Canadian shore excursions

I will be taking the Silver Whisper cruise from Montreal to New York in mid October. Can you recommend "must do" shore excursions for the different ports? Can you also recommend interesting day trips that you have arranged on your own for the different ports (e.g. Quebec City, Halifax, Saguenay, Sydney, Charlottetown, St. John, Portland, etc.)?

Since no one else has responded, I will give it a shot. We were on the reverse itinerary on Regent, but excursions will be similar.

In Quebec City, we just did our own thing. We love this city, love walking all over. You can get off the ship and walk around as you are right downtown. We went to the fortress and the Plains of Abraham, did the tour of the fort which was very interesting. Walked all over upper and lower towns. Lots of great photo ops. We had lunch at a little French restaurant in the lower town that specializes in rabbit. It was very very good. Lots of shopping here as well if you are into that.

In the afternoon, we did ship's excursion to the island that is in the middle of the river where we had a ice wine tasting and also a cheese tasting. Then went to the waterfall that is north of the city. You could rent a car and tour these on your own, but was just easier to do the ship's tour. We had a very funny guide.

In Sagueney, you absolutely have to go into the national park. We did a hiking tour there. Beautiful with all the leaves turning. The locals will also greet the ship when it docks wearing all sorts of costumes and will have local treats like maple sugar candy which they are giving away. There was also a farmer's market going which was walking distance from the ship. I checked this out after our hiking tour.

Charlottetown is all about Anne of Green Gables. My husband isn't into that at all, but they were having a local street fair which was very cool.

So much to do in Halifax that you will have to make tough decisions. We went to Peggy's Cove which is really beautiful, but that meant we had to miss all the Titanic museum stuff as there just wasn't enough time. We did have a wonderful lobster lunch though.

Quebec City - Montmorency Falls -- historical and awesome. Silversea excursion.

In Halifax I highly recommend the Titanic museum, which includes the Halifax explosion. Fascinating. You can easily do on your own.

This itinerary is a great trip - you'll enjoy it all.

As Rachel said, Sangueney is beautiful. When we were there SS did an excursion (a short stroll from the ship, actually) to a theatre where the locals did a folkloric show that was very impressive. They are professionals so it wasn't disappointing and hokey at all. OK, maybe slightly hokey in parts, but I really enjoyed it!

Charlottetown on SS also offered a cooking school experience which was praised by those who went on it.

We are Canadian so did our own thing except for Montmorency Falls. We had booked an excursion in Cape Breton but then missed the port due to hurricane coming in.

We have family in Halifax (was just there yesterday) so both times we've been there on a cruise we met up with family. In Halifax you can walk to the Historic Properties along the harbour path and then take the ferry to Dartmouth and back. Depending on the day, there's a farmer's market at the Dartmouth ferry building, and the views from the ferry are good. My kids have walked the bridge and loved those views. The museum is very good as well.

Last time we were in port there, my uncle dropped us at the Dartmouth ferry terminal and we took it back to Halifax and then walked back to the ship which was a great way to combine being touristy with time with family.

In each of the ports we were in, you were right in the centre of things, except Boston, but even there we walked from the ship to a church that had a concert, then back to the shuttle bus pick up spot since by then I was too tired to walk back to the ship.