Gloucester, Ma.

Does anyone know what pier the tenders will drop us off in this port.

We are on the 10 night Colors of New England & Canada cruise departing New York City on Sept 27 2016 on the wonderful Zuiderdam. Thanks in advance.

Is this a new port stop for HAL?

Does anyone know what pier the tenders will drop us off in this port.

We are on the 10 night Colors of New England & Canada cruise departing New York City on Sept 27 2016 on the wonderful Zuiderdam. Thanks in advance.

I have never taken a cruise that stopped in Gloucester, and have never been visiting Gloucester when a cruise ship was there. I have used Google, and this is where I think the tender dock is located: behind the Seaport Grill which is located on the harbor.

I checked out many Google hits and images, but what brought me to my conclusion was that there was a hit to TripAdvsior where someone asked about a restaurant near the tender dock and the reply was the Seaport Grill was right at the terminal. Using Google Earth I found nothing that resembled a terminal. Again using Google Earth I could see floating docks attached to the sea wall behind Seaport Grill and a covelet that had them also. Tenders need floating docks to load and unload passengers.

When you return, please post where it actually is.

SBtS

Thanks SBtS. Will arrive in Gloucester on Sept 29. Will post where we actually get off the tenders. Will check out the Seaport Grill also.

If the ship is tendering, there may not be a terminal, just a pier. Maybe the person mentioning a terminal didn't really mean a building but a place - perhaps with a kiosk for tourism information or something. I know someone who lives in Gloucester. I'll ask her, although she doesn't drive and may not have been in the right area enough to have noticed tender boats arriving. Also, they apparently don't have many medium or large cruise ships stopping there, just the smaller ones, so she may not know anything. However, I'll ask.

On second thought....

I looked on Google Earth Pro, and next to Seaport Grille is a little square icon. (I have certain "layers" selected, such as restaurants and hotels.) When you press the icon it says "Cruiseport Gloucester." Therefore, I think what looks to be part of the Seaport Grill is actually a small cruise terminal.

On second thought....

 

I looked on Google Earth Pro, and next to Seaport Grille is a little square icon. (I have certain "layers" selected, such as restaurants and hotels.) When you press the icon it says "Cruiseport Gloucester." Therefore, I think what looks to be part of the Seaport Grill is actually a small cruise terminal.

If you click on words "Cruiseport Gloucester" on Google maps, information for Cruiseport Gloucester will be provided on the left; follow the link to their homepage. To me, it looks like Cruiseport Gloucester is a banquet facility.

Also on Google maps, satellite view, street level, there are only 2 signs for the property, Cruiseport Gloucester and Seaport Grill.

As I wrote in my very first post, the tenders unload passengers at the floating docks behind Seaport Grill and there is no terminal.

SBtS

Gloucester is a weird place for a cruise ship to port IMO. It's a great fishing port but cruise ship? I'd rather spend an extra day in the Bar Harbor area.

Gloucester is a weird place for a cruise ship to port IMO. It's a great fishing port but cruise ship? I'd rather spend an extra day in the Bar Harbor area.

I have to agree with you. We were in Boston on our first HAL NE cruise and really enjoyed it, so on our next cruise that stopped in Gloucester we took a tour to Boston because most of our group had never been. Also agree, Bar Harbor is beautiful!

Gloucester is a weird place for a cruise ship to port IMO. It's a great fishing port but cruise ship? I'd rather spend an extra day in the Bar Harbor area.

So would I, but Gloucester is on the itinerary. Maybe I can talk to the captain.

Hhm...guess I'm an oddball. I visited Boston on a cruise and Gloucester on a land trip, and liked Gloucester better! We had a car in Gloucester, which helped. Drove around to various lighthouses and coves, and went to see the witch stuff in Salem. Enjoyed it.

If you click on words "Cruiseport Gloucester" on Google maps, information for Cruiseport Gloucester will be provided on the left; follow the link to their homepage. To me, it looks like Cruiseport Gloucester is a banquet facility.

 

Also on Google maps, satellite view, street level, there are only 2 signs for the property, Cruiseport Gloucester and Seaport Grill.

 

As I wrote in my very first post, the tenders unload passengers at the floating docks behind Seaport Grill and there is no terminal.

 

 

SBtS

We're on Zuiderdam for the Quebec City departure 9/17. I did some research on ports, and found discover gloucester dotcom. It looks like an interesting place to spend a day. We've been to the area a bunch of times before, so we won't bother with tours to Salem or Rockport, we'll just spend the day exploring the town. I found contact info for the harbormaster, so I emailed him. He said he didn't know where our tenders would dock (I find this worrisome--shouldn't the harbormaster know stuff like this?!) but it would probably be at Cruiseport Gloucester and to contact them. I haven't contacted them yet, but it looks like tourist boats depart from there, so our tenders should be OK. I have no idea how far from there we'll anchor.

Interesting!

Not sure you want to go to this trouble, but if you wanted to see where cruise ships anchor there, you could always find a ship going there in the fall (or possibly now) and then on the day a ship is expected to visit Gloucester, look it up on Marine Traffic dot com. Holland America certainly travels the New England/Atlantic Canada route often, so it probably wouldn't be too hard to find a ship going there before you do!

We're on Zuiderdam for the Quebec City departure 9/17. I did some research on ports, and found discover gloucester dotcom. It looks like an interesting place to spend a day. We've been to the area a bunch of times before, so we won't bother with tours to Salem or Rockport, we'll just spend the day exploring the town. I found contact info for the harbormaster, so I emailed him. He said he didn't know where our tenders would dock (I find this worrisome--shouldn't the harbormaster know stuff like this?!) but it would probably be at Cruiseport Gloucester and to contact them. I haven't contacted them yet, but it looks like tourist boats depart from there, so our tenders should be OK. I have no idea how far from there we'll anchor.

I'm surprised that the harbormaster didn't know where the tenders unloaded/loaded, but as long as the tender crews from the cruise ship know the location there shouldn't be a problem. Anyway, when I looked at the satellite photos of the harbor, I could only identify floating docks at one location.

SBtS

I think the only reason to stop at Glouster is to visit Rockport, a small

, quaint artist colony very close to Glouster. If they are offering a tour to Rockport, I suggest you take it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rockport+ma&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#dest_bgc=2F5375&dest_mid=/m/01wvyj&fpstate=trfpi&trifp=t%3De

Gloucester has many attractions. Take a scenic tour of the island touching the "Back Shore", Rocky Neck, Stage Fort Park and Good Harbor Beach. There are some nice shops in the downtown area. Cruiseport is the terminal and there should be brochures available. It's a beautiful city!

From Gloucester I have gone to Rockport Ma, not that far away.

Rockport is certainly worth visiting, but a tour via cab or trolley can show you the Gloucester which Fitz Henry Lane and other renowned artists loved. The waterfront is "Gloucester", but there are aspects of it which will also amaze you!

Gloucester waterfront taken one evening last month

We were on the 9/7 Zuiderdam cruise and there was a HoHo trolley right at the dock offering a trip through town with about seven stops, including the Fisherman's Memorial for $3 a person.

We were on the 9/7 Zuiderdam cruise and there was a HoHo trolley right at the dock offering a trip through town with about seven stops, including the Fisherman's Memorial for $3 a person.

Where is the tender dock located?

See post #3.

Thanks,

SBtS

As I probably indicated in a previous post, we really enjoyed Gloucester. However, if you really want to go to Boston instead, there IS a commuter train that goes there. By the time you get to the station, ride the train, and get to where you want to go in Boston, it's a 1 1/2 to almost 2 hour trip, but doable if you really want - and have a decent amount of time in port. You can also rent a car and drive, cutting down the time by a substantial amount. I would just stay in Gloucester though!

Where is the tender dock located?

 

See post #3.

 

 

Thanks,

SBtS

Not surfcitygirl, but politely butting in to say that we were on the same 9/7 cruise, and the tenders docked at Cruiseport Gloucester on Main Street. Look for it on Google maps and you'll see it: a good sized building surrounded by parking lots with a small dock to the side. Free Wifi, plenty of local information and maps being handed out, and a sea chanty being sung as we got off the tender. Just FYI, the shipped was anchored waaaay out - the tender ride was a long one.

Not surfcitygirl, but politely butting in to say that we were on the same 9/7 cruise, and the tenders docked at Cruiseport Gloucester on Main Street. Look for it on Google maps and you'll see it: a good sized building surrounded by parking lots with a small dock to the side. Free Wifi, plenty of local information and maps being handed out, and a sea chanty being sung as we got off the tender. Just FYI, the shipped was anchored waaaay out - the tender ride was a long one.

Any place close by that we could by some wine, to bring back on board (and pay corkage fee of course). I don't think wine is sold in grocery stores, but I could be wrong.

Any place close by that we could by some wine, to bring back on board (and pay corkage fee of course). I don't think wine is sold in grocery stores, but I could be wrong.

There is Good Harbor Liquors on Main St. When you leave the access road to the tender dock, take a right onto Main St., and the store is less than a .1 mile away on the left.

There is the Liquor Locker on Main St. When you leave the access road to the tender dock, take a left onto Main St., and the store is about a ¼ mile on the left.

Repeat after me: Google is may friend, Google is.....

SBtS