St Johns, NF

[Mickey22]

Our cruise will be stopping here for a full day in mid Sept. We want to see as much as possible and wonder if there is a HOHO bus. Also how far is the center of town from the dock?

[LiftLockCouple]

I was hoping ( and still am ) that one of the locals will be able to respond soon. I can tell you that it is a very short distance from the pier to the downtown area. There is another St. John's thread on this board with more specific info you may find usefull if you have not already found it. I don't know if they have a HOHO.

[elizabing]

Our cruise will be stopping here for a full day in mid Sept. We want to see as much as possible and wonder if there is a HOHO bus. Also how far is the center of town from the dock?

 

I am from St. John's. not sure what a hoho bus is but there is a metrobus system. the dock is right in the downtown area with lots of shops/restaurants, etc. if you google map st. john's you will see where the harbour is and see it is right in the middle of downtown. hope that helps.

[LiftLockCouple]

I am from St. John's. not sure what a hoho bus is .

HOP-On-Hop-Off ( at will ). It is a bus the allows the users to move from one attraction to another for a flat fee. I understand that St. John's has a double decker bus tour but do not know if it is HOHO.

[missmollytoo]

HOP-On-Hop-Off ( at will ). It is a bus the allows the users to move from one attraction to another for a flat fee. I understand that St. John's has a double decker bus tour but do not know if it is HOHO.

 

British Island Tours is the double decker bus and usually is booked on cruise days..may be HOHO, not sure. The downtown is steps from where the ship will dock and many attractions are not far....we could certainly walk. The Rooms is the provincial Musuem, Art Gallery and Archives http://www.therooms.ca. Johnson Geo Centre and Signal Hill , including the Battery is a great day. Johnson Geo Centre would be a short cab ride away and is on Signal Hill. The Signal Hill Visitor Centre is right accross the road and the climb the rest of the way up the hill would not be too strenous. There is a trail that bring you down the hill and through a fishing village called the Battery that is greuling on the way up but pleasant to go down. There is a cliffy bit for about 100 feet so if you don't do edge bits this may not be for you.

 

Cape Spear is the most easterly point in North America and has spectacular scenery and is worth the trip. We go there every Boxing Day as a ritual...but it about 30 minutes from downtown.

 

Newfoundland is a very unique place in every way...please be on deck when you sail through the narrows....the entrance to the harbour is tiny and you don't even know the city is there until you are right about to come in..lots and lots of history here going back to Vikings and before. We "Townies" are said to be a friendly lot...so talk to the locals...they will likely talk to you anyway.

 

If you want to get out of town and like adventure the sea kayaking with Stan Cook at Cape Broyle is fabulous and you will see some of the fishing harbours that dot the coast. You may be late for whales but they might still be around.

 

Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

Margaret

 

PS: There are lots of great places to eat right along Water Street, so skip lunch on the ship and eat in town

[Mickey22]

Margaret,

 

Thanks for the information... I am interested in the sea kayaking, is there a website for it? Also would like to go fishing. Is there a boat or charter you can recommend? Are these activites on the dock where the ships come in? Thanks for your help!

 

Jane

[rok233]

Hi,

 

I'm from St. John's and highly recommend the sea kayaking. Here's a link to a reputable company:

 

www.wildnfld.ca

 

The tours leave from Witless Bay (about 30 mins from port).

 

If you're refering to cod fishing, it's only offered a couple of times each year for a few weeks at a time. I believe you may get lucky because it's usually a few weeks during September.

 

I may be able to help you out with the fishing if you're interested. My neighbour has a nice boat tied up about 5-10 minutes from the port and i'm sure he wouldn't mind taking a couple of you out to experience the fishing. We go out to sea, catch the cod (with a few beers or rum for everyone except the captain of the boat), bring it back to the little cabin and warf on the water, gut and clean the fish, then fry it up for a feed. Throw in some Newfoundland music and I can guarantee you'll LOVE it.

 

Look up Quidi Vidi Gut in google and you'll find information and pictures of where the boat is located and the history behind it.

[rok233]

Here's a few pictures of the Quidi Vidi Gut. My neighbour owns the hut/cabin with the red roof in two of the pictures.

[Go-Bucks!]

I was there in Sept. 2010 and had a great visit. No, there's no HOHO bus, but the town is very walkable. We enjoyed the main street with it's many shops and restaurants. Had a fabulous lunch of fried cod and Newfie fries.

 

We had a private guide who took us to Cape Spear, Quidi Vidi, the cathedral, and many other sights on a 1/2 day tour. I suggest you see these sights and then spend the rest of the day leisurely seeing the town. The ship docks right in the downtown area.

 

This was a really nice place to visit - you'll enjoy it.

[bluecat_1975]

There is no Ho HO bus but our metrobus system is easy to use. http://www.metrobus.com

 

There are a few attractions within walking distance of the cruise ship as well. Also, I agree with one poster from St. John's - you really need to be up on deck as your ship comes through the narrows!

[dutchess43]

I was there in Sept. 2010 and had a great visit. No, there's no HOHO bus, but the town is very walkable. We enjoyed the main street with it's many shops and restaurants. Had a fabulous lunch of fried cod and Newfie fries.

 

We had a private guide who took us to Cape Spear, Quidi Vidi, the cathedral, and many other sights on a 1/2 day tour. I suggest you see these sights and then spend the rest of the day leisurely seeing the town. The ship docks right in the downtown area.

 

This was a really nice place to visit - you'll enjoy it.

 

I am looking for a private tour would you recommend this person. If so could you please give me the name of your guide along how to contact him/her? Thanks

[ski ninja]

Thanks for the link on the sea kayaking, that sounds great to me!

[dspmaster]

Can you give me the contact info of the private guide?

[rosebud51]

We will be arriving in St John's the middle of Sept. on Jewel of the Seas. We have booked a rental car so we can go to Cape Spear. Are there any places we could go for lunch on the way back from Cape Spear?:)

[csjbayoffundy]

Our cruise will be stopping here for a full day in mid Sept. We want to see as much as possible and wonder if there is a HOHO bus. Also how far is the center of town from the dock?

 

Are you visiting St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador or Saint John, New Brunswick.. they are SO very often confused. If you are visiting on the Disney Magic it is Saint John, New Brunswick. (I am thinking it is Disney because of your moniker Mickey22 :)

[razerbackmom]

We will be arriving in St John's the middle of Sept. on Jewel of the Seas. We have booked a rental car so we can go to Cape Spear. Are there any places we could go for lunch on the way back from Cape Spear?:)

 

I am also on this cruise and was thinking about renting a car. Did you find a rental near the cruise dock? Thanks.

 

Linda

[rosebud51]

There is a Hertz car rental at the Marriott on Duckworth St. and it is about a 15 minute walk from the ship. It is open from 8:30 - 4:30.:)

[Bev]

Hi

 

I'm also on the RCL Jewel of the Seas coming to St. John's in mid September. Does anyone know how often ships are not able to make port in St. John's due to weather, waves, etc?

 

Bev

[carbon]

What are the high points? Where does ship dock? Any places to see near dock?

[LiftLockCouple]

Hi

 

I'm also on the RCL Jewel of the Seas coming to St. John's in mid September. Does anyone know how often ships are not able to make port in St. John's due to weather, waves, etc?

 

Bev

 

Nobody else has tried to answer this so I will give it a try. The time of year is hurricane season in the Caribbean and southern US. Those storms usually track in the general direction of Newfoundland and occasionally cause heavy rain and some wind. If this were to occur on the date of your arrival the ship might have to miss the port. It happened to the JOS in Sept '10 but it is subject to unpredictable weather patterns. The harbour is very well protected but has a narrow entrance, once inside the wave action is unlikely to cause docking problems.

[LiftLockCouple]

What are the high points? Where does ship dock? Any places to see near dock?

 

Try this thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1653563

[missmollytoo]

Try this thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1653563

 

This thread leads you to Saint John New Brunswick which is about 400 miles from St. John's Newfoundland. Opps. People get them confused all the time.

 

In St. John's, NL the ship will dock at "the waterfront" which is immediately adjacent to the main commercial street, Water St. There is local shopping right there. The old city is all around you and if you are up to a good walk you can see lots. A great way to spend the day would be to get a taxi up to the top of Signal Hill and work your way back down. You will pass Signal Hill as you come in through "the narrows" entering the harbour. The entrance to the harbour is very small and the magic of the city is that you could have sailed right past in the old days and not even know it was there...very easy to defend> if you can be outside as you sail in you should.

 

Signal Hill has been fortified from the late 1600's until WW2. UBoats were right outside the harbour and the Germans even sank 4 merchant vessels in the area. Marconi received the first wireless message on Signal Hill ( we have his kite at another museum in town as well)

 

The Geo Centre is a geology museum half way down the hill....all underground. Also an interpretative centre with all of the history of the site. The tall building you see at the top of the hill in the city...the one with the red roofs is " The Rooms", our new provincial museum, art gallery and archives. They have a good cafe too with the best view on the island...would be worth a visit if you're a culture kind of person.

 

Best feed in town is fish and chips at the Duke of Duckworth pub. Ask anyone on the street and they will direct you...maybe 15 minutes walk from the ship. Many other superb restaurants right on Water Street including a great cafe called The Rocket which will probably have local musicians playing on a cruise day. Cheap, cheerful and tasty. Have a brownie. Water Street and the next one above it, Duckworth Street have shops and galleries that are unique and fun.

 

Other options would be to go to Cape Spear, the most easterly point on the continent, but you may see that as you sailed past. You can see it from the top of Signal Hill.

 

Anything else you'd like to know just ask. Lived here all my life and as you may be able to tell, really love it here.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Molly

[missmollytoo]

Nobody else has tried to answer this so I will give it a try. The time of year is hurricane season in the Caribbean and southern US. Those storms usually track in the general direction of Newfoundland and occasionally cause heavy rain and some wind. If this were to occur on the date of your arrival the ship might have to miss the port. It happened to the JOS in Sept '10 but it is subject to unpredictable weather patterns. The harbour is very well protected but has a narrow entrance, once inside the wave action is unlikely to cause docking problems.

 

I live in St. John's and that week we had the storm of the century for us. I haven't heard of any other ship not being able to get in. As Newfoundland is an island, most of our supplies come through this working harbour and ships always get in with the local pilot. Don't worry.

 

Molly

[missmollytoo]

We will be arriving in St John's the middle of Sept. on Jewel of the Seas. We have booked a rental car so we can go to Cape Spear. Are there any places we could go for lunch on the way back from Cape Spear?:)

 

You'll be back in town in about 20 minutes and there isn't really anywhere on the road to eat. I'd head for Water Street to one of the numerous spots there...gave some suggestions in another message on this thread.

 

Molly

[LiftLockCouple]

What are the high points? Where does ship dock? Any places to see near dock?

 

Molly, the post by Carbon had a heading for Saint John NB, hence the link to Saint John info.

 

You have of course provided great information for St. John's which is the subject of this thread.