Canada New England cruise

[chloes nana]

I am booked for the October 7th sailing on the Zuiderdam for a 12 day, Quebec to Fort Lauderdale cruise. My question, is this too late for the fall foilage? And how cold will it be this time of year in Canada and New England? Thanks in advance! :D

[sail7seas]

You likely won't see foliage turn in Quebec City but you well could as you go south to Boston. It is impossible to say with certainty which weeks will be peak as it is very variable. Your chances of some foliage in Maine/MA (if you have port stops there) is better than Quebec City IMO

[1of4]

Like the weather, it is impossible to predict 100%. That said, the leaves change at different times all along the route so you will see colour. I grew up in Montreal but now live 6 hours west in Ontario. The leaves start changing earlier here than Montreal. The trees will all be in some degree of changing but predicting the peak colour weekend is the topic of many news reports in October. But Canadian Thanksgiving, is when people living in the province of Quebec usually plan around.

Edited January 18, 2016 by 1of4

[chloes nana]

You likely won't see foliage turn in Quebec City but you well could as you go south to Boston. It is impossible to say with certainty which weeks will be peak as it is very variable. Your chances of some foliage in Maine/MA (if you have port stops there) is better than Quebec City IMO

 

thanks Sail, yes we do have stops in Boston and also in Bar Harbor, and Portland Maine, so if not for the foilage, why is this cruise so popular?

[chloes nana]

Like the weather, it is impossible to predict 100%. That said, the leaves change at different times all along the route so you will see colour. I grew up in Montreal but now live 6 hours west in Ontario. The leaves start changing earlier here than Montreal.

 

Thanks, I am hoping to see color along the way. I even booked a starboard aft side cabin to see the scenery a little better I hope.

[1of4]

Thanks, I am hoping to see color along the way. I even booked a starboard aft side cabin to see the scenery a little better I hope.

 

You will see lots of colour. The peak is harder to predict but the timing of the cruise is a perfect time for Quebec.

[sail7seas]

thanks Sail, yes we do have stops in Boston and also in Bar Harbor, and Portland Maine, so if not for the foilage, why is this cruise so popular?

 

This cruise is so desirable because of the ports. My late DH and I lived in Boston our whole lives and sailed Boston to Montreal to Boston, b-to-b, year after year, in order to visit Bar Harbor, Portland (on cruises when it was included), Halifax, Charlottetown, Quebec City and Montreal. They are outstandingly beautiful ports with much to see and do. Wonderful food, lovely people, and I think it one of HAL's best short cruises. The per diem for those cruises is higher than most any others and there's a reason. :)

 

Hope you enjoy it as much as we always have.

 

[knittinggirl]

We've seen some wonderful color in Bar Harbor and Portland. Depends on how many stops you have, but it usually takes several days to go from Quebec to US. We did this in 14 days starting a week later, on Royal Caribbean and saw some wonderful foliage.

 

Smooth cruising in the St. Lawrence, but rougher once you hit the Atlantic.

 

We're game to do this itinerary again.

[swin26]

We did the New York to Quebec City this past fall ending in Quebec City on October 4th. We were too early for the leaves as they changed late this past fall. The next week (when you are cruising) would have been much better.

[chloes nana]

This cruise is so desirable because of the ports. My late DH and I lived in Boston our whole lives and sailed Boston to Montreal to Boston, b-to-b, year after year, in order to visit Bar Harbor, Portland (on cruises when it was included), Halifax, Charlottetown, Quebec City and Montreal. They are outstandingly beautiful ports with much to see and do. Wonderful food, lovely people, and I think it one of HAL's best short cruises. The per diem for those cruises is higher than most any others and there's a reason. :)

 

Hope you enjoy it as much as we always have.

 

 

:D I have never had a bad cruise on HAL, and this is a surprise birthday present for my DH. Lots of lobster in the ports, his favorite and many other fun stops. I just want to see color, fall is my favorite time of the year.

[chloes nana]

We did the New York to Quebec City this past fall ending in Quebec City on October 4th. We were too early for the leaves as they changed late this past fall. The next week (when you are cruising) would have been much better.

 

then I shall keep my fingers crossed. :)

[Lizzie68]

Like the weather, it is impossible to predict 100%. That said, the leaves change at different times all along the route so you will see colour. I grew up in Montreal but now live 6 hours west in Ontario. The leaves start changing earlier here than Montreal. The trees will all be in some degree of changing but predicting the peak colour weekend is the topic of many news reports in October. But Canadian Thanksgiving, is when people living in the province of Quebec usually plan around.

 

Sounds like the Pacific Northwest - unpredictable!:D But I'd like to know too, because it could make the difference of which direction to do this cruise. So to clarify, October 7th leaving Quebec gives a good chance of the colours?

[northernphoenix]

Did the reverse in October 2013. I live in northern Ontario, Canada, so I have a long term experience with fall colours. Must say that we were not impressed by the foliage, but enjoyed this cruise immensely .

[3rdGenCunarder]

:D I have never had a bad cruise on HAL, and this is a surprise birthday present for my DH. Lots of lobster in the ports, his favorite and many other fun stops. I just want to see color, fall is my favorite time of the year.

 

We did this cruise 4 years ago. I think we left just after Canadian Thanksgiving, and I know we some good color along the way. I agree with Sail. This cruise has great ports.

 

We did the 7 day Boston-to-Boston cruise this past fall, and I ate lobstah every chance I got! If you're into food, check out Maine Foodie Tours. We had a great walk around Portland with lots of local "tastes," including lobster mac and cheese. I had lobster roll at a restaurant in Bar Harbor, take out lobster roll from the market in St John, and in Halifax curiosity drove me to have a "McLobster."

 

A friend who used to live in Bar Harbor says the Maine trifecta is chowdah, lobstah, and beeah.:D

[chloes nana]

We did this cruise 4 years ago. I think we left just after Canadian Thanksgiving, and I know we some good color along the way. I agree with Sail. This cruise has great ports.

 

We did the 7 day Boston-to-Boston cruise this past fall, and I ate lobstah every chance I got! If you're into food, check out Maine Foodie Tours. We had a great walk around Portland with lots of local "tastes," including lobster mac and cheese. I had lobster roll at a restaurant in Bar Harbor, take out lobster roll from the market in St John, and in Halifax curiosity drove me to have a "McLobster."

 

A friend who used to live in Bar Harbor says the Maine trifecta is chowdah, lobstah, and beeah.:D

Mclobster???? really, yuck! some things should just not have the letters Mc before it. But I agree on the trifecta!

Edited January 19, 2016 by chloes nana

[sail7seas]

Sounds like the Pacific Northwest - unpredictable!:D But I'd like to know too, because it could make the difference of which direction to do this cruise. So to clarify, October 7th leaving Quebec gives a good chance of the colours?

 

No one can say for sure if you should sail one week vs the next or the preceding. Fall foliage colors vary year to year and the dates depend on so many variables such as how wet or dry the summer, how hot or cold, warm fall days with cool fall nights. Any one who says they know just when to sail, it 'guessing'. The good thing is if you are too late for Quebec City, you will likely be right on time for southern Maine and Boston.

 

 

 

We did this cruise 4 years ago. I think we left just after Canadian Thanksgiving, and I know we some good color along the way. I agree with Sail. This cruise has great ports.

 

We did the 7 day Boston-to-Boston cruise this past fall, and I ate lobstah every chance I got! If you're into food, check out Maine Foodie Tours. We had a great walk around Portland with lots of local "tastes," including lobster mac and cheese. I had lobster roll at a restaurant in Bar Harbor, take out lobster roll from the market in St John, and in Halifax curiosity drove me to have a "McLobster."

 

A friend who used to live in Bar Harbor says the Maine trifecta is chowdah, lobstah, and beeah.:D

 

 

 

We were so surprised how much we enjoyed Portland, where we had never visited prior, that friends hosted us to a weekend in Portland that was amazing. We loved that city and had great food. Who would have thought there would be a James Beard restaurant there? We had a memorable evening there and enjoyed every bit of our weekend. :) We have visited since and I'd happily go again.... on ship or land.

 

Lobster in Halifax and mussels in Charlottetown are about as good as it gets. Bar Harbor has wonderful lobster rolls, IMO. They are stuffed with delicious lobster.

 

[cruz chic]

I did this exact cruise in October 2013. I believe it started on the 15th. Was told this should be a good time to see colours but it was too early that year. Iirc there was some color change in Quebec. The cruise was very cold until about 2 days before we got to Florida. I like the warm weather. I don't think I'd do it again as it was pretty expensive.

[catl331]

grew up in N England. Taking this cruise for the ports and seafood. Never can get enough. anything can happen and usually does so I don't get my heart set on anything. Foliage this yr wasn't great in colors. Funny weather everywhere. You should have good scenery in the fjord after Quebec City. I am going to give poutine another chance, enjoy those P. E. I. mussels straight from the water and lobster whatever and wherever. I am taking this cruise for the food, for visiting a foreign country and visiting my old N E Stomping grounds. Go HAL!!

[chengkp75]

Portland is consistently rated in the top ten "Foodie" cities in the US. The Old Port area near the cruise ship pier has some fantastic choices. We are also consistently rated very high on the craft beer industry.

 

A few of my favorites:

 

Bull Feeney's does a fine blend of Irish and New England fare; they used to have a deep fried lobster tail to die for, but the've changed chefs and I haven't seen it in a while.

 

Grill Room: great steaks, pretty pricey

 

Nosh: everything pork. Even the French Fries are dusted with bacon.

 

The Kings Head: Great pub on the waterfront

 

Becky's Diner: lobster in the rough and a good lobster roll on the waterfront

 

Great Lost Bear: over 70 craft beers on tap, many you can't get anywhere else.

 

And my wife has had the lobster roll at McD's, and its not too bad.

Edited January 19, 2016 by chengkp75

[sail7seas]

My DH and I thought the city's Rehab was done wonderfully. Some very good choices and most attractive. We loved walking the seaport area. GREAT lobster lunches. :)

 

Fried clams are good but I'm used to 'Ipswich' clams so always verify it's large bellies before ordering them. :)

Unless you don't care for shellfish or have an allergy, Please do not run back to the ship for lunch. To have the chance for such excellent seafood and not sample it would be such a 'miss'. We always have great lunch in Bar Harbor, Halifax, Charlottetown and definitely Quebec City. If you go to Montreal, the food is so good it's hard to choose where to eat. :D

 

People in Portland seem proud of their city and with good reason. :)

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by sail7seas

[chloes nana]

My DH and I thought the city's Rehab was done wonderfully. Some very good choices and most attractive. We loved walking the seaport area. GREAT lobster lunches. :)

 

Fried clams are good but I'm used to 'Ipswich' clams so always verify it's large bellies before ordering them. :)

Unless you don't care for shellfish or have an allergy, Please do not run back to the ship for lunch. To have the chance for such excellent seafood and not sample it would be such a 'miss'. We always have great lunch in Bar Harbor, Halifax, Charlottetown and definitely Quebec City. If you go to Montreal, the food is so good it's hard to choose where to eat. :D

 

People in Portland seem proud of their city and with good reason. :)

 

 

Sail, I have a day and a half in Quebec City, where is a great seafood place to eat near the city center?

[sapper1]

Sounds like the Pacific Northwest - unpredictable!:D But I'd like to know too, because it could make the difference of which direction to do this cruise. So to clarify, October 7th leaving Quebec gives a good chance of the colours?

 

Generally speaking, the peak in the Nova Scotia/ New Brunswick/PEI area is around October 10. The Gaspé area of the St Lawrence, being farther north, will peak earlier. Of course if we have an early cold spell the colours will change earlier or if we have an unusually warm fall they will be delayed.

The colours can be in full display and then if we have a hurricane that is usually the end of them. So----many variables.

[Radbooks]

You'll have a great cruise no matter what the leaves look like. I'm a teacher so I can't travel in the fall but we took this cruise, well a similar B2B 14 day from Boston to Quebec and back, in June of 2015 and LOVED it. I loved the charming ports and the history and just the beauty of the area. I'm from the West Coast and so the landscape was much different from my neck of the woods. I can't wait to do it again!

[1of4]

Sounds like the Pacific Northwest - unpredictable!:D But I'd like to know too, because it could make the difference of which direction to do this cruise. So to clarify, October 7th leaving Quebec gives a good chance of the colours?

 

Montreal and Quebec City will always change before the coastal areas as it is the cold temperatures overnight that bring on the colour. The longer the night, the degrease in sunlight intensity and the colder the overnight air (but not freezing) brings the colour faster to the inland areas. So safe to say, in October it is best to travel from Montreal to Boston, or in the case of the OP, Ft. Lauderdale. We always had snow in the Eastern Township area of Quebec on Canadian Thanksgiving when I was growing up.

 

Although we can not predict the weather, we can predict the longer cooler nights. It is that elusive PEAK colour that can not be predicted in time to book a cruise.

[1of4]

I did this exact cruise in October 2013. I believe it started on the 15th. Was told this should be a good time to see colours but it was too early that year. Iirc there was some color change in Quebec. The cruise was very cold until about 2 days before we got to Florida. I like the warm weather. I don't think I'd do it again as it was pretty expensive.

 

The weather is why when we get to do this itinerary it will be in the summer. Too bad you missed the main colour though. I really wanted to book one this summer but with our dollar and me not working it just is too expensive.