Port Saguenay Quebec excursions

We will be on the Sea Princess on the Canada/New England voyage leaving Quebec 10/09/06 and would like some help in planning shore excursions for Port Saguenay. Should we use Princess or what is available from private sources? Thanks Petter

Howdy fellow Texan Petter!

Welcome to Cruise Critic and the Help Forum!

I fully understand your need to know more information regarding the excursions. However, you have posted on the Help Forum where members find information about the board's software and how to use it. This is not the place for your type of post and the information you seek is off topic.

Per the Community Guidelines and to help you out, I have moved your thread to the Ports of Call - Canada Forum where it will be on topic. I sincerely hope you will be able to find it in the new location!

Glad to have you aboard Cruise Critic and thank you for stopping by the Help Forum. Please come again if you have any questions about Cruise Critic's software.

Happy trails to you...

Kat

I wrote the tourism board (do a google search on Ville Saguenay) and got a booklet of the area as well as an answer to a question on local transportation - there is a local bus in the area. Some have commented that it looks like we will be a bit of a ways from 'action' as the Princess line has a $19 shuttle .:mad: So no matter where the local bus goes, I may be on it!!:p

If you don't book a shore excursion with the cruiseline, please remember that this area is French speaking and while SOME people will speak English (to various degrees) many other people may not understand you. I think it would be better to book your excursion with the cruiseline or with another bilingual tour company if you want to avoid any problem in getting understood in English.

People in this area are very friendly, don't worry about that, but they may not all be able to help you.

Wow.. a port call in Sanguenay.. usually that is just "cruising" the fjord.. you should be able to get some info from tourism Quebec but IMHO only I'd stick with ship tour there if you don't speak French..

Hi, we are on the Sept 18th sailing with Daryleann. We seem to be the guinea pigs for Princess as this is, we think, the first time a ship has docked for the day. We would have preferred "scenic cruising". Its what the ffjord is known for. We are a bit unhappy about scenic cruising before 0700 and after 1600!! We had been looking forward to it.

All the ships excursions and prices can be found on your CRUISE PERSONALISER on the princess website. They are not wildly exciting, at least in our opinion.

We have had to find out whats available here. There is a link below which is very helpful, and I also included some info I got by email from contacting tourist info offices, also from the link.

I would not be overly concerned about not speaking a particular language. We have travelled around the world for years, using public transport, taxi tours etc and it can be done. People are usually very helpful and welcoming to tourists. The only language we do have is a little French which will help this time.

We are intending to take the bus from La Baie to Chicoutimi to sightsee there, then bus back to La Baie to sightsee there. Bus timetables on the "link" below.

From the tourist office:

The Lepage pier is located next to a beautiful park in which starts two different walking tours. You may decide to walk in La Baie district and visit attractions such as museums, workshops, economuseums, etc. You will be given a map at the pier on which are indicated the attractions, restaurants and other stores of the walking tour. While walking around, you may appreciate the wonderful scenery of the bay and the area.

Moreover, taxis will be on the site for people who prefer to go in Chicoutimi. You will also be given a map of Chicoutimi with the names of the attractions, stores, etc. on the pier. The basis rate of taxis is 3,15$ and you add 1,55$ per kilometre. You can take a taxi to get to the Old Port of Chicoutimi and from there follow the map to visit the “croissant culturel” and the architecture of Racine street.You may also visit Rivière-Éternité or Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, but you will have to take a taxi and it might be expensive. I am sure that you will find La Baie and Chicoutimi very interesting and beautiful!!!

If you are interested in navigating the fjord and admiring its colours during the day, you can take La Marjolaine II and have a cruise on the fjord. For more information about La Marjolaine, visit the web site www.croisieremarjolaine.com

Also from a tourist office:

The bus numbers to use are the # 5. It leaves at the La Baie terminus, which is located at 10 minutes walking from the pier, and arrives at the Chicoutimi terminus, which is on Racine street, close to the information desk.The rate is 2,25$, and if you want to pay directly in the bus, you must have the correct change.Also, you must count 1 hour to get to Chicoutimi by bus instead of 25 minutes by car.

Heres the link. Bus timetables, tourist info etc.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.ville.saguenay.qc.ca/sts/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=3&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DVille%2BSaguenay%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26 newwindow%3D1

Hit Tourism then Cruising - "watch the ships!"

We just returned from a tour offered by Fjord et Monde (fjordetmonde@hotmail.com) and would like to share our great satisfaction with this company. The Saguenay Fjord is very beautiful indeed and for first-time visitors who want to experiment the best lookouts from this awesome Park with its breathtaking views, stroll around a couple of quaint villages, learn about the culture of the region and do a small cruise between two villages, this is the ideal tour. The guides are very well informed, funny and they will go out of their way to make you feel as part of the family.

We just returned from a tour offered by Fjord et Monde (fjordetmonde@hotmail.com) and would like to share our great satisfaction with this company. The Saguenay Fjord is very beautiful indeed and for first-time visitors who want to experiment the best lookouts from this awesome Park with its breathtaking views, stroll around a couple of quaint villages, learn about the culture of the region and do a small cruise between two villages, this is the ideal tour. The guides are very well informed, funny and they will go out of their way to make you feel as part of the family.

Thank you so much for this information! I am cruising to Saguenay on the Silver Whisper and was looking for independent options.