Zuiderdam - cancelled Prince Edward Island port

[1960Travel]

We are booked Oct 5, we know this happens but will likley cancel 

was one of the important ports for us.  Perhaps PEI is limiting cruise ships this year

 

[Mary229]

That is too bad as that is a very pleasant walk about destination.  I am surprised there will be that many ships there in October 

[Alberta Quilter]

That’s disappointing.  Was there a reason given for the cancellation?

[horseymike]

Maybe Ann of Green Gables is on vacation that week.🤣

Only kidding, maybe they will let you change to another cruise that will stop there.

[Taters]

We are departing Montreal on October 5, 2024 on Volendam.  We've already had a few port cancelations, and I hope that PEI is not cancelled on us, too.  Our itinerary is already vastly differently than when we booked.

[cruiseaholic78]

2 hours ago, Taters said:

We are departing Montreal on October 5, 2024 on Volendam.  We've already had a few port cancelations, and I hope that PEI is not cancelled on us, too.  Our itinerary is already vastly differently than when we booked.

Same here our Caribbean/part Panama cruise from Boston, October, Zuiderdam has a completely different itinerary for the second part of our cruise.
We don’t mind that much as we have done a complete Panama in the past however quite a lot of people are canceling. Because of cancellations I was able to change to my favorite cabin so I am happy.

[Haljo1935]

It was canceled for us last Oct 2022; we thought it was Hurricane Fiona, but maybe not if still being pulled from itineraries. 

We understand changes happen, but we were disappointed having never been there and wanting to see it.

[Alphen]

4 hours ago, Taters said:

We are departing Montreal on October 5, 2024 on Volendam.  We've already had a few port cancelations, and I hope that PEI is not cancelled on us, too.  Our itinerary is already vastly differently than when we booked.

First, all the best for 2024 for both of you, sad to hear of the OP and also you had some ports cancelled, hoping that since we have not heard anything and we are cruising before you, that we do not face the same fate.

[3rdGenCunarder]

19 hours ago, 1960Travel said:

We are booked Oct 5, we know this happens but will likley cancel 

was one of the important ports for us.  Perhaps PEI is limiting cruise ships this year

 

 

Sorry to hear that. I love PEI and I'd be disappointed, too. I know experienced cruisers say not to choose a cruise for one specific port (although I've done that), but itinerary has a lot to do with our choice of cruise. It seems there are more reports of changed itineraries recently. I had a whole cruise cancelled because HAL was messing around changing their schedule. They need to plan more carefully so that they don't disappoint people.

[Taters]

10 hours ago, Alphen said:

First, all the best for 2024 for both of you, sad to hear of the OP and also you had some ports cancelled, hoping that since we have not heard anything and we are cruising before you, that we do not face the same fate.

Happy New Year, Alphen!

 

When I first booked our 14 day Montreal to Ft. Lauderdale cruise it included Gaspe', Bar Harbor (I figured that port might go away due to the village's stance on cruising), and St. John, New Brunswick.  Those 3 really cool ports were replaced by 2 ports - Eastport, Maine and Portland Maine, and another day at sea.  There is really nothing of interest to us in Eastport.  As far as Portland goes, I am not a fan of big cities, and am not thrilled with going there.  Gaspe' would have been a much nicer place for us to go.

 

We don't have any plans to cancel as we have some family business to attend to in Toronto and a meet up with old friends in Montreal prior to the cruise.  We have lots to look forward to and are now looking forward to time on the ship instead of most of the ports.  We will have a great time despite the port changes.

 

Cheers,

 

Annie

[3rdGenCunarder]

20 minutes ago, Taters said:

Happy New Year, Alphen!

 

When I first booked our 14 day Montreal to Ft. Lauderdale cruise it included Gaspe', Bar Harbor (I figured that port might go away due to the village's stance on cruising), and St. John, New Brunswick.  Those 3 really cool ports were replaced by 2 ports - Eastport, Maine and Portland Maine, and another day at sea.  There is really nothing of interest to us in Eastport.  As far as Portland goes, I am not a fan of big cities, and am not thrilled with going there.  Gaspe' would have been a much nicer place for us to go.

 

We don't have any plans to cancel as we have some family business to attend to in Toronto and a meet up with old friends in Montreal prior to the cruise.  We have lots to look forward to and are now looking forward to time on the ship instead of most of the ports.  We will have a great time despite the port changes.

 

Cheers,

 

Annie

 

I agree that the two new ports aren't as good as the three you lost, especially St John.

 

Portland isn't a huge city, and it's a great place to have lobstah. Maine Day Adventures does foodie tours. I've done one of the Portland tours and it was a lot of fun. Great stories, nicely varied tastes. 

[visagrunt]

Because Thanksgiving is so late this year (October 14), a lot of tourism businesses are likely going to shut up shop for the season at the end of September (and even September is dodgy for some as the students on whom many rely for staff will be going back to University by Labour Day).  While Parks Canada keeps Green Gables open until the end of October, almost nothing else in Cavendish will be open.

I suspect the Oct 12 departure from Québec will encounter similar cancellation.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

More likely due to the two large NCL ships already in port that day. Pier can handle only so much. Smaller ships can tender as earlier in Oct there will be 6 ship in port but only two being 1500 + passengers.

[1960Travel]

Thank you for your replies, we are deciding what to do, we know the intinerary can change we have also cruised quite a bit but considering this was more for the intnerary and not the ship probably cancel or change this time.  Can always squeeze in a nice Caribbean cruise for sure....thanks

[kazu]

20 hours ago, visagrunt said:

Because Thanksgiving is so late this year (October 14), a lot of tourism businesses are likely going to shut up shop for the season at the end of September (and even September is dodgy for some as the students on whom many rely for staff will be going back to University by Labour Day).  While Parks Canada keeps Green Gables open until the end of October, almost nothing else in Cavendish will be open.

I suspect the Oct 12 departure from Québec will encounter similar cancellation.

 

I think that is  true of PEI but it is not of Saint John, NB.

 

All the sites are open and operating - the famous City Market operates all year round, Reversing Falls and the tides never cease,  the tour company that operates the ships’ tours operates year round,  Moosehead Brewery and it’s tours are year round, etc., etc., etc.

 

St. Andrews By the Sea does close down quite a bit near that time but it is a fair drive from Saint John and there is plenty to see here.  I went to check the Port of Saint John’s cruise schedule but it is not up yet so I cannot comment accurately on the number of ships.  Saint John often has ships in early to mid October and there is no lack of things to see or do.  

 

Note for those calling it St. John.  St. John’s is in Newfoundland.  Saint John is in New Brunswick - home of the Bay of Fundy, the highest tides in the world  😉 

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 hours ago, kazu said:

 

I think that is  true of PEI but it is not of Saint John, NB.

 

All the sites are open and operating - the famous City Market operates all year round, Reversing Falls and the tides never cease,  the tour company that operates the ships’ tours operates year round,  Moosehead Brewery and it’s tours are year round, etc., etc., etc.

 

St. Andrews By the Sea does close down quite a bit near that time but it is a fair drive from Saint John and there is plenty to see here.  I went to check the Port of Saint John’s cruise schedule but it is not up yet so I cannot comment accurately on the number of ships.  Saint John often has ships in early to mid October and there is no lack of things to see or do.  

 

Note for those calling it St. John.  St. John’s is in Newfoundland.  Saint John is in New Brunswick - home of the Bay of Fundy, the highest tides in the world  😉 

 

I LOVE your market! I took a lobster roll from there back to the ship to eat for lunch one time The guy at the stall thought it was funny that I would take food to a cruise ship. "Don't they feed you enough?"

 

On one stop at Saint John the timing was right to see the reversing rapids. It was fun to watch the birds fishing in the swirling water.

[rafinmd]

3 hours ago, kazu said:

St. Andrews By the Sea does close down quite a bit near that time but it is a fair drive from Saint John and there is plenty to see here.  I went to check the Port of Saint John’s cruise schedule but it is not up yet so I cannot comment accurately on the number of ships.  Saint John often has ships in early to mid October and there is no lack of things to see or do.  

Does the Saint John schedule include berth assignments?  Cruissetimetables shows the last cruise next year to be Jewel of the Seas on October 29.

 

Roy

[kazu]

15 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Does the Saint John schedule include berth assignments?  Cruissetimetables shows the last cruise next year to be Jewel of the Seas on October 29.

 

Roy

 

I honestly don’t remember Roy - I do check it as I avoid going into Saint John on peak cruise days unless there is a CC friend on board, of course 😉 

But if my memory is working - I don’t think so.  there’s not a lot of difference in the berths unless the port is really packed.  

[kazu]

31 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I LOVE your market! I took a lobster roll from there back to the ship to eat for lunch one time The guy at the stall thought it was funny that I would take food to a cruise ship. "Don't they feed you enough?"

 

On one stop at Saint John the timing was right to see the reversing rapids. It was fun to watch the birds fishing in the swirling water.

 

You aren’t the only one to take lobster back.  Lobster here is really good 👍  

 

When my family came for DD DH’s funeral, I wasn’t up to cooking so I ordered 12 lobsters since I can clean and prep those no matter what my spirits are 😉. 

 

Nice you got to see the Reversing Falls.  If you catch them at nigh tide - it’s relatively impressive, low tide not so much.  My visitors have to be explained why we just can’t go there anytime.  It has to be timed with the tides.