FAQs about Saint John, New Brunswick

1. Where does the ship dock in Saint John?

The ship docks at Pugsley Terminal, right in the heart of the downtown core and most attractions. However if you are on the following ships, you will dock at Long Wharf at the end of the harbour and be shuttled free of charge to the city core or walk on your own (5-10 min.) :

June 27th Maasdam

September 11th Carnival Victory

September 18th Carnival Victory

September 25th Crown Princess

September 26th Norwegian Spirit

October 2nd Crown Princess

October 8th Saga Ruby

October 17th Crown Princess

2. What is the weather like and what clothes should I bring?

In the summer months into September the days are pleasant around 70 degrees, however may be cooler in the morning or remain cool all day if it is foggy. If your excursion takes you inland, it will be warmer than along the coast. You should bring a light jacket onshore and pants as the fog can roll in and drop the temperature quickly. In October and November is is definately cooler and you should bring a warm jacket.

3. Are there attractions nearby the ship?

Yes. There are many attractions in the vicinity of the ship. The most popular is the Old Saint John City Market (1840); Market Square including the New Brunswick Museum; Barbour's General Store; Loyalist House; Loyalist Burial Ground; Loyalist House; Imperial Theatre; Reversing Falls Jet Boat Ride; Harbour Passage Walking Trail around the harbour and Trinity Royal Heritage Preservation Area (containing some of the oldest buildings in Canada). Information on these attractions can be found at www.tourismsaintjohn.com

4. How do I get to Reversing Falls?

You can walk to Reversing Falls in about 40 minutes. Follow the cranberry coloured Harbour Passage Walking Trail by the dock until it ends on Douglas Ave. outside the old New Brunswick Museum. Walk down Douglas Ave. until you reach the Reversing Falls Bridge. The lookout is on the other side of the Bridge. On the way there is an alternative viewing site called Fallsview Park. There are also taxis available to take you to the falls (approx. $7 CDN per car) or you could take a city bus from the front of City Hall for $2.25 (Route #4 West) - just let the driver know you want off at the falls so you don't have to worry about where to get off. The bus stops at Reversing Falls on the way back to the downtown area (Route East).

5. Are there car rental agencies nearby?

Yes. Avis is on the same street as the dock a couple blocks (turn left when leaving dock area). Hertz is located on the 2nd level of the Market Square Complex on the waterfront. If you are looking to rent a car to tour the city on your own, consider the option of a taxi tour instead. Saint John streets are confusing with many one ways and you can get lost easily.

6. Is Saint John mobility impaired friendly?

Yes. Harbour Passage trail is fully accessible, as is Market Square, Brunswick Square Shopping Centre and the Old City Market. Saint John does have hills in the cruise ship area, but can be overcome by using the "inside passage pedway system" in the complexes mentioned above using elevators. Some city buses that go to Reversing Falls can accomodate wheelchairs. In front of city hall these wheel chair accessible buses leave at 8:15 9:55 11:35 1:15 2:55 Coming back from the falls 8:50 10:30 12:10 1:50 3:30

7. Can a child or senior go on the Reversing Falls Jet Boat Ride? Do you get wet on the ride? Where do I find out information on this attraction?

Every participant must be 42" tall. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. During two hours at low tide, all participants must be atleast 13 years old. The ride is not for pregnant women or individuals with back problems. You will get wet, so bring a change of clothes and a towel. Their website is http://www.jetboatrides.com

8. Are there unique shops in the cruise ship area?

There are many small family-owned shops in the area selling unique items and souvenirs. The main shopping areas are the Trinity Royal Heritage Preservation Area (old section of city where ship docks); Brunswick Square Shopping Centre and the Old Saint John City Market. In addition there is a tent set up along the dock with locals selling crafts and souvenirs.

9. Is there a drug store/pharmacy in the area?

The closest drug store is Lawton's Drugs (similar to CVS or Eckerd) located on the first level of the Brunswick Square Shopping Centre.

10. What is there to do for children in the area?

The New Brunswick Museum in Market Square has exhibits of interest to children, including a 40' North Atlantic Right Whale. Along Harbour Passage Walking Trail under the Harbour Bridge is an area to watch the harbour seals play in the water. The Canada Games Aquatic Centre (www.aquatics.nb.ca) has an Olympic size pool with diving boards and platforms, tarzan rope, water toys along with 3 other leisure pools and 2 hottubs. The Old City Market has vendors that sell home-made candy.

11. Where can I find Internet Access?

Cheap Internet Access is available at the top of the Old Saint John City Market - take the elevator to the third floor to PRUDE Community Access Centre.

12. Do merchants take American Dollars?

Merchants takes American Dollars at a fair exchange rate; however most will give back Canadian Dollars in change. Ask before purchasing what their policy is. Credit cards are widely accepted if you do not wish to accumulate Canadian currency.

13. Do taxis offer tours?

Yes, taxis are waiting should you wish to go on a city-wide tour. There is a set rate as the cabs do not have meters.

14. Is there a major shopping centre nearby with large department stores?

McAllister Place Shopping Centre and big box stores are located in East Saint John and is $10 by taxi.

15. Are there good locations to take a picture of the ship in the harbour?

The best location is atop Fort Howe, the hill overlooking the end of the harbour. Bus tours will make a stop here or a taxi will take you. Alternatively you can take a picture of the ship from across the harbour by following the Harbour Passage Trail and stopping at the Harbour Bridge footing course for a great perspective.

16. Can you recommend a seafood restaurant?

There are 3 great seafood restaurants in the area. Grannan's is located in Market Square; Steamer's Lobster Company is located across the street from the cruise ship dock; and Billy's Seafood is located at the top end of the Old Saint John City Market. All are great restaurants; however Billy's is consistently rated by locals as the best in an annual survey by a local publication. All have outdoor patios.

17. Where can I buy Cuban cigars?

Howard's Tobacco - exit the top end of the Old Saint John City Market on Charlotte St. and the store is on the immediate left of the market entrance.

John's Tobacco - along the "inside passage pedway" on the 2nd level of Brunswick Square across from Tim Horton's Donuts.

Remember US law prohibits you from bringing them back into the USA.

18. Are there beaches nearby?

You will require a car to go to nearby beaches. The water of the Bay of Fundy is very cold. There are swimming lakes in Rockwood Park that are a pleasant temperature.

19. Can you recommend an area for photographers for unique features of the city? Is there a camera store that offers same day or 1 hour photofinishing?

The area immediately off the ship is rich in architecture and history. I recommend exploring this area, including Princess St., Trinity Church, King's Square, Queen's Square, and the Loyalist Burial Ground. Appleby's offers 1 hour and same-day photofinishing. They are located to the left of the Old Saint John City Market on Germain St.

20. Is there a liquor store near the ship?

The liquor store is on the left hand side of King St. 3/4 of the way up the hill.

21. Are there banks nearby?

All major banks are represented on King St. and all have bank machines.

22. Are there local pubs you can recommend?

Princess St. across from the cruise terminal has well-recognized local pubs in the area, including O'Leary's, Sebastian's, Callahan's and Elwood's.

23. I'm travelling with a medical condition. What kind of care can I expect if I have a medical emergency in Saint John?

Saint John has an excellent acute care facility with highly specialized tertiary services, including trauma and cardiac care.

24. What time zone is Saint John in?

Saint John is in the Atlantic Time Zone, which is 1 hour ahead of Eastern Time Zone. Ship's time may not be adjusted, so make sure you know what time to be back to the ship.

25. Is it true you receive a gift for coming ashore?

Women receive a fresh long-stem rose and men receive a souvenir pin.

26. What are some interesting facts about the area?

Where the ship docks was settled by Loyalists fleeing the USA in 1785. Benedict Arnold made Saint John his home for a few years. Hollywood actors Donald Sutherland and Walter Pigeon were born here. You can catch a glimpse of the largest oil refinery in Canada (350,000 bpd) by walking through King's Square and continuing down King St East for 4 blocks until you reach Courtney Bay. Here you will also see ships loading refined fuels destined for the USA Northeast. The city proper has approx. 69,000 people, with 123,000 people in the immediate region.

Acey - Thanks so much for posting a great list! We visited Saint John three years ago and really enjoyed it; this time I think we'll try the Harbour Passage over to the falls.

Thanks so much for all the useful information.

This is a wonderful post, thank you so much for taking the time to do this. We will be in St. John in August and are really looking forward to it.

Acey - Do the taxis and buses take U.S. currency and do the buses require correct change? Thanks!

Acey - Do the taxis and buses take U.S. currency and do the buses require correct change? Thanks!

Buses have stickers saying exact change required - but not enforced. It's $2.25. You can use your US money on bus. Taxis will take american money - however - do not expect to get more for your American money - recently the USA dollar fell dramatically against the rising CDN Dollar - so your American dollar is now only worth $1.06 CDN - with the fee and premium taken by the bank to exchange into CDN dollars - its likely drivers will treat US dollars as even.

We are planning to take either bus or taxi to reversing falls and wanted to know if it would be a problem using American $. We leave next Tuesday and are looking forward to visiting New Brunswick for the first time. Thanks for your help.

Acey, thank you so much for the list. I will be traveling to St. John in 2 weeks on the Victory. Now I don't feel the need to book an excursion with the ship, seems like everything is walkable or a short taxi ride.

Lisa

You seem to know a lot about this area . . . I am looking at doing a cruise Oct 12 - Oct 21 and noticed some things in Saint John may not be open. Is this true for a lot of the attractions in this area or are there still a fair amount of things to do in mid-October?

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Kim

You seem to know a lot about this area . . . I am looking at doing a cruise Oct 12 - Oct 21 and noticed some things in Saint John may not be open. Is this true for a lot of the attractions in this area or are there still a fair amount of things to do in mid-October?

 

Your help is greatly appreciated!

 

Kim

The only thing I can see not operating would be the Jet Boat Rides through the Reversing Falls - everything else should be open - unless you are arriving on a Sunday and not all stores will be open. Leaves turning colour are perfect that time of year. Is there a specific attraction in particular you wanted to find out would be open? - just let me know.

ACEY - I have not done much research yet but know I would for sure like to see the Reversing falls. I had clicked into a website for some sort of falls trail and it said it closed on Canadian Thanksgiving. Not even sure what this "trail" was about but made me curious to know if other things closed like this.

Do you have other suggestions of things to do? My husband and I are 30, are pretty active, and really like to see a city when we are visiting. We are willing to pack in a lot of acivities into a short period of time so we are open to ideas. Anything you can suggest would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your help!!

The Reversing Falls are popular, but I think over rated and I don't see as a must. The main attraction is the area where the ship docks called

Trinity Royal - it has some of Canada's oldest buildings with interestings architecture, shops and restaurants. Be sure to check out the Old City Market. A popular excursion is to the fishing village of St. Martin's - the colours would be nice.

If you do want to the see the falls and are active, you could walk Harbour Passage, a walking/biking trail around the harbour to Reversing Falls (45 min. to falls)

If you are also going to Halifax, Nova Scotia don't miss Citadel Hill.

Thanks for all of the info Acey. I will be sure to come back here if I think of anything else!

Acey,

Thank you for the FAQ and answers on St. John. You said that one could walk to the Reversing Falls in about 40 minutes from where the boats dock, right? Are the Falls in Fundy National Park and are there hiking trails? Are there any whale watching tours from St. John?

Thanks,

Maggie:)

Acey,

Thank you for the FAQ and answers on St. John. You said that one could walk to the Reversing Falls in about 40 minutes from where the boats dock, right? Are the Falls in Fundy National Park and are there hiking trails? Are there any whale watching tours from St. John?

Thanks,

Maggie:)

Reversing Falls is right in the City of Saint John. There is a walking trail to the falls from the ship - a tourism guide will point you in the right direction when you get off the ship and onto the street. Fundy National Park is 1.5 hours away. There are numerous hiking trails in Fundy National Park. As for whale watching tours, there are but unfortunately you'll need to book it through the ship as the cruiseline reserves the available boats. These tours leave from St. George, which is 45 min away.

Acey,

Thanks! We head out this Friday, so I'll post more info when we return in August.

Maggie

I looked in my Princess tour book and Princess does not offer whale watching tours from St. John. any ideas on how to arrange one? The ship is scheduled to be in port from 9 to 5.

So far all I can figure is to rent a car then drive to St. Andrews to get a tour that starts near noon. But my hubby gets very nervous if the ship is very far away. so it may be a no go. Just thought I would ask in case there's a convenient reliable way to do it. Thanks.

I looked in my Princess tour book and Princess does not offer whale watching tours from St. John. any ideas on how to arrange one? The ship is scheduled to be in port from 9 to 5.

 

So far all I can figure is to rent a car then drive to St. Andrews to get a tour that starts near noon. But my hubby gets very nervous if the ship is very far away. so it may be a no go. Just thought I would ask in case there's a convenient reliable way to do it. Thanks.

I would not do it as much as I can appreciate that you would like to. It takes about and hour and a half to drive to St. Andrews, depending on traffic. It is not four lanes all the way and if traffic is slow and heavy there is not much opportunity to pass cars on the two lane stretches. Getting parked near the wharf in St. Andrews is not easy as the town is always packed with tourists, ---so there would be a bit of a hike there. It is also quite a distance across Passamaquoddy Bay to the other side of Deer Island where the whales are usually found. If the ship leaves at five, you would have to be back in time to return your rental car and then get to the ship by 4:30 at the latest. It would be very tight with no margin for error.

There is a whale watching company in St. George which offers tours out of Black's Harbour, which is about 50 minutes from Saint John. It is called Whale of a Tale and the toll free number is 1-800-214-6906. I would still not go unless you got a definite commitment about the return time from the operator. Again ---it is two lanes of sometimes slow traffic for part of the trip to Black's----even slower after you leave highway # 1.

Thanks Sapper. Looking at the maps, I thought it might be that way. Thanks for verifing it. I guess no whales this time since I am new to all the ports I have alot of sightseeing to do that would be less risky. Thanks.

Thanks Sapper. Looking at the maps, I thought it might be that way. Thanks for verifing it. I guess no whales this time since I am new to all the ports I have alot of sightseeing to do that would be less risky. Thanks.

You're welcome!!--I am sure you will enjoy your cruise.

Still thinking about renting a car....

According to Acey's list we will dock at Long Wharf, what's the easiest way to rent a car from that location?

I am very interested in seeing an Acadian museum or historical site. Anyone have suggestions? Le Monument Lefebvre in Memramcook?

Thanks in advance.

When you depart your ship at Long Wharf, you can take the free shuttle to Loyalist Plaza (3 min.) - when you get off the bus AVIS is across the street. Alternatively, you can walk off the ship, out the gates and in front of you is a large building called "Harbour Station" (has a robin's blue colored rooftop) - across the street from that is Enterprise Car Rental.

Memremcook is 2 hours from Saint John, so I would suggest it may not be a good option unless you really wanted to see this place (I've never been). "Acadia" in general is in the Moncton area and beyond.

Saint John has a vibrant French community, and would really recommend stopping at "Nougatine et Chocolat" on Prince Willaim St. for a pastry and bowl of hot chocolate. Across the street from that is a historic building that houses the French Community Association - there may be a museum or exhibit there, but am not sure.

In Queen's Sq. is a statue of Samual de Champlain, whom landed here in the 1600's. He points to the mouth of the Saint John River. In fact, the nose of your ship is at Fort Latour where Champlain landed.

Thanks Acey. the info on the rent car hits the spot.

I am of Acadian heritage. My mother grew up in South Louisiana. So I definitely look forward to getting to see at least one site about the Acadian experience.

Also, we currently live in Texas where some folks commute more than one hour each day to work. DH did it for 20 years. So a one way 2 hour drive is not really a big deal to us especially since there will be plenty to see.

I just need to do may research to give lots of leeway to make it back to the ship in time.

All info greatly appreciated. I think I will start with Enterprise.

If anyone thinks of another more convenient Acadian site, please post it!