Out to Sea for
Sept. 8/18
(c) By Jim and Barb Fox
Veteran Canadian cruisers
who have sailed the seven seas and oceans often agree there’s no place like
home.
Canada has a lot of
offer when it comes to cruises – from British Columbia sailings and the Inside
Passage, Gulf Islands and rainforests – and the culture, history and scenic
backdrops of Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.
Both ends of the country
are noticing a huge wave of interest in cruises in what many Americans and
others consider “naturally air-conditioned Canada.”
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Holland America’s
Eurodam is tied up at the pier in Quebec City. (Jim Fox photo)
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Records have again
been set in Atlantic Canada and especially now with the fall colour cruises
starting that often include the New England states.
The people-pleasing
port of Halifax is part of that boom welcoming 200 vessels and 300,000
passengers this season from April to November.
Most cruises start
or end in Montreal or Quebec City as well as Boston or New York City, with some
round-trips.
Joie de’vivre
Quebecers turn out
in large numbers on the piers to welcome cruise ship visitors.
Not recalling there
are tides on the St. Lawrence River, I looked out our balcony window while
getting dressed for “formal night” to discover a group of people looking in.
When we arrived, we
were high above the pier but the ship had then dropped to just 16 metres at low
tide that evening.
In Quebec City, “tourists
are won over by the charm and attractions of the city,” said Marie-Andree
Blanchet of the Quebec Port Authority.
portquebec.ca/en/cruises
Just a short walk
from the Ross Gaudrault Cruise Terminal, visitors can discover Quebec through
its alleys, fortifications – the only ones north of Mexico – architectural
heritage “and, of course, its smiling people,” she added.
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| A fiddler
entertains on the cobblestone streets of old Quebec City. (Barbara Fox photo)
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The welcoming port
is the most-popular destination for cruise passengers among the 400
destinations served by Holland America Line, said public relations director
Erik Elvejord.
It was again named
one of the Top Three cruise destinations in the world and the top destination
in the U.S. and Canada by the online Cruise Critic website.
More than 200,000
cruisers will visit Quebec City this season on some 130 ships including
Celebrity, Crystal, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, Royal
Caribbean and Seabourn.
A big party will welcome
the Disney Magic on its inaugural visit, Sept. 26-28, with a rousing welcome on
the pier.
Place des Canotiers
will have locals dressed up as their favourite Disney characters along with entertainment,
music and a “pyro-musical” fireworks show.
At the
confluence of the St. Charles and St. Lawrence rivers, Quebec is known as the
most European city in North America and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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| Lobster traps, a lighthouse and colourful houses on the rocky shore make
Peggy’s Cove, N.S. a popular shore excursion. (Jim Fox photo) |
Seeing Canada, eh?
A
special 12-day “Canadian Autumn” themed sailing on the upscale Seabourn Quest
would be of interest to those having the recent sentiment of wanting to
vacation in Canada.
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| Seabourn Quest at sea |
This cruise,
leaving round-trip from Montreal on Sept. 19, stays solely within Canada along
the St. Lawrence and gulf.
It does, however, include
a visit to France – the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, “self-governing territorial
overseas collectivities” of that country off the coast of Newfoundland.
The itinerary also includes
stops at Havre-Saint-Pierre; L’Anse aux Meadows; St. Johns for two nights; Cap-aux-Meules;
Quebec City; and Trois-Rivieres.
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Scenic cruising of
the Saguenay Fjord in Quebec includes a vibrant sunset. (Barbara Fox photo)
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There are also single
days sailing the St. Lawrence including the Saguenay Fjord and the Gulf of St.
Lawrence.
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For more Out to Sea trip
tips: http://outtoseatravel.blogspot.ca
