New England/Canada cruise port advice

We will be sailing on the QM2 this September on a 14-day adventure from New York to Quebec and back. Our itinerary lists stops in Rockland, Maine, Corner Brook, Sept-Iles, Quebec, Saguenay, Sydney, NS and Halifax. In the past when we have traveled, there are times when we have missed scheduled stops due to weather, high seas, etc. For those who are familiar with these ports, do you think we can book independent excursions with some confidence that the stops will occur?

Are there any suggestions for sights or experiences not tobe missed? Recommendations for guides/tour providers?

Thank you.

ponstad

I think one of the biggest risks in that area is fog. The good news is many of the ports are lovely so you don't really need to do a tour.

From experience we have never had a problem with Halifax and Quebec City.

If you book a private tour just be sure they will refund fees if you should miss any port due to weather.

Halifax and Quebec City are very easy to do on your own if you do good planning.

Keith

We will be sailing on the QM2 this September on a 14-day adventure from New York to Quebec and back. Our itinerary lists stops in Rockland, Maine, Corner Brook, Sept-Iles, Quebec, Saguenay, Sydney, NS and Halifax. In the past when we have traveled, there are times when we have missed scheduled stops due to weather, high seas, etc. For those who are familiar with these ports, do you think we can book independent excursions with some confidence that the stops will occur?

Are there any suggestions for sights or experiences not tobe missed? Recommendations for guides/tour providers?

 

 

Thank you.

ponstad

Sept-Iles is a waist of time!

Quebec is great, Take a trip to Montreal. Worth the time.

Enjoy

Regards

Skillies

Hello Ponstad,

My husband and I took the same voyage Fall 2016 from Quebec.

I was elated that Quebec City was so beautiful. There is a tourist office where there are guides offering free walking tours, I am sure most people pay something for the service. While onboard we booked the Quebec Panorama, a coach trip which doesn't look very exciting on paper, but the guide Lin/Lyn ? made it a very interesting afternoon sharing the history of Quebec with us all and taking us around the city showing us the artwork done by the young people of the area, some of them homeless graffiti artists who were given the opportunity by the city to use specific walls. The scenery was perfect as the Fall Colours were just out.

I suggested to Cunard in my comments that some one like that guide would have been so good as a guest speaker onboard. I know some people are organised and have book marked what they want to see in the city, but I personally prefer a guide. Saguenay was very welcoming and we did a bus tour there. Halifax we did Peggy's Cove in the past, that was interesting.We have just booked to do the same trip again this year, as strange as it sounds some onboard guests were booking there and then for 2017 they loved it so much.

Sept-Iles is a waist of time!

Quebec is great, Take a trip to Montreal. Worth the time.

Enjoy

Regards

Skillies

Sept-Iles was an almost last-minute substitute for Gaspé last October. A speed restriction was imposed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to the deaths of too many Right Whales. The QM2 reduced the speed to 9.8 knots for about 12 hours. Many cruise ships had to reschedule ports and Gaspé lost many calls. The speed restriction has been lifted, but it seems it may be back - perhaps in a modified form - when the warm weather arrives.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-transport-canada-lifts-restrictions-temporarily-1.4484372

To me, the only interesting part of the Sept-Iles call was the visit to the QM2 by Mylène Paquette. Some may remember she is the young woman who rowed across the Atlantic in 2013. She ran into difficulties and the QM2 was contacted for help. The crew provided her with supplies, including a bottle of red wine and a satellite radio. She has visited the ship a few times since then. On the day we called at Sept-Iles Ms Paquette gave an illustrated talk which received a huge ovation, the likes of which I have never seen before in Illuminations. In the afternoon she was at the small maritime museum with her boat. Some people said a tour that goes well away from the city was interesting.

Saguenay is a relatively new port for Cunard. The people of the city have given the QM2 a huge welcome and send-off. I have been fortunate to be on the ship for the two visits the ship has made to Saguenay: the inaugural call in 2016 and again last year. It would be well worth it to take a tour of this area.

I've been to Quebec many times, but not by ship. I think of Quebec (the old city part) as a great city to walk in depending on the amount of time you have and if you enjoy walking. Also, while anything is possible, I think they have to make port in Quebec because although you booked it as a round trip Cunard sells it as two one way cruises. New York to Quebec and another cruise Quebec to New York.

Based on my experience not only on Canada-New England cruises but also in northern Europe, tender ports are far more vulnerable to being dropped than ports where the ship docks. I have also dealt with tour companies in such ports who offer to refund deposits or advance payments if the ship doesn't dock; I think that's a reasonable accommodation to request.

We have done this itinerary about a half dozen times on QM2. If you overnight in Quebec, we booked a late night ghost tour. It was on our own. They guy had the outfit, top hat, lantern. We ended up in tunnels, an old church, places not open to the public, and learned quite a bit about Quebec also without it being dull. You can walk to the tour launch area from the ship. Tour is a lot of walking - several hours worth on hills, etc., and it is dark. We also eat poutine. There is a small red house near the dock to eat - oldest restaurant in North America. Nice little charming spot with good food.

Corner Brook was easily walkable - lots of cliffs overlooking the ocean. The sail away from there has amazing scenery. The people are interesting. I don't how many visitors they get : ) They were all very friendly and delighted the ship was there. It is not a tourist town by any means.

Sydney we rented a car and drove all around the area. We ate at a lobster shack and somehow ended up going across a lake to the other side of the road on a little 1 car wooden ferry attached to a guide wire. Yikes but we made it. It seemed like the best place to drive yourself around.

Halifax we always walk to the gardens, and along the waterfront boardwalk. Nice brewery right off the ship there, also.