Sydney and St John excursion help

[Petter]

We will be on the Sea Princess New England/Canada cruise embarking from Quebec 10/08/07. Could someone please give me some advice on shore trips for Sydney and St John. Thanks Petter

[spcl4cs_gal]

We will be on the Sea Princess New England/Canada cruise embarking from Quebec 10/08/07. Could someone please give me some advice on shore trips for Sydney and St John. Thanks Petter

 

What to see in Sydney all depends on what you are interested in. If you like history, there would probably be an excursion to Fortress Louisbourg or a walking tour of the city. Sydney is a mining town so a trip to the Cape Breton Miners Museum might be the excursion for you. You can take a trip down into a coal mine as well.

 

As for Saint John, I usually like to do some shopping at Market Square when I am visiting the city. Saint John is the first incorporated city in Canada and was settled mainly by Loyalists who came up from the US.

[Cruise Lover Kathy]

We leave on Oct 12 on the QM2. I have searching the internet for non ship tours. Since you get there before we do, (we are too late) look into celtic-colours.com This is an area-wide festival.

1 877 285 2321 to see if they have any events while you are in port

[grannynurse]

In Sydney there is a wonderful ship tour sailing excursion at the Bras D'Or lakes about an hour by motor coach from the ship. They let us pose on the prow as in "the Titantic pose" which made a great photo. The captain is fun and interesting and it's a great time. The tour included lunch in a nice inn in Baddeck, we had a choice of stopping in town to shop or go to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum.

GN

[daryleann]

Check out this guy's tips, ideas. There are other ports he's visited, also:

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/34414/dcd37/

They are interesting reading.

[Host Caroline]

In Sydney highly recommend Louisbourg but not as ship tour... they simply didn't give us enough time -- we did this 3 yrs ago and maybe it's gotten better since then but would do independently . IMHO it takes at least 3 hours to fully appreciate this amazing place. You can get lunch there and make most of a day of it.

[cape.breton.island]

I could suggest that you get outside of sydney to The Highland Village, Miners's Museum, Baddeck, Part of The Cabot Trail, The fortress of Louisbourg believe me there is alot to do. But I would take a local guide with me . its the best way to see what you want :) . In oct the fall colors will be fantasic on any part of the Island. so have fun and if you need a tour company. I would use Tartan Tours. located in sydney.

[Bodger]

What to see in Sydney all depends on what you are interested in. If you like history, there would probably be an excursion to Fortress Louisbourg

 

The Fortress of Louisbourg is one of my favourite places anywhere. We were there last summer, my fourth visit. I find it a very spiritual place, I wonder if I was there in a previous life?:D

 

While I agree with the other posters about all the wonderful places to visit, if I could do only one it would be the Fortress.

 

http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/index_e.asp

 

Bodger

[johardy]

Hi Petter I am also sailing on Sea Princess out of Quebec but on Oct 28th having same problems as you finding independant tours for Sydney, we are from England and not at all familiar with this area, would be interested to hear if you've found any thing.

[Petter]

Hi johardy, No, I'm not having any luck with Sydney. I found 3 tours companies on an internet site. I called all 3. One of them had their phone disconnected, one did not answer and the 3rd one would probably be ok, but I was not comfortable with the large non-refundable deposit they required. I really think you need 2 days there, be in your on vehicle or rent one (and since we do not want to rent a car, I have not checked) I called the Fortress and I think they will be open, but will not have any services when we ae there and when you are there it might be closed, I don't know. Also, I decided that time of year it might be cold and rainy, so I gave up on that. I haven't done anything, but at this time I think I will do a ship excursion and I am leaning toward the "Trek to Baddeck and the Bell Museum". I'm not too interested in the museum, but the trip out there, the surrounding grounds and the Baddeck looked neat. It is approx 4 hrs., which might be enough time to see something. I think it takes an hour to drive there. We haven't received our packet from Princess so I am just looking on line. If you find out more please let me know. I am new to this board and am not sure how to answer to you, so hope you get this.......Would love any advise...Petter

[johardy]

Hello Petter thank you for your prompt reply , I have spent most of today researching for our cruise, re Sydney I have sent an email to a company called tartantours to see if they can offer anything , also sent an email to someone who lives in the area who's address I got from another thread on this site, will let you know what I get back. Jo

[daryleann]

Have you noticed that there are "taxi tours" of Sydney? This is the link to that http://www.cbisland.com/index.php?p=100

 

(I got there from here http://www.cbisland.com/index.php

Hope this helps. We will return 1 Oct so will let you know how it went, as I hope to get to the Fortress this way.

[Petter]

Hello Daryleann.....Thanks for info on the taxi's. Did you make reservations and if so, how much down payment did they want and how did they want it? Or will you just try to get a taxi when you arrive? The private taxi guy we used for Halifax wanted 30% down, but he took a check. The tour co. I called in Sydney wanted $100.00 in an international money order, non refundable if we had to cancel,

and I thought this was excessive. Thanks......Pat

[daryleann]

After I sent the reply I noticed that the site had 2005 tour rates. We usually find a taxi and hope to get a car full. So I had planned on taking a taxi out - site says 45 minutes- then releasing the taxi and spending time. I'm sure we can get a taxi back to the pier when we are ready. Everone has said the guides just allow about a 2 hr window and that isn't enough, so...

Weather can play a big role in decisions, also!

 

I can't believe that the town will let a ship dock and not have tons of people offering 'tours' etc. At least, we found plenty on our last trip to this area.

 

One warning... specify if price quoted is US or CAD before you go... we were caught off guard once, as we assumed the price was in CAD and wound up paying much more than we had anticipated as the 'guide meant US $' and there can be a large difference when we get up in #s.:eek:

[Bodger]

While I am a big fan of the fortress I see that in the last half of October it is all but shut down. Frankly I think I would be dissappointed going at that time.

 

I haven't been to the Bell museum since the early '70s but as I remember it, it was quite interesting and I had no idea that he was involved in so many different areas, including working with the deaf and early flight. The Baddeck area is quite beautiful.

 

The Cape Breton area has suffered a lot in the past decade or two with mines and the steel factory closing down, so I have to think there should be some folks looking to make a buck without charging high rates.

 

The Cape Breton (Glace Bay) Miners Museum is also worthwhile.

 

Have a good time.

 

Bodger

[Cruise Lover Kathy]

Petter,

The company you talked to that wanted a large deposit...was it Acadia Tours? I found them on a web search. The gentleman I spoke to said he had a van tour that he said was $65cdn/each if we had 6 people to fill it and they could change the tour as we wanted to fit our ship's time in port. I did not get to deposit...let me know if we are talking about the same one.:confused:

[Cruise Lover Kathy]

johardy, did you ever get any info from tartan tours? I haven't been able to find anything from them for Sydney--just more for Ontario.

[johardy]

No reply from Tartan tours yet

[Petter]

Dear Jo and Kathy, I talked to Dianne Drover at Tartan Tours. 902-578-4501. There will be 4 of us and I can't find my notes on what she was going to charge, but she wanted $100.(US) in an International Money Order, non-refundable, for a deposit. Best I remember 4 hrs was going be about $250. I e-mailed and called Highland Tours and Glengael Holidays and both e-mails came back. Highland Tours phone has been disconnected and Glengael did not answer. We haven't decided, but may go ahead and just book the Princess tour: Baddeck and the Bell Museum. I called the Fortress and got a recorded message. The best I could figure it they will be open, but have limited services. Also, at this time of the year I am afraid it might be cold, foggy and rainy. If you find something else let me know. The Tartan Tours has been recommended on this board. We put up a deposit for a taxi in Halifax, but it is refundable up to 7 days prior to trip. Later........Petter

[cape.breton.island]

It would be suggested to have a deposit in order to book tours the company asking for a deposot is well with in their rights to ask for at least half to hold your date as for acadia tours they have a bad name down here their is quite a few times during the last 2 years they haven;t shown up for the trip booked . By the way they don't ask for a deposit. I'd rather be safe than sorry. :(

[cape.breton.island]

Hi, I have done a little research for all the people asking for tour companies out of Sydney for you. There was one poster saying they called 3 companies, the companies are as follows. Glengael Holidays is a step on guide service only for motor coach tours ( busses) Highland Tours was taken over by Tartan Tours and is using the phone # 902 578 4501. Acadia Tours has a bad name and I would not use them. As for the taxi Tours located in the port of Sydney if you notice on their web site their are no contact numbers to make bookings so basically its hit & miss for them. I hope this helps with anyone looking for tours in Sydney.:) :)