New Itinerary For Me...questions please

Hi:).....I just booked a Canada/New England Cruise for the middle of

October. Ship is sailing out of Boston so I am guessing it may be quite

cool:) (which is fine with me).....for those of you who have been,

is the "layering" process my best bet for clothing? I will definitely check

the weather before I pack but I am thinking there are a few of you on

here who may have sailed at this time of year OR maybe you live up

in that part of the country;)

Jeans and long sleeves during the day? Walking shoes?

Thanks for any answers:)

Yes, thin layers are best.

The Alaska board has tons of layering info.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Yes, thin layers are best.

The Alaska board has tons of layering info.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Hi,:) I have been to Alaska 4 times before so I know how that packing

goes.....so you would pack the same way for a New England/Canada

cruise as an Alaskan cruise? (this cruise I just booked is not Alaska).

Hi Lois,

Your best bet is to check the weather. Days can be sunny and mild to warm or damp, rainy and chilly. I would compare this to going to Alaska. Depending on the weather, I take a mix of long sleeves, 3/4 sleeves and short sleeves along with a sweater/sweatshirt and jacket. Jeans and pants are best.

I live in the Boston area. The weather won't be winter cold. It will be cooler than what you are used to.

I have gone on 3 Canada/New England cruises. This is one of my favorite itineraries.

Hi Lois,

 

Your best bet is to check the weather. Days can be sunny and mild to warm or damp, rainy and chilly. I would compare this to going to Alaska. Depending on the weather, I take a mix of long sleeves, 3/4 sleeves and short sleeves along with a sweater/sweatshirt and jacket. Jeans and pants are best.

 

I live in the Boston area. The weather won't be winter cold. It will be cooler than what you are used to.

 

I have gone on 3 Canada/New England cruises. This is one of my favorite itineraries.

Hi, thanks so much:)...I will do that (checking the weather) and I am

really looking forward to this itinerary:D

We did Canada/New England late Sept, early Oct. three years ago.I packed for layering, took fleece jacket, hat and even gloves. It was so warm that I was pulling layers off, rolling up my pant legs and wishing I had some shorts.:D

We packed much as we did for Alaska but no hat, gloves or scarf. It was quite warm in Quebec at the end of September and I was wishing I had capris instead of jeans. Walking shoes are a must, especially in Quebec.

We've done the Fall New England and Canada cruise twice on 2 different lines. Neither of us took scarves (for weather) or gloves. You may want a hat as the deck can get rather windy. We both tend to slide a LL Bean baseball style cap in the checked luggage for any cruises like that as they tend to be adjustable and stay put. We had seriously rollicking waves on the first cruise leaving the St Lawrence as a hurricane had come north to blow tself out. It was at storm level by then so bumpy but not raining. I'd skip the Alaska water resistant over poants but do bring a good rain jacket that you can layer over other clothing. I just replaced my old one with a new one in a beautiful royal color from Lands End that packs flat and maybe weighs a few ounces but has a hood. Our last time on Summit we had some beautifully sunny days like when we were in Charlottetown, PEI. I had a pair of nice black jeans, sort sleeve T-sirt and a fleece lined flannel big shirt on. Once off the docks I removed the big shirt while I needed it Halifax. Boston was actually warm in 2010 and we met up with my BIL and his wife for lunch and some window shopping in the old markets in old town. If you do stay in Boston before the cruise buy the transfer as the dock is a good ways from where most people stay. Oh, definitely bring your Europe worn in walking shoes for Boston and Quebec as both have plenty of cobblestones.

Which line will you be on? Most of the Fall cruises are adult only with maybe a few grandkids. This is great if you like dancing to the Big Band era music. We sailed Norwegian on our first cruise and it was an inaugural sailing so about half of the people did dress nicely and they aimed those of us who wore dresses and suits or jackets to one dining room and those more casually dressed to the other. But after dinner both on Norwegian and Celebrity the big band music started in at least one venue and it was nice to watch the skirts swirl

Enjoy!

Rain gear! We had driving rain all day in Halifax and misty rain in Boston. Sprinkles in Portland. Wasn't really cold cold but certainly cool.

LoisR, another vote for "similar to Alaska". Maybe add 2 more short sleeved daytime tops, and a pair of shorts. You definitely want that hooded waterproof jacket, and a couple of warm items to layer underneath, and socks. You may not need them, but you want to have them :)

Enjoy that cruise!

You don't need shorts. The weather won't be hot. There is no sense guessing what to take. 3-4 days before your trip, check the weather for the ports you are going to. Then plan accordingly. The earlier in October, the more mild the weather.

The temperatures generally range from the low 60s to 70s (mild side). Canada will be slightly cooler than NE. Since you are from FL, the cooler climate may bother you more than people who are used to seasonal weather.

Hi, thanks for the advice:)...looks like a few folks are giving me bits

of different tips..shorts, no shorts, short sleeves, no short sleeves;)

I will check the weather before I pack......thanks again:D

Hi:).....I just booked a Canada/New England Cruise for the middle of

October. Ship is sailing out of Boston so I am guessing it may be quite

cool:) (which is fine with me).....for those of you who have been,

is the "layering" process my best bet for clothing? I will definitely check

the weather before I pack but I am thinking there are a few of you on

here who may have sailed at this time of year OR maybe you live up

in that part of the country;)

Jeans and long sleeves during the day? Walking shoes?

 

Thanks for any answers:)

Oct 4 Quebec City embarkation. 3 inches of snow:p and it was not melting. I would take a "packable" coat (mine is almost knee length with hood and has a light down filling-- it all stuffs into a bag the size of folding umbrella), a hat that ties on over ears and light leather or cloth gloves. I would have a fleece or sweatshirt for under the coat or as another option. Many wore light silk underwear under their clothing -- weighs next to nothing and is very comfortable if you are cold natured. Remember that wind over the water on the ship makes it much colder wind chill factor. Trouble is you can check the weather all you want and as often as you want but you get what you get! It is so changeable in October that you could have 30's and 60's in the same day a few hours apart. Also it gets warm in the day but cools quickly in evening. You will not need short sleeved light weight clothing or short pants but a blend of shirts that you can put something warmer on with. (This was a leaf peeper cruise and we did not see many trees that had turned -- by the time we got home to Maryland -- 70's but just starting to turn there)

I'd forgotten you are a Floridian from birth. I grew up and am now retired back in Wisconsin. I wouldn't even take shorts unless you use the gym. My short sleeve tee was under a fleece lined flannel big shirt with a rain poncho in my backpack in Charlottetown and it was gorgeous so the big shirt went into the backpack two blocks from the ship while it rained on both cruises in Quebec and the second time was also cold. Halifax has been sunny and very litle wind on both our cruises.

What is your itinerary? If you like oysters P.E.I. has their very own species and they were very tasty!

I'd forgotten you are a Floridian from birth. I grew up and am now retired back in Wisconsin. I wouldn't even take shorts unless you use the gym. My short sleeve tee was under a fleece lined flannel big shirt with a rain poncho in my backpack in Charlottetown and it was gorgeous so the big shirt went into the backpack two blocks from the ship while it rained on both cruises in Quebec and the second time was also cold. Halifax has been sunny and very litle wind on both our cruises.

What is your itinerary? If you like oysters P.E.I. has their very own species and they were very tasty!

Hi, sailing from Boston and stops in

Portland, Maine

Bar Harbor, Maine

New Brunswick, St John

Sea Day

Halifax

Sea Day

Back to Boston

Lois,

Look into the small private bus tour for Acadia Park. Great way to see the park. Just do a search.

Hi, sailing from Boston and stops in

Portland, Maine

Bar Harbor, Maine

New Brunswick, St John

Sea Day

Halifax

Sea Day

Back to Boston

I'd keep an eye on one of the weather predictor sites. I think one is Wunderground. Since you'll be on coastline the entire trip I'd layer more towards the cool side. Bar Harbour tends to be a bit warmer as it has some wind protection from the small bay. We spent a week on Gran Manan off the coast from Saint John years ago and it was rather damp and chilly by early October including the ferry over. If you have one of those pimaloft? style coats that mash up into it their own pocket I'd take it otherwise go with a rain jacket with a hood that will tie or add a rain hat of some kind. Under the jacket you can wear a fleece full or quarter zip or a medium weight sweatshirt. I would go with jeans for at least some ports depending on your shore excursions. Bar Harbour is a tender; I'm not sure about Saint John. We stayed over there a few nights before the ferry. Beautiful little town with a small but nice aquarium and you can walk out onto the ocean floor quite a ways when the tide is out. The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world. Yea, probably tender. I would not take corduroy pants as they hold water much longer than regular jeans.

At least on the coast you are almost certain not to see snow! :). And I think most cruises to Portland have an excursion to Freeport to visit LL Bean and some of the outlets in town. If you like their stuff plan room in your suitcase. Hope this helps but be prepared to swap things in and out depending on the latest forecast.

Sue

Hi Sue:)

Corduroy Pants? No worries about them......I don't own any:D...so

not bringing any:D......I have been to Alaska 4 times over the years

so I know how to layer.

Pimaloft? Never heard of it.

I will be fine with the clothing I have......I was just curious about it.

I see you are in WI.......we are in opposite worlds when it comes to

climate.;)

The weather there can be unpredictable and can vary, so take it with a grain of salt when someone tells you what the weather will be, simply based on what they experienced there previously. You may have entirely different weather. ;)

For the record, we did the same itinerary as you are doing, in October, a few years ago. It rained several of the days and one or two of the days it was freezing cold. One day was literally in the 30's and raining and windy. We did a duck boat tour that day and I had long johns on under jeans and turtleneck, sweater, water resistant jacket, scarf and gloves and was still cold! One day was just a little chilly and drizzly, another was sunny and pleasant, so it can vary a lot. The day of the really cold weather? We read in the news that a few days later they had record breaking high temperatures, up in the mid to upper 70's if I recall correctly.

All this to point out that you MUST check the weather forecast before you go. You could get lucky and have 70 degree weather, or it could be 30 degrees. Either way, definitely pack layers, pack a rain jacket, and if it looks like it's going to be on the colder end of things, plan on long johns, gloves or mittens etc. as well. If it's going to be on the warmer end of things, you may even want to throw in a pair of shorts.

We did this cruise back in October. I took a mix of clothing and was so glad I did. Our days in Boston were warm, and one of those we actually warm shorts. Our two days in Quebec we wore capris and short sleeve shirts.By the time we got to Halifax it was rainy and cold, so we were grateful for jeans,sweatshirts,raincoats, and gloves. Layers are the best, but throw a pair of shorts in just in case.We loved this cruise and will definitely do it again!

I also live in Florida and when I took a Canada cruise I packed the same things as for Alaska minus the gloves . Long sleeved t shirts , jeans ,sweaters,sneakers & a rain jacket .It was warm in Boston but not shorts weather .The other ports were cool but not cold .When you look at the weather even if it says 70 it tends to be cooler up North and their 70 feels like our 55.

Hi Sue:)

 

Corduroy Pants? No worries about them......I don't own any:D...so

not bringing any:D......I have been to Alaska 4 times over the years

so I know how to layer.

Pimaloft? Never heard of it.

 

I will be fine with the clothing I have......I was just curious about it.

 

I see you are in WI.......we are in opposite worlds when it comes to

climate.;)

I went decades without corduroy pants but when we lived in Maryland I bought a ribless pair for an October Black Sea cruise. Got totally but slowly drenched wearing them in Istanbul. My legs were ice cubes by the time we went back to the ship. Why I liked coduroy Levi's as a teen now boggles my mind. :)

Our scond trip to Alaska is in August for the Northwest Passage. I doubt we'll have the same dry and warm experience we had in 2011. So I am packing all sorts of layers including some from WinterSilks online. I need a black turtleneck so it will be nice to get so much use out of what is just a very nice long john top.

And I meant Primaloft. If you check LL Bean online for womens outer wear you'll see it right away. I bought a mens Primaloft vest for thh NWP cruise for my husband who handles cold better than I do these days. The fill is lofty and warm and yet compresses down to fit in a small bag or one of its own pockets. They are very handy in Europe during the fringe seasons as they are both wnd and water repellent and can be thrown in the washer and dryer. Since parkas are provided on the ship as part of the cruise I am only taking along the new Lands End waterproof hooded jacket and several washable half zips.

We are both fairly familiar with Florida. My in laws retired to Ormond Beach fairly early and the DH's grandparents had a home in Pompano Beach. We plan on yet another trip to Saint Pete in January for a few weeks with a trip over to Epcot. I wind up too cold from the AC down there during part of the year so have a travel wardrobe of lightweight but long sleeve tops and lighter weight pants and jeans. I also pak short sleeves and shorts for the beach side areas. A certain DH would love to park me and our retreiver down that way for the cooder months but it is 2 against one. :)

bought a ribless pair for an October Black Sea cruise.

Isn't ribless corduroy just a velour pant?? :D

Isn't ribless corduroy just a velour pant?? :D

No. Velour these days is a nylon based static spark throwing material made into track suits. Corduroy is labeled by how many ribs and these were about 20 but then the ribs are shaved off. These were from Nordstrom's house brand Facconionable and were actually the nicest slacks for a dry fall day. But that cruise had two types of days, rainy and cold or sunny and warm. The rainy season showed up in the Med early that year. :(

I do remember back in high school that anything velour was the thing to have. Of course back then it was one of the newer 100% cotton knits and expensive. I had a skirt and a dress made of it and talk about comfortable and soft. Now I don't think anyone makes cotton velour anymore. And the two aren't even close in how they look like silk versus rayon velvet does. Oh, or do you mean ribless coduroy is the same as velveteen? They do look close but velveteen has never been ribbed so isn't shaved down. Yes, I got A's in Home Ec and was in 4-H for sewing, baking and photograpghy. :)