Boston to Montreal Back to Back

[projecthandbag]

Hello,

What is the procedure for the day we dock in Montreal on a back to back from Boston?  Will we be able to get off the ship early to sightsee or do we have to meet onboard and clear customs before being allowed to disembark?  If staying onboard, does anyone know the time frame?  Thank you.

[mets123]

You'd have to clear customs. Check the cruise lines schedule for a better understanding of the times. More importantly, it might be illegal. Technically you're cruising Boston to Boston without stopping at a distant foreign port. I'm sure there are many others who could explain the legality, but I can't.

[njhorseman]

3 hours ago, mets123 said:

You'd have to clear customs. Check the cruise lines schedule for a better understanding of the times. More importantly, it might be illegal. Technically you're cruising Boston to Boston without stopping at a distant foreign port. I'm sure there are many others who could explain the legality, but I can't.

It's most certainly a legal cruise.

Boston to Boston is a closed loop cruise so it only requires a port call at any foreign port. A distant foreign port call isn't required.

You need to visit a distant foreign port if you're on an open jaw cruise from one US port to a different US port. For example you can't cruise from Boston to New York with just port calls in Canada.

[d9704011]

11 hours ago, projecthandbag said:

Hello,

What is the procedure for the day we dock in Montreal on a back to back from Boston?  Will we be able to get off the ship early to sightsee or do we have to meet onboard and clear customs before being allowed to disembark?  If staying onboard, does anyone know the time frame?  Thank you.

Presumably, you'll be stopping in a Canadian port prior to reaching Montreal (Saint John, Halifax, Carlottetown, Quebec).  You'll clear Canadian Immigration and Customs on arrival at your first port of call and Montreal will not involve that bit of officialdom.

[projecthandbag]

Thank you everyone,

 

We are stopping in Bar Harbor, Maine and several Canadian ports.  

 

I think my confusion came from a 14 day cruise returning to Fort Lauderdale after 7 days where we had to meet in the theatre and exit the ship and go through customs before returning to the ship.

[GTJ]

On 3/5/2023 at 8:38 PM, njhorseman said:

You need to visit a distant foreign port if you're on an open jaw cruise from one US port to a different US port. For example you can't cruise from Boston to New York with just port calls in Canada.

To expand on that example of an unlawful itinerary: if the vessel were scheduled to cruise from Boston to Montréal, and its subsequent cruise were scheduled from Montréal to New York, then a person could cruise one itinerary or the other (i.e., from Boston to Montréal, or from Montréal to New York), but could not cruise back-to-back (because that would be a cruise from Boston to New York).

[CGinMTL]

I would say that yes, you can visit Montreal.

The process you described is to make it easier for b2b guests who just want to get back on the ship.

 

These are 2 cruises,. The Canadian govt will clear guests as per their process at the end of cruise one.

You are not even " in transit,` as you will actually be spending Aprox 10 days in the country

 

 

Please, get off the ship and enjoy our beautiful Montreal,. 

[projecthandbag]

On 4/22/2023 at 4:42 PM, CGinMTL said:

Please, get off the ship and enjoy our beautiful Montreal,. 

I have already purchased tickets to see the Basilique Notre-Dame.  I love visiting churches and cathedrals (and Basilicas!) Our friends have never visited a large church so I think they will be surprised.  

 

What else do you suggest we do other than walk in the old town/port area?

 

Thank you, JoAnne

[d9704011]

22 minutes ago, projecthandbag said:

I have already purchased tickets to see the Basilique Notre-Dame.  I love visiting churches and cathedrals (and Basilicas!) Our friends have never visited a large church so I think they will be surprised.  

 

What else do you suggest we do other than walk in the old town/port area?

 

Thank you, JoAnne

Make your way to Place Jacques-Cartier and the Bonsecours Market.

[CGinMTL]

All depends on weather

If you get rain, there are 2 amazing museums in the old port ( la calliere and the science center)

Also, the 2nd floor of the terminal building is actually free

 

If beautiful, the botanical gardens is nice, you can get there on the Subway 

[lx200gps]

5 hours ago, projecthandbag said:

I have already purchased tickets to see the Basilique Notre-Dame.  I love visiting churches and cathedrals (and Basilicas!) Our friends have never visited a large church so I think they will be surprised.  

 

What else do you suggest we do other than walk in the old town/port area?

 

Thank you, JoAnne

If you really love BIG churches and basilicas, and you have the time, then St Joseph's Oratory would probably be of interest. It would be maybe a 20 or 30 minute taxi/Uber ride from the port/Old Montreal

 

https://www.saint-joseph.org/en/

 

[projecthandbag]

Oh, that Oratory is beautiful too!  Thank you.

[lx200gps]

19 hours ago, projecthandbag said:

Oh, that Oratory is beautiful too!  Thank you.

You're quite welcome. I forgot another option, closer to the port and in the very center of downtown Montreal. Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral is the go-to church for major ceremonies such as VVVIP funerals, etc. and worth a visit

 

https://www.diocesemontreal.org/en/lets-connect/churches-parishes/mary-queen-world-cathedral

 

[d9704011]

2 hours ago, lx200gps said:

You're quite welcome. I forgot another option, closer to the port and in the very center of downtown Montreal. Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral is the go-to church for major ceremonies such as VVVIP funerals, etc. and worth a visit

 

https://www.diocesemontreal.org/en/lets-connect/churches-parishes/mary-queen-world-cathedral

 

If a visitor to Montreal is interested in places of worship, they ought to check this out:

 

https://centrebell.ca/en/guided-tours

[dfish]

When we did this Boston/Montreal/Boston b2b in 2018, there were no protocols to adhere to in Montreal.  We did get a letter explaining that we were free to leave the ship and visit the city.  We had special passes that allowed us to bypass all the check in lines when we wanted to reboard.  We got off around 9:30, walked around town, had lunch, and returned mid-afternoon.  On that particular voyage we were required to do muster again.