Maasdam - Boston to Montreal

[Longhorn Cruiser]

Looking for a little help. We are on the Maasdam this summer going from Boston to Montreal. Does anyone know when the formal nights are? We are looking to make Pinnacle reservations but don't want to go on formal nights. Here is the itinerary:

 

Saturday Boston, Massachusetts -- 4:00 pm

Sunday Bar Harbor, Maine 7:00 am 3:00 pm

Monday Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 8:00 am 5:00 pm

Tuesday Sydney, Nova Scotia 10:00 am 5:00 pm

Wednesday Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island 9:00 am 6:00 pm

Thursday Gulf of St. Lawrence -- --

Friday Quebec City, Quebec, Canada 7:00 am 5:00 pm

Friday St. Lawrence River, Canada -- --

Saturday Montreal, Quebec, Canada 7:00 am --

 

Thanks.

[sail7seas]

Formal nights will be Sunday and Thursday.

You've picked a great cruise.

We do it b-to-b every summer and never tire of it.

Enjoy. :)

[Longhorn Cruiser]

Thanks Sail. That's what I was hoping. We can go to Pinnacle on Monday night and Wednesday for Le Cirque night. I don't like to miss dinner in the MDR the first and last nights either. I'm not a fan of those who miss dinner the final night.

[sail7seas]

Thanks Sail. That's what I was hoping. We can go to Pinnacle on Monday night and Wednesday for Le Cirque night. I don't like to miss dinner in the MDR the first and last nights either. I'm not a fan of those who miss dinner the final night.

 

 

We are never in the MDR on the last night but DH and I are certain to say a proper goodbye to our stewards. It's a quick hop from Pinnacle to the MDR, upper level, and DH always scoots in to bring the stewards envelopes. :) ;) But, I surely know what you mean.

 

 

 

[dcguy9]

Thanks Sail. That's what I was hoping. We can go to Pinnacle on Monday night and Wednesday for Le Cirque night. I don't like to miss dinner in the MDR the first and last nights either. I'm not a fan of those who miss dinner the final night.

 

Why are you not a fan of those people?

[Krazy Kruizers]

We also do not eat in the main dining room on the last night of the cruise.

We give out our tips the night before to the dining room staff.

Guess Longhorn Cruiser we are not fans of you either.

[George C]

We eat in Pinnacle the last night, eat there more than MDR. ( at least for most of the cruises)

[Longhorn Cruiser]

We also do not eat in the main dining room on the last night of the cruise.

We give out our tips the night before to the dining room staff.

Guess Longhorn Cruiser we are not fans of you either.

 

Why take it personal? You know who I was talking about. Those who eat in the MDR for six nights and then avoid it the last night to avoid tipping.

 

You are obviously not that person. So why the snide comment. Did you think I had Krazy Kruizer in my mind when I posted it?

[dcguy9]

I was under the impression that most people just leave the tips on their account. So, for most folks it doesn't matter where they eat the final night.

[George C]

I was under the impression that most people just leave the tips on their account. So, for most folks it doesn't matter where they eat the final night.

 

yes either 11.50 or 12 dollars is deducted per day. some people tip extra some do not, some might tip last morning.

[sail7seas]

I was under the impression that most people just leave the tips on their account. So, for most folks it doesn't matter where they eat the final night.

 

 

There are many of us who tip 'over and above' the automatic charged hotel servcie charge. We give stewards etc who have made our cruise special 'something extra'. It's hard to plan to tip last morning as many crew are not in the same places on that last day as they are throughout the cruise. They have special assignments to assist in disembarkation/embarkation.

 

 

 

[RuthC]

There are also some who tip "over and above" by increasing the hotel service charge. And again, there are some who know they won't be in the dining room that last night, but tip "over and above" the last night they are there.

Since the introduction of the hotel service charge, you just can't link absence from the dining room that last night with failure to tip the crew.

[Linda&Vern]

Off topic - but didn't want to start a new thread.

 

Can someone explain to my DH why only the smaller (Maasdam, etc.) ships can sail to Montreal and bigger ships can not? I know it's something about the river or a bridge or something ... :o but can't for the life of me remember what I read.

[RuthC]

Can someone explain to my DH why only the smaller (Maasdam, etc.) ships can sail to Montreal and bigger ships can not? I know it's something about the river or a bridge or something ... :o but can't for the life of me remember what I read.

The distance between the top of the water and the bottom of the bridge is less than the height of the larger ships + clearance.

[sail7seas]

The bridge to which RuthC refers is soon after we sail away from Quebec City. As many times as we have sailed under it, it always fascinates me to watch again.

 

Spring of 2011, Maasdam had to miss Montreal for 3 or 4 cruises as we had so much snow during the winter and spring rain that the usual water level of the river rose so much that Maasdam would be riding too high and could not make it under the bridge. After the water receded, she could again continue her journey to Montreal and back.

 

(Maasdam boards and disembarks that cruise on Saturdays. Friday is Quebec City day when going north and Maasdam made her call at Quebec City as usual on those Fridays, she overnighted and guests disembarked the next day as scheduled but in a different port. They were bussed to Montreal and arriving guests were bussed to Quebec City. On the southbound journey, Maasdam is in Quebec City on Sunday so she again overnighted in Quebec City Saturday night to be there for her usual Sunday call. The lucky folks doing b-to-b got to spend three days in QC..... lucky them though we do very much enjoy Montreal, as well.)

 

[Linda&Vern]

The distance between the top of the water and the bottom of the bridge is less than the height of the larger ships + clearance.

 

The bridge to which RuthC refers is soon after we sail away from Quebec City. As many times as we have sailed under it, it always fascinates me to watch again.

Spring of 2011, Maasdam had to miss Montreal for 3 or 4 cruises as we had so much snow during the winter and spring rain that the usual water level of the river rose so much that Maasdam would be riding too high and could not make it under the bridge. After the water receded, she could again continue her journey to Montreal and back.

(Maasdam boards and disembarks that cruise on Saturdays. Friday is Quebec City day when going north and Maasdam made her call at Quebec City as usual on those Fridays, she overnighted and guests disembarked the next day as scheduled but in a different port. They were bussed to Montreal and arriving guests were bussed to Quebec City. On the southbound journey, Maasdam is in Quebec City on Sunday so she again overnighted in Quebec City Saturday night to be there for her usual Sunday call. The lucky folks doing b-to-b got to spend three days in QC..... lucky them though we do very much enjoy Montreal, as well.)

 

That explains it ... thanks. Bottom line ... the bridge doesn't open! That's where DH was wrong! :eek: :eek:

[sail7seas]

No.... that bridge is huge. No way it could have been designed to open. :)

 

There is also a bridge as we leave Charlottetown but that can be navigated and there is another route around the island. There is no way to sail down the river from Quebec City to Montreal without riding the St. Lawrence.

 

 

[innlady1]

I was under the impression that most people just leave the tips on their account. So, for most folks it doesn't matter where they eat the final night.

 

We leave the hotel charge in place but always tip extra to those whose service has made for an enjoyable cruise...the room stewards, the dining steward and his assistant, the wine steward, etc.

We usually give them their envelopes the last formal night...then if we decide not to eat in the MDR that last night, we're all set.