July 4 - Fireworks?

[Two if by Sea]

We will be onboard the Maasdam on the evening of July 4th, heading from Bar Harbor back towards Boston.

 

Are there likely to be any sorts of fireworks displays visible, either from the ship itself or close enough to see from the ship? Or is that just not possible?

 

Does HAL do anything else special for the fourth of July while cruising in American waters?

 

On a related topic: are we going to have trouble with immigration delays or with everything closed in Bar Harbor because of being there on July 4th?

[grannynurse]

We were in Bar Harbor on Memorial day and there were men on the dock in kilts to greet us. If Bar Harbor is your first US port after being in Canada, Immigration agents will board the ship and you'll see them onboard in one of the public rooms. If you are heading north there is no immigration in Baa Haba. I don't know about fireworks displays, you'll be leaving in daylight won't you? Too bad you won't be in Boston for the 4th.

This is a great itinerary; we've done it several times and enjoyed it immensely. BH is a tender port, BTW. Oh, and I don't know if the shops will be open or not.

We had a Barbecue on deck on the 4th with a band playing patriotic music. We were heading back from Europe on a transatlantic and were around Iceland at the time.

GN

[sapper1]

We will be onboard the Maasdam on the evening of July 4th, heading from Bar Harbor back towards Boston.

Are there likely to be any sorts of fireworks displays visible, either from the ship itself or close enough to see from the ship? Or is that just not possible?

 

Does HAL do anything else special for the fourth of July while cruising in American waters?

 

On a related topic: are we going to have trouble with immigration delays or with everything closed in Bar Harbor because of being there on July 4th?

It sounds as though you will be in Canada on July 1st. If you are in a port in the evening you will see fireworks as that is Canada Day.

[sail7seas]

All sailaways on that itinerary are scheduled while it is still light. It isn't likely there will be fireworks.

 

In the 'old' days, such as Milenium New Year's Eve, fireworks were fired from the ship and it was a gorgeous sight to be at sea with fireworks coming off our ship to enjoy. (We were on Rotterdam back-to-back for Millenium Christmas/New Years cruises.)

 

[BruceMuzz]

The US Coast Guard, the ships' insurers, and the cruise lines' legal departments no longer permit pyrotechnics aboard cruise ships.

[sea-n-me]

I believe Disney Cruise Line does fireworks still.

[Two if by Sea]

It sounds as though you will be in Canada on July 1st. If you are in a port in the evening you will see fireworks as that is Canada Day.

 

We'll be leaving Charlottetown by 5pm. Unless they hug the shore for five hours, I think we'll miss them....

[sue1898]

I did contact the Charlottetown visitors bureau and they said there would NOT be things closed for Canada Day in fact they said there would be lots of extra activities for us the enjoy.

[Jsipes]

I don't believe HAL Ships do fireworks...we were on an Alaska Cuise LAst 4th of July on Zaandam, and nothing special occured in recognition of the Fourth.

[mamaofami]

Best fireworks I ever saw were on the way home from Paris. As we flew low over cities near NY on July 4th, there were fireworks all over. It was an unbelievable display.:D

[Two if by Sea]

Sue, thanks for the note about Charlottetown on Canada Day! I wonder what all those extra things are? I'll have to start doing some research!