Excerpt from C/NE cruise review - Ports

[Lisa63]

Thought this might be helpful to anyone planning to visit the region. I'll be happy to answer any questions.

 

We were on Maasdam, and I will let you know when the full review is up.

 

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PORTS OF CALL

The major highlight was the itinerary. This was a one-way cruise from Montreal to Boston, with visits to Quebec City, Saguenay Fjord, Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, and Bar Harbor.

 

Montreal, Quebec.

It had been a long travel day for us, so we decided to stay onboard once we reached the ship. Montreal looked lovely, however, and there was a harbor walk close to the ship. While the rest of my family napped, I went to the promenade deck for a quiet sailaway. I had a nice conversation with a gentleman from Florida as the ship pulled out of Montreal and made its way down the St. Lawrence River. Scenery along this part of the St. Lawrence is magnificent. We passed an amusement park, farmland, and many small houses and villages. This part of Canada is very pretty.

 

Quebec City, Quebec.

We had been to Quebec City several years ago, and became so enchanted with the city that returning was like coming home. With the landmark Chateau Frontenac looming overhead, we disembarked the ship for what would be a wonderful day of exploration. Haze (one of our Internet friends) and her husband graciously invited us to join them on their walking tour. It was spectacular. We walked the entire distance of the wall that surrounds the Upper Town, and Haze’s husband was the perfect guide. He is very well acquainted with the area and pointed out many sites from railroad stations (his passion) to historic buildings. I think the cruise lines should fly him in every week to conduct this tour for passengers. The five of us enjoyed a nice lunch at l’Omelette in the Upper Town -- the pea soup, in particular was superb -- and we rode the Funicular down to the Lower Town for a quick visit and return to the ship. We had left the ship at 10:15 am and arrived back at 3:15… a most splendid day.

 

Saguenay Fjord.

Located just off the St. Lawrence River, Saguenay Fjord is indescribably scenic. There is no port stop -- the ship simply enters, turns around two hours later, and heads back out to the river. The highlight for many is the Virgin Mary statue atop one of the mountains. It was explained to us that years ago, a sailor was in the fjord when his ship sank. Swimming to shore was difficult as the water was so cold, and he prayed to the Virgin Mary to keep him safe. He survived, and eventually erected a statue on one of the hills near the fateful spot. It was assembled in pieces and, if I recall correctly, took three years to construct. As we passed the statue at 7:00 am, Ave Maria played through the ship’s speakers. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous -- mountains layered upon mountains. Although it was raining that day, I managed to get some beautiful photos, particularly of the sunrise. The remainder of the day was spent “at sea.”

 

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

We arrived in Charlottetown not knowing what to expect, and it turned out to be a most intriguing port of call. I am embarrassed to admit that I knew very little about Canadian history before this trip. Thanks to the Maasdam daily program, I learned that in 1864, Charlottetown was the site of the meeting that would eventually lead to the formation and independence of Canada. We spent most of our day at this location, Province House. We saw the room where the historic meeting had taken place, as well as the room that is now used for provincial government business. We then walked around town and admired the beautiful pier area, complete with wooden pathways, flowers, and “red dirt” stones. The approach to Charlottetown earlier that morning was amazing, as our ship had to pass under the multi-span Confederation Bridge. The bridge, which opened in 1997, links the island to the mainland and is the world’s longest bridge (12.9 km, or 9 miles) over waters that freeze.

 

Sydney, Nova Scotia

I highly recommend a shore excursion in Sydney as there is not much to do near the port. We took a ship-sponsored excursion to the Fortress of Louisbourg, approximately 40 minutes from Sydney. The walled town is a reconstruction of what the area looked like while being occupied by the French in the mid-1700s. French colonists originally landed at Louisbourg in 1713, but the British captured the area in 1745 for its strategic location at the entrance to the St. Lawrence River. By 1760, the old French town had been dismantled. The area was restored in the 1950s, and is now “stuck” in 1744. Only 20% of the site was restored, yet it provides a good representation of the era. Once we arrived, we had a one-hour tour by our marvelous guide, who happened to be a retired history teacher, and then we had another hour to explore on our own before boarding the bus back to the ship.

 

Halifax, Nova Scotia.

This was our third visit to Halifax, and it is a port we hope to return to time and time again. We had been to Peggy’s Cove, the Citadel, and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic on previous visits, but on this trip I wanted to learn more about the role of Halifax in the aftermath of the 1912 Titanic tragedy. Halifax was the main recovery site -- 328 bodies were brought here. While my husband and son spent the morning on the waterfront (after trying unsuccessfully to get on the Theodore the Tugboat ride), I took a ship-sponsored tour called the “Halifax-Titanic Connection.” The tour included a bus ride past various landmarks (including recovery sites, churches where services were held, and two small cemeteries) and a one-hour visit to the fabulous Maritime Museum of the Atlantic (which houses an extensive collection of Titanic artifacts). The most emotional part of the excursion was a visit to Fairview Cemetery, where approximately 120 Titanic passengers are buried. The headstones are laid out in several rows forming the shape of a ship’s hull. Most of the markers are plain, while others are more lavish, yet all have one common characteristic -- all are marked with the date April 15, 1912. Amazingly, I had the same tour guide from the previous day, which pleased me as he was extremely knowledgeable. As sad as this tour was, I do recommend it for those who want to learn more about Titanic. Our museum tickets were good for the rest of the day, so a morning tour is best for those who want to spend more time there.

 

Bar Harbor, Maine.

As we had previously been to Acadia National Park, we decided to keep the day low-key by exploring the town of Bar Harbor by foot. We picked up a walking tour map at the visitor center, and checked out the downtown area as well as the former summer “cottages” of the wealthy that lined the street overlooking the harbor. The highlight of the day was lunch at the Island Chowder House, where my husband had clam chowder and a lobster roll, my son had fried clams, and I enjoyed a 1 ½ pound whole lobster.