New England Cruises 2016

[kura]

Does anyone know when the New England Itineraries for May 2016 will be released?

Many thanks

[BVsmurfette]

I asked the onboard future cruise consultant about New England when we were on the Eurodam last week. She said that she has no idea what's going on but they should have been announced by now and haven't been yet. She said she was expecting them "any day now." I know that's not much help, but that's all the info i could get!

 

Personally, we are hoping for more departures from NYC in 2016 bc that's were we live. All the 2015 new england cruises seem to be leaving from Boston (except 1 from NY).

[rkacruiser]

Based upon the 2015 Spring issue of Cruise Industry News, the information provided by the Director of Deployment and Itinerary Planning for HAL indicated that the current itineraries for New England/Canada are successful and will not be changed.

[sail7seas]

I asked the onboard future cruise consultant about New England when we were on the Eurodam last week. She said that she has no idea what's going on but they should have been announced by now and haven't been yet. She said she was expecting them "any day now." I know that's not much help, but that's all the info i could get!

 

Personally, we are hoping for more departures from NYC in 2016 bc that's were we live. All the 2015 new england cruises seem to be leaving from Boston (except 1 from NY).

 

 

 

I'm from Boston and love Maasdam sails from here. :) My late DH and I sailed many times on the wonderful Canada/NE itinerary, Boston to Montreal to Boston. :) I love I don't have to travel to board the ship close to home. :)

 

[HELENPSL]

I contacted my PCC just last week to ask the same question. She thought the itineraries would be released around June. We are looking for the trip that begins in Quebec City and ends in Fort Lauderdale. The one for 2015 is in October but I'm hoping they have another one in 2016 some time in the spring.

 

We are leaving on the Eurodam on April 26 so I will ask again when we're onboard.

 

Helen

[cruisersMandW]

I contacted my PCC just last week to ask the same question. She thought the itineraries would be released around June. We are looking for the trip that begins in Quebec City and ends in Fort Lauderdale. The one for 2015 is in October but I'm hoping they have another one in 2016 some time in the spring.

 

We are leaving on the Eurodam on April 26 so I will ask again when we're onboard.

 

Helen

 

Helen we did that itinerary last year in Oct. DH kept telling me not to get my hopes up on fall colors but QC was beautiful! Only a little rain in Boston & Portland= otherwise gorgeous. Also loved Halifax. Btw you're in PSL right? We live just south of you in HS. And we're disembarking Eurodam the day you board.

[david,Mississauga]

I'm from Boston and love Maasdam sails from here. :) My late DH and I sailed many times on the wonderful Canada/NE itinerary, Boston to Montreal to Boston. :) I love I don't have to travel to board the ship close to home. :)

 

 

Unless I'm reading the itineraries incorrectly, in summer season 2016 the Maasdam is doing fortnightly cruises to Alaska from Seattle.

[sppunk]

Unless I'm reading the itineraries incorrectly, in summer season 2016 the Maasdam is doing fortnightly cruises to Alaska from Seattle.

 

You aren't, she won't be doing the NE cruises in summer/fall 2016.

 

Edit: Veendam will be Boston-based then. Zuiderdam is taking over Eurodam's NY-QC trips.

Edited April 4, 2015 by sppunk

[Alberta Quilter]

I contacted my PCC just last week to ask the same question. She thought the itineraries would be released around June. We are looking for the trip that begins in Quebec City and ends in Fort Lauderdale. The one for 2015 is in October but I'm hoping they have another one in 2016 some time in the spring.

 

We are leaving on the Eurodam on April 26 so I will ask again when we're onboard.

 

Helen

 

Bolding mine - I hope you realize that the spring itineraries run fron FLL TO Quebec or Montreal, and not from Montreal/Quebec to FLL. Only the fall itineraries have the direction you want.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Alberta Quilter

[RuthC]

We are looking for the trip that begins in Quebec City and ends in Fort Lauderdale. The one for 2015 is in October but I'm hoping they have another one in 2016 some time in the spring.

Since these are repositioning cruises, the spring cruise is from Florida to Canada. The fall cruise brings the ship back from Canada to Florida.

[sail7seas]

Unless I'm reading the itineraries incorrectly, in summer season 2016 the Maasdam is doing fortnightly cruises to Alaska from Seattle.

 

 

 

You're right. I had forgotten that.

 

I think I intentionally blacked it out. :D

Edited April 4, 2015 by sail7seas

[HELENPSL]

Bolding mine - I hope you realize that the spring itineraries run fron FLL TO Quebec or Montreal, and not from Montreal/Quebec to FLL. Only the fall itineraries have the direction you want.

 

 

Actually, I did not know this info so thanks very much. I really didn't want to wait until next fall but it does sound like such a great trip. Maybe I'll have to find another "little" cruise to do in the spring. Oh well...it's a tough life but someone has to do it!!

 

Helen

[rafinmd]

Up to now, only the Maasdam has gone to Montreal. I think in theory the Veendam should be able to but I don't think it actually has. IIRC, Veendam has a Club HAL/Loft that Maasdam does not. I wonder if there's some little difference between the 2 ships that will make 2015 HAL's Montreal swan song.

 

Roy

[sail7seas]

I suspect HAL may not send Veendam to Montreal. There is not a lot of cruise ship traffic there and the very old terminal is not all that wonderful for boarding guests. I also wonder how 'used to' cruise ships the shore workers are and if things go as smoothly as HAL might hope particularly for luggage and any stores etc?? I'm just speculating but wonder about it.

[DaveOKC]

I suspect HAL may not send Veendam to Montreal. There is not a lot of cruise ship traffic there and the very old terminal is not all that wonderful for boarding guests. I also wonder how 'used to' cruise ships the shore workers are and if things go as smoothly as HAL might hope particularly for luggage and any stores etc?? I'm just speculating but wonder about it.

 

A couple of years ago we took a Montreal to Fort Lauderdale cruise (thus the last cruise of the season on the Maasdam). The taxi driver could not find the pier and I had him just drop us off and we walked the last 200 yards.

 

Our boarding was delayed about 2 hours due to the disembarkation problems - the Customs lines were backed up as far as we could see and everyone (those from the prior cruise as well as ours) were very upset with the process. In the middle of this mess, they decided to reconfigure the Customs lines for some reason, halting everything while they did.

 

Luckily, we came early as usual and found one of the VERY few seats in the place. When boarding finally started, it was very disorganized and everyone was pushing and shoving to get onboard.

 

Of our 15 plus cruises with HAL, this was by far the worst embarkation we have experienced and we vowed never to sail FROM Montreal again. We are coming into Montreal in May, but after our last experience I made sure we booked a late flight home.

 

One more thing - if sailing into or out of Montreal in May, be aware of the river conditions, as a couple of years ago Maasdam could not get into the port due to the high level.

Edited April 5, 2015 by DaveOKC

[StormyWildcat]

You're right. I had forgotten that.

 

I think I intentionally blacked it out. :D

 

I personally am very sad she (Maasdam) is 'heading west'. Wish I could black it out. ;)

[sail7seas]

A couple of years ago we took a Montreal to Fort Lauderdale cruise (thus the last cruise of the season on the Maasdam). The taxi driver could not find the pier and I had him just drop us off and we walked the last 200 yards.

 

Our boarding was delayed about 2 hours due to the disembarkation problems - the Customs lines were backed up as far as we could see and everyone (those from the prior cruise as well as ours) were very upset with the process. In the middle of this mess, they decided to reconfigure the Customs lines for some reason, halting everything while they did.

 

Luckily, we came early as usual and found one of the VERY few seats in the place. When boarding finally started, it was very disorganized and everyone was pushing and shoving to get onboard.

 

Of our 15 plus cruises with HAL, this was by far the worst embarkation we have experienced and we vowed never to sail FROM Montreal again. We are coming into Montreal in May, but after our last experience I made sure we booked a late flight home.

 

One more thing - if sailing into or out of Montreal in May, be aware of the river conditions, as a couple of years ago Maasdam could not get into the port due to the high level.

 

 

 

Yes, that is part of my point.

We did Boston to Montreal to Boston many, many times and our turn around day in Montreal was fine for us (mostly) as we were 'in transits'. We loved our days enjoying that wonderful city. Montreal is great.

However, even just clearing the terminal could be difficult. It was almost as though the officials were inconsistent, one to the other, how to handle cruise in transit guests. Thankfully, we had the good sense to carry our passports or we might still be there. They were holding back guests with only ship's ID and photo ID. It seemed, some were let through and others not.

 

As to the taxis, NONE of them, ever, all our trips knew where to take us when it was time to return to the ship. I used to write down the exact name of the Iberville Terminal, street address and they still had no idea where we wanted to go. My DH had an amazing sense of direction and he was able to tell them where to take a left, where to turn, where to go. He was a good guy and still tipped them nicely. :D :)

 

Edited April 5, 2015 by sail7seas

[DaveOKC]

Yes, that is part of my point.

We did Boston to Montreal to Boston many, many times and our turn around day in Montreal was fine for us (mostly) as we were 'in transits'. We loved our days enjoying that wonderful city. Montreal is great.

 

As to the taxis, NONE of them, ever, all our trips knew where to take us when it was time to return to the ship. I used to write down the exact name of the Iberville Terminal, street address and they still had no idea where we wanted to go. My DH had an amazing sense of direction and he was able to tell them where to take a left, where to turn, where to go. He was a good guy and still tipped them nicely. :D :)

 

How hard was it to find a taxi to leave the terminal and go to the airport?

 

As an option - any idea on the cost of a HAL transfer to airport?

Edited April 5, 2015 by DaveOKC

[rkacruiser]

I, too, had a problem with the taxi from the hotel to the pier in Montreal. The doorman of the hotel told the driver in French where he was to go. I had studied the city map and had a decent idea of the route that ought to be taken to get to the pier from the Queen Elizabeth. Not two minutes in the drive, the driver did not take the turn towards the river that he should have. When we finally got to the river, we were well downriver from the pier and I had to direct him as to what he needed to do. Thank goodness I had studied my map!

[kura]

Thanks ..this has been very informative....we will now just have to wait and hope HAL releases the dates soon. We have a big trip planned next year. Singapore to Vancouver on Volendam ...then a 15 day tour from Vancouver to Toronto including a rail trip from Jasper to Toronto. We then want to visit Boston and New York and are hoping to cruise to Boston from either Montreal or Quebec...we are now just waiting for the dates to see if it will all tie in.

Edited April 5, 2015 by kura

[sail7seas]

How hard was it to find a taxi to leave the terminal and go to the airport?

 

As an option - any idea on the cost of a HAL transfer to airport?

 

There should be taxis available when you exit the terminal.