back from cruise to Montreal

[wwinfl91]

Hi all,

We got back earlier this week from our cruise on the Maasdam. We left Ft Lauderdale on May 9th and got to Montreal on May 22. We visited Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, Quebec and Montreal in Canada and had a great time in all of them. We found the Canadian people to be warm and friendly and we enjoyed the scenary and history of your beautiful country. We stayed in a small B&B in old Montreal and had a great time there also. Everyone was willing to either speak English (since neither of us speaks French) or at least they understood my English and were able to help us even if they didn't want to carry on a conversation in English. I had been a little worried after reading about some of the stories about French being the official lanquage but we didn't have any problems.

I wanted to post here and thank all of you who answered my questions prior to my trip or just posted good information that we used on our trip.

Have a GREAT next cruise.

HAL Noordam 3/97 West Carib
Hal Westerdam 12/97 East Carib
HAL Veendam 11/98 East Carib
Hal Zaandam 12/00 South Carib
HAL Veendam 10/01 Panama Canal
RCCL Enchantment 09/02 W.Carib
Costa Atlantica 12/02 E.Carib
HAL Noordam 03/03 S.Carib
Golden Princess 07/03 Med
Celebrity Zenith 12/03 W.Carib
HAL Maasdam 05/04 Canada

[Host Caroline]

Isn't that itinerary wonderful??? I just love it and travel to Canada often also.. I do believe Quebec City is one of my favorite places in the world.. been there in summer and winter.. during the Carnaval in February it's a winter wonderland. What did you do in Sydney, which is also a favorite (but often maligned) port????

Host Caroline
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Sept 04-Royal Hounds Mariner of the Seas
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One can [I]never[/I] have too many days at sea..</font>

[wwinfl91]

Hi Caroline

We only got a day in Quebec but we definitely want to come back again and be able to spend a little more time. The cruise ended in Montreal and we stayed 3 days there this time. In Sydney we a private tour with 2 other couples to the Fortress of Louisbourg. Unfortunately it wasn't officially open until June 1st so we only got to see part of it and none of the restaurants and other attractions including the costumed characters were available. I can see where that would be an all day stop if everything was going. We also had lunch at a local restaurant (great clam chowder) and then saw some lighthouses and coastline before returning to Sydney. The temperature was in the 40's and the wind was really blowing so while at the Fortress it felt like it was in the 20's at least. We didn't see much of Sydney itself because by the time we got back it seemed even colder and we decided to return to the ship rather than walking into town. We stop at a craft fair they were having at the tourist center at the port and ended up buying some knitted mittens. We could have used them at the Fortress.

Have a GREAT next cruise.

HAL Noordam 3/97 West Carib
Hal Westerdam 12/97 East Carib
HAL Veendam 11/98 East Carib
Hal Zaandam 12/00 South Carib
HAL Veendam 10/01 Panama Canal
RCCL Enchantment 09/02 W.Carib
Costa Atlantica 12/02 E.Carib
HAL Noordam 03/03 S.Carib
Golden Princess 07/03 Med
Celebrity Zenith 12/03 W.Carib
HAL Maasdam 05/04 Canada