New England, Canada cruise itineraries

[rkacruiser]

On 1/11/2021 at 8:35 AM, ontheweb said:

I also noticed that there have been no real mentions of Halifax. We found much to do in our port stop there.

 

Well, allow me praise Halifax as a port where there are so many attractions for a cruiser that it is impossible to experience it all in one port stop.  Every time that I have visited this city, there is something new to do and experience than before.  

 

As a collector of maritime and travel oriented books, I have found books there that are never available in the United States.  

 

The merchants in the terminal buildings where the ships dock often offer unique items for sale that are also reasonably priced.  

5 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.

 

A magnificent hotel with a specialty restaurant that served French Canadian cuisine that was excellent.  

[navybankerteacher]

38 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Well, allow me praise Halifax as a port where there are so many attractions for a cruiser that it is impossible to experience it all in one port stop.  Every time that I have visited this city, there is something new to do and experience than before.  

 

As a collector of maritime and travel oriented books, I have found books there that are never available in the United States.  

 

The merchants in the terminal buildings where the ships dock often offer unique items for sale that are also reasonably priced.  

 

A magnificent hotel with a specialty restaurant that served French Canadian cuisine that was excellent.  

My recollections of French Canadian cuisine are marked by the delightful maple sugar pie for dessert - and the unspeakable, god-awful muck known as "poutine".  It takes all kinds...

[lenquixote66]

On 1/11/2021 at 8:35 AM, ontheweb said:

We sailed from Boston to Montreal. We spent some days afterwards in Montreal and found it to be a wonderful place to visit.

 

I also noticed that there have been no real mentions of Halifax. We found much to do in our port stop there.

I posted that my cruise went to Halifax.The first time I was there was in 1976.I loved it.

[ldubs]

7 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

My wife and I were there in the early 70’s .We love Canada.In 1969 we went to Montreal and stayed at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.We loved Canada so much that we went back 16 times.

 

I've always enjoyed our opportunities to visit BC.  A few years back a group of us took were in a two caravan of two minivans from Niagara Falls to Montreal to Quebec City (where we boarded a cruise).  It was a lot of fun.  I would go back.  

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Well, allow me praise Halifax as a port where there are so many attractions for a cruiser that it is impossible to experience it all in one port stop.  Every time that I have visited this city, there is something new to do and experience than before.  

 

As a collector of maritime and travel oriented books, I have found books there that are never available in the United States.  

 

The merchants in the terminal buildings where the ships dock often offer unique items for sale that are also reasonably priced.  

 

A magnificent hotel with a specialty restaurant that served French Canadian cuisine that was excellent.  

We were in Halifax twice on cruises. The second time we stopped at a Museum for Canadian Immigration. We did not intend to spend much time there but we found it fascinating and spent a lot of time there. As you said there was still much more to see and do that we did not get to as we spent so much time there.

[Turtles06]

11 hours ago, ontheweb said:

We were in Halifax twice on cruises. The second time we stopped at a Museum for Canadian Immigration. We did not intend to spend much time there but we found it fascinating and spent a lot of time there. As you said there was still much more to see and do that we did not get to as we spent so much time there.

 

Same here -- we've visited Halifax twice on cruises, and, on the second visit, went to the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.  Even though it was a priority for us that day, like you we did not expect to spend as much time as we did there.  We found it a very informative, moving and emotional experience.  We particularly appreciated the Museum's embrace and celebration of Canada's immigrants and recognition of their importance to the country, which was so unlike anything going on at the federal level in the U.S. at that time (nearly two years ago), or now.  It was wonderful and refreshing.  And we also appreciated the candor with which the Museum dealt with ugly parts of Canada's history, including the turning away of the St. Louis in 1939.   (We of course knew that the U.S. had done so, but were not aware that Canada had as well.)

 

 

[Turtles06]

A little more on Halifax, besides what I posted above regarding the Museum of Immigration, which I strongly recommend.

There is, as others have noted, so much to see in Halifax.  I'll add a recommendation for the Victorian-era Halifax Public Gardens, which are just beautiful.   Right in town, walkable from the pier, though up some very steep hills.  To save time (and our knees), we took a cab there, and walked back.  Or you could combine this with a visit to the Citadel.   We lucked out with the weather the day we visited the Gardens; what a treat.

 

 

Speaking of treats, we fell in love with Beaver Tails and bought them in all of the Canadian ports where we could find them, including in Halifax.  Yum!!!

 

 

I also found that I enjoyed poutine.  I realize it looks gross and is not for everyone.  What can I say, I liked it! 

 

 

(photos by turtles06)

Edited January 13, 2021 by Turtles06

[chengkp75]

53 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

I also found that I enjoyed poutine.  I realize it looks gross and is not for everyone.  What can I say, I liked it! 

We have a restaurant in Portland that does a take on poutine.  Instead of fries, they use tots.  And their best version, "the three little pigs", is tots, gravy, cheese curds, bacon, sausage, and pork belly.

[Turtles06]

7 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

We have a restaurant in Portland that does a take on poutine.  Instead of fries, they use tots.  And their best version, "the three little pigs", is tots, gravy, cheese curds, bacon, sausage, and pork belly.

😀😄😄

 

Wow, that AND the Holy Donut! 

[lenquixote66]

20 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I've always enjoyed our opportunities to visit BC.  A few years back a group of us took were in a two caravan of two minivans from Niagara Falls to Montreal to Quebec City (where we boarded a cruise).  It was a lot of fun.  I would go back.  

We toured Canada for 3 weeks in 1976 with our then 2 year old daughter.

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

went to the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.  Even though it was a priority for us that day, like you we did not expect to spend as much time as we did there.  We found it a very informative, moving and emotional experience.  We particularly appreciated the Museum's embrace and celebration of Canada's immigrants and recognition of their importance to the country, 

 

Your reaction to the Museum was the same as mine.  And, my visit was prior to 2017.

 

22 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

My recollections of French Canadian cuisine are marked by the delightful maple sugar pie for dessert - and the unspeakable, god-awful muck known as "poutine".  

 

Maple Sugar Pie:  I KNOW that I would like that.  But, the description--and appearance of poutine--UGH!

 

Interestingly, though I think, here in southwest Ohio, some chefs of our restaurants are creating "poutine" type dishes that seem to be accepted.  

[Ashland]

45 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

😀😄😄

 

Wow, that AND the Holy Donut! 

Holy Donut...our favorite. I have one of their coffee mugs and use it daily...memories 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Same here -- we've visited Halifax twice on cruises, and, on the second visit, went to the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.  Even though it was a priority for us that day, like you we did not expect to spend as much time as we did there.  We found it a very informative, moving and emotional experience.  We particularly appreciated the Museum's embrace and celebration of Canada's immigrants and recognition of their importance to the country, which was so unlike anything going on at the federal level in the U.S. at that time (nearly two years ago), or now.  It was wonderful and refreshing.  And we also appreciated the candor with which the Museum dealt with ugly parts of Canada's history, including the turning away of the St. Louis in 1939.   (We of course knew that the U.S. had done so, but were not aware that Canada had as well.)

 

 

Glad we were not the only ones who were so impressed. And we had no idea about it before entering.

 

One thing I remember is the difference between what was said by the person who did a presentation and what we saw in the museum about how Canada treated Black immigrants. The presenter made it sound like there were no problems while what we read in the exhibits seemed to say that there was not much acceptance.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Your reaction to the Museum was the same as mine.  And, my visit was prior to 2017.

 

 

Maple Sugar Pie:  I KNOW that I would like that.  But, the description--and appearance of poutine--UGH!

 

Interestingly, though I think, here in southwest Ohio, some chefs of our restaurants are creating "poutine" type dishes that seem to be accepted.  

Think about poutine for a minute:  lumps of cheese curds over French fries covered with gravy -- the sort of thing only a Brit weaned on butties and Scotch eggs could keep down.

[K32682]

On 1/12/2021 at 9:23 PM, navybankerteacher said:

My recollections of French Canadian cuisine are marked by the delightful maple sugar pie for dessert - and the unspeakable, god-awful muck known as "poutine".  It takes all kinds...

 

The criticism of poutine is somewhat ironic coming from citizens of a nation where biscuits and gravy are a common and readily available breakfast item in much of the country. 😉 

[Turtles06]

On 1/10/2021 at 1:42 PM, woldridge said:

Look at Celebrity's Summit cruises out of Boston.  There are three cruises, all round-trip that include an overnight in Quebec. The middle cruise the end of September has the best itinerary, but to get the best fall colors, the later the better.  For me, the fall colors were the must see. 

 

 

Until 2020, Celebrity was operating those cruises out of Bayonne; we took one in Sept. 2019 that was excellent. This gave us a nice sea day before Boston and several other ports that then followed without a break.  (It also made it a 14-day rather than a 12-day cruise, which I consider a plus, not to mention having the beautiful sailaway from New York Harbor.)

 

OP: I posted a detailed review of that cruise, with photos, at the following link, including information about what we did in each of the ports.  The overnight in Quebec City was the highlight of what was, overall, a very enjoyable cruise.

 

 

 

 

[shipgeeks]

The Maritime Museum in Halifax, further down the boardwalk, is also excellent.  And if you go there, you get to pass all the stalls selling beaver tails, poutine, etc.!

[Turtles06]

6 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

The Maritime Museum in Halifax, further down the boardwalk, is also excellent.  And if you go there, you get to pass all the stalls selling beaver tails, poutine, etc.!

 

Yes, that's how we found the Beaver Tails in Halifax, walking from the Immigration Museum to the Maritime Museum.  🤣

 

The Maritime Museum, however, looked very crowded, and it was such a sunny, comfortable, and perfectly beautiful day, we decided to stay outdoors and visit the Public Gardens instead (which I posted about above).  The Maritime Museum is on our list for our next visit to Halifax (whenever that may be).

[navybankerteacher]

39 minutes ago, K32682 said:

 

The criticism of poutine is somewhat ironic coming from citizens of a nation where biscuits and gravy are a common and readily available breakfast item in much of the country. 😉 

Of course -  absurd concepts of food are universal - the US is home to some frightening versions of “nourishment” — New York’s dirty water hot dogs and southern pork rinds are just tips of the iceberg.

[antmaril]

21 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

😀😄😄

 

Wow, that AND the Holy Donut! 

Loved the Holy Donut!  So good!  

Edited January 14, 2021 by antmaril

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, antmaril said:

Loved the Holy Donut!  So good!  

 

I'm always a little leery about things that have an almost cult-like following, but wow, this was THE best donut I've ever had!  😊

[FredT]

OK... Not to highjack the thread, but a related question.  If you desire is for a cruise to hit as many DIFFERENT ports from Boston/NY to Montreal   (or back) what would you choose?  Any of the smaller lines do more of a "port intensive" itinerary? 

 

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

The Maritime Museum is on our list for our next visit to Halifax (whenever that may be).

 

On your way there from the cruise terminal, if it's still there, is a Canadian corvette that served in WW II during the convoys that have been opened for a visit.  It's worth a visit, if you have the time and interest to do so.  

 

11 hours ago, K32682 said:

 

The criticism of poutine is somewhat ironic coming from citizens of a nation where biscuits and gravy are a common and readily available breakfast item in much of the country. 😉 

 

😀!  I got a chuckle out of your comment.  Myself, no fan of biscuits and sausage gravy.  My cardiologist would probably have a heart attack if he knew I ate such.  

 

To each whatever one chooses to eat.  I am a bit amazed that Poutine, along with some creative versions of such, is becoming "popular" in some of the smaller restaurants in my area.  

[Turtles06]

4 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

On your way there from the cruise terminal, if it's still there, is a Canadian corvette that served in WW II during the convoys that have been opened for a visit.  It's worth a visit, if you have the time and interest to do so.  

 

Thank you for that tip, I am very interested in seeing things like that.

 

And speaking of those convoys, I recommend that folks visiting Sydney take the time to walk over to the Merchant Mariners Memorial along the waterfront, not far from the cruise pier.  It's an impressive work of art, and I learned a great deal from the accompanying signage.

 

 

 

 

(photos by turtles06)

[davekathy]

On 1/14/2021 at 4:22 PM, FredT said:

OK... Not to highjack the thread, but a related question.  If you desire is for a cruise to hit as many DIFFERENT ports from Boston/NY to Montreal   (or back) what would you choose?  Any of the smaller lines do more of a "port intensive" itinerary? 

 

Check out Celebrity's 12 night cruises leaving from Boston. Great itinerary. We did a 14 Night Celebrity US/Canada cruise September 2019 that left out of Bayonne. We are going to book the 12 night Celebrity cruise out of Boston for September 2022.