Peggys Cove - time a day to visit

[nautica34]

Looking into booking the Peggy's Cove excursion from Carnival, they offer 2 tours, 1 starting at 8:30 and the other at 12:45. Trying to figure out if earlier or later is a better time to visit. Any recommendations?

[Lulu51]

Looking into booking the Peggy's Cove excursion from Carnival, they offer 2 tours, 1 starting at 8:30 and the other at 12:45. Trying to figure out if earlier or later is a better time to visit. Any recommendations?

 

Obviously depends on weather and time of year, if foggy will lift usually by late morning. When is your cruise ? Traditionally May/ June can be foggy.

 

If later in the season would go earlier to beat the crowds, can be very busy!!

[nautica34]

We will be there the week of July 21st.

[maryann ns]

Since you are going on a ship tour, you will not be able to avoid the crowds. Earlier may be better, but if there are other ships in port and their tours go early, then you may be better off going late.

 

If you really want to beat the crowds, rent a car or hire a driver and get on the road first thing before the busses are loaded, OR go as late as possible in the afternoon.

[Gunner22aa]

Either will be busy as Peggys Cove is one of the principle showcases for the province of Nova Scotia and people come from all over just to see it. That being said you have a greater chance of encountering early morning fog than in the afternoon. Nothing worse than not being able to see the lighthouse from 100 feet away let alone anything else.

[Lulu51]

We will be there the week of July 21st.

If you don't want to drive there are also many private tours which of course are more flexible.

 

It is unlikely to be fog that late in the season, but you will know from your cruise whether foggy and also in Halifax.

 

Re Buses I just checked Cruise Schedule for the port for week of July 21st and either you are on Maasdam or Carnival Glory and they are both in port on different days so the bus situation at Peggy's shouldn't be too bad.

 

I still recommend going early as you also will be there before the rest of the tourists by afternoons in the summer very busy.

[nautica34]

Thanks everyone for all your input and suggestions. We're leaning towards the morning tour. Hopefully the crowds won't be too bad. I'm also hoping this will allow time in the afternoon to see the Maritime museum in Halifax. I rented a car last year while in Halifax to visit Lunenburg which turned out not to be the best decision time wise. Waited close to an hour to get the car really hurt time wise.

[maryann ns]

Would you mind telling us from whom you rented the car and why it took so long?

 

The tour busses get to Peggy's Cove early. I was there mid July last year and we just got there ahead of one. This was not a ship's tour.

[nautica34]

Would you mind telling us from whom you rented the car and why it took so long?

 

The tour busses get to Peggy's Cove early. I was there mid July last year and we just got there ahead of one. This was not a ship's tour.

 

I think the rental was from Budget. The office was located in a parking garage. The main reason was there was only 1 person working there. I realize the office was small but they should have at least 2 employees where ships are in. There were only a couple of parties in front of us which made it that more frustrating. Returning the car was another issue. All we were told was to return the car in a marked space in the garage. We also had to obtain a time stamped card to pay for the parking. The rep never mentioned anything about it. All of the spaces were taken so we parked on a separate level. We left the parking card in the car since the car was staying. The office was closed at that time and had no phone to call them.

 

Did you use a private tour company to visit or go on your own? I was hoping to avoid using Carnival but couldn't find less expensive options.

[Capette]

Fog is a big issue so pick the later time for sure. Enoy my home. And please pay heed to the ropes and warnings to stay away from the edges. Every year people ignore and every year people get swept out to sea by rogue waves.

[maryann ns]

Budget is further away from the cruise pier than some of the other companies.

 

Here are notes I have saved from a previous post:

 

Enterprise and/or National are in the Via rail station in front of Cruise port they are open 9-1 Sundays for Cruise ship passengers 423-0227

 

Thrifty's is open on Sundays in the Westin Hotel beside Via station.

982-3474

 

Budget is open 8-4 on Hollis St. at least 4 blocks good 15 min walk but will pick up at Pier if you have reservation just call as soon as you get in.492-7542

 

Avis is also open on Grafton if you have reservation will also come and pick you up. tel #492-2847 Note if calling out of province AREA CODE is 902 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1675903