Quebec City on back to back NCL cruises

[PortFees45]

I'm looking at a back to back Gem cruise. How do things work on disembarkation day for people making the return trip? Are you able to basically treat it like just another port day and go out and explore the city? I assume you of course have to be back on the ship in time for the muster drill. 

[don't-use-real-name]

You are on the GEM replacing what the DAWN did previously - - -

 

You sail up from Boston and arrive in the dawn hours of the morning at Quebec City after having

port stops at Portland or Bar Harbor Halifax Sydney PEI and La Baie-Saguenay.

 

You are staying in the same cabin just leave everything as is -

Changing cabin pack up your duds goodies clothing and your cabin attendant will take it to your new cabin.

 

OK you have checked with Guest Services to either have your present key card for use at your existing cabin

or the move to the new one. Your on board accounting statement should adjust accordingly

 

Now you can leave the ship - walk about - take shore excursion - or simply wait for boarding of the INTRANSIT

guests to board.

 

You will be overnighting at Quebec City and then the next day you can again go ashore for more activities

shopping shore excursions etc. - come and go - ignore the lines of guests boarding at Quebec City.

 

You will however be required to attend that muster drill at the appointed time and place

 

Then sail away back to Boston with port stops of Sydney Halifax St. Johns Bay (of Fundy) and lastly

Bar Harbor where you clear Customs.

 

Port stops variable with sailing and weather

 

Advice go mid-late September for best overall conditions

Early September foliage and changing colors premature

Mid September (high peak fares) best

Early October - end of the cruise season weather changing ***

 

Trip in 2016 absolutely perfect delightful and tried an instant replay in 2018

Things were everything far from routine - - -

*** 2018 had foggy rug pulled from ocean floor really high surf smashing windows (not the PC ones)

a real down-noreasterner winter storm port call at PEI cancelled intense hand in face fog - passage

in the Gulf of St. Lawrence with gale force winds surf 35-40 foot waves - return port call at St. Johns

cancelled weather conditions - surf and tides.

 

Enjoy make the most of it !

[fiftyguy]

Hi.

I’m B2B Boston to Quebec later this month. I do plan to get off and explore Old Quebec. I’m guessing there will be a meeting or notice left in cabin about how the changeover will be handled. I’ll ask questions once I’m on board. Since we’re not staying overnight I’m thinking we’ll have to be back on board between 2 and 3 PM since we depart at 4.

[PortFees45]

It's not an overnight. Cruise up to QC ends that morning and the return trip starts that afternoon. Hence my questions about being able to treat it like a port day. 

[don't-use-real-name]

2 hours ago, PortFees45 said:

It's not an overnight. Cruise up to QC ends that morning and the return trip starts that afternoon. Hence my questions about being able to treat it like a port day. 

 

OK --- YMMV as well as NCL time table and port call itinerary !

 

In your case it will be as you have noted a simple (day) port call even if a B2B

 

This poses other problems with which pier NCL will dock -

The industrial location off of the St. Charles river

or one of the piers*** just down the hill from the Chateau Frontenac Hotel.

*** most desirable for walking about QC in the tourist related themes.

That industrial pier is awkward especially so when the grain freight trains are operating

and the distant not so convenient walking distance to all things touristy.

 

The years 2016 and 2018 gave a much better time period visiting Quebec City.

[bonvoyagie]

Yes DURN they changed things up a bit since 2016 (that was a lovely cruise). It looks like no more overnight in Quebec. All of the Boston itineraries are the same Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, LaBaie, Quebec. The return depends on the sail date. One does Charlottetown, Sydney, St John (Bay of Funday), Bar Harbor, Boston, another subs Portland ME for Bar Harbor and the third skips St John and does both Bar Harbor and Portland.

 

I liked the old one better.

[fiftyguy]

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

 

OK --- YMMV as well as NCL time table and port call itinerary !

 

In your case it will be as you have noted a simple (day) port call even if a B2B

 

This poses other problems with which pier NCL will dock -

 

For my cruise we’ll dock at pier 30. This looks like a good location near the city.

[gtaylor]

But my upcoming Dawn cruise on September  24th indicates overnight in Quebec City.

 

 

Fri	Saguenay (La Baie), Québec	11:00 AM	8:00 PM	0
Sat	Québec City, Québec	8:00 AM	---	0
Sun	Québec City, Québec (Flight Departure)	7:00 AM	---	0

[PortFees45]

12 minutes ago, gtaylor said:

But my upcoming Dawn cruise on September  24th indicates overnight in Quebec City.

 

 

Fri	Saguenay (La Baie), Québec	11:00 AM	8:00 PM	0
Sat	Québec City, Québec	8:00 AM	---	0
Sun	Québec City, Québec (Flight Departure)	7:00 AM	---	0

I'm not talking about the Dawn. 

[don't-use-real-name]

14 minutes ago, fiftyguy said:

For my cruise we’ll dock at pier 30. This looks like a good location near the city.

Pier 30 is the industrial pier on the St. Charles river - bad boo

Pier 22 is the desired pier at the bottom of the hill from Chateau Frontenac Hotel and old town

 

Map Image LINK:

https://www.google.com/maps/@46.8180676,-71.1997003,1416m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

At the top left center of the image there are 4 barge like vessels - that is Pier 30

Le Café du Monde in the center of the image is close to Pier 22

 

Zoom pan the image photo in and out

 

14 minutes ago, gtaylor said:

But my upcoming Dawn cruise on September  24th indicates overnight in Quebec City.

 

 

Fri	Saguenay (La Baie), Québec	11:00 AM	8:00 PM	0
Sat	Québec City, Québec	8:00 AM	---	0
Sun	Québec City, Québec (Flight Departure)	7:00 AM	---	0

You have a winner - Note the DAWN sails out of NYC

 

But the OP is on the GEM sailing out of Boston

[gtaylor]

56 minutes ago, PortFees45 said:

I'm not talking about the Dawn. 

Good for you, but the subject of the thread is

"Quebec City on back to back NCL cruises.

[PortFees45]

24 minutes ago, gtaylor said:

Good for you, but the subject of the thread is

"Quebec City on back to back NCL cruises.

Thanks for informing me of the subject of the thread I started.

 

This is also the first sentence of the post: "I'm looking at a back to back Gem cruise."