Montreal High Water levels

[lij1972]

I saw that the Zaandam won't be disembarking in Montreal this Saturday.  Anyone know how likely this will happen in a months time?  I'm trying to arrange my transportation home.  

 

Thanks!

Lisa

[martincath]

If you think we can predict weather better than the Environment Canada can a month ahead, I have a bridge to sell you 😉

 

If the cruise is scheduled to arrive/depart Montreal, the line will have buses to get you between the ship (probably in Quebec City where low bridges aren't a problem) and Montreal. You'd have to ask the line what the schedule will be as they'll be the ones chartering the buses!

[shipgeeks]

On Veendam a year ago, we were unable to dock in Montreal due to high water, but did dock some distance downstream. (Industrial port for Montreal?)  We had booked HAL airport shuttle, and those buses came to our location.  As I recall, there were no taxis in evidence, though.  I believe HAL provided transfers to the intended dock for those who had HAL hotel bookings.

[Twickenham]

4 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

On Veendam a year ago, we were unable to dock in Montreal due to high water, but did dock some distance downstream. (Industrial port for Montreal?)  We had booked HAL airport shuttle, and those buses came to our location.  As I recall, there were no taxis in evidence, though.  I believe HAL provided transfers to the intended dock for those who had HAL hotel bookings.

 

The issue last year was I believe that they hadn't finished the renovations of the cruise ship terminal. The problem that high water creates is that ships can't go under the Laviolette Bridge at Trois-Rivières, which is midway between Quebec City and Montreal, so there's no way you would have made it anywhere near Montreal had water levels been high.

 

I was down at the port today (first ship of the season - MS Fram), and I don't think I've ever seen the St. Lawrence that high. I would allow for the possibility that you will be bussed to Montreal from Quebec City.

[lij1972]

I was hoping to take a lazy train ride back home but I think I'll just book a flight back in the afternoon. 

[sptree]

We are supposed to sail out of Montreal on May 18th.  Is the water still too high??  When will Holland America let us know we will need to take a bus to Quebec??

Thanks

[martincath]

^You should really be reaching out to HAL about this - only HAL know their own operating criteria for contingency plans...

 

Googling local news for Montreal will give you info about flood conditions right now, but there's also the issue of high water further upstream in the great lakes (e.g. there's an article just today in the Watertown daily news about water levels being maintained higher than normal in Lake Ontario specifically to mitigate flooding down the St Lawrence, and lake levels are a dual Canadian-American issue so there are all sorts of complications... even with perfect weather predictions, which we do not have, it would be impossible to say with accuracy what the clearance under the relevant bridge will be in a few days as there are many stakeholders involved - if releasing more water from the lake stops a cruise ship getting to Montreal that's a minor inconvenience compared to farms or towns flooding, folks having to leave their homes!)

[lij1972]

I got a good idea of what to expect if my cruise didn't make it to Montreal from various current threads here on Cruise Critic.  From that I was comfortable booking my trip home

 

My email to HAL took about a week and a half for them to respond and they didn't answer my question, just stateed that my cruise is still scheduled to disembark in Montreal.  Not helpful at all.

 

Lake Ontario at my end is high too, at least 2 feet above normal but not as bad as 2017 yet.  The waterfront trail is close in places due to flooding and erosion.  I hope the weather dries up soon.  

 

Lisa