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Going to Bar Harbor? Read this.

betmart

By betmart,
in Canada/New England

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betmart

betmart

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Just got back from the Golden Princess out of New York. Be aware there is a FREE shuttle bus from Bar Harbor to several locations within Acadia Nat'l Park. Walk up the main street to the park on the right side (not very far up the hill). Turn right through the park and the shuttles leave from the opposite side of the park. Be sure you take the route you want -- it's on the bus. We took line #3, which goes to Cadillac Mountain, Sand Beach, Thunderhole, Otter Point etc. (all the places you will pay to go on a ship shore excursion or Ollie's Trolley in town). The shuttle is supposed to run every hour (on the hour for Route #3 from the park in Bar Harbor), but they added a bus because our ship was in town and it ran every half hour. They will drop you off or pick you up anywhere along the road. We took the bus to Sand Beach, walked along the coast to Thunder Hole and then took the bus back. Enjoy................

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blambition

blambition

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Betmart.. I am leaving on this cruise this week. I already booked a tour for Acadia but would really like to know if you have other helpful hints for the other ports. We also booked a tour in Halifax but that is it. How was your cruise? I'm really looking forward to my sailing!

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betmart

betmart

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We did not do any shore excursions. Many folks went to Peggy's Cove in Halifax and enjoyed it, although it was a long time on the bus. Also heard the whale watching was very rough and many got sick. If you go to left in Halifax after leaving ship, there's a nice boardwalk with shops, restaurants, and the museum with the Titanic stuff. We enjoyed just walking St. John. Historic architecture was nice and the town was just nice to stroll around. Go up hill a block, then right from ship to get started. Bar Harbor was great and the highlight of the trip -- especially due to the free shuttle. Walked the freedom trail in Boston -- ship will offer a shuttle for $6 pp one way to downtown. It's about equal to what a cab would cost. In Newport, walk left a few blocks to the visitors center. Get a $6 all day bus pass, then take the trolley #67 bus to the mansions -- you can pick it up right there. Try the two-mansion ticket for $22 a person. You can upgrade to the $33 five-mansion if you decide you want to do more than two. We did Breakers and Marble House. They were beautiful. Be aware the coast walk is not anywhere close to the ship tender. You can take the same #67 bus I think. The walk is NOT accessible from the mansions. Also part of it was closed.

 

Hope this helps and that you have as good a time as we did..........

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CEV426

CEV426

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In Newport, walk left a few blocks to the visitors center. Get a $6 all day bus pass, then take the trolley #67 bus to the mansions -- you can pick it up right there. Try the two-mansion ticket for $22 a person. You can upgrade to the $33 five-mansion if you decide you want to do more than two. We did Breakers and Marble House. They were beautiful. Be aware the coast walk is not anywhere close to the ship tender. You can take the same #67 bus I think. The walk is NOT accessible from the mansions. Also part of it was closed.

 

Where exactly is the ships tender? From what I remember from past trips to Newport is that The Cliffwalk is walking distance to the center of town ( shops, yachts, restaurants) assuming that one is in condition to walk. Does the ship tender in this area? If so, I am walking there. God knows I will need the exercise. I know you cant get to the cliffwalk from the mansions (i.e. Bellvue Ave) but the start is not far from the center of town just off the main drag ( Memorial Blvd. ) If it makes a difference to you, the cliffwalk get the morning sun and shade in the afternoon.

 

Also, where did you buy your mansion tickets? The mansions are the only ship sponsored excursion we booked since I was afraid they would be sold out...or the majority of the time slots would be sold out since the ship bought them all as is the case with the Doris Duke estate. I was also afraid that the ships excursions would have first dibs entering the mansions ahead of small private groups.

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betmart

betmart

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OK -- first another correction -- in St. John, go up a block and then left, not right -- wow, have my directions mixed up today. It IS correct to go left in Newport to the visitor's center, which opens at 9 am.

 

re. free bus in Bar Harbor to Acadia -- schedule calls for once every hour through end of October. We were just there last week and they added an ADDITIONAL bus on the #3 route to make it every half hour.

 

re. mansions in Newport -- yes I guess you Could walk, but even the fittest on our cruise were pretty walked out by the time we got to Newport (fifth port day in a row). And the cliffwalk itself is miles long. I think the $6 is worth it -- you can use it on ANY bus in the whole state!!! wow

 

re. mansion tickets -- you can buy them either at the visitor's center or at any of the mansions. We had no problem getting in -- at Breakers (we went early) we waited for one tour group to go ahead of us and then they took the "independents" group that had gathered. At Marble House, they use a tape system that you carry with you and can go at your own pace -- it was much nicer than the groups at Breakers. We did not wait at all at Marble House.

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betmart

betmart

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Keeping in mind there are several free shuttle bus routes in Bar Harbor, some of the longer ones may indeed by running only every two hours. I was speaking only about the Sand Beach #3, which takes less then an hour to do the entire loop.

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blambition

blambition

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Betmart,

 

Thank you for all the information!! I am packing right now for the trip. I managed to break my toe a week ago which is making walking a little difficult as just getting a tennis shoe on really hurts. I hope to tour at least one of the mansions if not two of them in Newport. Would you suggest I do Marble House first, since you do it at your own pace? I was also planning on Breakers if I can handle the walking. The cliff walk if definitely out of the question.

We do have a van in Bar Harbor already set up which I did before I saw your posting. I also have a car set for Peggy's Cove but after we get back I would like to walk to the Titanic area. We are planning on using the trolly in Boston. Sounds like we should catch a cab since there are 4 of us and it would actually cost us less than the $6.00 pp. Again thank you for all the great tips and I will right down all your directions and add them to my notes.

PS I hope others don't laugh at me when I show up at the formal dinner barefoot. Just kidding but I really may only have a shoe on for 30 seconds to get into the dining room.

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betmart

betmart

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blambition: Here's what to do in Halifax when you get back --- you're going to love this. After you walk to the right a little ways through a parking lot, and get to the actual beginning of the boardwalk, you will find guys with those two-wheeled thingys you sit in and they pull you (running at that) --I can't remember what they are called.

 

We actually shared a cab with another couple in Boston because we did not want to wait for the shuttle bus to fill up. We went to the Commons in front of the State House. Cost a little over $14 plus tip.

 

Do not worry about your shoes -- Put a huge bandage on the bad foot and wear a flip flop on that one and limp a lot -- no one will ask any questions. We always eat in the buffet and it was great. Some people with anytime dining had bad experiences in the dining room (very slow service and cold food).

 

Both Marble House and Breakers were not as big (area wise) as I thought they may be so you should be fine -- there's a lot of stairs, but elevators available to those who need them.

 

One more result of anytime dining is a packed early production show on formal nights -- go to the theater VERY early if you want to go to the early show. On our cruise, the doors were closed a full 20 minutes before the show started. I understand the soprano in the Vista lounge, however, was also very good.

 

Wish we were going again................feel free to ask with any more questions

 

b

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makeup face

makeup face

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betmart......

 

Could you tell me a little more about St John?? Newport and St John are the two stops I haven't booked a shore excursion...actually Halifax we're go to rent a car. Anyway.....I was just planing to walk around...stop by Billy's for a lobster roll and just see what else was going on :D

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emac

emac

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On the Acadia website it says that all free shuttle buses end on 10th October. I don't want to book a trolley tour if I can take advantage of the free buses. Betmart-do you think they have not updated the website? Can anyone living in Bar Harbor confirm the free buses will be running on Sunday 21st October when we there on NCL Jewel?

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betmart

betmart

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There's apparently not a lot to do around St. John except the reversing river rapids which we were told were really no big deal -- but I also read somewhere that others enjoyed it. We just strolled around town, stopped at the park. visited a few churches, etc. It's really a lovely town, not highly commercialized -- lots of antique shops. There will be horse-drawn trolley type carts at the pier you can take for a tour around town. (That would be good for blambition with her sore foot, huh?) If you want more activity, you should schedule a shore excursion I guess.

 

Wish I had kept the flyer with the actual bus schedule in Acadia, but my husband and I both remember it as operating through all of October. Hopefully someone who lives there will respond with certainty.

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blambition

blambition

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I love the idea of one of those things where the guys pulls you and you get to ride in the ric-shaw (?) sounds good to my foot! The horse drawn trolley also sounds like it's for me. I'm really glad and excited to find out the houses in Newport are not that big as I was so looking forward to touring them. Thanks again for all your input.

 

I think I may have come up with a solution for the evening dress up. I bought a pair of sandals that have sequins on them even though they are a wedge. Hopefully you won't really see the bottom of them with the length of my pants. They may hurt my foot in general but my toe will be very happy as they leave it exposed.

All I have left to do now is pack the make-up and get some sleep tonight. Like that will happen since I have to be up at 3am to get ready for the shuttle pick-up. I know I'll be too excited to sleep.

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betmart

betmart

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yes, the Sea Princess was there when we returned last Saturday -- I think she had just arrived from Europe. You can get harbor information on the web -- don't remember the exact site -- just search for NYC harbor or passenger ship terminal etc. It will tell you exactly how many and what ships will be there every day.

 

Have a great time blambition!!!!!

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