sydney,halifax and charlottetown

private tour companies or princess any recommendations? thanks.

That is for you to decide. However you can usually do better (in terms of cost and what you get to do) on your own, with a private tour, or renting a car.

If you do a search (look on the right side of the blue bar at the top of the listings) on the Ports of Call/Canada section you will find many posts about what is available for these ports. You need to have an idea of what you want to do before deciding how to do it. I'll put in my two cents below:

For Halifax you can stay in the city and walk to most of the main attractions. There is no need for a tour at all. Or, if you wish to go to Peggys Cove, you can rent a car and get there ahead of the crowds. You would have time to come back into Halifax and walk around the waterfront.

If you go to the Roll Call for your cruise, you will find what others are doing and you may be able to join a private tour.

For Charlottetown I would rent a car and drive yourself to places that interest you. That will probably include a loop around the central part of the island, including the scenic north shore. This way you can go at your own pace.

For Sydney there are two main attractions for people with only one day: the Fortress at Louisbourg or going to Baddeck and the Alexander Graham Bell Museum.

Louisbourg is a restored French fortress from the year 1744. If you are there before Oct. 15 it is filled with people in costume playing the parts of actual people who lived there.

The Baddeck area is beautiful. You could also go a bit further to Iona and the Higland Village which depicts the way of life of the early settlers from Scotland.

I hope you will love my part of the world and want to come back.

well i looked at the tour to biddeck and the alexander graham bell museum.. i don't think i have enough time to drive cape breton. i don't want to rent a car.... any recommendation for tours? there is some question whether we are actually going to st john.... so st martens looks interesting . in halifax i thought about a tour to lunenberg.... doesn't seem to be any that just go there and back... i appreciate any imput. i haven't never been to pei. there are tours offered through the ship but i usually find booking private tours are better... i would just like an overview of charlotte and surrounds.

Sydney is in Cape Breton and it is not too far to Baddeck. If you do not want to drive you can arrange a private tour. There will be taxis waiting at the dock, but it would be cheaper to arrange with others on your roll call.

Going to Lunenburg would be great. It can be combined with Peggys Cove. Again renting a car is best, or joining others in a tour. Do a search and you will find names of tour operators and drivers.

For PEI you really want to get out of Charlottetown. The rural scenery and the wonderful ocean views and small fishing villages are what make it attractive.

interesting that you say to get out of charlottetown... there seems to be a north part and a south part.... which is the best. thank you

interesting that you say to get out of charlottetown... there seems to be a north part and a south part.... which is the best. thank you

The most popular tourist destination on PEI would be the north shore. This is where you will find the PEI National park with sand dunes and great beaches along with the obligitory tourist traps, water parks and shopping. If you are at all familiar with the fictional works about Anne of Green Gables, the movies or tv series Avonlea, this area was where the author grew up and where she based most of her books.

The south shore is less touristy but beautiful in it's own way. You can get some pretty nice scenic vistas on either shore.

PEI Tourism has created coastal drives, the central one can be found here http://www.tourismpei.com/central-coastal-drive and you could likely do most of it during your port stop.

I've created a shorter route here http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Charlottetown,+Prince+Edward+Island&daddr=Brackley+Point+Rd%2FPE-15+N%2FPE-6+E+to:8555+CAVENDISH+RD,+Green+Gables,+Prince+Edward+Island+C0A+1X0+(Green+Gables)+to:Victoria,+Prince+Edward+Island+to:46.149394,-63.294983+to:Charlottetown,+Prince+Edward+Island&hl=en&geocode=FaevwQIdrtw8_CnFg3_U3VJeSzEnm1GfuHdXWg%3BFef5wwId68U7_A%3BFfNZxQIdVt04_CHahouDDBCNXQ%3BFRwawQId1Uw3_Cktc3XL6gdfSzGUH1L3_jJisQ%3B%3BFaevwQIdrtw8_CnFg3_U3VJeSzEnm1GfuHdXWg&mra=dpe&mrcr=2&mrsp=4&sz=10&via=1,4&sll=46.341239,-63.310089&sspn=0.457913,0.877533&ie=UTF8&z=10 it is shorter but takes in some of the highlights and some of my favourite places including New Glasgow and Victoria. It also takes you inland to experience a whole different perspective on our beautifull Island.

The most popular tourist destination on PEI would be the north shore. This is where you will find the PEI National park with sand dunes and great beaches along with the obligitory tourist traps, water parks and shopping. If you are at all familiar with the fictional works about Anne of Green Gables, the movies or tv series Avonlea, this area was where the author grew up and where she based most of her books.

 

The south shore is less touristy but beautiful in it's own way. You can get some pretty nice scenic vistas on either shore.

 

PEI Tourism has created coastal drives, the central one can be found here http://www.tourismpei.com/central-coastal-drive and you could likely do most of it during your port stop.

 

I've created a shorter route here http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Charlottetown,+Prince+Edward+Island&daddr=Brackley+Point+Rd%2FPE-15+N%2FPE-6+E+to:8555+CAVENDISH+RD,+Green+Gables,+Prince+Edward+Island+C0A+1X0+(Green+Gables)+to:Victoria,+Prince+Edward+Island+to:46.149394,-63.294983+to:Charlottetown,+Prince+Edward+Island&hl=en&geocode=FaevwQIdrtw8_CnFg3_U3VJeSzEnm1GfuHdXWg%3BFef5wwId68U7_A%3BFfNZxQIdVt04_CHahouDDBCNXQ%3BFRwawQId1Uw3_Cktc3XL6gdfSzGUH1L3_jJisQ%3B%3BFaevwQIdrtw8_CnFg3_U3VJeSzEnm1GfuHdXWg&mra=dpe&mrcr=2&mrsp=4&sz=10&via=1,4&sll=46.341239,-63.310089&sspn=0.457913,0.877533&ie=UTF8&z=10 it is shorter but takes in some of the highlights and some of my favourite places including New Glasgow and Victoria. It also takes you inland to experience a whole different perspective on our beautifull Island.

Thank you sooo much for the info. I think now that we will get a car and drive ourselves. I had no idea how close these areas are to each other.

private tour companies or princess any recommendations? thanks.

For Sydney, Tartan Tours gives good tours, will take you anywhere you want to go. She has a van so if it is only the two of you, you could get two others to go with you and share the cost.

i had e mailed tartan tours and never got a response so don't think they are a good bet...

The most popular tourist destination on PEI would be the north shore. This is where you will find the PEI National park with sand dunes and great beaches along with the obligitory tourist traps, water parks and shopping. If you are at all familiar with the fictional works about Anne of Green Gables, the movies or tv series Avonlea, this area was where the author grew up and where she based most of her books.

 

The south shore is less touristy but beautiful in it's own way. You can get some pretty nice scenic vistas on either shore.

 

PEI Tourism has created coastal drives, the central one can be found here http://www.tourismpei.com/central-coastal-drive and you could likely do most of it during your port stop.

 

I've created a shorter route here http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Charlottetown,+Prince+Edward+Island&daddr=Brackley+Point+Rd%2FPE-15+N%2FPE-6+E+to:8555+CAVENDISH+RD,+Green+Gables,+Prince+Edward+Island+C0A+1X0+(Green+Gables)+to:Victoria,+Prince+Edward+Island+to:46.149394,-63.294983+to:Charlottetown,+Prince+Edward+Island&hl=en&geocode=FaevwQIdrtw8_CnFg3_U3VJeSzEnm1GfuHdXWg%3BFef5wwId68U7_A%3BFfNZxQIdVt04_CHahouDDBCNXQ%3BFRwawQId1Uw3_Cktc3XL6gdfSzGUH1L3_jJisQ%3B%3BFaevwQIdrtw8_CnFg3_U3VJeSzEnm1GfuHdXWg&mra=dpe&mrcr=2&mrsp=4&sz=10&via=1,4&sll=46.341239,-63.310089&sspn=0.457913,0.877533&ie=UTF8&z=10 it is shorter but takes in some of the highlights and some of my favourite places including New Glasgow and Victoria. It also takes you inland to experience a whole different perspective on our beautifull Island.

Nice route but I need to know a little about what you see inland on this route. Getting ready to visit in September.

BarbRN:

Did you get info for your stop in Ch'Town? I'm a born and raised Islander living about 8 miles from Ch'Town so ask if you have any questions. Just trying to pay back for all I have learned on this site.

We have just complete the Boston to Montreal Cruise on the HAL Maasdam from the 20th to 27th July..

in Sydney, we used Don Blackwood [donblackwood@seascape.ns.ca] as our driver guide to Baddeck and the Alexander Graham Bell Museum..

Couldn't have asked for a better guide.. Mr. Blackwood was in the tourism industry in the region for many years and is very very knowledgeable about his product.

He met us at the ship.. drove us to Baddeck.. dropped us at the Alexander Graham Bell Museum and collected us when done.. gave us the option of making it a shorter or longer stay if we wanted.. drove us through the town and did some stops on the way to Baddeck for photos.

it was a lovely day and I highly recommend this rather than renting a car and driving yourself.

in both Halifax and PEI we did some walking around first and then hired a taxi to take us around the area for about an hour (at a cost of 60.00CA per hour) .. both were very good and we got to see some things we wouldn't have normally taking a ships tour.

We requested the one in Halifax right at the port.. and the one in Charlottetown at the Visitors information centre a short walk from where the ship docked....

Enjoy your cruise.