Can I wing it w/Bar Harbor & Canada tours?

[RealDeal]

Cruising on Princess 10/21...I'm all set for Newport & Boston, but regarding Bar Habor, Halifax, and St. John, does anyone know if I can just hook up with a tour when I get off the ship?

 

Also, any strong recommendations for St. John's?

 

Thx.

[Bushido]

If you are on the Star on the 21st check out the roll call on the roll call boards for that voyage. Tons of information and good people

[judynorth]

Cruising on Princess 10/21...I'm all set for Newport & Boston, but regarding Bar Habor, Halifax, and St. John, does anyone know if I can just hook up with a tour when I get off the ship?

 

Also, any strong recommendations for St. John's?

 

Thx.

 

In Bar Harbor you really should go to Acadia National Park. It is beautiful and well worth the time to go there. We used At Your Service Taxi and arranged a private tour. They have vans that hold 6 passengers. The cost is $60 per hour for up to six people. We were gone for 3 1/2 hours and enjoyed every minute of the tour.

 

In Halifax we took the ship's tour to Peggy's Cove. I really didn't expect much but it was wonderful. Well worth the time to go there.

 

Saint Joh had very friendly people but not much to see, particularly on a foggy, rainy day.

 

There were cabs available at each place, I think.

 

If you are interested in what we did in each port, my review is at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=420962

[RealDeal]

Thanks, guys...Yes, I'm on the Star on 10/21. See you there!!

[FundyGirl]

Also, any strong recommendations for St. John's?

 

I could make several recommendations depending on what you like to do. Do you like to do things on your own or would you prefer a guided tour? Do you like to walk or would you rather a bus or trolley? Are you into adventure sports? Sight-seeing? Pubs?

 

Saint John is a beautiful city with lots to see and do.

[lovemylab]

Cruising on Princess 10/21...I'm all set for Newport & Boston, but regarding Bar Habor, Halifax, and St. John, does anyone know if I can just hook up with a tour when I get off the ship?

 

Also, any strong recommendations for St. John's?

 

Thx.

 

If you are planning on going to Peggy's Cove while in Halifax I would book through the ship as you may have trouble finding a tour on your own there.

 

There are several Halifax city tours that you can hook up with once you get off the ship. The Harbour Hopper is a popular one that is used by many cruiseships:

 

http://www.harbourhopper.com/

 

You can also explore the waterfront, Citadel and Public Gardens on your own as they are all within walking distance. There is also the cemetaries where Titanic victims are buried but it would be best to take a taxi to those.

 

Are you going to Saint John, New Brunswick or St. John's, Newfoundland??

[lovemylab]

double post

[RealDeal]

The Harbour Hopper looks interesting. It says it operates thru late October, so I'll just have to find out if it's running when I'm there. I think I'm in Halifax around 10/26.

 

FundyGirl: Not really into pubs. I'm really just interested in seeing the major sights. We're going to St. John New Brunswick.

[EGG]

We did this several years ago -

 

We got off the ship and walked to the indoor market. Spent some time there. There is a visitor center there and we picked up a walking tour brochure that highlighted all the victorian houses and building features to look for. St. John is hilly so I would not do this is you cannot walk uphill. But we took our time and this took several hours. Several people happened to be coming in or out of their houses and saw us reading the brochure and were interested to learn the history of their house.

 

We went back to the ship for lunch and our afternoon ship excursion of Bay of Fundy. The first thing the bus did was drive us to the indoor market where the dropped us off for a while. Then the bus went up and down the streets of St. John so fast that you could not appreciate the archetecture or the ambiance. Then we went to the Bay of Fundy. This is interesting but you really don't get a chance to appreciate what happens with the tides because you are only there for a short time.

 

So my advice is not to take the Bay of Fundy excursion. We really enjoyed St Johns since the center of town is very accessable to the ship.

 

Please post your cruise review when you get back. There is a lack of reviews on the New England Canada cruises. I have had a hard time getting information.

 

Thanks Judy for your comprehensive review. I see your feelings about the reversing tide are about the same as mine.

[RealDeal]

Thanks EGG....Leaving on 10/21.

 

There's a horrendous review on the Princess board...I think from the 10/7 sailing...I really hope they've ironed out the kinks!

[ocean.queen]

RealDeal...we got back on the 8th from the Sea P. In St John we walked off the ship and got a taxi which gave the four of us an hour tour for $35. It was cold and rainy so this worked out ok for us. He took us to Reversing Falls lookout (the lady inside was wonderful and explained it all to us) and then all around the town. He dropped us off at the indoor City Market and we then went into the indoor mall to pick up a few things. It was an easy walk back to the ship with a stop at Steamers for chowder & beer. There are vendors in tents right at the ship with some nice things. I had called ahead to book a taxi-tour in Bar Harbor. It was the best tour of the cruise. AtYourServiceTaxiCompany....a four hr van tour by Claire with a stop at Beals Lobster Pound for fresh lobster. We got back with plenty of time to explore the town...(the tender is right in town).

 

If you need more just ask...I'll be glad to answer ;)

[eh2zed]

WOW, this thread is 5 years old

[eh2zed]

WOW, this thread is 5 years old

[canuck eh?]

I knew the $35.00 tour for four was too good to be true!

[maryann ns]

We had a spammer on yesterday who dug up all these old threads! The posts have been removed.