NE/Canada - departing Oct 15 - too late in season?

[DaveOKC]

I am looking at a 13 day Montreal to Ft Lauderdale cruise that departs Oct 15. Is this too late in the season to see the wonderful Fall colors? Also, will it be too cold?

 

Advice please.

 

DaveOKC

[Winters in NZ]

The window of opportunity for viewing the changing fall colours can start as early as the middle of September and can extend well into the end of October. The summer-like weather in this neck of the woods over the past 5 years, now starts in mid-April and tends to last until Halloween. The climate, and thus the changing fall colours, has become unpredicatble in the northeast.

We took the Costa Atlantica in mid October 2009 from Quebec City to NYC. We had magnificent sunny and spring-like temperatures ( low 60's ) in Canada, but when we got into Boston it was noticeably cooler.

The leaves had pretty well disappeared from the trees in Canada, but colours were spectacular in Boston, and superb as we watched the NYC Marathon in Central Park . Have a great cruise .

[RuthC]

The spring flowers have all been two full weeks early this year in my part of New England. I don't know if that will carry forward to fall changes, too, but do wonder.

By mid-late October the foliage in northern New England should be pretty much past peak; it is usually at peak in southern New England. But, southern New England doesn't have the pretty color that northern NE has.

 

The temperatures should be nice on sunny days, but get quite cool at night until you get much further south.

I think fall is our prettiest season, with much better weather than springtime.

[kazu]

October is usually a very nice month in the Maritimes and we are not that far from Montreal and close to the other colours you will be seeing.

 

ok in the day, cool at night. colours are tricky but they should still be ok i most areas, just my guess, can't trust the farmers almanac because they were calling for a cool spring and we have had great weather most of the time.

 

Go, enjoy. and have a great time. Jacqui

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did a fall foilage cruise around the same time of year. Most of the foilage was done -- some shops were already closed in a few ports.

But I would still do that voyage as there are so many other things to see.

Yes -- the weather was chilly -- dress in layers.

[Winters in NZ]

There are at least 2 websites that may help to answer your question. The Government of Canada's Environment Canada site www.weatheroffice.gc.ca will provide you with a link to Historical Weather. Another site, janroncommunications.com/Fall-Colours.html will provide a history of previous years fall foliage.

[jodi58]

as a Montrealer, October is my favorite month, that said, it is hit and miss, it could be 75 and sunny or 50 with rain. Peak fall foliage is usually the first 2 weeks of october so you should be fine.

 

enjoy,

 

 

Jo.

[aliaschief]

We sailed this cruise last year and we missed peak foliage by a week to late. Foliage was still beautiful but the red maples had pretty much disappeared due to a storm a week prior to our cruise. We had some nice days but weather was generally pretty cool. Dress in layers.

 

All being said it was a great cruise on the outstanding MS Maasdam and we think it's a cruise that should be on everyone's "Bucket List".....

[martinimadam]

I was also on this cruise last year. Hi Aliaschief!

 

I lived in the Boston area for over 20 years, so have had some experience with fall foliage. It's really a cr*p shoot each year, so dependent on the weather.

 

As Aliaschief said, on this trip we were a bit past peak, but the scenery was still wonderful, especially as we cruised down the St. Lawrence. Some of the "new" stops along the St. Lawrence on this cruise were a bit of a waste IMHO; but, it did give us a longer cruising time through the gorgeous scenery, rather than the quick trip I've experienced on previous Canada/NE cruises.

 

The weather was a bit changeable. I remember when we pulled into Bar Harbor. We'd had a couple of days of cloudy, dreary weather. But, just as the buses were scheduled to leave for Cadillac Mountain, the clouds parted and the sun came out! Perfect for viewing the colors that were left.

 

Enjoy your cruise. It's a great one. If I hadn't recently moved to the West Coast, I'd be taking it again this year. Giving the inland passage and repo to San Diego a try instead.

[Jemima]

We were on the Eurodam repo last fall which was a couple of weeks before the Maasdam repo. We were a little early in most places and didn't see full fall color, but did see some. The repos cruises are very good with or without fall color.

[lazey1]

We also were on this repo cruise. The scenery was beautiful but to us it was quite disappointing as there was no red in the trees, just orange or rust color. It rained almost every day and IIRC the temperature never got above 48degrees f.

 

We were scheduled for an early morning bus trip to Cadillac mountain and when we got there the read was closed due to snow. We were told the road did open sometime in the afternoon.

 

We will go back to Canada/New England but will go a little earlier in the year.

[sail7seas]

We've lived in Boston all our lives have watched peak foliage vary by 2 weeks and more. Depends how hot a summer, hot dry a summer and sometimes all it takes is one rain storm with moderate wind to strip the trees early. Trees could be just coming to peak foliage color and whammo........ we get a heavy, windy rain and there go the leaves off the trees.

 

Maasdam's Canada/New England cruises are so wonderful that not seeing peak foliage really isn't going to impact your cruise significantly. Those are fabulous ports on a great ship with an awesome crew. We think it one of HAL's best short cruises.