Transfers in Montreal includec when you book a hotel package trhough HAL.

[laminar]

Does anybody know how this works? Our tickets for our June cruise MOntreal to Boston have a voucher that says that we have a transfer from the airport to the Fairmont hotel. We arrive 3 days prior the embarkation day. Not sure if HAL representatives will be there since we arrive kind of late at night.
Anybody else with the same packages??

[HALOnlyCruiser]

If you have a voucher for an airport to hotel transfer, a HAL rep will be in baggage claim, no matter what time you arrive. They will put you in a cab to the hotel. Cabs are a flat rate from airport to city, and HAL pays the flat rate. Don't let the cab driver give you some sob story about how he had to give a discount to HAL and he's losing money on you. This is the story we got last summer. But that is his problem and not yours! :) You will get a city tour from the hotel to the pier that is really nice. And you should be able to do your ship check-in at the hotel. They will give you the information when you check in.
There are several threads on the board about shore excursions on this trip. Hope you get to see Saguenay Fjord. We had to skip it last year because of engine trouble.
Have a great cruise!

[mrskmirolla]

HALOnlyCruiser,

Does the hotel do a city tour even if you are at a HAL hotel for one night. They are putting us up at the Delta Montreal Hotel, I know nothing about this hotel but it would be neat if they gave you a tour on the way to the ship. We are leaving on the 26th from LA and spend one night and sail on the 27th.

Kathy

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Hi Kathy!
We stayed at the Delta last year and really liked it. They give you June Jacobs toiletries on the bath, and my daughter and I just loved them. The hotel is very pretty, and if you follow the back hall past the restaurant, you will find a passageway to the underground area that has restaurants and the Canadian equivalent of a 7-11 (in case you forgot anything!) There are several underground shopping areas in Montreal, and they go on for miles underneath the city with all kinds of shops. If HAL has booked your hotel for you, all airport-hotel-pier transfers are included, along with the city tour on Saturday morning. You will be given information about this when you check into the hotel. The bus will take you through downtown, past McGill University, out to St. Joseph's Oratory (too huge to believe!). Sadly for me, there was not enough time to go inside, but that's just another reason for a return visit. You also drive to the top of Mont Royale, down across the Cartier Bridge over to the island that housed Terre des Hommes, the 1967 World's Fair. Not too many buildings still stand, but the carnival part of the fair is now a Six Flags amusement park. I was at the World's Fair with my family, and there were NO trees on the island at that time. Just remember that! You ride through Old Town Montreal, and end up at the pier. You will see, both from the bus and the ship as you sail away, the Olympic Tower from the Summer Olympics in 1976. You will also see the original Cirque du Soliel tents and headquarters of the show.
My daughter and I had such fun on this cruise, and we wanted to do it again this year, but we could only vacation in July, when the Maasdam makes a Northern Atlantic/Scandinavia trip.:(
You will have such a good time. The scenery is beautiful, lots of lighthouses, and Prince Edward Island has to be the cleanest island on earth!
Hurry and get ready! Have a good trip!
Cindy

[mrskmirolla]

Cindy,

Thank you for your post, I was getting concerned about this hotel as I have read many post and none of them mentioned the Delta so I was wondering what we got ourselves into. Is the big underground city near this at all? I only read a little about it but it sounded neat. Oh yeah HAL did book our hotel.

Thank you again for putting my mind at ease.

Kathy

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Hi Kathy!
I am glad you feel better about the hotel. We picked it because it was a little cheaper than the Queen Elizabeth. Our table mates stayed there, and they said that there was construction on the street in front of the hotel that made it inconvenient and noisy.
The underground city has multiple entrances all over. Ask at the hotel desk. I don't remember exact street names, and I don't want to mess you up. And if you like pastry and coffee, stop in at a Tim Horton's. They are just a counter and seats place, but great sweet stuff. They are owned by Wendy's, but only have a few stores in the Northeast USA.
All the "downtown" area will be uphill from the hotel, but it will be downhill on the way back:D. Old Town will be to your left and around the corner as you come out the front of the hotel. Downtown will be to the right.
Go to the thread on "Shore Excursions Canada/New England" that Chrissiesruiser started and was last posted by RuthC in April. I tried to find what page it's on, but I can't. Or search the forum for the above title. Anyway, there's some good info and I put my 2 cents worth in as well!
I am anxious to hear about your trip when you get back. I just loved that itinerary, If you have time, read Tomc's review of this trip from last summer. It is hilarious: reviewhttp://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=196296
Enjoy getting ready, and let us hear from you when you return!
Bon Voyage!
Cindy

[mrskmirolla]

Cindy,

2 hours later and I can't stop laughing it was a great piece thank you for bringing it to my attention. Now I am really getting excited. Here at work they look at me like I am nuts (even though they already know that) So I read them a little and we all laugh.

Thanks again

Kathy