Canada/New England Cruise

[Susie53]

We have booked a 10-day cruise from NY to Quebec City.  Every day but one has a port scheduled and we are trying to make our way through the excursion choices.  Interested if anyone knows which ports might be easier (or possible) for going out on your own and which would be better suited to a planned excursion. Especially interested in info about Newport, RI since it is a tender port and although we are scheduled to be there until 5 in the afternoon, all the Princess excursions begin at 7:30 in the morning and are pretty much over by noon.  Other ports are Boston, Bar Harbor, St. John, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, and Quebec City. Thanks!

[John99]

35 minutes ago, Susie53 said:

We have booked a 10-day cruise from NY to Quebec City.  Every day but one has a port scheduled and we are trying to make our way through the excursion choices.  Interested if anyone knows which ports might be easier (or possible) for going out on your own and which would be better suited to a planned excursion. Especially interested in info about Newport, RI since it is a tender port and although we are scheduled to be there until 5 in the afternoon, all the Princess excursions begin at 7:30 in the morning and are pretty much over by noon.  Other ports are Boston, Bar Harbor, St. John, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, and Quebec City. Thanks!

Self-guided tour – Newport

 

All dollar amounts shown are Pre-Pandemic. 

Walk to Gateway Transportation Bus Station & Visitor Center.

Turn left (north) from the tender dock along America's Cup Ave.

Purchase an all-day ticket from RIPTA for $6 at the center.

Bus #67 (trolley) which takes you to the mansions.

Purchase a 2-house ticket @ $25.99pp from Newport Mansions Org.

Tour The Breakers and Marble House & Grounds -- plan on 1 ½ hours per mansion.

The Breakers opens at 9 a.m. (Bus stop # 3).

Marble House opens at 10 am. (Bus stop #5).

If time allows check out the Cliff Walk (partial walk).  Access points are limited.

Take the trolley back to the Gateway Center.

Visit Bowen's Wharf and Bannister's Wharf.

Optional - Visit Thames Street (very short walk from the harbor) which has many nautical shops

Or take a walk near the harbor to view the sail boats.

Note:  The same Princess Tour was $84.95pp

John

[geocruiser]

You can also get info here:

https://www.discovernewport.org/about-newport/visitor-center/

[Susie53]

13 hours ago, John99 said:

Self-guided tour – Newport

 

All dollar amounts shown are Pre-Pandemic. 

Walk to Gateway Transportation Bus Station & Visitor Center.

Turn left (north) from the tender dock along America's Cup Ave.

Purchase an all-day ticket from RIPTA for $6 at the center.

Bus #67 (trolley) which takes you to the mansions.

Purchase a 2-house ticket @ $25.99pp from Newport Mansions Org.

Tour The Breakers and Marble House & Grounds -- plan on 1 ½ hours per mansion.

The Breakers opens at 9 a.m. (Bus stop # 3).

Marble House opens at 10 am. (Bus stop #5).

If time allows check out the Cliff Walk (partial walk).  Access points are limited.

Take the trolley back to the Gateway Center.

Visit Bowen's Wharf and Bannister's Wharf.

Optional - Visit Thames Street (very short walk from the harbor) which has many nautical shops

Or take a walk near the harbor to view the sail boats.

Note:  The same Princess Tour was $84.95pp

John

Thanks for the tip!

[BarbinMich]

23 hours ago, Susie53 said:

. . . Especially interested in info about Newport, RI since it is a tender port and although we are scheduled to be there until 5 in the afternoon, all the Princess excursions begin at 7:30 in the morning and are pretty much over by noon.  Other ports are Boston, Bar Harbor, St. John, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, and Quebec City. Thanks!

Never been to Newport, but it looks wonderful.  Been to all the other ports as well.  In Boston we used the Hop-on, Hop-off trolley to get around to the sites.  In Bar Harbor, the park is accessible by a bus as I recall.  St. John is walkable (New Brunswick, I assume) although it's a steep uphill to the main city, Citadel, etc.  There is a nice museum near the dock, though.  Sydney is quite walkable as is Charlottetown unless you want to see the "Anne of Green Gables" house.  Likewise with Quebec city--there is a water level and more historic area near the ship.  They have an escalator (something similar to get up to the main part of the city).  Enjoy!

[declansdad]

2 hours ago, BarbinMich said:

Never been to Newport, but it looks wonderful.  Been to all the other ports as well.  In Boston we used the Hop-on, Hop-off trolley to get around to the sites.  In Bar Harbor, the park is accessible by a bus as I recall.  St. John is walkable (New Brunswick, I assume) although it's a steep uphill to the main city, Citadel, etc.  There is a nice museum near the dock, though.  Sydney is quite walkable as is Charlottetown unless you want to see the "Anne of Green Gables" house.  Likewise with Quebec city--there is a water level and more historic area near the ship.  They have an escalator (something similar to get up to the main part of the city).  Enjoy!

 

 

It's Saint John not St . John. The NB Museum is a short walk from cruise terminal but there is no Citadel in Saint John. That is in Halifax.

[1kaper]

Sydney is walkable but there isn't a ton to do around the port itself.  It is a very small downtown area.  There are a few good restaurants, craft beer gardens, a few shops.  The port itself has a pretty decent craft fair and some shops.  There is a historical walking tours.  Some of the restaurants have entertainment playing while cruises are in. 

The best parts of Cape Breton are a drive away.  

[BarbinMich]

15 hours ago, declansdad said:

 

 

It's Saint John not St . John. The NB Museum is a short walk from cruise terminal but there is no Citadel in Saint John. That is in Halifax.

Thanks for the corrections!  It's been 9 years since we were at both those ports so guess my memory isn't what it used to be!