Canada Tenders

[fiftyguy]

Hi

i’m on a NCL Gem cruise to Canada in September. I know Bar Harbor is a tender port. Would there be any others?

thanks for any info.

[Turtles06]

There could be, but you haven't told us your itinerary.

Edited July 13, 2019 by Turtles06

[bonvoyagie]

Hope you are doing a B2B as that is the best way to see all ports. The only other possible tender port is Charlottetown PEI there is only one dock and if there are more ships in town you might have to tender. Back in 16 when we were there a Celebrity ship was in port and had to tender as we had the dock. Heard lots of comments in town from the Celebrity cruisers about how the NCL ship got the dock and they didn't.

 

I also suggest that you go to your roll call - when we went there were lots of good ideas there on tours - also the Canada and New England section of the destinations section of these boards.

 

[don't-use-real-name]

The GEM replaces the DAWN starting this year

 

The DAWNs former itinerary 2016 -

Boston

Portland

Halifax

PEI

Gaspe - tender here

Saguenay/La Baie

Quebec City

SEA day

Sydney

Halifax

St. Johns Bay

Bar Harbor - tender

Boston

 

XXXXX

 

Last year (2018) the itinerary was -

Boston

Bar Harbor - tender

Halifax

Sydney

PEI - port stop cancelled FOG

SEA day - tough stormy day at sea waves winds swells

Saguenay/La Baie - tender

Quebec City

SEA day

Sydney

Halifax

St. Johns Bay - cancelled weather

Bar Harbor - tender

Boston

 

As bonvoyagie has posted some of these ports only have pier space

for one ship and depending on schedule first one in claims the space.

Others then are forced to tender Big or small makes little difference -

Last year 2018 we were aced by a ship half out size at Saguenay/La Baie.

When scheduled port time is limited - sure screws up things and makes

for a tight operation for guests and tour SX operators

 

When doing a B2B seeing the same ports again is necessary otherwise

a 7 day cruise would become a 6 day cruise or another SEA day.

 

For another set of port options look at sailing out of New York on the

DAWN - B2B -

CRUISE PORTS Embark New York (New York); Newport (Rhode Island); Boston (Massachusetts); Portland (Maine); Bar Harbor (Maine); Saint John, Bay of Fundy (New Brunswick); Halifax (Nova Scotia); Sydney, Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia); Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island); Saguenay (La Baie) (Québec); Disembark Québec City (Québec)

Return -

CRUISE PORTS Embark Québec City (Québec); Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island); Sydney, Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia); Halifax (Nova Scotia); Bar Harbor (Maine); Portland (Maine); Newport (Rhode Island); Disembark New York (New York)

 

 This YEAR 2019 only

 

More than you need to know info - LOL !

[bonvoyagie]

I also forgot to mention that in 16 we visited Halifax twice and the first time there was only one or two ships in port (including the Dawn) and the second time there were 4 including us - I revised my plans and did a tour around Peggy's Cove and the Maple Syrup, Titanic Cemetery etc on the first time and then did a stroll up the wonderful boardwalk the second time.

 

On this trip we did very few ship tours opting instead for DIY using rental cars and private taxi style tours. They were very cost effective and made for a very enjoyable tour with a local flavor note these tours book up quickly as the best only have a couple of drivers for the day. 

[zqvol]

15 hours ago, fiftyguy said:

Hi

i’m on a NCL Gem cruise to Canada in September. I know Bar Harbor is a tender port. Would there be any others?

thanks for any info.

 

Check your edocs. They will specify whether you tender or dock in each port.

[fiftyguy]

15 hours ago, bonvoyagie said:

Hope you are doing a B2B as that is the best way to see all ports. The only other possible tender port is Charlottetown PEI there is only one dock and if there are more ships in town you might have to tender. Back in 16 when we were there a Celebrity ship was in port and had to tender as we had the dock. Heard lots of comments in town from the Celebrity cruisers about how the NCL ship got the dock and they didn't.

 

I also suggest that you go to your roll call - when we went there were lots of good ideas there on tours - also the Canada and New England section of the destinations section of these boards.

 

Thank you for your response. Yes we’re doing B2B and will have 3 ports that we stop at twice.

[fiftyguy]

15 hours ago, don't-use-real-name said:

The GEM replaces the DAWN starting this year

 

The DAWNs former itinerary 2016 -

Boston

Portland

Halifax

PEI

Gaspe - tender here

Saguenay/La Baie

Quebec City

SEA day

Sydney

Halifax

St. Johns Bay

Bar Harbor - tender

Boston

 

XXXXX

 

Last year (2018) the itinerary was -

Boston

Bar Harbor - tender

Halifax

Sydney

PEI - port stop cancelled FOG

SEA day - tough stormy day at sea waves winds swells

Saguenay/La Baie - tender

Quebec City

SEA day

Sydney

Halifax

St. Johns Bay - cancelled weather

Bar Harbor - tender

Boston

 

As bonvoyagie has posted some of these ports only have pier space

for one ship and depending on schedule first one in claims the space.

Others then are forced to tender Big or small makes little difference -

Last year 2018 we were aced by a ship half out size at Saguenay/La Baie.

When scheduled port time is limited - sure screws up things and makes

for a tight operation for guests and tour SX operators

 

When doing a B2B seeing the same ports again is necessary otherwise

a 7 day cruise would become a 6 day cruise or another SEA day.

 

For another set of port options look at sailing out of New York on the

DAWN - B2B -

CRUISE PORTS Embark New York (New York); Newport (Rhode Island); Boston (Massachusetts); Portland (Maine); Bar Harbor (Maine); Saint John, Bay of Fundy (New Brunswick); Halifax (Nova Scotia); Sydney, Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia); Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island); Saguenay (La Baie) (Québec); Disembark Québec City (Québec)

Return -

CRUISE PORTS Embark Québec City (Québec); Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island); Sydney, Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia); Halifax (Nova Scotia); Bar Harbor (Maine); Portland (Maine); Newport (Rhode Island); Disembark New York (New York)

 

 This YEAR 2019 only

 

More than you need to know info - LOL !

One can never have enough info.

thank you for taking the time to respond.

we’re really looking forward to this trip. We usually do Caribbean or Bermuda.

[fiftyguy]

I will check my docs. A quick glance I didn’t see any notations but I might have missed them.

[bonvoyagie]

I do remember seeing dock or tender on the e-docs.

As I mentioned, Halifax was great for two stops - I could also have handled two stops in Sydney as well - we rented a car and drove to the Bell Museum - having a car allowed us to not worry about spending lots of time there. There are also a couple of great scenic drives you can do on visit 2. PEI is divided into three sections - the center and south sections are the most scenic but each can take a day to explore - this was another place we rented a car.

 

Gaspe was the only port we did not get off at - not very tourist friendly - glad NCL does not go there anymore.

 

I also ordered several tourist guides for PEI, Nova Scotia, Maine and more all available from their tourist board websites.

 

In reviewing the current Gem itinerary I see where different cruise dates have different port calls.

 

IMHO go as late as you can - it seems that the leaf turning is happening later and later each year. 

Edited July 14, 2019 by bonvoyagie

[casofilia]

For anyone who want to find possible tender ports anywhere in the world look at https://www.ncl.com/nz/en/about/accessible-cruising

Scroll down

[fiftyguy]

1 hour ago, bonvoyagie said:

I do remember seeing dock or tender on the e-docs.

As I mentioned, Halifax was great for two stops - I could also have handled two stops in Sydney as well - we rented a car and drove to the Bell Museum - having a car allowed us to not worry about spending lots of time there. There are also a couple of great scenic drives you can do on visit 2. PEI is divided into three sections - the center and south sections are the most scenic but each can take a day to explore - this was another place we rented a car.

 

Gaspe was the only port we did not get off at - not very tourist friendly - glad NCL does not go there anymore.

 

I also ordered several tourist guides for PEI, Nova Scotia, Maine and more all available from their tourist board websites.

 

In reviewing the current Gem itinerary I see where different cruise dates have different port calls.

 

IMHO go as late as you can - it seems that the leaf turning is happening later and later each year. 

I did check my docs and it lists two tenders over the 14 days. I also checked each port of call websites and it lists one or two other tenders that NCL does not list. No worries, we’ll go with the flow.

[casofilia]

Gaspe was the only port we did not get off at - not very tourist friendly - glad NCL does not go there anymore.

 

We went to Perce from Gaspe on a VERY WET day.   I think it was the most miserable  and useless shore excursion we have done in about 200!!!