Montreal is out for awhile

[DocJohnB]

I was just PM'ing with a friend on the Zaandam.  Apparently the Seaway is to high for the ship to clear "the" bridge.  Apparently all the recent rains in Canada have caused this ( water needs someplace to go).

They are docked in Quebec City and will be there through Sunday. 

 

A live view of the Zaandam in Quebec can be found here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zaCBS29E30

 

[Cruise_More_Often]

Oh my, what a logistical nightmare.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I read about this on another thread.

 

This has happened before.

[sullyd]

Going on the 18th of May hope fully ok by then.

[fatcat04]

This happened on one of our cruises on Maasdam a decade + ago. Hal just bussed us to the Montreal port when we got off the ship. Wasn't a huge deal though I will never do that bus trip again. Horrible ride. I'd much prefer train or rental car. 

[DocJohnB]

4 minutes ago, sullyd said:

Going on the 18th of May hope fully ok by then

sully - I will be onboard when you arrive and will be sharing the ship with you.  I leave out of Boston on 5/11.

[sullyd]

We are doing a one way rental to Montreal on 17th and staying near the port . If there’s still an issue Holland America should take care of it.

[Paulinda]

Water level issues are a common problem on river cruises.  High water...ships can't get under bridges,  low water....the ships don't float.  There can be a lot of bus trips on a river cruise if you're cruising in the wrong season.  Never-the-less we are starting to plan another one for next year.  

[sammiedawg]

1 hour ago, Paulinda said:

Water level issues are a common problem on river cruises.  High water...ships can't get under bridges,  low water....the ships don't float.  There can be a lot of bus trips on a river cruise if you're cruising in the wrong season.  Never-the-less we are starting to plan another one for next year.  

 

This is very true.  We’ve experienced high and low water and we’ve been on the buses in both situations.   Some years the European river cruise season is severely disrupted.  

The first week of May seems too early to be so far north,  plus the spring rains.   

This also happened last year with ships unable to get beyond Trois Rivers.  

[1of4]

Many areas in Montréal, Ottawa and all along the St. Lawrence River are flooded.  The late spring, still frozen ground means the rain can’t be absorbed and runs off to rivers and lakes.  Montréal is at the end of the St. Lawrence Seaway so that means all the excess water from the whole Great Lakes Basin eventually ends up passing by Montréal and Québec City on its way to the Atlantic.  Many have lost everything.  Seems the 100 year floods are coming every 2 years.

[1ANGELCAT]

1 minute ago, 1of4 said:

Many areas in Montréal, Ottawa and all along the St. Lawrence River are flooded.  The late spring, still frozen ground means the rain can’t be absorbed and runs off to rivers and lakes.  Montréal is at the end of the St. Lawrence Seaway so that means all the excess water from the whole Great Lakes Basin eventually ends up passing by Montréal and Québec City on its way to the Atlantic.  Many have lost everything.  Seems the 100 year floods are coming every 2 years.

Sorry to hear this. I’m currently looking at Zaandam for June 1st sailing from Montreal.

Is it a possibility it could still be happening then ?

How long of a ride is it from Montreal to Quebec ? 

TIA

[1of4]

1 minute ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

Sorry to hear this. I’m currently looking at Zaandam for June 1st sailing from Montreal.

Is it a possibility it could still be happening then ?

How long of a ride is it from Montreal to Quebec ? 

TIA

 

I heard on the news Thursday that the areas north of Toronto (3 hours north) that have been under state of emergency for over a week seem to have reached peak on Wednesday.  Toronto is expecting some flooding but it looks like it won’t be as bad as 2017.

 

So given those reports, the flooding shouldn’t be happening in June as the worst was this week.  That said it has rained all day today and we really haven’t gotten any temperatures above 50 yet.  I don’t ever remember flooding being an issue in June in Montréal.

 

i have always wanted to do that cruise.  Enjoy!

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

This happened to us several years ago when the ship couldn't get to Montreal so we were bused to Quebec. I think the ride is about 3 to 4 hours.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info. 

[1of4]

13 hours ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

<snip>

How long of a ride is it from Montreal to Quebec ? 

TIA

 

Sorry I neglected to answer your driving time question.  The drive between Montréal and Québec City is about 2 hours.

[Fouremco]

4 hours ago, 1of4 said:

 

Sorry I neglected to answer your driving time question.  The drive between Montréal and Québec City is about 2 hours.

I've driven between the two countless times and would say much closer to 3 hours than 2. 

[crzndeb]

My friend just texted me and she said the first busses left at 0300. She and her husband were on the 2nd to last bus to leave, but they are staying in Montreal a couple of days. She is about 30 miles east of Montreal and their bus broke down, but another one quickly arrived. What an adventure.

[iancal]

This is the same issue the European river cruises have from time to time.

[1of4]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

I've driven between the two countless times and would say much closer to 3 hours than 2. 

 

I guess it depends upon your starting point and time of day then.  I always started from NDG in the morning before 9:00.  Perhaps there is more traffic now as it has been years since I drove it since I don’t live in Montréal any longer.

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

 

I guess it depends upon your starting point and time of day then.  I always started from NDG in the morning before 9:00.  Perhaps there is more traffic now as it has been years since I drove it since I don’t live in Montréal any longer.

You're right, there are lots of variables, including driving speed, weekday versus weekend and the time of year. 

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, iancal said:

This is the same issue the European river cruises have from time to time.

The one time we booked a European River Cruise, we had that worry as prior to our departure there were reports of low water levels. But then our worries became moot as the f****en river cruise line chartered the ship well after our final payment. (At that point I think I was hoping the water levels would be too low.)

[Sailor Taylor]

I saw hotel rooms offered to flood victims when looking for hotel rooms in Montreal recently.  Read somewhere this type of flood happens in Montreal region in spring time more than summer or fall.  

Edited May 4, 2019 by Sailor Taylor

[1of4]

4 minutes ago, Sailor Taylor said:

I saw hotel rooms offered to flood victims when looking for hotel rooms in Montreal recently.  Read somewhere this type of flood happens in Montreal region in spring time more than summer or fall.  

 

It only happens in spring and has been a relatively recent occurrence.  The 100 year flood was in 2017....

Edited May 4, 2019 by 1of4

[pascal030]

HAL handled this situation very well! They gave sufficient information. We’ve disembarked the Zaandam in Québec this morning. They offered 3 options: the airport, Montréal cruise terminal or disembarkation in Québec. The first bus for early flights was scheduled at 4.30 AM. The first independent bus for the Montréal cruise terminal at 5.00 AM. We disembarked at 7.30 AM and arrived at the cruise terminal at 10.45 AM. Off course riding a bus isn’t as comfortable as being on a cruise ship but they cannot control the water or remove bridges. 

[sullyd]

On 5/3/2019 at 2:27 PM, DocJohnB said:

sully - I will be onboard when you arrive and will be sharing the ship with you.  I leave out of Boston on 5/11.

Doc, keep us updated if they give any early information on weather or not they will be going to Montreal. 

Thanks