Looking for some advice on Saint John, New Brunswick

[Turtles06]

Our Holland America Canada/NE cruise in September will have a port call in Saint John, New Brunswick, on a weekday from 7am-2pm.    I'd appreciate advice on whether to spend the (short) day in Saint John, or book a HAL shore excursion that will take us to the Reversing Rapids and then out to St. Martins, or tips on anything we haven't perhaps thought of.   (At St. Martins, if it's low tide, the sea caves would be accessible (and that might be the case based on the tide tables), and if not, the tour description says they can be seen from the beach.)    Ship's tours aren't our favorite, but we don't intend to rent a car, so that's not an option.

 

If we were to stay in Saint John, could we just take a taxi to the Reversing Rapids?  Any other suggestions for staying in the city?  (There does not seem to be that much based on my initial research.  I do know about the Old City Market.) 

 

Any private tour operators to recommend?

 

Thanks for any info and advice! 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2019 by Turtles06

[Cindy]

The reversing rapids aren’t too far, so if you wanted to do just those on your own I think you could. Saint Martins is pretty, but if there’s more than one ship in port it’s a bit of a madhouse out there. They do give priority to ship’s tours in the restaurant, so that might be a reason to stick with HAL for that day.

 

All things considered, I thought St. John really suffered with three ships in port the day we visited. There just wasn’t enough there to disperse the crowds, so everybody ended up at the same places...the reversing falls and Saint Martins.

 

Our tour company (Freedom Tours) was pretty bad...we ended up getting a partial refund, and I probably should have pushed for more. I wouldn’t even consider giving them a second chance, mostly because all they wanted to do after the fact was point fingers and place blame instead of apologizing and asking how they could make things right.

 

My favorite sight of the day was a place that I don’t even think is on a map. It was an inlet/fishing village on the way to Saint Martins that I thought illustrated the extreme tidal change much better than the reversing falls!

 

if you want names for Halifax or Bar Harbor, let me know. Our tours there were great!

 

These pictures are from the tiny nameless inlet in New Brunswick:

Edited January 18, 2019 by Cindy

[declansdad]

It's called Reversing Falls not Rapids.

 

Do the tour to Saint Martins, the best things in Saint John are outside the City. If you did stay in the City, the NB Museum is just up the street from the terminal.

 

 

[Ashland]

We did an amazing private tour with a few members from our roll call using Dave's Taxi Tours...very highly recommend them.

 

Can also give you the tours we did in Halifax (just amazing ***) & Bar Harbor.

[Turtles06]

16 hours ago, Cindy said:

The reversing rapids aren’t too far, so if you wanted to do just those on your own I think you could. Saint Martins is pretty, but if there’s more than one ship in port it’s a bit of a madhouse out there. They do give priority to ship’s tours in the restaurant, so that might be a reason to stick with HAL for that day.

 

All things considered, I thought St. John really suffered with three ships in port the day we visited. There just wasn’t enough there to disperse the crowds, so everybody ended up at the  same places...the reversing falls and Saint Martins.

 

Thanks Cindy, I appreciate all your info (and the great photos). So far, just one ship besides us, the Insignia, only about 700 pax, so I hope Saint John and St. Martins won't be too overwhelmed!

 

16 hours ago, Cindy said:

if you want names for Halifax or Bar Harbor, let me know. Our tours there were great!

 

10 hours ago, Ashland said:

Can also give you the tours we did in Halifax (just amazing ***) & Bar Harbor.

Thank you both, but we don't call at Bar Harbor (we do have some not too-often-visited ports, including Saint Pierre & Miquelon, and Baie-Comeau, which is exciting), and we've been to Halifax once (saw Peggy's Cove, the Cemetery and the Citadel, and did some walking around in the city), this time I think we'll remain in the city and visit some things we couldn't fit in the last time (including the Immigration Museum and Maritime Museum) and return to the Five Fishermen for the best fish tacos we've ever had.  🙂

[Turtles06]

10 hours ago, Ashland said:

We did an amazing private tour with a few members from our roll call using Dave's Taxi Tours...very highly recommend them.

 

Thanks very much! I will check them out.  As I said, I really prefer private tours if we can find a reliable operator. 

 

BTW, was the vehicle comfortable, or were you squeezed in?

[Turtles06]

11 hours ago, declansdad said:

It's called Reversing Falls not Rapids.

 

Do the tour to Saint Martins, the best things in Saint John are outside the City. If you did stay in the City, the NB Museum is just up the street from the terminal.

 

 

 

Thanks very much --- you've confirmed my inclination that visiting Saint Martins would be best!

 

On the name, interestingly,  what I've read is that "Reversing Falls" confused people, who were expecting waterfalls, and so they began to be called Reversing Rapids, but I'm sure that anyone growing up locally and calling it the Falls would still call it that, and I'm happy to do so.  (No one who grew up in New York City, for example, will ever call Sixth Avenue "the Avenue of the Americas," the name to which Sixth Avenue was changed some time ago. )

 

https://www.bayoffundy.com/articles/reversing-rapids-st-john/  ("The Reversing Rapids, formerly referred to as the Reversing Falls, are a series of whirlpools, waves and white water rapids ...")

 

And I guess to add to the confusion, the visitor center and others use the name Reversing Falls Rapids! 

 

http://reversingfallsrapids.ca/

 

Anyway, I really appreciate your help, thanks! 

[pamkev]

13 hours ago, Ashland said:

We did an amazing private tour with a few members from our roll call using Dave's Taxi Tours...very highly recommend them.

 

Can also give you the tours we did in Halifax (just amazing ***) & Bar Harbor.

Would love the names of the company you used for private tours I'm just beginning to research for our cruise although it's not till Aug 2020

[Host Carolyn]

Steamers right by the dock is great place for seafood lunch

[Ashland]

16 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Thanks very much! I will check them out.  As I said, I really prefer private tours if we can find a reliable operator. 

 

BTW, was the vehicle comfortable, or were you squeezed in?

You'll find besides my personal experience lot's of great reviews on "Dave's Taxi Tours" on TripAdvisor too.

They use large van type bus's ... we a group of 6 were very comfortable !!! 

[Ashland]

13 hours ago, pamkev said:

Would love the names of the company you used for private tours I'm just beginning to research for our cruise although it's not till Aug 2020

We used ..."Halifax Titanic Historical Tours" with Paul McNeil (we've done many private tours but this one in particular with Paul was one of the best)...he books up very fast !!!!!

 

In Bar Harbor we booked with Acadia National Park directly through their website...another amazing tour and will book this again for our October port stop.

 

Enjoy.....New England/Canada is a wonderful itinerary.

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, Ashland said:

You'll find besides my personal experience lot's of great reviews on "Dave's Taxi Tours" on TripAdvisor too.

They use large van type bus's ... we a group of 6 were very comfortable !!! 

 

 Thanks! The only way to contact him is via a web form, which I’ve submitted. I hope I hear back soon. Do you by any chance have an actual email address for him?

[Turtles06]

7 hours ago, Host Carolyn said:

Steamers right by the dock is great place for seafood lunch

 

Yum, thanks!

[pamkev]

5 hours ago, Ashland said:

We used ..."Halifax Titanic Historical Tours" with Paul McNeil (we've done many private tours but this one in particular with Paul was one of the best)...he books up very fast !!!!!

 

In Bar Harbor we booked with Acadia National Park directly through their website...another amazing tour and will book this again for our October port stop.

 

Enjoy.....New England/Canada is a wonderful itinerary.

Thanks this will be a new itinerary for us we usually do the Caribbean.

[Cindy]

7 hours ago, Ashland said:

We used ..."Halifax Titanic Historical Tours" with Paul McNeil (we've done many private tours but this one in particular with Paul was one of the best)...he books up very fast !!!!!

 

In Bar Harbor we booked with Acadia National Park directly through their website...another amazing tour and will book this again for our October port stop.

 

Enjoy.....New England/Canada is a wonderful itinerary.

 

We also used Paul McNeil in Halifax, and I second the recommendation. He was fantastic!

https://halifaxtitanictours.ca/

 

In Bar Harbor we used At Your Service Taxi and Tours and had an absolutely wonderful day. 

http://atyourservicetaxi.com/

 

Here are links to my blog if you want more information about the tours:

https://theworldthroughmylens.blog/2018/01/21/beautiful-bar-harbor-aka-everythings-better-when-the-sun-shines/

https://theworldthroughmylens.blog/2018/01/24/historical-halifax-through-my-broken😭-lens/

[Ashland]

21 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

 Thanks! The only way to contact him is via a web form, which I’ve submitted. I hope I hear back soon. Do you by any chance have an actual email address for him?

You'll be contacted usually quickly...no worries....in booking with Dave's Taxi Tours. Enjoy !!

[nannyny]

On 1/20/2019 at 1:42 AM, Ashland said:

We used ..."Halifax Titanic Historical Tours" with Paul McNeil (we've done many private tours but this one in particular with Paul was one of the best)...he books up very fast !!!!!

 

In Bar Harbor we booked with Acadia National Park directly through their website...another amazing tour and will book this again for our October port stop.

 

Enjoy.....New England/Canada is a wonderful itinerary.

Thanks for this info as well. Planning to be back in July. It’s been a while.

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, nannyny said:

Thanks for this info as well. Planning to be back in July. It’s been a while.

You're so very welcome...glad I could help in some small way...Enjoy your cruise.

[nannyny]

On 1/20/2019 at 9:39 AM, Cindy said:

 

We also used Paul McNeil in Halifax, and I second the recommendation. He was fantastic!

https://halifaxtitanictours.ca/

 

In Bar Harbor we used At Your Service Taxi and Tours and had an absolutely wonderful day. 

http://atyourservicetaxi.com/

 

Here are links to my blog if you want more information about the tours:

https://theworldthroughmylens.blog/2018/01/21/beautiful-bar-harbor-aka-everythings-better-when-the-sun-shines/

https://theworldthroughmylens.blog/2018/01/24/historical-halifax-through-my-broken😭-lens/

I so throughly enjoyed your pictures and comments.  Currently booked with one of Paul’s drivers for July.

[Climes5]

Hi folks.  Great info on The above ports.  Question for all of you.  We are deciding between 2 dates for our trip.  They have the same ports with the exception of Bar Harbor and Saint John NB.  Can you recommend one port over the other?  I won't repeat this trip, so I want to to to the port that is "best."  History, beauty, shopping, sites.  The 5-light house tour in Bar Harbor seems cool.  Thanks all!!!!

[Ashland]

If I had to choose between the two ports...definitely Bar Harbor would win.

[Climes5]

Thanks much!!

[Cindy]

19 hours ago, Climes5 said:

Hi folks.  Great info on The above ports.  Question for all of you.  We are deciding between 2 dates for our trip.  They have the same ports with the exception of Bar Harbor and Saint John NB.  Can you recommend one port over the other?  I won't repeat this trip, so I want to to to the port that is "best."  History, beauty, shopping, sites.  The 5-light house tour in Bar Harbor seems cool.  Thanks all!!!!

 

Without question I would choose Bar Harbor.

Edited January 30, 2019 by Cindy

[Climes5]

Thank you!!!

[mets123]

Again, Bar Harbor. If you miss the changing of the tides at Reversing Falls, all you will be looking at is the water.