Montreal change in Cruise Port

I have booked a cruise this June from Montreal to Boston with my grandson. In looking for hotels in Montreal near the cruise Port, I discovered that they are repairing the regular port area and have moved the docking area for most of the ships to a location distant from where the cruise ships usually dock. Does anyone have a suggestion regarding hotel selection. I am not familiar with Montreal.

We will have an afternoon and evening to wander around the city and would like to have a nice meal close to our hotel.

Do any of the hotels offer shuttle transportation to the ship like they do in Ft Lauderdale?

Thanks for any help.

That's a new one to me. I'll suggest posting to this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1821399

on the Ports of Call Canada/NE forum

If you book a hotel in the old Montreal area you may be able to walk from the ship to the hotel. I was there last summer and I saw many people do this. The port is literally in the tourist area of old Montreal. In worst case if you have a lot of luggage it is a very short cab or uber ride.

If you book a hotel in the old Montreal area you may be able to walk from the ship to the hotel. I was there last summer and I saw many people do this. The port is literally in the tourist area of old Montreal. In worst case if you have a lot of luggage it is a very short cab or uber ride.

But OP says the terminal is being moved to a temporary location while the Old Port terminal gets updated. My guess is that the temporary port will be downstream from the Jacques Cartier Bridge.

Roy

If you book a hotel in the old Montreal area you may be able to walk from the ship to the hotel. I was there last summer and I saw many people do this. The port is literally in the tourist area of old Montreal. In worst case if you have a lot of luggage it is a very short cab or uber ride.

But OP says the terminal is being moved to a temporary location while the Old Port terminal gets updated. My guess is that the temporary port will be downstream from the Jacques Cartier Bridge.

 

Roy

I've been in the Montreal cruise terminal a great many times and it USED to be a great walk around Old Montreal, the Cathedral, shopping and restaurants etc. However, the cruise terminal is undergoing construction and the ship will not dock in the same place.

OP does not want to know what was a good hotel last year in terms of proximity to where the ship will dock but wants to know where the ship will dock this year.

I wish I could help but cannot.

IF the ship will be docking very near to where it always has, I would suggest you look into Hotel Nelligan which is easy walking distance from where we always docked on Maasdam. It is not a cookie cutter hotel and the rooms are not all the same so if you should think about booking that hotel, be sure to indicate exactly what style room you want. Many cruisers have stayed there and most reports have been satisfactory.

I have booked a cruise this June from Montreal to Boston with my grandson. In looking for hotels in Montreal near the cruise Port, I discovered that they are repairing the regular port area and have moved the docking area for most of the ships to a location distant from where the cruise ships usually dock. Does anyone have a suggestion regarding hotel selection. I am not familiar with Montreal.

 

We will have an afternoon and evening to wander around the city and would like to have a nice meal close to our hotel.

 

Do any of the hotels offer shuttle transportation to the ship like they do in Ft Lauderdale?

 

Thanks for any help.

Wow, this is news to me! I googled The Port Of Montreal and came up with this helpful link.

http://www.port-montreal.com/en/access-to-passenger-terminal.html

It looks like you will be able to take a shuttle on the day of your ships departure from the pier that is being restored (Alexandra Pier) to the temporary one.

Because of that, you will still be able to enjoy the area of Alexandra Pier (hotels, restaurants, ect)

The distance between the two ports is around 7km (4 1/2 miles).

I'm not sure of any hotels offering shuttle service. You would have to inquire.

Enjoy your cruise

The temporary cruise ship berth is quite a distance from the touristy Old Montreal but its location does have some redeeming features.

Directly north of the berth on Pie-IX Blvd there are : Insectarium, Biodome, Planetarium and the Olympic Stadium. Bus #139 travels north and south on Pie-IX every 10 minutes.

The temporary cruise ship berth is quite a distance from the touristy Old Montreal but its location does have some redeeming features.

 

Directly north of the berth on Pie-IX Blvd there are : Insectarium, Biodome, Planetarium and the Olympic Stadium. Bus #139 travels north and south on Pie-IX every 10 minutes.

Just a little pronunciation help: Pie IX is not "pie nine". Try saying it like "pea nuf". That is the area of the 1976 Olympics which is easily reached on the Metro (subway). I would stick to the downtown or vieux Montreal area for hotel.

The temporary cruise ship berth is quite a distance from the touristy Old Montreal but its location does have some redeeming features.

 

Directly north of the berth on Pie-IX Blvd there are : Insectarium, Biodome, Planetarium and the Olympic Stadium. Bus #139 travels north and south on Pie-IX every 10 minutes.

Ugh....... the temporary berth the cruise ships will use is by the Olympic Stadium? That is more than a little distant from city center and all the great shopping, restaurants, Notre Dame Basilica, Old Montreal etc

Disappointing.

We always were in Montreal on Saturday and used to really enjoy the Old Farmer's Market with the costumes and fun presentation. It is a short walk up from the ship and we would always stop there for a while before proceeding on our way. That's a shame folks won't get to enjoy it.

Why not stay downtown or in the old port area as originally planned? Then take a taxi to the dock. Don't let being near the ship take away from your time in such a lovely city! Just chalk up the taxi to "the price of travel."

I'm glad to hear they're working on the Montreal terminal. The time we were there, it was terrible, like being in a cow shed!!!

to someplace closer to Old Montreal or downtown. Info is not very good at this date. Taking the Apr.24th cruise so will know more once we return.

Wow, this is news to me! I googled The Port Of Montreal and came up with this helpful link.

 

http://www.port-montreal.com/en/access-to-passenger-terminal.html

 

It looks like you will be able to take a shuttle on the day of your ships departure from the pier that is being restored (Alexandra Pier) to the temporary one.

 

Because of that, you will still be able to enjoy the area of Alexandra Pier (hotels, restaurants, ect) ...

... a couple of weeks ago HAL sent me a notice about the pier change for our C-NE cruise in June, but thank you for the link you posted - it is very informative/helpful.

Thanks to all the posters who offered suggestions. It looks like we will be embarking some distance from the old terminal. However, we will probably be best off to book a hotel near the old terminal and enjoy Montreal. looks like we are in store for a 7 km cab ride to the ship.

Thanks again

Ugh....... the temporary berth the cruise ships will use is by the Olympic Stadium? That is more than a little distant from city center and all the great shopping, restaurants, Notre Dame Basilica, Old Montreal etc

 

Disappointing.

 

We always were in Montreal on Saturday and used to really enjoy the Old Farmer's Market with the costumes and fun presentation. It is a short walk up from the ship and we would always stop there for a while before proceeding on our way. That's a shame folks won't get to enjoy it.

 

I agree with your descriptive," Ugh ". It is also unfortunate that the passengers will not have the opportunity to sail beneath the Jacques Cartier Bridge.

Thanks to all the posters who offered suggestions. It looks like we will be embarking some distance from the old terminal. However, we will probably be best off to book a hotel near the old terminal and enjoy Montreal. looks like we are in store for a 7 km cab ride to the ship.

 

Thanks again

Anyone know long will this Montreal cruise port change be in effect?

It's a government project so who knows??????

The market near the port is amazing.

Anyone know long will this Montreal cruise port change be in effect?

Port Montréal says for the entire 2016 season. The list of ships and berths shows that right up to the end of October berths 34-35 and 36-37 will be used for the larger ships.

http://www.port-montreal.com/en/cruise-vessels-schedule.html

The Alexandra Pier should be rebuilt by 2017.

http://www.port-montreal.com/en/project-iberville-terminal-community.html

There are many interesting illustrations on the bottom link of the above site: "to learn more about the project."

The St . Lawrence River, for the first time, did not freeze over this winter. The original pier was old in the 1970s so it was about time for improvement. The pier that is being used is the one that is more industrial so not as attractive as the old port which has been used for hundreds of years. But it is only a few blocks from the site of the 1976 summer Olympic games which has been turned into the Biodome. It is also close to the Montreal Botanical Gardens which is recognized as one of the finest and is celebrating 40 years this year.

Stay in the old port or downtown though.

Heavens! It is FORTY NINE years since my first cruise to Montreal... my first ever cruise! ! Bermuda to NY to Quebec, Montreal, PE, Boston and NY and back to Bermuda... 21 days. Cunard's FRANCONIA and up for the Word's Fair 1967. I was not in a luxurious cabin... I was in an inside with upper/lower berths. I was just a lowly Deck Boy at 14.

Port Montréal says for the entire 2016 season. The list of ships and berths shows that right up to the end of October berths 34-35 and 36-37 will be used for the larger ships.

 

http://www.port-montreal.com/en/cruise-vessels-schedule.html

 

The Alexandra Pier should be rebuilt by 2017.

 

http://www.port-montreal.com/en/project-iberville-terminal-community.html

 

There are many interesting illustrations on the bottom link of the above site: "to learn more about the project."

Thanks for your excellent research....I'm only an hour an a half drive from the Port, and this stuff was quite informative.

As someone who was born and raised in Montreal, who moved away years ago yet still returns to visit family and friends, here are some alternative options for hotels and locations. If you are in at least the day prior to having to go to the port, taking a taxi from anywhere is a reality so just pick the location that works best for you and your own preferences.

While Old Montreal can be charming, the downtown area around Sherbrooke and Peel or de la Montagne (Mountain street) are also excellent for hotels, shopping, strolling, sight-seeing, museums, dining.

The Loews Hotel Vogue on de la Montagne at St. Catherine is a great hotel, in a great location, right across from famous Ogilvy department store, soon to be re-named Holt Renfrew, a very nice Canadian chain of upscale stores (think Nordstrom plus).

The Omni Mount Royal, at Sherbrooke and Peel, is another very nice hotel in a superb location. Sherbrooke street is an ideal street for strolling, including over to the Montreal Museum (which often has great exhibits), and just walking and enjoying this "boulevard" and its shops and coffee shops, restos, etc. You can also walk by and onto McGill University's downtown campus--a lovely walk, and see all the old buildings.

Old Montreal is an easy Metro (subway) ride from this area if you also want to explore in that neighbourhood.

Restaurants abound in the main downtown area of Montreal--you will be spoiled for choice. A fine French resto is Les Mas Des Olivier, on Bishop st. The place has been there for over 40 years, and our family still visits for an excellent, classic French meal in lovely surroundings.

Your hotel concierge can help you choose a place to dine which suits your taste.

For all my American friends, remember that as our dollar has dropped significantly to the greenback, you can enjoy a nice hotel and shopping, and even sundries such as the cab to the port, at reduced cost.

I suggest you look at the official Montreal city website as that will identify various neighbourhoods and what they each offer. Finally, while the weather should be good at the time the OP is travelling, remember that Montreal has a huge "underground city" that allows easy passage during the colder (and believe me, they usually are cold!) winter months--this makes getting around much easier.

Bon voyage et a bien tot.

ON cruiser.......you made me homesick!