maryann ns

https://www.gadventures.com/trips/norwegian-fjords-arctic-discovery/XVBLNX/

We went on this ship to Antarctica in 2016 and had a fantastic trip. The ship is great and the professional staff and crew could not be better.

This sailing is almost sold out so I know others are going.

Halifax has a large selection of shops as you exit the ship. Some are local arts and crafts. Next door is the Seaport Farmers Market with even more. Along the waterfront you can find more and up Spring Garden Road there is Jennifer's which has nothing but local products.

Thank you so much for this great report. I learned a lot. I could handle a trip like this but my years are just about gone.

This information may help you for Halifax: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BjAtDscML-9Ce3VWUUsOrsVhPL7KIxb7Go_9SRi82dE/edit

It is very easy to find lots to do within walking distance of the ship.

Thanks for the update on Budget/Avis However it is worth checking if they will pick you up which they used to do.

This is a bit out of date but has a fair bit of information. I think you would be fine renting a car and touring on your own. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dQmCeyoqaFBmQjUnV-zhqh6LhrnW1ZXPIbKLOTIahmY/edit?usp=sharing

It is abnormally dry in Nova Scotia and it was abnormally hot. These things are great stressors for trees.

https://www.thestar.com/halifax/2018/09/07/how-is-canada-even-comparable-to-the-caribbean-passengers-fume-as-bermuda-cruise-diverts-to-halifax.html

The Norweigan Dawn is heading to Canada. I bet there are a lot of people without warm clothes. Our heat wave finally ended two days ago.

I am so sorry to hear that. I will add this information to our document for Sydney cruise visitors.

I guess another lesson is to arrange to be picked up at the pier and if they are a no show you at least should have taxis available.

There are some reviews here: https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g3440710-d7227986-Reviews-Blackwood_Tours-New_Waterford_Cape_Breton_Island_Nova_Scotia.html

Here is a link for more information for cruisers to Sydney: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SHnC1bdaKtBLTr9bcJShb3a0escYZQKLWkZF4seT14I/edit

We can generalize that for Nova Scotia (Halifax and Sydney) the second week of October is best. However this year has been very hot and dry and a few stressed trees have turned already.

You can pretty well tell the peak dates by the cruise prices and the number of ships in port.

If you do a search here or on Trip Advisor you should come across old posts about using public busses to get to those two places. They would be low on my priority list, however, with there being so much to see and do in old Quebec.

No Uber, but lots of taxis in Halifax.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BjAtDscML-9Ce3VWUUsOrsVhPL7KIxb7Go_9SRi82dE/edit Information for Halifax.

Try to get a place inside the old city walls so you can stroll around.

G Adventures has an expedition ship (called Expedition) which goes to the Antarctic and Arctic. We went to the Antarctic in 2015 on Expedition which has about 130 passengers. It was a very well run trip in every way. G Adventures runs many land tours as well.

So you are looking for the shortest possible trip to Antarctica and would like to include the Falklands. This is so you will not be too long away from your MIL. The shortest trips will likely involve flying over the Drake Passage. This shortens your time a bit but these often get delayed or outright cancelled (for which you can often only get your money back via your own insurance) so they may not be your best choice.

If you are mainly interested in ice you could just go to Antarctica which is what we did. We saw lots of wildlife and incredible scenery and icebergs but not the quantities of wildlife you see in the Falklands and South Georgia.

A good place to ask this is the Antarctic Adventures forum here: https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowForum-g1-i12337-Antarctic_Adventures.html

If you need a bit of cash there are two easy ways to get it when here:

Best - go to an ATM and take out $20 or more.

Next best - Pay for something with $US and your change will be Canadian. If it is only a small amount the cost would not be too bad.

Almost everywhere takes credit or debit cards. Exceptions would be transit or the ferry to Dartmouth and perhaps some waterfront kiosks.

Our two cruises on Azamara were fabulous but our best was our trip to Antarctica on G Adventures ship Expedition. This was a very well run operation with top notch staff and crew. The food was unbelievably good, but of course Antarctica was the star of the show. What stunning beauty. What a fascinating place. We got well below the Antarctic Circle and visited an abandoned research station that has had very few visitors since the 1950s. We toured around with flashlights imagining what life there would have been like.

This link may be helpful. One link in this document describes a day spent right in Sydney, but most people prefer to get outside the city and see some scenery and famous attractions such as Fortress Louisbourg.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SHnC1bdaKtBLTr9bcJShb3a0escYZQKLWkZF4seT14I/edit

So lobster are called bugs in Maine too! There is a truck at Peggy's Cove near Halifax which cooks live lobster to order. When I saw it in July I think they were charging something like $15 or $18.

We were paying $8 Canadian a pound from the fishermen in May and June when they were in season where I live.

The HoHo may be a bit helpful to those with difficulty walking, but many points of interest are along the waterfront which is pedestrian only. The HOHO is very expensive so you could consider taking a couple taxi rides to the Citadel or Public Gardens in necessary.

This link includes information and maps for the HOHO and much more Halifax information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BjAtDscML-9Ce3VWUUsOrsVhPL7KIxb7Go_9SRi82dE/edit

Look for me on Trip Advisor for Nova Scotia (same username) and send me a personal message. Be sure to give me your email address and I will send you some notes I have gathered over the past few years about taxis and private operators.

Also look at this document. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BjAtDscML-9Ce3VWUUsOrsVhPL7KIxb7Go_9SRi82dE/edit

This document has some information and a map with a suggested route. https://docs.google.com/document/d/17qSn5ImpF6Q0vxzFPqKmx5zSOu-EkViKcYUPgCsiEzE/edit

Check back here for other recent posts: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20

I would not rent a car unless you are going out of the downtown area. It would cost less just to take a taxi to Citadel Hill. A car cannot go along the waterfront. There are parking garages downtown but parking is at a premium.

There is a HOHO bus which is linked to in the link below. However it is quite expensive.

You would all likely enjoy taking the fun (cheesy) Harbour Hopper tour. It is a great way to have a look around from both land and sea.

This document has lots of information to help you: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BjAtDscML-9Ce3VWUUsOrsVhPL7KIxb7Go_9SRi82dE/edit

There are lots of restaurants in the Halifax waterfront area which serve lobster. Murphy's on the waterfront is large and specializes in lobster. It is not a fine dining atmosphere but it is difficult to mess up fresh boiled lobster. The Bluenose II restaurant is more like a diner but apparently does a good job with lobster at a good price. More upscale would be McKelvie's or the Five Fishermen.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurants-g154976-Halifax_Halifax_Region_Nova_Scotia.html