Canada New England help please

[nola34]

Long time lurker who needs help.....Background - This will be my 3rd HAL cruise 1st to C/NE. Will be travelling with my wife, 7mo old daughter (fun) and my parents age 62 and active. I have an idea what we'd like to do in port, but would like feedback. Bar Harbor - private tour via local taxi service to Acadia then walk around town. Halifax - not quite sure but thought about Peggy's cove and lighthouse route. Sydney - would LOVE to rent a car and drive eastern portion of the Cabot trail (do I have time). PEI - no idea but could just walk around town. Quebec - explore on our own. We'll be spending the night in Montreal and are exploring on our own. Here's the question - what would you do in these ports. Please keep in mind that with our daugter, we would rather not be on a tour bus with the potential of having a crying baby to bother others. We do not mind arranging our own tours. Thanks very much and I have always enjoyed reading(and using) this board. :)

[Stevesan]

You'll get more information from the New England Ports of Call Board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20

 

The board offers good ideas for independent touring, as well as helpful links to the ports.

I also garnered links by simply googling the ports on the itinerary.

[Gawga Girl]

We have done this cruise twice and my recommendation is rent a car or a van. Most rental agencies have a kiosk in the cruise terminal but I would reserves before arriving to be sure they have what I want. The dock in Halifax is right near the train station and that is where we picked up the car. In Sydney, there was a rental agent in the terminal. Peggy's cove is a must do and driving is certainly better than a bus. Sydney doesn't have quite as much to offer, just do you research before arriving in both cases.

[Orsino]

Bar Harbor - private tour via local taxi service to Acadia then walk around town.

Good choice.

 

Halifax - not quite sure but thought about Peggy's cove and lighthouse route.

Also good. We just walked around town and had fun, but it was an overcast day so we didn't feel the need to seek out scenery.

 

Sydney - would LOVE to rent a car and drive eastern portion of the Cabot trail (do I have time).

We rented a car and had a great time. I don't know enough to state how far you can go with the time you have, but as long as you turn around halfway through the day, you should be fine.

 

PEI - no idea but could just walk around town.

I would discourage this. While Halifax has enough in town to be worthwhile, I found Charlottetown to be rather dull by itself. Next time we do the Montreal-Boston cruise we plan on renting a car in Charlottetown.

 

Quebec - explore on our own.

Good plan. We walked around town on our own and had a great time. Much to see, and good variety.

[pfh1941]

Hi My wife & I took this trip a few yrs ago..I was going to suggest a bus trip to Arcadia Nat'l Forrest but with a baby that might be a problem...It still is a nice trip if the weather is good...You can just browse around Bar Harbor if you choose..In Halifax the self tour in Halifax harbor area is great...There is a maritime museum w/Titanic info & many other pieces to see...There is also a cutter on the pier which is now a museum too , she was used as an escort during ww2...Halifax also has a fortress overlooking the city which is a good take..Sydney was a little depressing (the steel mill had closed within the past yr & the coal mines had been closed too) & to top it off that was the only rainy day we got during the cruise..The Cabot Trail is a long "hike" from Sydney , but you would have time if you rented a car (and didn't get lost!).On a earlier visit to the Cabot Trail we were able to spot whales off the coast!..PEI is the home of Anne of Green Gables & is really a very pretty place overall..We took our own walking tour of Quebec City then did take a bus tour in the PM...The people of Quebec City were extremely friendly & the city , like most Canadian cities , is clean & a good place to tour on foot..Montreal is also nice...Old Montreal is a great area to tour...Have a nice trip...

Long time lurker who needs help.....Background - This will be my 3rd HAL cruise 1st to C/NE. Will be travelling with my wife, 7mo old daughter (fun) and my parents age 62 and active. I have an idea what we'd like to do in port, but would like feedback. Bar Harbor - private tour via local taxi service to Acadia then walk around town. Halifax - not quite sure but thought about Peggy's cove and lighthouse route. Sydney - would LOVE to rent a car and drive eastern portion of the Cabot trail (do I have time). PEI - no idea but could just walk around town. Quebec - explore on our own. We'll be spending the night in Montreal and are exploring on our own. Here's the question - what would you do in these ports. Please keep in mind that with our daugter, we would rather not be on a tour bus with the potential of having a crying baby to bother others. We do not mind arranging our own tours. Thanks very much and I have always enjoyed reading(and using) this board. :)

[lizbeth]

Hi -

 

We are also headed to Bar Harbor this summer and do not want to be on a bus with 55 other people.

 

Bar Harbor encourages people to take their FREE bus service all around the port. You can access their free bus and schedules at

www.exploreacadia.com

If you look at a their maps, you'll see that each route goes into a different part of Acadia National Park. (Don't forget your National Parks pass, if you already have one).

 

There will be a tourist/visitor office on the dock when you get off your tenders.

 

Another web site that mya be helpful to you as you plan is:

www.barharborguide.com

 

Enjoy your visit and your cruise!

Liz

[Two if by Sea]

We're doing the same itinerary this June (when are you going?). I have rented a car in Charlottetown so we can get to the Anne of Green Gables house. If you're going later in thet summer you might want to go to the beach (PEI beaches are reputed to be the warmest north of the Virginia, but it will probably not be warm enough in late June).

 

Be sure to check out the Canada port-of-call board, not just the New England board.

[nola34]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm going on June 7th and I'm afraid that the bus service in Bar Harbor won't be in operation yet. We are also flirting with the idea of doing a duck tour in Halifax - you don't get wet - do you?? Also on the Cabot trail we would go up to Igonish sp? I've heard that the views are nicer on the western side, but don't have time to make it - 8hrs total.

 

PS - I decided to post on the HAL board because, aside from everyone being so nice, there is TONS more traffic on this board and I knew that many of you who have made the trip do not necessarily read the Canada/ NE board. Thanks again!!

[sail7seas]

The Duck Boat Tour in Halifax is wonderful fun. The ride is only about an hour and most people seem to enjoy it.

[Two if by Sea]

You're going before us -- sorry! I was hoping if you were going later in the summer I'd be able to tell you how all our tours went and make recommendations. As it is, you'll be done before we leave so maybe it will be the other way around.

[RuthC]

We are also flirting with the idea of doing a duck tour in Halifax - you don't get wet - do you??

No, not unless it's raining that day! Even then, if you're sitting in the right part of the "duck" you still stay fairly dry. (The voice of experience typing.) I would take this tour again.

I also liked the Titanic tour which went by several points of interest. There was also a stop at one cemetery where there are many victims buried, and the Maritime Museum.