Daily Activities

[agnesd]

Would anyone have a sample copy of the Daily Newletter for days in port. I would like to see what it is like if you choose not to go ashore.  We are going on the Eastern Seaboard Cruise in late September.  We were wondering if you don't take a scheduled excursion are the ships near enough to town to walk around oneself.Gaspe, Halifax, Seguanay, Boston.

Edited July 9, 2019 by agnesd

[cocopico]

I have not done that particular cruise so I'm sure someone who has can give you a more definitive answer, but in most ports if the town is not "walkable" then Viking will generally run a shuttle bus from the port to the town center.   There are not a lot of shipboard activities on port days - Viking's whole emphasis is on spending time in the port cities -- but the ship amenities are all available:  spa, pools, restaurants, sports deck, games in the Viking living room, movies, etc.  The limited shops are usually closed while in port and the ship is generally pretty empty and quiet.

[Peregrina651]

Boston docks downtown at Black Falcon Cruise terminal (aka Flynn Cruise Terminal, but not in local parlance). Even then, downtown is a misnomer because you are still a mile walk to the nearest attraction (the Institute of Contemporary Art). I don't know if Viking offers a shuttle in Boston. I don't know what you want to see in Boston but even if you just want to walk around the city, I suggest grabbing a cab and asking them to take you to South Station, which is a good starting point for any walk you want to take around the city and a convenient entry point into the subway system which is referred to as "the T."  

 

Here is a map with the pier marked at the bottom on the map. Note that the highway that I have highlighted is actually underground and the land above it is a "greenway' and perfect for walking. The North End is where Old North Church and Paul Revere House are. If you want to tour the USS Constitution, ask the cab to take you to the Aquarium and then take the water taxi (and even then , you will have to walk from the taxi stop to where the ship is docked -- or just ride the taxi there and back for the view).

 

 

In general, the ship is quiet during the day with no activities scheduled except on sea days. Most people leave the ship to enjoy the port. It is a good time to have the spa to yourself.

[Cyber Kat]

We have been to Boston on other cruise lines and if Viking doesn’t run a shuttle, there is a company that runs a shuttle out of the terminal to the Quincy Market. It was fairly reasonable and most everything we wanted to see was walkable from there - but we are walkers. 

 

We are doing the Eastern Seaboard Explorer in September also, but our sailing is going to Portland, not Halifax for some reason unbeknownst to me 😁. I will find out, but it’s not all that important because we like both ports. 

 

I have been to Halifax before and it’s a lovely city. There is dock which can handle 2 ship.  This is close to most everything unless you are determined to go to Peggy’s Cove - which is about an hour away. 

 

There is another docking area further away, but I think that’s mainly used for overflow. Last time we were there, a hurricane was churning around FL, so many ships were diverted north. We went north to Canada/NE intentionally and we kept running into a lot of disgruntled cruisers who were looking forward to the Caribbean. 

 

If Viking is at the better of the 2 docks - and I suspect they will be - there is a lovely Farmers Market one building down. There is an immigration museum right there, and a nice little brew pub across the way - Garrison’s.

 

You can walk a little further and reach the beginning of the Harbor Boardwalk very quickly. It’s a lovely walk along the harbor with shops, restaurants and vendors. The Maritime Museum with the Titanic exhibit is near the end. 

 

Last time we hopped a cab to the Citadel.  It’s walkable but up a rather high hill. We went to see them fire the noon cannon. It can be heard all over the city when they do. It’s quite an interesting ceremony with soldiers in uniforms from the 1800s. There is a museum and a bagpipe performance. The views of the harbor are fabulous. 

[ropomo]

We were on this cruise last Oct.  

 

Gaspe - about a half mile walk to town, but a shuttle is available that runs every 30 minutes or so

Halifax - docks downtown but about a half mile to areas you might be interested in.  included tour was hop on hop off bus which can serve as a shuttle, which is what we did (did one lap to see area)

Seguaney - again about a half mile from city center, don't remember if there was a shuttle.  We only got off the ship an visited small visitor center at pier and did included excursion (show about history of region)

Boston - there is a shuttle running every 30 minutes with pick up at the water front near Fannial  (sp) Hall.

Quebec - about a mile to town, shuttle to town every 30 minutes

Montreal - walk across street

NYC - somewhere in the neighborhood of 50th street on Hudson River

Edited August 8, 2019 by ropomo

[Peregrina651]

3 minutes ago, ropomo said:

Fannial  (sp) Hall.

 

Faneuil Hall aka Quincy Market Place (and yes even after 35+ years here I have to look up the spelling because I can never remember the order of the last three vowels.. Very tourist-y and not always the best place to start exploring (unless your plan is to walk the Freedom Trail). It is not marked on the map above per se but Union Oyster House is in the market place and it is marked on the map.

[ropomo]

15 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

Very tourist-y and not always the best place to start exploring (unless your plan is to walk the Freedom Trail).

 

Also, the shuttle stop is right where you can catch the water taxi (we did this and it worked out quite well) for a convenient trip over to see the USS Constitution (highly recommend)

[lackcreativity]

A personal favorite in Boston is the Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum. The building itself is a real treat, built in the style of a Venetian palazzo. It is accessible by the T, but there is a walk from the nearest stop. It is also only a 5-10 minute walk from the Museum of Fine Arts, so if art is your thing, you can make a day of it!

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, ropomo said:

 

Also, the shuttle stop is right where you can catch the water taxi (we did this and it worked out quite well) for a convenient trip over to see the USS Constitution (highly recommend)

 

Could you mark on a map where the shuttle actually stops?

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, lackcreativity said:

A personal favorite in Boston is the Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum. The building itself is a real treat, built in the style of a Venetian palazzo. It is accessible by the T, but there is a walk from the nearest stop. It is also only a 5-10 minute walk from the Museum of Fine Arts, so if art is your thing, you can make a day of it!

 

Could not agree more! ISGM is closed on Tuesday. 

 

Use the trip planner on the MBTA website to plan your route.  https://www.mbta.com  Here is what the locals know. There are two T stops that you can aim for in your route planning:  1)the Ruggles stop is farther from the two museums but is served by both commuter rail (no need to change trains) and subway or 2) GreenLine E train stop called Museum of Fine Arts.  Regardless, allow at least 45 minutes--and even more during rush hour. It is an expensive taxi ride from Black Falcon to the museums--and not necessarily any faster. Uber and Lyft are available.

 

 

Best walking routes to ISGM (all yellow) and MFA (yellow then pink)

[ropomo]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

Could you mark on a map where the shuttle actually stops?

 

Black arrow on map near corner

 

 

Edited August 8, 2019 by ropomo

[Peregrina651]

30 minutes ago, ropomo said:

 

Black arrow on map near corner

 

 

 

That's a good place to stop. You can easily walk to the North End and Faneuil Hall from there as well as get the Water Taxi to Charlestown and the USS Connstitution. And, there is an entrance to the T right there (Blue Line- Aquarium stop), so if you are planning on using the T to get around, you use the shuttle to here instead of a taxi to South Station.

 

Follow the stroller, it is headed to the T entrance.

 

Also, whale watches leave from here and if you time it right, you maybe able to fit one in (buy your tickets in advance on-line as whale watching is very popular). Harbor cruises also leave from here.

 

Cut through the Christopher Columbus Park (on the other side of the Marriott Long Wharf) to Richmond St to get into the North End. Buy cannoli and gorgeous pastries at Mike's or Modern -- rival bakeries on Hanover St. We have been going to Modern because they offer mini-cannolis. Bring a bunch back to the ship to share at tea time (yes, I have no shame, I would carry the whole box into the Wintergarden and share them around).

 

 

[lackcreativity]

3 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Could not agree more! ISGM is closed on Tuesday. 

 

Use the trip planner on the MBTA website to plan your route.  https://www.mbta.com  Here is what the locals know. There are two T stops that you can aim for in your route planning:  1)the Ruggles stop is farther from the two museums but is served by both commuter rail (no need to change trains) and subway or 2) GreenLine E train stop called Museum of Fine Arts.  Regardless, allow at least 45 minutes--and even more during rush hour. It is an expensive taxi ride from Black Falcon to the museums--and not necessarily any faster. Uber and Lyft are available.

 

 

Best walking routes to ISGM (all yellow) and MFA (yellow then pink)

We are heading to Boston this weekend to visit our son, who has just moved to Brookline from Cambridge. So much to choose from, I'm not sure yet what we will do, but hope to get back to the Gardner this time. Would also like to make a return visit to see the restored version of the Ware Exhibit of glass flowers at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. We have to pass the time until our next Viking cruise in April!

 

[Peregrina651]

33 minutes ago, lackcreativity said:

We are heading to Boston this weekend to visit our son, who has just moved to Brookline from Cambridge. So much to choose from, I'm not sure yet what we will do, but hope to get back to the Gardner this time. Would also like to make a return visit to see the restored version of the Ware Exhibit of glass flowers at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. We have to pass the time until our next Viking cruise in April!

 

 

 

So much to see in Boston. Lots of good eats in Brookline!

[ropomo]

Just looked at the itineraries.  I guess we should have gotten more info from the OP.  There are two Eastern Seaboard itineraries, the Explorer and the Discovery.  Only the Explorer has a call in Boston.  Regardless, the info provided here should be useful to those stopping in Boston.

[Peregrina651]

18 minutes ago, ropomo said:

Just looked at the itineraries.  I guess we should have gotten more info from the OP.  There are two Eastern Seaboard itineraries, the Explorer and the Discovery.  Only the Explorer has a call in Boston.  Regardless, the info provided here should be useful to those stopping in Boston.

 

OP mentioned Boston on her itinerary.

 

[ropomo]

18 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

OP mentioned Boston on her itinerary.

 

my bad, missed that 😵

[Peregrina651]

20 minutes ago, ropomo said:

 

my bad, missed that 😵

 

we all do; we all will continue to do so. better glasses won't help.

 

 

 

 

[Cyber Kat]

All of this is interesting to me as we are doing the Eastern Seaboard Explorer next month!  It’s been booked since March 2018, so it feels strange to suddenly being able to say, “next month.”  🤩

 

I’m still looking for things to do in Montreal.  We are flying up 2 days before and we are docked over night.  

 

I wanted to see the fjord by boat in Saguenay, but it’s not looking good. I booked the included show, so I’ll see if something works out. 

 

We left Boston open because we have been there before. I think we will take the water taxi to the Constitution one day and DH wants to do a tour of Fenway Park on the other. We will take the shuttle to Faneuil Hall at some point so we can visit the Black Rose Pub for a lobster roll and a couple of Sam Adams. 

 

I’m assuming we will dock at Black Falcon. 

 

As I mentioned we are going to Portland instead of Halifax. Don’t know why, but we have been to both before and we like both ports.  We didn’t have time for the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum the last visit, so we will do that and we are looking at a tour on a vintage fire engine that looks like fun. 

 

The dock in NY is the Manhattan Cruise Terminal  on 12th Ave between 46th and 54th St. - unless we get shunted to Brooklyn. I hope that’s not the case. 

[Peregrina651]

37 minutes ago, Cyber Kat said:

I’m still looking for things to do in Montreal.

 

THE BIODOME!!! and the Botanical Gardens. Easy to get to via the Metro

 

Montreal Museum of Art.

 

The Old City just to wander around -- especially check out the Notre-Dame Basilica. The interior decor is wild. Lots of window shopping, some very touristy but some very nice art and antique shops tucked in among (no, no specific recommendations other than if you buy anything expensive ask about shipping home versus paying the local VAT; you will have to pay customs duty on what you ship but it was a lot cheaper than paying the VAT)

 

[janetcbl]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

THE BIODOME!!! and the Botanical Gardens. Easy to get to via the Metro

 

Montreal Museum of Art.

 

The Old City just to wander around -- especially check out the Notre-Dame Basilica. The interior decor is wild. Lots of window shopping, some very touristy but some very nice art and antique shops tucked in among (no, no specific recommendations other than if you buy anything expensive ask about shipping home versus paying the local VAT; you will have to pay customs duty on what you ship but it was a lot cheaper than paying the VAT)

 

According to the Biodome website, this amazing museum is closed for renovations until December 1019.

[Cyber Kat]

3 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

THE BIODOME!!! and the Botanical Gardens. Easy to get to via the Metro

 

Montreal Museum of Art.

 

The Old City just to wander around -- especially check out the Notre-Dame Basilica. The interior decor is wild. Lots of window shopping, some very touristy but some very nice art and antique shops tucked in among (no, no specific recommendations other than if you buy anything expensive ask about shipping home versus paying the local VAT; you will have to pay customs duty on what you ship but it was a lot cheaper than paying the VAT)

 

We are definitely going to the Basilica.  Viking has the multi-media performance as one of the excursions and we are booked!  I do want to see it in the day time as well.

We are also doing a Taste of Montreal tour through Viking - this is all once we board the ship.
"Sample the delectable specialties of Montreal during this fun and enriching culinary tour.  Meet your guide and head to lively Saint Laurent Boulevard, where an appetizing array of shops and eateries lines the street. Stop to meet the vendors, who will proudly offer you Quebec cheeses, delicious ice wine, handmade chocolates and perfectly prepared bagels that some say are better than New York City’s. Continue to the open air Jean-Talon Market in the heart of Little Italy, one of the largest of its kind in North America. Here, you will meet more local producers and taste their products. Later, follow the upscale Saint Denis Street to its “restaurant row,” the hottest dining spot in town."

We are staying 2 nights at Auberge du Vieux Port in the Old City before the cruise.  We were only going to do 1 night, but the flight gets in at 4, so we won't have much time and then we would board the next day.  We decided to have a full day to explore on our own.  I know I want to ride the big ferris wheel, for sure.  I was thinking of getting us up to Mount Royal, but as much as we like to walk, hiking up there is not an option 😄

I'm just making a list and I think we''ll wing it or maybe check out what Viator has listed.  We don't want to wear ourselves out before the cruise!

This cruise has so many interesting ports - some repeats for us and others, like Montreal & Quebec, brand new.  We are doing a Horse & Buggy tour of old town Quebec. And, of course, I want to check out the Hotel Frontenac!

I'm looking forward to a lot of lobster 🧡  We won't be buying anything expensive.  I'm at the point where mostly we buy magnets.  I might buy a scarf or something like that if I see something interesting.  Perhaps a beret!  I have a weakness for hats!

We have a land and sea excursion booked for Gaspe, and we are going to have fun playing tourists in our own back yard in NYC.  Depending on the weather, we might walk the Highline or hop a ride on the Circle Line since it's so close.

[Peregrina651]

7 hours ago, janetcbl said:

According to the Biodome website, this amazing museum is closed for renovations until December 1019.

 

Sad that folks won't get to see it this year but glad that is is being renovated.

 

 

[agnesd]

We have signed for the 9/11 tour. We live on Long Island and never seem to get there. It is a painful place to visit since it affected so many that we knew.  

[janetcbl]

9 hours ago, janetcbl said:

According to the Biodome website, this amazing museum is closed for renovations until December 1019.

 

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Sad that folks won't get to see it this year but glad that is is being renovated.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, janetcbl said:

According to the Biodome website, this amazing museum is closed for renovations until December 2019

“2019”

Edited August 9, 2019 by janetcbl
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