Is the Maasdam Canada trip awful

[RnD]

We are frequent cruisers and are trying to find something to do out of Canada in early July.

 

My cousin from California wants to go to the Montreal Jazz festival which would make the JUly 4th sailing ideal. He also plans to bring the entire California family group with him (we live in Pa.) that would be six cabins for his family alone. If he did that we would turn it into a family reunion since my Mom is 87, healthy mentally and physically now, but who knows what the future will bring.

 

We like having Boston as the final port since both of our children live there now, so timing wise it is perfect. The however is that my brother and his wife have heard from 3 different couples that it was the most boring trip they have ever had, and there was no reason to het off the ship since the excursions were so bad. My Mom heard a similar story from a friend of hers.

 

A ship is the ideal way for a family to meet and talk, but if it is as bad as they have heard perhaps not. We used to do family things to Bermuda, but now the only ships that spend time there are Royal Caribbean, and NCL. Neither of them dock at front street like the smaller ships could do but instead go to Kings Wharf. WE used to love the time docked at front street and St. George and love Bermuda, but are not thrilled with where they dock.

 

All that being said (sorry) who has experience with the New England/Canada trip that can give their impressions.

 

THE END-sorry

[RuthC]

I can't imagine why anyone would think this cruise is "awful"! :eek: True, it's port-intensive, and at 7 days, it's short. But the scenery is very pretty, the ports are interesting, there's a variety of things to do. It's easy to understand the language (except maybe in Quebec City ;)) and money system.

I've done the 10-day NYC to Montreal version twice. And I live here!

 

I suggest you do your own research on things to do, and how best to do them. Then decide if it's right for your family.

[darcy24]

There are several current favorable reviews -

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=34

 

We have sailed Ft. Lauderdale/Montreal on Maasdam - great cruise. Have also done Boston/Montreal.

[jjb415]

Hey RnD,

 

I think the thing that you have to consider, given the things that you've mentioned, is that that Notheast/Canada sailings are not going to be the same as beach oriented Bermuda. You'll be docked in town everywhere, like your preference in Hamilton, so, that will be similar. Montreal and Quebec City are my 2 favorite places in the world. They are such beautiful, culturally rich cities and not boring at all, as were all of the ports. The Canada cruise experience is more like the Mediterranean where, as RuthC mentioned, it is port-intensive experience. You will, however, like on all cruises, have plenty of time to bond & chat with you family. Best of luck to you in your decision. :)

 

Jack - San Francisco

[Jade13]

We saw the Maasdam while we were in Bar Harbor in September. We watched the tenders. I can't answer since I was looking at this cruise but my DH has no interest (we have flown to Montreal, been to almost all the ports, etc.).

 

Everyone we saw was really much older than us (70's and 80's) but again it was September. Other than that I have heard great things about this ship but wish they would go to New Foundland or do a more unique itinerary.

[sue1898]

We (DH and I) took this trip over July 4th this year and loved it! Scenery was great and excursions were varied from historic to active pursuits. I can't understand all the negative comments you have heard!

[Druke I]

We've done Canada New England twice, once on Crystal Harmony (now NYK's Asuka II), and once on HAL's Westerdam (now Costa Europa), and enjoyed it both times.

 

The first time we hit the fall colors just right, and they were stunning.

 

I preferred that itinerary to the Bermuda run.

[sail7seas]

Oh my goodness.......

 

AWFUL???? No way. We do that cruise every summer, on Maasdam, back to back we love it so much. We live in Boston and cannot sail that itinerary ever too much.

It's a fun cruise, a very full itinerary with 6 ports in 7 days and in all the times we have sailed it (Many), the average age in July has never been 70. We are far from 70 but wouldn't care in any case.

 

Our stops in Quebec, Charlottetown, Halifax and Montreal are our favorites. We're a little turned off to Bar Harbor these days but the Acadia National Park/Lobster Lunch tour is wonderful!

 

Maasdam and Noordam are our two favorite ships in the fleet.

You will never find a better crew than Maasdam's.

 

[sapper1]

Oh my goodness.......

 

AWFUL???? No way. We do that cruise every summer, on Maasdam, back to back we love it so much. We live in Boston and cannot sail that itinerary ever too much.

It's a fun cruise, a very full itinerary with 6 ports in 7 days and in all the times we have sailed it (Many), the average age in July has never been 70. We are far from 70 but wouldn't care in any case.

 

Our stops in Quebec, Charlottetown, Halifax and Montreal are our favorites. We're a little turned off to Bar Harbor these days but the Acadia National Park/Lobster Lunch tour is wonderful!

 

Maasdam and Noordam are our two favorite ships in the fleet.

You will never find a better crew than Maasdam's.

 

I have been waiting for you to weigh in on this one, Sail. I knew you would. ;)

Anyone looking for a beach or Disney type experience is going to be disappointed, but if you love natural beauty and lots of it, along with a laid back experience with wonderful friendly people, then the Canadian Maritimes are for you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

AWFUL??

No way.

We have done 3 different versions of Canada/New England.

Have always found different things to do in all the ports.

I say -- BOOK IT!!

[sail7seas]

I have been waiting for you to weigh in on this one, Sail. I knew you would. ;)

Anyone looking for a beach or Disney type experience is going to be disappointed, but if you love natural beauty and lots of it, along with a laid back experience with wonderful friendly people, then the Canadian Maritimes are for you.

 

 

:D I was out this morning, Sapper, or would have answered first!!! :)

 

You will not find nicer people than those we meet on this cruise. Helpful, friendly, pleasant........ as nice as you'll find anywhere.

[Jade13]

We're a little turned off to Bar Harbor these days but the Acadia National Park/Lobster Lunch tour is wonderful!

 

 

 

 

Really? Bar Harbor is great. You need to go off on your own to Acadia and not join a ships tour. There are tons of trails if one likes hiking/walking. Some are easy carriage trails and make nice hikes, while others are more difficult rock scrambles or harder/higher climbs to the top of a mountain.

[Boytjie]

If it was awfull nobody would sail on that ship and on that itinenrary. Yet it keeps on sailing there... :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Really? Bar Harbor is great. You need to go off on your own to Acadia and not join a ships tour. There are tons of trails if one likes hiking/walking. Some are easy carriage trails and make nice hikes, while others are more difficult rock scrambles or harder/higher climbs to the top of a mountain.

 

 

Jade...... WE've been to Bar Harbor at least 12+ times. We know what it is we like and what we do not. :)

 

We had a fabulous tour to Acadia. It was one of the highlights of all of our visits there. We've seen a great deal of the area. We went to the top of Cadillac Mountain. :) On a bright, clear, gorgeous day. And looked down to the harbor and the ship. We saw the pink marble and the beautiful carriage trails. :)

 

We have had (sometimes) wonderful lunches there and sometimes less so.

 

DH commissioned an amazing 2 1/2 x 3' framed image of Maasdam in the harbor that we carted back on the tender with us. Everyone who saw it went crazy for it. We ordered on one week and picked it up on the return cruise.

 

We've 'done' Bar Harbor. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Really? Bar Harbor is great. You need to go off on your own to Acadia and not join a ships tour. There are tons of trails if one likes hiking/walking. Some are easy carriage trails and make nice hikes, while others are more difficult rock scrambles or harder/higher climbs to the top of a mountain.

 

Like you -- we love Bar Harbor -- have gone to Acadia at least 3 times -- via different methods -- love it all!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I know that sail mentioned that on her recent cruises this year to Bar Harbor they were a little turned off.

But that might have just been the help working there this year.

I imgaine that when she sails there next year -- there will be the nice friendly people she is accustomed to having.

[Snook]

The Boston to Montreal cruise was our best ever. We flew to Boston and spent Friday night. Boston was very interesting with the markets and all of the history. We ate at Legal Seafood on the waterfront and boarded the Maasdam next day. The first stop was Bar Harbor which was a neat little town with good food. We took the Acadia excursion which was beautiful. Nova Scotia, and PEI were the best ever. Quebec City was unique. We rented a car in Montreal and drove to Isle de Orleans and stayed there 3 days. I would do it again in a minute but the airfare is too high right now for my pocketbook.

.

[Charliesmom]

One of the best cruises we ever took was on the Maasdam from Boston to Montreal, in September of 2007. The service was the best we have ever had on any ship. The crew is enormously friendly and helpful. The food was marvelous. We even had good weather most of the time.

 

Go and enjoy!

 

Roberta

[wwinfl91]

We did the Maasdam from Ft Lauderdale to Montreal a couple of years ago and felt it was one of the best cruises we had ever taken. The itinerary was fantastic especially as I had never visited many of the east coast cities we went to, New York, Boston, New London (we were one of the first cruise ships to use their new dock), Bar Harbor (a rainy and cloudy day), and then all the Canadian ports, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, Quebec City and Montreal.

 

We stayed in a great B&B in old town area of Montreal for 3 nights after the cruise and had a fantastic time.

 

The Maasdam is a fantastic ship in that it has the right size to have everything you need but still small enough to get around without any problems.

 

Go on the cruise and have a great next cruise.

[senator6]

Add me to the list that thinks you can't go wrong with a Maasdam Canada/New England cruise. Each port has its own attraction and unless your sailing in September the Maasdam will probably be the only ship in port.

[kittiecat]

We did the round-trip from Boston this past August, and we were a group similar to yours: 12 of us, ranging in age from 80 to 11 in 5 cabins. We had a marvelous time! It didn't really matter who was on the ship, because we were interested in spending time with each other. We had two tables of 6 each night, and we'd mix up the seating arrangements so that everyone had a chance to talk with everyone else. I would say the average cruiser on our voyage was about 55-60, but there were many younger people as well -- including kids and teens.

 

We made our own port arrangements (because we're cheap) except for Bar Harbor, where we did the Acadia bus tour. Sometimes some of our family opted to stay on the ship and relax, which was fine.

 

Really, it was a very mellow vacation that ended up suiting everyone's needs quite nicely. It was our first cruise and we liked it enough to put down a deposit on another (open ended) while on board!

[COLLEYBERRY]

We had a wonderful time on our cruise this past Sept. (Eurodam)

Montreal( Jazz Festival is renowned) and Quebec City are unique and exciting cities, in any season.

Saint John N.B.was one of our favorite ports ( we spent a delightful day there.)

I am sure you and your family would have a memorable cruise.

A Canada/New England voyage would be a great choice.

H:) ppy Sailings.

[trixi]

4 of us did Montreal to Boston June '08. We stayed in the old section of Montreal. Good location, near Notre Dame. We could walk to the Jazz Festival (maybe 1 mile) and pull our suitcases to the ship for embarkation (3 blocks).

 

We enjoyed all of the ports. Spent Canada Day in Charlottetown and 4th of July in Bar Harbor. The ship was lovely except for some vacuum problems with the waste system. Hal ended up giving us $200 shipboard credit for our inconvenience. What we didn't spend on board was returned to us in cash at the purser's desk the last morning of the cruise.

[margretha]

Hey, Jade13:

You want a more interesting itinerary? We did the Maasdam Voyage of

the Vikings and it was the absolutely more wonderful cruise we've ever done

bar none. Big ports, little ports, ice, glaciers, sun, warmth, rafting, swimming, seal hunters, great restaurants, little boat trips, puffins.... You want interesting I don't think there is another cruise as different as that one. And it is out of Boston and back to Boston if you want both legs! And the Canadian piece, though it looked so laid back after Greenland, was great. And others have it right: the Maasdam and her crew are the best. margretha

[mamadot]

We did this trip in May and really enjoyed it! The ports are lovely and even arriving in many is great. We loved the lighthouses. We were in Bar Harbor on Sunday where we did a tour and were still able to get to the churches for services. The Episcopal church has beautiful Tiffany windows. Both Quebec and Montreal are fabulous cities. See the cathedral in Montreal and go back in the evening for the "Sound and Light Show". Fabulous!