New England Cruise

[don't-use-real-name]

21 minutes ago, anotterchaos said:

We are going to be in Bar Harbor on Sept 19 from GEM.  I hadn't realized it was a tender port (I was reading the wrong places apparently!). We are the first ship in port that day... we arrive at 8, other ship at 9.  We booked a 9:30 excursion (not through NCL).  Having been on only two cruises and never tendered, is that likely to be enough time to make our bus? 

 

Thanks!

Bar Harbor will be your first port call after leaving Boston so no CBI issues

just weather - your first arrival will place you in the prime position for tendering

another less advantageous position is a longer route and threatens your tender timing.

Google MAP LINK:

Note position of the sole ship in image that is the prime tender point -

the other is north of the Bar Island and tenders must vector clear of Bar Ledge

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.394724,-68.1970915,2956m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

Scheduled arrival is 8:00 am

NCL Suite Guests have first priority to the tenders

followed by those on NCL shore excursions

next would be your category mixed with Platinum and Gold guests

Get a tender ticket early on for the best time

 

How big (number of guests) is the private excursion you have arranged ?

My guess is the 9:30 is border line - probably will make it with a few minutes to spare

Make sure you know where to meet (tour have signage to look for) BEST METHOD

cell phone contact - it is a zoo out in the street in front of the gift shop tour guide dock pavilion

3-4-5 buses and vans with variety of tours of Mt. Desert Island (Yes Bar Harbor is on an island)

You can take the Google Map and pan and zoom it.

 

Hope your weather is hospitable - neither rain nor fog or gloom of the day preventing a enjoyable tour !

 

Oh and getting back to the ship never a problem - just don't be REAL LATE !

 

 

 

[mking8288]

55 minutes ago, anotterchaos said:

We are going to be in Bar Harbor on Sept 19 from GEM.  I hadn't realized it was a tender port ... we arrive at 8, other ship at 9.  We booked a 9:30 excursion (not through NCL).  Having been on only two cruises and never tendered, is that likely to be enough time to make our bus? Thanks!

 

IMHO, probably a bit too close for comfort as that is your first US port of re-entry and CBP typicall do a face-to-face (quick) interview/passport inspection of all passengers onboard first ... US & PR passport holders in one designated lounge and all others in another, before anyone is allowed to head down to the tender (likely on Deck 4 MID).  We did this on the Dawn in May - ship got in early for 8 and they came out, started calling groups by one's Muster Stations (probably got the smaller # of suite pax first, quietly) & Platinum/Plus didn't matter at all.  It was fairly smooth as some of us were among the last 3 or 4 groups, not scheduled until 9:30 am ... anyway, we flew out of the MDR while waiting for our breakfast & got back to finish coffee & bagel around 9:15.  

 

Tendering ashore, from the time you joined the end of the line, stepping down & waiting until about 190 fellow cruisers fill up the boat & make that "quick" 10 minutes trip across the harbor - it's easily 30+ minutes, if seas are calm & not windy ... we're held up briefly for safety reasons as the platform & boat were doing its vertical dance.  Not in a rush, we went back to our cabin briefly & got on the ramp around 10:20 and on the waterfront by 10:50.  

 

If you are doing one of the Arcadia bus tour, I would change & book it for 11 am just to be safe ... many of the tours & their buses were still across the pier in the parking lot waiting for folks to check-in, leaving the waterfront around 11:15 am.  Several CC'er on our Roll Call had booked their own private tours for 10 and changed theirs to a later time.  

 

Tenders will drop ship passengers at one or the other piers ... the further one is another 10 minutes of walking.  To make your 9:30 - you would need to be in line for a tender, no later than 8:45 ... with your jogging shoes.  

 

****  I stand corrected, if your Gem sailing (2019) is leaving from Boston & 1st. stop in Bar Harbor.  But, if not mistaken, its coming back southbound - above caution on timing is true.  

Edited July 31, 2019 by mking8288

[don't-use-real-name]

5 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

IMHO, probably a bit too close for comfort as that is your first US port of re-entry and CBP typicall do a face-to-face (quick) interview/passport inspection of all passengers onboard first ... US & PR passport holders in one designated lounge and all others in another, before anyone is allowed to head down to the tender (likely on Deck 4 MID).  We did this on the Dawn in May - ship got in early for 8 and they came out, started calling groups by one's Muster Stations (probably got the smaller # of suite pax first, quietly) & Platinum/Plus didn't matter at all.  It was fairly smooth as some of us were among the last 3 or 4 groups, not scheduled until 9:30 am ... anyway, we flew out of the MDR while waiting for our breakfast & got back to finish coffee & bagel around 9:15.  

 

Tendering ashore, from the time you joined the end of the line, stepping down & waiting until about 190 fellow cruisers fill up the boat & make that "quick" 10 minutes trip across the harbor - it's easily 30+ minutes, if seas are calm & not windy ... we're held up briefly for safety reasons as the platform & boat were doing its vertical dance.  Not in a rush, we went back to our cabin briefly & got on the ramp around 10:20 and on the waterfront by 10:50.  

 

If you are doing one of the Arcadia bus tour, I would change & book it for 11 am just to be safe ... many of the tours & their buses were still across the pier in the parking lot waiting for folks to check-in, leaving the waterfront around 11:15 am.  Several CC'er on our Roll Call had booked their own private tours for 10 and changed theirs to a later time.  

 

Tenders will drop ship passengers at one or the other piers ... the further one is another 10 minutes of walking.  To make your 9:30 - you would need to be in line for a tender, no later than 8:45 ... with your jogging shoes.  

 

CHECK THAT -  anotterchaos  is going northbound to Canada - NOT returning where all you have noted is correct !

Edited July 31, 2019 by don't-use-real-name

[anotterchaos]

7 minutes ago, don't-use-real-name said:

 

CHECK THAT - OP is going northbound to Canada - NOT returning where all you have noted is correct !

Actually, Bar Harbor is our last stop...we leave Quebec City on 9/13. (But I'm not the OP either)

 

So yes, it will be our first American call. 

 

We hoped to catch the 9:30 tour as it is longer than the later ones;  I'll call the tour operator and see what their policies are if late.  We're only two. Thanks for the info everyone!

Edited July 31, 2019 by anotterchaos

[don't-use-real-name]

6 minutes ago, anotterchaos said:

Actually, Bar Harbor is our last stop...we leave Quebec City on 9/13. (But I'm not the OP either)

 

So yes, it will be our first American call. 

 

We hoped to catch the 9:30 tour as it is longer than the later ones;  I'll call the tour operator and see what their policies are if late.  We're only two. Thanks for the info everyone!

I have done this both ways

 

Then the data provided by mking8288 IS CORRECT

 

and extreme caution advised on timing due to CBI customs clearance and weather playing an important part

 

The Maps links and ship positioning however is correct - being first ship is really important on the overall timing.

[bonvoyagie]

If Bar Harbor is your first port of entry to the US after visiting a Canadian port you will need to go through C&I - if that Is the case most all boards recommend scheduling your tour for sometime after 10:30 AM. Like DURN we were in a suite on the Dawn and had our own C&I agent and a very short line - they we were inserted in small groups into the front of the tender line. I think we were in port by 9:00.

 

As for when to visit it seem that everyone I have spoken to is always there a week or two before the peak - no matter when they went. The leaves turn starting in the north and progress south over the course of a few weeks. We went in late sept early oct - the last B2B in 2016 and the leaves were just starting to turn. None the less we had excellent weather. I understand from DURN that his second trip was a weather disaster.

[kayhil3]

23 hours ago, anotterchaos said:

We are going to be in Bar Harbor on Sept 19 from GEM.  I hadn't realized it was a tender port (I was reading the wrong places apparently!). We are the first ship in port that day... we arrive at 8, other ship at 9.  We booked a 9:30 excursion (not through NCL).  Having been on only two cruises and never tendered, is that likely to be enough time to make our bus? 

 

Thanks!

It depends on what tender group you are in.

[Cruise_More_Often]

We took the bus between Quebec City and Montreal (Orleans Express) one year, because flights to the West Coast were much less expensive from Montreal. That year we left NYC on October 10 and ended in Quebec City on October 20. We were about a week too late to see the beautiful colors.

[fandangocruiser]

On 7/30/2019 at 5:05 PM, anotterchaos said:

Actually, Bar Harbor is our last stop...we leave Quebec City on 9/13. (But I'm not the OP either)

 

So yes, it will be our first American call. 

 

We hoped to catch the 9:30 tour as it is longer than the later ones;  I'll call the tour operator and see what their policies are if late.  We're only two. Thanks for the info everyone!

Anotter --  Good news!  Just saw your other post about penthouse upgrade.  Suite guests get priority ahead of all others.  Butler will escourt you off as soon as ship is cleared.  

Edited September 2, 2019 by fandangocruiser

[Mr Owl]

Three New England cruises here. Some observations:

 

Color is never what you want it to be: With stops in Portland, St John, Halifax, and Bar Harbor, the only really good color we saw was in Acadia. Otherwise, you're in more urban/built up areas on the shore. It's "ok", but nothing like an October drive on a back road in Vermont. I might be spoiled, living in upstate NY, but I felt a little sorry for folks who envisioned a magical New England fall.  

 

Passenger demographic skews "older". This is not a party cruise like a warm weather / beach destination cruise would be. Pool area is pretty dead. This may be good or bad depending on your expectations. I'm in my early 50's, and I felt like I was on the younger side. I'm more bourbon and cigar than Bud Light Bro these days, so this was fine with me. 

 

A little tough to pack for: In 2018, we stopped in Bar Harbor in mid October, and it was 88 degrees. Some people only had long sleeve shirts. I would advise to plan for both 40 degrees and 80 degrees.  

 

We like this itinerary as an "every few years beach break". It's quiet, fairly scenic even without awesome color, and relaxing.