuddyBee]

Buddybee - We sail next Fall on October 4th....the last cruise. What was your sail out date?

We sailed September 20 to October 5.

[CruisingChick]

We've done this cruise 7 times, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 and then just last week we got off Summit on 10/5.

 

We love this itinerary. We love being on the ship for 2 weeks and visiting all the different ports. If you want foliage go October 4th, if you want warmer weather go earlier. 5 of our cruises were in October. Last year we did September 7 cruise and this year we did September 21st cruise. This last cruise by far we had the best overall weather of all 7 cruises. Didn't see that much foliage, but that's okay because we live in CT and see it all the time.

 

Anne Maria

[vickila]

We have done this 3 times. Prefer warmer weather. Just a quick comment. No matter when you take it, you see no foilage from the ship...only on land tours. Honestly as a New Yorker, nothing beats Vermont for seeing color. Great cruise though and Quebec is the highlight. Enjoy. Vicki

[midwestchick]

We just returned last week from this cruise and loved everything about it. In fact, we considered booking again for next year, but we have an out of state family wedding and that may have to be our vacation.

 

We felt the Summit was in excellent condition. We originally sailed on her when she was quite new and shiny. She is showing her age a bit, but is still lovely and well kept. We particularly like the size and layout of the M Class ships.

 

As far as Fall color, the best we saw was outside of Quebec. As someone else stated, that can vary year to year. I would tend to think that the last cruise would be the best chance, but you never know.

 

Regarding Corner Brook - we didn't take any shore excursions, but I saw pictures from others that did and they were exceptional. We also spoke to someone who walked the trails around the lake and said it was wonderful. However, I don't think Celebrity goes there next year.

 

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the age of the passengers of these particular Fall cruises. Because it is after the time that most schools are in session, and because of the length of the cruise, most of the passengers will be older and retired. That doesn't reflect anything about the cruise, the ship, or the passengers, just a bit of information in case it matters to you.

 

We are not "spring chickens" ourselves, but somehow we don't consider ourselves old...age is just a number, right? ;)

For those of us who like to imbibe occasionally, we should be able to hold our alcohol ;) and there shouldn't be any crying babies....at least, I hope not.

Corner Brook is not on our itinerary, which I posted earlier on page 1 of this thread.

I do like reading all of the positive comments. No one has mentioned rough seas so I take it that it's a pretty smooth sailing.

 

Our opinion - Highly Recommended!

 

Like.

[ariawoman]

I sailed this itinerary on 10/5/2013 and was indeed the youngest on the ship (at age 39 LOL) and was asked by several passengers if i "meant to book this trip".

 

I loved the combo of sea days/port days. I always feel like I don't get enough sea time but this was good. Foliage wasn't good my year but being from NJ, it wasn't a big deal I suppose. This year i'd guess the foliage is doing better with the temps dropping earlier.

 

I am considering this run again in the next few years.

[warmwinds]

We're in our 60s and we were some of the young 'uns!

 

Lovely itinerary. We also missed out on Corner Brook - we had tours booked but cancelled when my leg was bothering me - was going to sit on the bus for 7 hours to Gros Morne PP and just couldn't do it, so when that happened there were no other alternatives available, so I do feel I missed out on my one and only chance to see Newfoundland beyond the dock. But your cruise doesn't go there so no matter...

 

And yes, crystal calm seas for us (that is not always the case, I recall reading about a year or two ago about an X cruise in I believe Bar Harbor that had a terrible time with the tenders because the weather was so bad).

 

It's a cruise we'd gladly do again.

[Clearwater123]

1 week back from Canada/New England cruise on the Summit.LOVED it. I'm from Wa State and our 1st time to all the ports. Met many people that live on the East Coast and take this trip over and over. Can't say enough good about the itiniary and crew of the Summit.

Clearwater 123

[Sloop-JohnB]

I grew up in Maple Country... So here is a bit of info you might find helpful

 

Leaf Colour tends to happen in the 4 week window between mid September & mid October in this part of Canada & New England.

 

Timing for the change in foliage is based on 3 elements... Latitude, Altitude & Weather. So the further north, or higher altitappend hold happen earlier... But it is not easy to predict as the 3rd element WEATHER is the thing that year to year is the unknown factor

 

So one year the colour change maycome to the Mountains of New England before the further north areas in Canada... And another year later depending on the weather... precipitation, sunlight, and frost all play key roles in leaf change... Sort of the reverse process for the maple trees (the most colorful leaf changers... Yellows, Oranges, Bright Reds) that they go thru in the Spring when the sap comes up the tree from the roots... Vs now flowing down

 

This year we have had a very warm Fall... With many sunny days and little rain (no big hurricanes making their way up the Atlantic Seaboard)... And the nights have been warmer too, so frost has not been hard.

 

Hence leaf colour has been relatively slow

 

Areas that normally would be ablaze late September, are just there now (2 weeks later)

 

My best advice...

 

The East Coast of the US & Canada, and these surrounding great waterways are beautiful (and historically fascinating) so just book the cruise and go as there is much worthwhile to see / do

 

If you really want to GUARANTEE the experience of Fall Foliage then plan a land trip here you can easily drive from region to region to see "the best of show" when it is happening. A Fall Vacation can be a glorious thing in this part of the country (and feel a heck of a lot warmer than being on a cruise ship in open water... Which can be quite windy & damp)

 

Cheers!

Edited October 13, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[zelker]

Best lobstah in the world is at Ryer's which is near Peggy's Cove. Rent a car in Halifax, and drive. Thank me later.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g635951-d2252615-Reviews-Ryer_Lobsters-Indian_Harbour_Halifax_Regional_Municipality_Nova_Scotia.html#photos

 

Happy Sails to You

 

OOOEEE :D:D Bob and Phyl

 

We'll second that vote for Ryer's! We were just there two weeks ago. We rented a car in Halifax, drove to Mahone Bay and Lunenberg first, then stopped at Ryer's and Peggy's Cove on the way back to Halifax ... easy as pie and so much nicer than any ship excursion!

[zelker]

We did something similar with another line. Late September so trees not yet in glorious coour but still it was an outstanding cruise and anyone not impressed by the scenery must be pretty hard to please. The only thing more scenic in my experience is Norway.

 

The only drawback? We stopped at Corner Brook, which was an itinerary change and was massively underwhelming. Probably the worst stop we've ever had, but probably not on your itinerary so all the rest - Quebec, Bar Harbor, Halifax, etc. etc. are great.

 

We were just in Corner Brook and must respectfully disagree with your assessment. We rented a car and drove part way into the Gros Morne National Park - lovely fall colors starting, gorgeous vistas, and very much reminded us of home (Colorado). Then we backtracked towards Corner Brook and drove along the north shore of the Bay of Islands to Cox's Cove to see the lovely waterfall (it was just us and a local couple and their dog there ... truly lovely). And those that we talked to who stayed around the town itself said they really enjoyed it and the people couldn't have been more welcoming.

[zelker]

....thanks for the tips. I'll be certain the check into the car rental.

 

We rented a car in every port except Bar Harbor where we utilized the free Island Explorer bus around Acadia National Park. We got away from the cities/ports and really explored each area ... and saw a lot of nice fall colors along the way, too. Many locals we met were surprised we had ventured out on our own to explore and we learned a lot about places we would have never discovered had we been stuck on a ship tour.

 

Cars were easy to rent ahead of time (all the major US rental agencies have offices in these ports and they except US drivers licenses and allow waiving insurance if your credit card offers it). They weren't expensive, gas stations were close to rental drop offs, there were afterhours drops if necessary, and some companies offered pier pick-up - it was all very easy. Highly recommend checking into it. We think it made this itinerary all that more special but then we like to be independent and on our own schedule whenever possible.

[midwestchick]

I am totally loving everyone's experiences.

I can't believe after a totally wonderful, port intensive and somewhat exhausting but exhilarating cruise, that I'm actually looking at booking another one.

One of my concerns was would this be ho-hum after seeing beautiful Europe.

Maybe I should just take the plunge and make that phone call to my TA.

[Texed]

I grew up in Maple Country..

Cheers!

 

Maple! That reminds me of pure maple syrup. And, pure maple syrup, reminds me of WAFFLES! ;)

[bvm49]

Maple! That reminds me of pure maple syrup. And, pure maple syrup, reminds me of WAFFLES! ;)

 

We're also addicted to waffles (or pancakes) covered in maple sauce.

 

We had a funny experience on the VIA from Vancouver. We ordered pancakes for breakfast on the train but when they arrived there wasn't any maple syrup. When we asked where it was; they replied that they were out of maple syrup:eek:. We replied; But this is Canada!

[ChucktownSteve]

Anyway, in case you didn't know, there can be a world of difference between live lobster and FRESH live lobsters.

 

The live lobsters have a five o'clock shadow while the FRESH live lobsters are still smooth shaven? :D

[hurwitz5]

We have done the Canada/New England cruise 3 times on 3 different cruise lines (Cunard, Princess and NCL). We have sailed early September, late September and late October. We found that it was too cold for us when we cruised on the last sailing in late October and would not sail again at that time. The temperature is milder in September, and are considering sailing on the Summit next September. We live in New Jersey, so we see plenty of fall foliage, so cruising for that reason isn't that important to us.

[espo56]

This is a cruise that has interesed me for a while. I've been looking at several cruise lines that offer the itinerary but did notice X has a nice 14 day cruise on the Summit next fall, which seems to have limited availability for the stateroom category I want.

For those of you who have done this, can you share you experiences? Good, bad, indifferent? Also, did any of you do any touring in NYC prior or after the cruise? Thank you in advance for your insights.

 

I did this itinerary this September. The ports were lovely. I went with 10 other couple and we had a nice time. However, the average age on the cruise was about 78 and as a result entertainment and activities were geared to a much older group. I am a very friendly and out going person and did not find people on this cruise to be friendly probably because of the age gap. We were also bored on the 5 seas days since we could not use the outdoor pool and daytime activitied were limited. If you are not 70 or older you might be bored. Also the Summit is an older ship and is showing its age.

Edited October 14, 2014 by espo56

[Sloop-JohnB]

We rented a car in every port except Bar Harbor where we utilized the free Island Explorer bus around Acadia National Park. We got away from the cities/ports and really explored each area ... and saw a lot of nice fall colors along the way, too. Many locals we met were surprised we had ventured out on our own to explore and we learned a lot about places we would have never discovered had we been stuck on a ship tour.

 

Cars were easy to rent ahead of time (all the major US rental agencies have offices in these ports and they except US drivers licenses and allow waiving insurance if your credit card offers it). They weren't expensive, gas stations were close to rental drop offs, there were afterhours drops if necessary, and some companies offered pier pick-up - it was all very easy. Highly recommend checking into it. We think it made this itinerary all that more special but then we like to be independent and on our own schedule whenever possible.

 

We'll second that vote for Ryer's! We were just there two weeks ago. We rented a car in Halifax, drove to Mahone Bay and Lunenberg first, then stopped at Ryer's and Peggy's Cove on the way back to Halifax ... easy as pie and so much nicer than any ship excursion!

 

Totally agree

 

Getting out into the countryside of all these ports is what makes them particularly special... Great scenery.

 

Mahone Bay, Lunenburg & Peggy's Cove (albeit this last one has become too commercial) are gorgeous parts of Nova Scotia.

 

Seafood is also delish. Lobster, Atlantic Salmon, Clams, Mussels (from PEI - Prince Edward Island) are local faves as well as known worldwide

 

New Brunswick & especially Quebec are known for their Maple Syrup & Blueberries

 

The old rule applies... When ashore eat local

 

Hope this helps,

 

Cheers!

[Sloop-JohnB]

We're also addicted to waffles (or pancakes) covered in maple sauce.

 

We had a funny experience on the VIA from Vancouver. We ordered pancakes for breakfast on the train but when they arrived there wasn't any maple syrup. When we asked where it was; they replied that they were out of maple syrup:eek:. We replied; But this is Canada!

 

Sounds weird, but actually makes sense as Maple Syrup is in fact "a crop"

 

So there is only so much available each season

 

And like I said previously about Maple foliage... All of this ties into weather. If the weather is not perfect in the transition from Winter to Spring then production will be down (ie one example, Spring comes on quickly... With one big heat wave... Then the sap moves up the tree very rapidly days vs weeks, and the buds open and leaves happen. Bad Maple Syrup Season...)

 

So ya in a bad season, there will be less syrup available... It will therefore cost more, and be gone quicker

 

Hope this helps,

 

Cheers!

[midwestchick]

I now have a new countdown ticker. :D :)

[Safety Squirrel]

Went on this cruise - Sept 21 - Oct 5, 2014. Weather was very good with exception of one day (Quebec City), however, I live in Canada so thought the weather was great whereas those from Florida, California, Texas etc. thought it was chilly. This cruise certainly had a more 'mature' crowd than on past cruises.

 

As several posters have said, the colour of the leaves depends on many things. If booking again, would pick the second cruise in September hoping for better weather than in early October.

 

Re your question regarding New York City. we did two tours - one a bus tour and one a private tour due to the fact that the person I was travelling with could not walk for long distances. On the private tour, driver picked us up at hotel and then met our guide in New York who was with us for seven hours. If you do not mind a private tour being more expensive - would highly recommend it. Had a SUV and driver could get close to many places that the big tour buses could not. Also -- we planned the itinerary so we saw what we wanted and stopped to walk, get pictures etc. where we asked. Skipped the Statue of Liberty until the bus tour as we felt (and also the guide) that spending time going through security several times was actually a waste of our time on a private tour. (line-ups at the Statue of Liberty were long and sometimes security, slow as there were many tour buses).

 

If you are able to walk - there are lots of places where you can walk and also public transportation to get to other sights.

 

As we cannot post or recommend tour operators on the CC board - just Google New York tours and several will come up. You can then look at what they offer and some recommendations/reviews on the various companies.

 

Did ship excursions and one excursion which TA 'comped' us in Quebec City. As usual, ship excursions were expensive but they mainly were very good. The few private tours that were organized on our roll call were filled up quickly. Many rented cars or just walked into the various cities/towns.

 

On this sailing staff were excellent.:) I thought the ship was in good condition; however, I do not go around looking for rust on balconies, decks. Ship was always clean and staff were seen cleaning everywhere.

 

Would certainly recommend this cruise and as I prefer to sail on Celebrity, would take this cruise in the future.

[gold1953]

Totally agree

 

Getting out into the countryside of all these ports is what makes them particularly special... Great scenery.

 

Mahone Bay, Lunenburg & Peggy's Cove (albeit this last one has become too commercial) are gorgeous parts of Nova Scotia.

 

Seafood is also delish. Lobster, Atlantic Salmon, Clams, Mussels (from PEI - Prince Edward Island) are local faves as well as known worldwide

 

New Brunswick & especially Quebec are known for their Maple Syrup & Blueberries

 

The old rule applies... When ashore eat local

 

Hey fellow Canuck... Nova Scotia is the blueberry capital of the world!!

[Iamthesea]

We sailed September 20 to October 5.

 

Thank you!

 

 

As we cannot post or recommend tour operators on the CC board - just Google New York tours and several will come up. You can then look at what they offer and some recommendations/reviews on the various companies.

.

 

You can post tour guide suggestions if someone is asking. I am asking. :D