St. John July 1, 8hr stop, drive to Hopewell Rock?

[Middleager]

Hi. We'll arriving St. John on Carnival Triumph. My family has 5 people and the extended another 5.

 

We heard from friends who went to Hopewell rocks that it's a must do, but they did not go from a cruise but a driving vacation. So it's different.

 

We have 8 hr in port. The ship has a 7 hr excursion to Hopewell Rock. I tried to look at the tide schedule in

http://www.cruisesaintjohn.com/visitsaintjohn/tideschedule.asp

but it gave an error.

 

Anyway, I heard it's a 4hr roundtrip drive. Take at least another hr to get rental car and return. It leaves 2hr there. Is that worth it?

 

Since July 1 is Canada, will there be a bunch of celebration activities, including parades, that could impede traffic movement -- especially our trip back to return car?

 

What are the factors to consider in driving out to this trip?

 

Thanks.

[Acey]

Hi. We'll arriving St. John on Carnival Triumph. My family has 5 people and the extended another 5.

 

We heard from friends who went to Hopewell rocks that it's a must do, but they did not go from a cruise but a driving vacation. So it's different.

 

We have 8 hr in port. The ship has a 7 hr excursion to Hopewell Rock. I tried to look at the tide schedule in

http://www.cruisesaintjohn.com/visitsaintjohn/tideschedule.asp

but it gave an error.

 

Anyway, I heard it's a 4hr roundtrip drive. Take at least another hr to get rental car and return. It leaves 2hr there. Is that worth it?

 

Since July 1 is Canada, will there be a bunch of celebration activities, including parades, that could impede traffic movement -- especially our trip back to return car?

 

What are the factors to consider in driving out to this trip?

 

Thanks.

 

On July 1st, low tide is at 1:45 AM and 2:12 PM - you can walk the ocean floor 3 hours prior and after low tide. 2 hours there is plenty of time, however you will have very little time to discover Saint John. Traffic will not be an issue, especially on Canada day - the only traffic will be around 10:30 PM when the fireworks uptown are finished.

The only factor I can think of driving to the rocks is stopping for a world famous sticky bun along side of the road in Alma at Kelly's bakeshop. Because you are docking at Pugsley, Avis is basically across the street and down 2 blocks - so you should have your car in 15 minutes or so.

[Middleager]

Thanks Acey for your quick reply.

 

Your FAQ info is most valuable.

 

I went on the Avis web site to try to book car rental, then found out they are closed on Canada Day, July 1.

Also tried Enterprise. They're also closed July 1.

 

That's a bummer. With thousands of people coming on a cruise ship, if they open they can get lots of business.

 

 

Any suggestion on how we can get to St. Martin (inexpensively) to see the caves?

[Shipshape7]

On July 1st, low tide is at 1:45 AM and 2:12 PM - you can walk the ocean floor 3 hours prior and after low tide.

 

Acey, I know you were referring to Hopewell Rocks in the above quote. I'm wondering if what you say here would also apply to the sea caves at St. Martin's? I know they are widely separated places but both on the Bay of Fundy so am I correct in assuming the same low tide time at both and the same 3 hour before and after window of accessability?

[Acey]

Thanks Acey for your quick reply.

 

Your FAQ info is most valuable.

 

I went on the Avis web site to try to book car rental, then found out they are closed on Canada Day, July 1.

Also tried Enterprise. They're also closed July 1.

 

That's a bummer. With thousands of people coming on a cruise ship, if they open they can get lots of business.

 

 

Any suggestion on how we can get to St. Martin (inexpensively) to see the caves?

 

You could hire a taxi outside the gates of the terminal. Usually it's $50 per hour, but maybe you could negotiate a deal since it will be a longer excursion than the typical 1 hour city tour. Freedom tours may be able to offer more affordable tours than the cruiseline:

http://freedomtours.com/content/151140

[Acey]

On July 1st, low tide is at 1:45 AM and 2:12 PM - you can walk the ocean floor 3 hours prior and after low tide.

 

Acey, I know you were referring to Hopewell Rocks in the above quote. I'm wondering if what you say here would also apply to the sea caves at St. Martin's? I know they are widely separated places but both on the Bay of Fundy so am I correct in assuming the same low tide time at both and the same 3 hour before and after window of accessability?

 

St Martin's is roughly the same schedule - maybe 15 minute difference I'm guessing and a bit shorter time frame to walk on the floor.

[Middleager]

Do you know the van-taxi rate to take my family of 5 to the airport? How long is the ride? Wonder if it will be cheaper to rent car from airport to go to my excursions, to Hopewell Rock, and maybe also stop at St. Martin. Yap, need to get back from airport to pier.

 

If this can work out, maybe my other 5 adult relatives will join in. I'm inquiring the rates for tours, but think it may cost a lot from a tour company for 5 or 10 people.

 

My wife has been bugging me for a trip to Canada's east coast. It'll take 3 days to drive from Toronto, so taking a cruise there is a time-saving option.

 

Thanks.

[Acey]

Do you know the van-taxi rate to take my family of 5 to the airport? How long is the ride? Wonder if it will be cheaper to rent car from airport to go to my excursions, to Hopewell Rock, and maybe also stop at St. Martin. Yap, need to get back from airport to pier.

 

If this can work out, maybe my other 5 adult relatives will join in. I'm inquiring the rates for tours, but think it may cost a lot from a tour company for 5 or 10 people.

 

My wife has been bugging me for a trip to Canada's east coast. It'll take 3 days to drive from Toronto, so taking a cruise there is a time-saving option.

 

Thanks.

 

It would be cheaper to rent your car downtown - the car rental agencies are the same as downtown, however there are added fees at the airport. A taxi is $28 + $1 each additional pax - each way. The airport is 20 minutes from ship.

 

Did you check out Freedom Tours? They offer a Hopewell Rocks tour. http://www.freedomtours.com/content/151140

[Middleager]

Thanks for your quick reply Acey.

 

I sent email asking Freedom Tours for their rate and am waiting for reply.

 

Too bad that July 1 is a holiday and the downtown car rental locations are closed. That's why I was thinking to get to the airport as car rentals there are open.

 

Oh, the ship should be on EDT at that time. So would 9am-5pm ship time be 10am-6pm local time?

[Acey]

Thanks for your quick reply Acey.

 

I sent email asking Freedom Tours for their rate and am waiting for reply.

 

Too bad that July 1 is a holiday and the downtown car rental locations are closed. That's why I was thinking to get to the airport as car rentals there are open.

 

Oh, the ship should be on EDT at that time. So would 9am-5pm ship time be 10am-6pm local time?

 

We are 1 hour ahead of eastern time. My understanding is the ship moves to Atlantic Time while in Canada.

[Koshlong]

Middleager, you might want to check your driving times. We drive from Hamilton to visit relatives in Fredericton every year, and at most it takes us a day and a half, with a night stop around Drummondville. We are NOT early starters. If you plan to go through the US, it will take longer, but really through Ontario and Quebec it is an easy 2 day drive.

[Middleager]

Middleager, you might want to check your driving times. We drive from Hamilton to visit relatives in Fredericton every year, and at most it takes us a day and a half, with a night stop around Drummondville. We are NOT early starters. If you plan to go through the US, it will take longer, but really through Ontario and Quebec it is an easy 2 day drive.

You're right, Toronto to St. John can be done in 2 days. But to get to Halifax is another day. If we drive there, we should spend a few more days to go to Cape Breton, PEI (or at least drive on the Confederation Bridge) and other places. Should spend enough time at Hopewell Rock to see both the low tide and high tide (yes high tide :D).

 

BTW, on my wife's insistance, we just did a 4-day long-weekend trip to Quebec City for the winter carnival. It was cold - I'm not a winter person. But at least we can now say we did it. The family got to watch several DVD movies while I did all the driving, so at least they enjoyed it.

[Koshlong]

Absolutely right. I thought you were just talking about getting to the starting point! I would suggest at LEAST a week. Of course, we used to have a campervan so that made everything easy and pretty cheap. (This was a little campervan not a winnebago type.)

[Middleager]

Sapper1 made excellent points about the trip to Hopewell Rock being too rushed.

 

One major consideration was that Carnival itself listed a 7-hr trip to Hopewell Rock as one of its shore excursions offered. If Carnival can go there in the port time, probably using a big bus carrying 47 people, then others should also be able to go via rental car.

 

The challenge is to get a rental car, as the 2 downtown locations are closed. I'll call them to see if they would consider opening, as there will be 3000 cruisers + crews coming.

 

I also thought I could "make up" time while driving. But Sapper is quite right that when not on the 4-lane highway, driving speed will be limited to those ahead of you.

 

Ok, St. Martins is the next plan. Thanks Sapper1.

[Garykr]

Hi Middleager,

 

I will be on the same ship. There is a thread for our cruise under Carnival roll calls.

[Middleager]

Got a response from a staff at the Hopewell Rock Centre.

 

He said on July 1 there is a tour bus coming from St. John, from the Carnival Triumph, in port 9am-5pm (the one I'm coming from). He said the tour is expected to arrive at 11:30am.

 

Ha, so if anyone wants to get out to Hopewell Rock, just be sure to get back to ship before this tour bus load of people.

 

 

Oh, when I inquired Freedom Tours, they finally got back to me to say the tour to Hopewell Rock is not doable, not enough time.