All Things St.John's, New Brunswick!

[MURCOTT]

Like the song says "Let it go"....

[wolfcel]

We will be arriving in Saint John on June 23 on Carnival Sunshine. We have booked the ships "Bay of Fundy Coastal Photography Tour" which doesn't depart until 1pm, and its a three hour excursion. We get into port at 8am and depart at 6pm. What can anyone suggest to do in the morning before our excursion departs?

 

This is my 5th time on the Canada run, and I've always done the long tours which takes me away from the port for the entire time was are there.

 

Would love to find some place that has nice souvenirs or a place to browse around. (From what I remember there is a white tent at the Pier that has a little shopping).

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

We will be arriving in Saint John on June 23 on Carnival Sunshine. We have booked the ships "Bay of Fundy Coastal Photography Tour" which doesn't depart until 1pm, and its a three hour excursion. We get into port at 8am and depart at 6pm. What can anyone suggest to do in the morning before our excursion departs?

 

This is my 5th time on the Canada run, and I've always done the long tours which takes me away from the port for the entire time was are there.

 

Would love to find some place that has nice souvenirs or a place to browse around. (From what I remember there is a white tent at the Pier that has a little shopping).

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

I have only been to Saint John once, back in 2000, and wasn't a very adventuresome cruiser back then. We just stayed in town, as there was entertainment in the park nearby, and a few things around there to interest us, like a replica (fake) lighthouse. I'm not much of a shopper, though, so I can't recommend any places for that. My only suggestion would be to take the Hop On Hop Off type bus there that goes farther afield in the area, since it might make a nice, easy ride-around tour for the morning. Of course, you'd have to watch the time!

 

Our cruise line is offering the photo tour as well. I'm surprised there aren't more enterprising photographers putting together photo tours for cruise ship operators, as there are certainly a lot of us photographers on cruises! Anyway, our tour goes to Dipper Harbour and other places. After you get back, I would love to hear what you thought of the tour, since we will be in the area much later than you. I'm torn between taking it or renting a car and going off on our own to St. Martin's and the Fundy Trail. At this point I'm thinking the car rental would be more fun, but I'm still curious about the photography tour.

[wolfcel]

After you get back, I would love to hear what you thought of the tour, since we will be in the area much later than you. I'm torn between taking it or renting a car and going off on our own to St. Martin's and the Fundy Trail. At this point I'm thinking the car rental would be more fun, but I'm still curious about the photography tour.

 

I will definitely let you know how the Photography Tour goes once we get back. I've done a lot of the other tours which take you to Bay of Fundy, Reversing Falls etc. So this one will be new to me. I have read a lot of good reviews on it, so that is a big plus, and it seems like a small group of people, which I like.

[Brighton Line]

Took my Nephew on this tour on the Glory 2011. Though people say the fog burns off, it didn't. Later in the day it was very bad but we still got some good shots. Both of us had SLR's he was just starting out with manual settings. Other than the one OF him, I don't remember who took these shots but it is what I have available online.

All shots were places on the tour.

 

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While we were on the photography tour, Niece, DW, SIL were on the zip lining in the fog. This was BEFORE they were picked up as a tour with Carnival.

 

[wolfcel]

Took my Nephew on this tour on the Glory 2011. Though people say the fog burns off, it didn't. Later in the day it was very bad but we still got some good shots. Both of us had SLR's he was just starting out with manual settings. Other than the one OF him, I don't remember who took these shots but it is what I have available online.

All shots were places on the tour.

 

[/img]

 

 

 

LOVE the shot of the waterfalls through the trees. The fog makes it a great photo.

[WELDON]

Here a couple of things I can suggest to kill some time before your tour.

 

There is a mall/small shopping center close to where the cruise ships dock. At the smaller end, there is also the New Brunswick Museum. It doesn't look like much, but it is really big. It gives you the history of New Brunswick. (AAA members get a discount on tickets.)

 

If you keep walking up to the end other, there is a large mall and at the end, is the City Center Market. This has a lot of products from New Brunswick and places to eat.

[ARI421]

Here a couple of things I can suggest to kill some time before your tour.

 

There is a mall/small shopping center close to where the cruise ships dock. At the smaller end, there is also the New Brunswick Museum. It doesn't look like much, but it is really big. It gives you the history of New Brunswick. (AAA members get a discount on tickets.)

 

If you keep walking up to the end other, there is a large mall and at the end, is the City Center Market. This has a lot of products from New Brunswick and places to eat.

 

Can you give more specific info on where the shipping is from the ship? I have never been before

[Paraveina]

Can you give more specific info on where the shipping is from the ship? I have never been before

 

There's a tent set up in the port area; there are plenty of individual shops along the streets, mainly concentrated but not limited to the area bounded by Water Street, Duke Street, Germain Street and King Street; and there are shops in Market Square, City Hall, Brunswick Square and the Saint John City Market. These last four are all linked by the pedway system. Market Square is one building at the north end of Water Street bounded by North Market Wharf, Smythe Street, St. Patrick Street. It is connected by pedway over St. Patrick Street to City Hall, which is then connected by pedway over Chipman Hill to Brunswick Square. Brunswick Square is then connected to the Saint John City Market under Germain Street, however this passage may be obstructed due to a project to upgrade the elevator until later this summer (2016). The Saint John City Market is bounded by Germain Street, North and South Market Street, and Charlotte Street.

 

http://marketsquaresj.com/

http://brunswicksquare.ca/

http://www.sjcitymarket.ca/main.html

 

This is not meant to be comprehensive - I'm sure there are other shopping opportunities uptown that I'm not aware of. For example, Jones Gallery is on Duke Street further east than Germain Street, so it's not included in the bounded area that I mentioned where the majority of shops are. There may be others that I'm missing as well.

[PNW Traveler]

There's a tent set up in the port area; there are plenty of individual shops along the streets, mainly concentrated but not limited to the area bounded by Water Street, Duke Street, Germain Street and King Street; and there are shops in Market Square, City Hall, Brunswick Square and the Saint John City Market. These last four are all linked by the pedway system. Market Square is one building at the north end of Water Street bounded by North Market Wharf, Smythe Street, St. Patrick Street. It is connected by pedway over St. Patrick Street to City Hall, which is then connected by pedway over Chipman Hill to Brunswick Square. Brunswick Square is then connected to the Saint John City Market under Germain Street, however this passage may be obstructed due to a project to upgrade the elevator until later this summer (2016). The Saint John City Market is bounded by Germain Street, North and South Market Street, and Charlotte Street.

 

http://marketsquaresj.com/

http://brunswicksquare.ca/

http://www.sjcitymarket.ca/main.html

 

This is not meant to be comprehensive - I'm sure there are other shopping opportunities uptown that I'm not aware of. For example, Jones Gallery is on Duke Street further east than Germain Street, so it's not included in the bounded area that I mentioned where the majority of shops are. There may be others that I'm missing as well.

 

Thank you for posting this. The information and links are very helpful.

[Paraveina]

I forgot to include where the ships are -

 

Marco Polo Cruise Terminal - Water Street between Duke Street and Queen Street

 

Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal - Water Street between St James Street and Lower Cove Loop

 

Long Wharf - north end of the harbour, due west from the Hilton (does not dock directly next to the Hilton though, you have to walk north to the Harbour Passage Trail (a walking trail that is notable for being red in colour) and go around the water. Ships generally only dock at Long Wharf if it is a three ship day, although I have seen it happen before with two ships when the QM2 was in port, since she's so long.

 

Your ship location is the Berth column on this website:

 

http://www.cruisesaintjohn.com/media-centre/key-information/cruise-schedule/

Edited May 25, 2016 by Paraveina
forgot a street

[DaisyGoldberg]

Caution when booking your own tours/appointments outside the ship's offerings -- we were a good 90 mins late getting off the ship in Saint John a couple of years back (on the Norwegian Dawn). First, they announced that we had to wait to enter the harbor at all because of a tide situation (tricky harbor, I understand, but how could they not know the times?) Then once we were at the dock it took them close to an hour to get the gangways set up -- always too short or too long, or something.

 

At any rate, a lot of people who had booked private excursions based on arrival times were seriously put out. I know this can happen anywhere, but it does seem to be a tricker port than many, so give yourself a bit of extra time in the morning if you can.

 

It was fascinating to see the difference in water height between when we got off and when we returned at the end of the day. 4-5 decks' worth, I think!

[wolfcel]

Caution when booking your own tours/appointments outside the ship's offerings -- we were a good 90 mins late getting off the ship in Saint John a couple of years back (on the Norwegian Dawn). First, they announced that we had to wait to enter the harbor at all because of a tide situation (tricky harbor, I understand, but how could they not know the times?) Then once we were at the dock it took them close to an hour to get the gangways set up -- always too short or too long, or something.

 

At any rate, a lot of people who had booked private excursions based on arrival times were seriously put out. I know this can happen anywhere, but it does seem to be a tricker port than many, so give yourself a bit of extra time in the morning if you can.

 

It was fascinating to see the difference in water height between when we got off and when we returned at the end of the day. 4-5 decks' worth, I think!

 

 

So very true. Unless you've experienced the drastic change in the tides you can't begin to understand it. The first time we went to Saint John, getting off the ship was so easy..just walk down the gangway...BUT upon our return to the ship after a long excursion, the walk up the gangway was more of a CLIMB..at least a 45 degree angle.

[declansdad]

Took my Nephew on this tour on the Glory 2011. Though people say the fog burns off, it didn't. Later in the day it was very bad but we still got some good shots. Both of us had SLR's he was just starting out with manual settings. Other than the one OF him, I don't remember who took these shots but it is what I have available online.

All shots were places on the tour.

 

 

 

 

The falls is Lepreau Falls and the ships look like Chance Harbour or Dipper Harbour.

 

You are right about the fog, it doesn't always burn off during the day.