Boston port to down town

[Redsoxfan11]

Redsoxfan or any other Bostonian,

We will be in Boston on 9/16/07 ( a Sunday). We want to see Paul Revere's house and have a pastry at Mike's Pastry shop. We arrive in Boston at 2pm. I know Paul Revere's house closes at 4:15pm. My question is if you wanted to see Paul Revere's house and did not have that much time to get there, would you take a taxi to his house OR would you take the Silverline to ??. Help me out here...I would love to take the Silver line and connect to the ( which color is it that gets me close to Paul Revere's house?) as I have never been on a subway before. But we can take a cab if too much time will be spent in getting to Paul Revere's house. Is his house even open on Sundays? If not we still want to go to the Northend and Mike's Pastry ( of course see the other sites too!) From Paul Reveres house, is Fanueil Hall easy to get to? I would like a Boston souvenir and thought maybe I could get one there.

Thanks for any help. ( I have studied the maps for the T, but am still confused!)

 

 

Here's a good site on navigating the T. The Orange, Green and Blue Line all get you there.

 

http://www.theinsider.com/Boston/Survive/mbta.htm

 

 

By the T, the Paul Revere House is closest to the Haymarket and North Station MBTA stops on the Orange and Green lines, but is no more than a ten-minute walk from the Government Center stop on the Blue line.

Have fun at Mikes! They have the best cannoli's (and I'm Italian, lol) The Paul Revere House and Faneuil Hall are both in the North end and not far apart at all. Not a bad walk.

[c breeze]

So, true PKB! There are 2 Cheers. The one in Faneuil Hall is just a satellite. The real one is at 84 Beacon St in Boston, The Bull and Funch Pub. It only looks like Cheers on the outside. It is nothing like the TV show inside. It's an okay bar but lots of people are disappointed when they go in and find it's not what they expected. It is thought of by many as a tourist trap. Lot's of wait time for a table and the food is not inexpensive and it is too small and crowded. When I bring friends around the city it is a definite photo op then we go eat and have a drink elsewhere. In all honesty I would take a picture and explore other places.

 

Here are the T directions

 

By Subway

Green Line (Inbound)- Get off at "Arlington Street" station, walk through the Public Garden to Beacon Street, we are located on 84 Beacon Street.

Green Line (Outbound) - Get off at "Park Street" station, walk through the Boston Common to Charles and Beacon Street, we are located on 84 Beacon Street.

Red Line - Get off at "Charles Street/MGH" station. Walk down Charles Street (five blocks) through historic Beacon Hill to Beacon Street, turn right and we are one block down on the right. All three stops are about a five minute walk to us.

 

Hi, Redsoxfan! Our cruise will put us in Boston on Friday, Sept 14. We had planned to visit Fanueil Hall and Quincy Market. What is the name of the satelite "Cheers" Bar there? Also, what are your "not to be missed" recommendations for that area?

 

Thanks!

[AuntieBon]

Hi, Redsoxfan! Our cruise will put us in Boston on Friday, Sept 14. We had planned to visit Fanueil Hall and Quincy Market. What is the name of the satelite "Cheers" Bar there? Also, what are your "not to be missed" recommendations for that area?

 

Thanks!

 

RSF1 will correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that it is called Cheers whereas the original is Bull & Finch Pub. As for don't miss, make sure you grab a pastry in the North End. That is the italian heart of Boston and lots of places to choose from.

 

Quincy Market has a food court in one of main buildings but it's typical "mall food" IMHO and you're better off walking a couple of blocks to the North End and really enjoying the food.

 

Upstairs of Quincy Market is Durgin Park which is an old restaurant with a lot of Boston "attitude" and I mean that in the truest sense of the word. The wait staff has a lot sass and enjoys messing with the diners :).

 

Not too far from that same area is the Union Oyster House where everyone says they have a great oyster bar, which I'll take their word for as nothing like that has or will EVER pass these lips.

 

Boston is a really small and easily walkable city. Enjoy your visit!

[Redsoxfan11]

RSF1 will correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that it is called Cheers whereas the original is Bull & Finch Pub. As for don't miss, make sure you grab a pastry in the North End. That is the italian heart of Boston and lots of places to choose from.

 

Quincy Market has a food court in one of main buildings but it's typical "mall food" IMHO and you're better off walking a couple of blocks to the North End and really enjoying the food.

 

Upstairs of Quincy Market is Durgin Park which is an old restaurant with a lot of Boston "attitude" and I mean that in the truest sense of the word. The wait staff has a lot sass and enjoys messing with the diners :).

 

Not too far from that same area is the Union Oyster House where everyone says they have a great oyster bar, which I'll take their word for as nothing like that has or will EVER pass these lips.

 

Boston is a really small and easily walkable city. Enjoy your visit!

 

Right you are, Auntie! The North End is not to be missed!

[AuntieBon]

If you have limited time and want to get a quick overview of the city you can either do the Freedom Trail which takes you to many of the historic sites that we all read about in elementary school. Or if walking isn't your thing, consider taking a motor tour. There are trolley and duck tours, some allow you to get off and on at certain locations but not all so make sure to ask.

[PKB]

Need help all you Fenway experts

 

Intend to take the T to Kenmore Station and walk to the park. But how do get to the other side of the freeway? Can you walk underneath? I looked at satellite imagery and it doesn't look feasible to cross the freeway. Help!

[twocats]

If you are still following this thread, can you tell me what company you used for your tour that did - not - allow hop on/hop off priveledges? I want to cut that one from my list. Thanks in advance

If agabbymomma isn't around does anyone else know?

[Redsoxfan11]

Need help all you Fenway experts

 

Intend to take the T to Kenmore Station and walk to the park. But how do get to the other side of the freeway? Can you walk underneath? I looked at satellite imagery and it doesn't look feasible to cross the freeway. Help!

 

PKB It's not a problem. When you take the Green Line to the Kenmore stop, Fenway is right around the corner. No worries about the Mass Pike (the highway, RT 90).

 

 

GO RED SOX!!!!

[AuntieBon]

If you are still following this thread, can you tell me what company you used for your tour that did - not - allow hop on/hop off priveledges? I want to cut that one from my list. Thanks in advance

If agabbymomma isn't around does anyone else know?

 

According to their websites both Beantown and Cityview Trolleys have HOHO options and Old Town Trolley does not unless you buy the two day pass.

[AuntieBon]

If you are still following this thread, can you tell me what company you used for your tour that did - not - allow hop on/hop off priveledges? I want to cut that one from my list. Thanks in advance

If agabbymomma isn't around does anyone else know?

 

According to their respective websites, both Beantown and Cityview Trolleys offer HOHO privaleges. Old Town Trolley looks like that option is only available with their two day pass. Their one day looks like a 1 hour quick spin around the city.

[hylasgirl]

agabbymama... I think Boston is really easy. After cruising Europe a few times now, our ports are definitely easier. I am not happy that RCCL changed us from Newport to New London, but I don't think Boston is hard at all. Like they said... Boston was a big city long before the cruise ships started docking there... and I have NO idea what people are talking about when they mention FREE shuttles or $1/$2 shuttles... I have cruised A LOT, and I have never ever had a free shuttle anywhere! Please tell me what cruise lines do this... because I will switch!! We are coming into Boston in September on a cruise and we have just decided to book a private water taxi to take us right from the port to the USS Constitution and then we will walk the Freedom Trail (which I HIGHLY recommend) backwards... ending in Boston Commons and getting a drink at the Bull & Finch (which I also think is worth the stop, and having a drink). The walk takes you through the north end... (another drink opportunity) and past great great historical sites. I also find it interesting when people pay thousands for a cruise, and then complain about the price of a soda or how much a taxi might cost, or what they aren't getting for free because they think everything should be included... this one coming up ran me and my mother almost $3,500.00... not counting everything we spent for airfare getting across the country... and hotels before and after... all of our drinks and snacks on land... and spending money... let's say an easy 5 grand... the last thing I am going to complain about is having to spend $20 to get to the USS Constitution in Boston.

 

I love Boston!!! :D

[twocats]

Thanks AuntieBon, I will get to the web sites. Just wanted to make sure I ended up with a good one. Carole

[jrmama496]

We took the Old Town Trolley and and it did have HOHO. It was $3.00 more than Cityview but it had many more stops and covered much more of the city. I asked if they had a AAA discount and they gave me the student rate which was a $4.00 discount.

[Terpnut]

I don't understand how anyone can complain about Boston and accessibility. It's one our country's major cities with a huge metropolitan area and EASY access. How does one compare it to small towns like Portland, Bar Harbor or Saint John?

 

We actually found it VERY easy to get to/from the downtown area--just a $10-12 (including tip) and 10 minute taxi ride. Boston is very compact and the entire downtown area is very walkable. We loved it! Heck, if we didn't have my elderly parents along and if it weren't 93 deg F, we could've easily WALKED from the pier to the Freedom trail in probably 20-25 minutes. Can't do that in most other major cities! Boston was great! :)

[AuntieBon]

We took the Old Town Trolley and and it did have HOHO. It was $3.00 more than Cityview but it had many more stops and covered much more of the city. I asked if they had a AAA discount and they gave me the student rate which was a $4.00 discount.

 

Thanks for the information. As a native I haven't taken any of the trolleys in ages and based on their website it didn't appear they had that option.

[agabbymama]

agabbymama... I think Boston is really easy. After cruising Europe a few times now, our ports are definitely easier. I am not happy that RCCL changed us from Newport to New London, but I don't think Boston is hard at all. Like they said... Boston was a big city long before the cruise ships started docking there... and I have NO idea what people are talking about when they mention FREE shuttles or $1/$2 shuttles... I have cruised A LOT, and I have never ever had a free shuttle anywhere! Please tell me what cruise lines do this... because I will switch!! We are coming into Boston in September on a cruise and we have just decided to book a private water taxi to take us right from the port to the USS Constitution and then we will walk the Freedom Trail (which I HIGHLY recommend) backwards... ending in Boston Commons and getting a drink at the Bull & Finch (which I also think is worth the stop, and having a drink). The walk takes you through the north end... (another drink opportunity) and past great great historical sites. I also find it interesting when people pay thousands for a cruise, and then complain about the price of a soda or how much a taxi might cost, or what they aren't getting for free because they think everything should be included... this one coming up ran me and my mother almost $3,500.00... not counting everything we spent for airfare getting across the country... and hotels before and after... all of our drinks and snacks on land... and spending money... let's say an easy 5 grand... the last thing I am going to complain about is having to spend $20 to get to the USS Constitution in Boston.

 

I love Boston!!! :D

 

I'm glad you have the funds to be able to travel like that. I have to budget very tightly for my cruises, and I don't spend anywhere near that much. We spent $3500 on the total trip. Pre-cruise hotel 2 nights in NYC ($$$), airfare, souvenirs, excursions all included. When I booked the trolley tour, I thought we would surely stop somewhere, but alas we didn't until the very end of the tour, she stopped at the market and said we would have to pay for transport back to the ship if we left the trolley. It just seems very strange to me that Portland Maine, Bar Harbor Maine, Quebec, Saint John New Brunswick and Halifax Nova Scotia that in all of these ports you could walk off the ship and have some sights within a short walk of the pier. But Boston is 3 miles from anything, then they want to charge you $8.00 or $12.00 depending which shuttle you took to take you into town. And while the Freedom Trail sounds wonderful, my friend is 78 and can't walk for more than a few blocks, so extensive walking is out for us when we travel. There is no way she and I could even made it halfway from the market to the ship. I didn't see that there was a Hop on/Hop off trolley offered by Celebrity, it would certainly have been a better option than the Old Town Trolley tour that we were on. We made no stops whatsoever (except traffic lights) until the end of the tour. Boston was just another big city (we come from Los Angeles).

 

Just an aside note, these towns that "can't be compared to Boston" sure outdid Boston in these two travelers eyes, in Saint John New Brunswick, a much smaller town than Boston, there were tents set up at the pier with arts and crafts and fudge and toys and clothes (sort of like a flea market)and a welcoming band with a flower for each lady and a boutineer (sp?) for each man that was getting off the ship. It was really a class act.

 

Then in Halifax they have upgraded their waterfront with a really nice walkway all along the coast (I have no idea how far, but plenty to see and do there) and all the walking we could handle, and as we were leaving, there was a bagpiper standing on the deck bidding us farewell. Another class act.

 

And Quebec, the pier is right at the foot of the hill. You can walk right off the ship and be in downtown Quebec City (and I think Quebec is every bit as old as Boston).

 

If everyione is happy paying $26 for a tour, then having to pay $12 for a shuttle to be able to purchase any kind of a souvenir, more power to you. We weren't!

[Redsoxfan11]

I'm glad you have the funds to be able to travel like that. I have to budget very tightly for my cruises, and I don't spend anywhere near that much. We spent $3500 on the total trip. Pre-cruise hotel 2 nights in NYC ($$$), airfare, souvenirs, excursions all included. When I booked the trolley tour, I thought we would surely stop somewhere, but alas we didn't until the very end of the tour, she stopped at the market and said we would have to pay for transport back to the ship if we left the trolley. It just seems very strange to me that Portland Maine, Bar Harbor Maine, Quebec, Saint John New Brunswick and Halifax Nova Scotia that in all of these ports you could walk off the ship and have some sights within a short walk of the pier. But Boston is 3 miles from anything, then they want to charge you $8.00 or $12.00 depending which shuttle you took to take you into town. And while the Freedom Trail sounds wonderful, my friend is 78 and can't walk for more than a few blocks, so extensive walking is out for us when we travel. There is no way she and I could even made it halfway from the market to the ship. I didn't see that there was a Hop on/Hop off trolley offered by Celebrity, it would certainly have been a better option than the Old Town Trolley tour that we were on. We made no stops whatsoever (except traffic lights) until the end of the tour. Boston was just another big city (we come from Los Angeles).

 

Just an aside note, these towns that "can't be compared to Boston" sure outdid Boston in these two travelers eyes, in Saint John New Brunswick, a much smaller town than Boston, there were tents set up at the pier with arts and crafts and fudge and toys and clothes (sort of like a flea market)and a welcoming band with a flower for each lady and a boutineer (sp?) for each man that was getting off the ship. It was really a class act.

 

Then in Halifax they have upgraded their waterfront with a really nice walkway all along the coast (I have no idea how far, but plenty to see and do there) and all the walking we could handle, and as we were leaving, there was a bagpiper standing on the deck bidding us farewell. Another class act.

 

And Quebec, the pier is right at the foot of the hill. You can walk right off the ship and be in downtown Quebec City (and I think Quebec is every bit as old as Boston).

 

If everyione is happy paying $26 for a tour, then having to pay $12 for a shuttle to be able to purchase any kind of a souvenir, more power to you. We weren't!

 

 

Apparently you didn't read my above response to you. The silverline bus (at the port) and an ALL DAY T pass to get around the entire city is $7.50 for the whole day...much less for specific destinations. Boston is MUCH bigger then the above mentioned cities and was founded in the 1600's long before the advent of cruising and built in accordance with it's needs...not with the cruising population in mind. The sites are where they are and one cannot build a pier mid city especially one with such historical significance. It would ruin the integrity of n already established big city. We had no other place to add a pier as the shoreline is already built up. Comparing those small ports to a huge metropolitan area is like apples and oranges. It looks that you unfortunately chose the wrong mode of transportation and it evidently jaded your view of our beautiful and historic city. Research is knowledge and can make your trip a lot easier. A lot of good New Englanders on this board are more then happy to help people with questions.

 

In order for you not to scroll back. This is my original response to you.

 

Our city was set up long before cruise ships decided to use it as a vacation destination so I wouldn't call it poor planning. They put a pier in an area that was available. Boston is a compact city and the rest of the area on the coast is already built up. If you bought the $7.50 all day T pass you would pay that for indefinite amounts of travel for an entire day! The T is very easy to get around and I have put a map up on this site numerous times to show the stops in conjunction with the sites/activities at or near those stops. The silver line starts at the port. Doing a little research helps and there is reasonable transportation for a variety of budgets. The cabs are always expensive in a big city. Those 3 lousy miles you speak of can take up to a half hour of travel during rush hour. Those prices are normal around here. The Northeast is expensive. An example is the MA minimum wage is $7.50 an hour and soon to be $8.00 in January. The federal is $5.85. We pay $10 for a cab ride here for the same $7 cab ride in other parts of the country.

Things aren't always black and white. But that said..again, reasearch is always important prior to travel and the T is an excellent option. I have save a lot of money in transportation costs at other ports due to the kind people on this board.

[Terpnut]

It just seems very strange to me that Portland Maine, Bar Harbor Maine, Quebec, Saint John New Brunswick and Halifax Nova Scotia that in all of these ports you could walk off the ship and have some sights within a short walk of the pier. But Boston is 3 miles from anything, then they want to charge you $8.00 or $12.00 depending which shuttle you took to take you into town. And while the Freedom Trail sounds wonderful, my friend is 78 and can't walk for more than a few blocks, so extensive walking is out for us when we travel. There is no way she and I could even made it halfway from the market to the ship.

Again, please remember that Boston is a major, top 25 American city. Also the Black Falcon cruise terminal is only a mile's walk from a couple popular museums. The main tourist spots such as Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market and the Aquarium are only about a 2 mile walk from the terminal--really not bad for a major city. If you can handle the long walk along Halifax's boardwalk to the Historic Properties, it wouldn't have been that much worse to walk to the Boston Tea Party Museum or to the Freedom Trail. And of course, if you can't walk that much, a $10 cab ride drops you right off in the heart of town!

Just an aside note, these towns that "can't be compared to Boston" sure outdid Boston in these two travelers eyes, in Saint John New Brunswick, a much smaller town than Boston, there were tents set up at the pier with arts and crafts and fudge and toys and clothes (sort of like a flea market)and a welcoming band with a flower for each lady and a boutineer (sp?) for each man that was getting off the ship. It was really a class act.

Then in Halifax they have upgraded their waterfront with a really nice walkway all along the coast (I have no idea how far, but plenty to see and do there) and all the walking we could handle, and as we were leaving, there was a bagpiper standing on the deck bidding us farewell. Another class act.

And Quebec, the pier is right at the foot of the hill. You can walk right off the ship and be in downtown Quebec City (and I think Quebec is every bit as old as Boston).

I agree these towns were all very nice, but remember that these cities are far more dependent on (read: desperate for) tourist dollars. Unlike the other cities, Boston has a diverse and strong economy where tourism is not their life-blood. You can read that as "they don't care about me as much" however I don't think any tourist would reasonably expect a personal bagpiper greeting or flowers when visiting London, Paris, New York, LA, Seattle or other major cities simply because these are not tourist-first cities. They are large cities each with large populations and diverse economies. Most of these large cities have exponentially more things to offer tourists but we MUST be far more prepared than when we visit Saint John or Bar Harbor, where one can walk off the ship in total ignorance, stroll and shop around blindly, and still find our way back to our ship without doing any homework or even needing a map. It's apples and oranges.

 

In summary, I think your disappointment with Boston stems from the fact that your cruise itinerary took you from one small quaint New England or Canadian town to another. Then you stopped at Boston and actually expected to have a formal welcome, to stroll right off the ship to do some shopping, and to jump on a nice relaxing tour -- just like you had in the other cities. The problem is that Boston is not just another seaside tourist town, and one must be more prepared for a major city's hustle and bustle: greater distances, more costs, traffic, subway stations, a jillion sights to see, etc. For example, our family knew EXACTLY what we wanted to see and where we needed to go along the Freedom Trail (and a $11 cab ride got us there lickety split). I think if you had prepared for Boston as you likely advise others when visiting LA, for example, you would have had a day as rewarding as any other during your cruise--we certainly did.

[agabbymama]

AS I stated in my earlier post, I booked a cruise excursion on a trolley that I thought would make a stop or two, not just zip through town. Most cruise tours do make at least one stop. If I had known there was an alternative trolley that did make stops, that is the one I would have booked. But after paying for one tour, I certainly wasn't in the mood to have to pay for a shuttle/taxi or bus to get to a shop to buy a souvenir of Boston. The trolley driver is the one that told us Black Falcon was 3 miles to the market. I don't use the bus in LA and I don't use local transportation when I visit anywhere, it's too easy to get lost when you don't know your way around.

 

My main point is, if Boston is going to allow the cruise ships to come into port there, and they want the tourist dollar (no matter how big a city it is, or they wouldn't have a cruise terminal at all), they should make some sort of affordable transportation available to the cruisers, or set up a couple of souvenir tents or even just booths at Black Falcon terminal.

 

I've not cruised into LA as a port, so I have no idea what kind of accommodation is made for the cruisers, but if it is like Boston, then I would complain about LA too. And if you have seen any of my earlier posts, I complained plenty about NYC with the transportation cost to Cape Liberty in Bayonne NJ. Now that was a really crazy setup. Transportation one way was $98 for an 11 mile ride, because they know they can get it. There wasn't any cheaper alternative. And Rome is another one, the cost to get to the port of Civitavecchia is running $130 right now and on top of the cruise, hotel pre-cruise, airfare and expenses, it's making me re-think whether I really want to do the Med cruise at all, I have until August '08 to decide, and if prices don't come down, I may just cancel totally.

 

Just because I like to travel and see new places and meet new people, there is a limit to what I'm willing to spend to do so.

 

I'm not saying Boston isn't a nice place to visit, I'm just saying for me it wasn't the highlight of my trip!

[Terpnut]

AS I stated in my earlier post, I booked a cruise excursion on a trolley that I thought would make a stop or two, not just zip through town. Most cruise tours do make at least one stop. If I had known there was an alternative trolley that did make stops, that is the one I would have booked. But after paying for one tour, I certainly wasn't in the mood to have to pay for a shuttle/taxi or bus to get to a shop to buy a souvenir of Boston. The trolley driver is the one that told us Black Falcon was 3 miles to the market. I don't use the bus in LA and I don't use local transportation when I visit anywhere, it's too easy to get lost when you don't know your way around.

 

My main point is, if Boston is going to allow the cruise ships to come into port there, and they want the tourist dollar (no matter how big a city it is, or they wouldn't have a cruise terminal at all), they should make some sort of affordable transportation available to the cruisers, or set up a couple of souvenir tents or even just booths at Black Falcon terminal.

 

I've not cruised into LA as a port, so I have no idea what kind of accommodation is made for the cruisers, but if it is like Boston, then I would complain about LA too. And if you have seen any of my earlier posts, I complained plenty about NYC with the transportation cost to Cape Liberty in Bayonne NJ. Now that was a really crazy setup. Transportation one way was $98 for an 11 mile ride, because they know they can get it. There wasn't any cheaper alternative. And Rome is another one, the cost to get to the port of Civitavecchia is running $130 right now and on top of the cruise, hotel pre-cruise, airfare and expenses, it's making me re-think whether I really want to do the Med cruise at all, I have until August '08 to decide, and if prices don't come down, I may just cancel totally.

 

Just because I like to travel and see new places and meet new people, there is a limit to what I'm willing to spend to do so.

 

I'm not saying Boston isn't a nice place to visit, I'm just saying for me it wasn't the highlight of my trip!

And as I've said, cheap and affordable transportation WAS available at the pier: taxis are $10/ea way into town! As for your observations about NY, Rome and LA, you hit the nail on the head! Are you just now coming to realization that almost all major cities are: (1) well, kinda LARGE, (2) don't have "walk-off" downtown piers, (3) don't have "souvenir tents" at their piers, (4) don't offer bagpipe greetings and flowers to the ladies, and (5) cost alot more money to get to/from the major sites? Expenses are always higher in the great cities of the world--you gotta know that! You can complain about the cost of transport from Cittavecchia or Cape Liberty, but if you want to see the magnificent destinations of New York and Rome (respectively), then you will HAVE TO SAVE UP FOR IT.

 

Rome is a perfect example. It is a great city, rich with history and culture (in fact, my wife and I were married there). Rome's founders built the city on a series of hills very much inland. It is NOT a port city with a dock anywhere close to the Mediterranean! However the cruise lines make it a stop because people want to visit it. So if you sail or fly into Rome (actually Cittavecchia), you should already know that Rome's docks and airport are WELL west and will cost a small fortune to get to/from the city. For us, we knew all this and already built in the $$$ into our vacation budget. If you are a casual vacationer ignorant of the geography of Rome's metropolitan area, then you will disembark your cruise ship or airplane with a BIG surprise.

 

Again, my point is that you can and will enjoy all these great cities IF you EXPECT all this and PLAN for it. Then they can and will be a highlight of your trip. If you sincerely cannot afford the additional expenses associated with cruise stops in major cities, then you should not plan on disembarking or seeing these great cities.

[AuntieBon]

If what you were looking for was the quaintness of the Canadian Maritime ports or Portland ME then I'm not surprised you were disappointed.

 

The Black Falcon Pier, until the last 10 or so, was a commercial pier only and as such none of the things that you consider niceties are there. Perhaps someone will read your complaints/concerns and get something started but for now it is what it is and people should be aware of what is and isn't available immediately at the pier.

 

Again, I'm sorry you were disappointed but I'm concerned that your comments will taint other cruisers and despite your feelings, Boston does appreciate the tourists we are just limited in what we can do.

 

As a small, compact city with limited space to build on, we work with what we have and I think we do a fine job. People just need to be aware of it's limitations, perhaps the cruiselines could have someone at the pier telling people how to get around but then again they wouldn't want to cut into their excursion money.

[Terpnut]

If what you were looking for was the quaintness of the Canadian Maritime ports or Portland ME then I'm not surprised you were disappointed.

 

The Black Falcon Pier, until the last 10 or so, was a commercial pier only and as such none of the things that you consider niceties are there. Perhaps someone will read your complaints/concerns and get something started but for now it is what it is and people should be aware of what is and isn't available immediately at the pier.

 

Again, I'm sorry you were disappointed but I'm concerned that your comments will taint other cruisers and despite your feelings, Boston does appreciate the tourists we are just limited in what we can do.

 

As a small, compact city with limited space to build on, we work with what we have and I think we do a fine job. People just need to be aware of it's limitations, perhaps the cruiselines could have someone at the pier telling people how to get around but then again they wouldn't want to cut into their excursion money.

Black Falcon is really no different than any other major city cruise terminal that I've sailed to/from/into: Port Everglades/Ft Lauderdale, Miami or Baltimore. Multiple piers/docks, huge converted warehouses for terminals, massive adjacent parking lots, and far from the city. Don't change a thing. :)

[Redsoxfan11]

Black Falcon is really no different than any other major city cruise terminal that I've sailed to/from/into: Port Everglades/Ft Lauderdale, Miami or Baltimore. Multiple piers/docks, huge converted warehouses for terminals, massive adjacent parking lots, and far from the city. Don't change a thing. :)

 

Agreed. As I have stated several There IS cheap transportation from the pier just ask. The cruise line makes at least a 50% profit on their over priced excursions so of course they are going to to steer you in that direction. It is all about RESEARCH! People have no idea how small and compact the city is and how, easy, well marked and efficient the T is! I and many others have placed maps and given people directions and transportation tips on here may times. Perhaps the cruise lines should be a little more honest with people about the real transportaion available but like people have said, it's cutting into their profit. I somehow think that someone has made up her mind already about Boston and no matter what we say, it won't make difference and I find that really unfortunate as it is so beautiful and historic here. Wait until she sees the prices in Europe, the "expensive" cabs in Boston will seem like pennies in comparison. I know, I was in Europe recently. Buying a soda while on a land tour is more the $5 in Euro's! A lunch for two in Rome at a small little cafe was over $100 for pizza, 2 sodas, and an antipasto. I'd rather feed our economy at those prices, lol. (not saying I won't go back to europe, etc...just being flippant)

[Terpnut]

Agreed. As I have stated several There IS cheap transportation from the pier just ask. The cruise line makes at least a 50% profit on their over priced excursions so of course they are going to to steer you in that direction. It is all about RESEARCH! People have no idea how small and compact the city is and how, easy, well marked and efficient the T is! I and many others have placed maps and given people directions and transportation tips on here may times. Perhaps the cruise lines should be a little more honest with people about the real transportaion available but like people have said, it's cutting into there profit. I some how think that someone has made up her mind already about Boston and no matter what we say, it won't make difference and I find that really unfortunate as it is so beautiful and historic here. Wait until she sees the prices in Europe, the "expensive" cabs in Boston will seem like pennies in comparison. I know, I was in Europe recently. Buying a soda while on a land tour is more the $5 in Euro's! A lunch for two in Rome at a small little cafe was over $100 for pizza, 2 sodas, and an antipasto. I'd rather feed our economy at those prices, lol. (not saying I won't go back to europe, etc...just being flippant)

I'm certainly giving my thumbs up for Boston! :D

[agabbymama]

Agreed. As I have stated several There IS cheap transportation from the pier just ask. The cruise line makes at least a 50% profit on their over priced excursions so of course they are going to to steer you in that direction. It is all about RESEARCH! People have no idea how small and compact the city is and how, easy, well marked and efficient the T is! I and many others have placed maps and given people directions and transportation tips on here may times. Perhaps the cruise lines should be a little more honest with people about the real transportaion available but like people have said, it's cutting into there profit. I some how think that someone has made up her mind already about Boston and no matter what we say, it won't make difference and I find that really unfortunate as it is so beautiful and historic here. Wait until she sees the prices in Europe, the "expensive" cabs in Boston will seem like pennies in comparison. I know, I was in Europe recently. Buying a soda while on a land tour is more the $5 in Euro's! A lunch for two in Rome at a small little cafe was over $100 for pizza, 2 sodas, and an antipasto. I'd rather feed our economy at those prices, lol. (not saying I won't go back to europe, etc...just being flippant)

 

You are absolutely right about Rome. If you read my previous post, I'm real close to cancelling that trip because of the outrageous costs. I'm waiting to see if the dollar can gain any strength before making the decision to actually go. With the Princess special $100 pp deposit, I won't lose a huge amount of money if I cancel out.

 

And again, you are right. Nothing you say on this board is going to change the fact that $8 or $12 in addition to the $26 pp already paid for the trolley tour to go 2-3 miles was just not acceptable to me. Nothing you say will convince me that kind of fee is necessary. The shuttle in Victoria was $4. There was no fee in Seattle or Vancouver. Even the ports in Mexico, San Juan Puerto Rico, St. Martin, St. Thomas were all much more walker/cruiser friendly. And the island tours we took made sure to stop as they wanted you to spend your money on their island, and I believe all the ports in Alaska (even though their towns aren't very large) all accommodate the cruise ship passengers.

 

And what the heck is the "T". Some kind of subway??? I didn't ride the subway in NYC and had no plans to try and get around Boston on my own, that's why I paid for the excursion. I had originally planned to do a pedicab, but my friend didn't want to try that. You can try to justify all you want, the fact remains the fees for the shuttle were too high. JMHO.

 

And possibly by my posting this adverse information, might save other cruisers from making the same mistake. Check out your excursions carefully and make sure of what they offer and where they go.