projecthandbag Posted March 5, 2023 #1 Share Posted March 5, 2023 Hello, What is the procedure for the day we dock in Montreal on a back to back from Boston? Will we be able to get off the ship early to sightsee or do we have to meet onboard and clear customs before being allowed to disembark? If staying onboard, does anyone know the time frame? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mets123 Posted March 5, 2023 #2 Share Posted March 5, 2023 You'd have to clear customs. Check the cruise lines schedule for a better understanding of the times. More importantly, it might be illegal. Technically you're cruising Boston to Boston without stopping at a distant foreign port. I'm sure there are many others who could explain the legality, but I can't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted March 6, 2023 #3 Share Posted March 6, 2023 3 hours ago, mets123 said: You'd have to clear customs. Check the cruise lines schedule for a better understanding of the times. More importantly, it might be illegal. Technically you're cruising Boston to Boston without stopping at a distant foreign port. I'm sure there are many others who could explain the legality, but I can't. It's most certainly a legal cruise. Boston to Boston is a closed loop cruise so it only requires a port call at any foreign port. A distant foreign port call isn't required. You need to visit a distant foreign port if you're on an open jaw cruise from one US port to a different US port. For example you can't cruise from Boston to New York with just port calls in Canada. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d9704011 Posted March 6, 2023 #4 Share Posted March 6, 2023 11 hours ago, projecthandbag said: Hello, What is the procedure for the day we dock in Montreal on a back to back from Boston? Will we be able to get off the ship early to sightsee or do we have to meet onboard and clear customs before being allowed to disembark? If staying onboard, does anyone know the time frame? Thank you. Presumably, you'll be stopping in a Canadian port prior to reaching Montreal (Saint John, Halifax, Carlottetown, Quebec). You'll clear Canadian Immigration and Customs on arrival at your first port of call and Montreal will not involve that bit of officialdom. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
projecthandbag Posted March 6, 2023 Author #5 Share Posted March 6, 2023 Thank you everyone, We are stopping in Bar Harbor, Maine and several Canadian ports. I think my confusion came from a 14 day cruise returning to Fort Lauderdale after 7 days where we had to meet in the theatre and exit the ship and go through customs before returning to the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTJ Posted March 10, 2023 #6 Share Posted March 10, 2023 On 3/5/2023 at 8:38 PM, njhorseman said: You need to visit a distant foreign port if you're on an open jaw cruise from one US port to a different US port. For example you can't cruise from Boston to New York with just port calls in Canada. To expand on that example of an unlawful itinerary: if the vessel were scheduled to cruise from Boston to Montréal, and its subsequent cruise were scheduled from Montréal to New York, then a person could cruise one itinerary or the other (i.e., from Boston to Montréal, or from Montréal to New York), but could not cruise back-to-back (because that would be a cruise from Boston to New York). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGinMTL Posted April 22, 2023 #7 Share Posted April 22, 2023 I would say that yes, you can visit Montreal. The process you described is to make it easier for b2b guests who just want to get back on the ship. These are 2 cruises,. The Canadian govt will clear guests as per their process at the end of cruise one. You are not even " in transit,` as you will actually be spending Aprox 10 days in the country Please, get off the ship and enjoy our beautiful Montreal,. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
projecthandbag Posted April 29, 2023 Author #8 Share Posted April 29, 2023 On 4/22/2023 at 4:42 PM, CGinMTL said: Please, get off the ship and enjoy our beautiful Montreal,. I have already purchased tickets to see the Basilique Notre-Dame. I love visiting churches and cathedrals (and Basilicas!) Our friends have never visited a large church so I think they will be surprised. What else do you suggest we do other than walk in the old town/port area? Thank you, JoAnne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d9704011 Posted April 29, 2023 #9 Share Posted April 29, 2023 22 minutes ago, projecthandbag said: I have already purchased tickets to see the Basilique Notre-Dame. I love visiting churches and cathedrals (and Basilicas!) Our friends have never visited a large church so I think they will be surprised. What else do you suggest we do other than walk in the old town/port area? Thank you, JoAnne Make your way to Place Jacques-Cartier and the Bonsecours Market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGinMTL Posted April 29, 2023 #10 Share Posted April 29, 2023 All depends on weather If you get rain, there are 2 amazing museums in the old port ( la calliere and the science center) Also, the 2nd floor of the terminal building is actually free If beautiful, the botanical gardens is nice, you can get there on the Subway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lx200gps Posted April 29, 2023 #11 Share Posted April 29, 2023 5 hours ago, projecthandbag said: I have already purchased tickets to see the Basilique Notre-Dame. I love visiting churches and cathedrals (and Basilicas!) Our friends have never visited a large church so I think they will be surprised. What else do you suggest we do other than walk in the old town/port area? Thank you, JoAnne If you really love BIG churches and basilicas, and you have the time, then St Joseph's Oratory would probably be of interest. It would be maybe a 20 or 30 minute taxi/Uber ride from the port/Old Montreal https://www.saint-joseph.org/en/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
projecthandbag Posted May 11, 2023 Author #12 Share Posted May 11, 2023 Oh, that Oratory is beautiful too! Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lx200gps Posted May 12, 2023 #13 Share Posted May 12, 2023 19 hours ago, projecthandbag said: Oh, that Oratory is beautiful too! Thank you. You're quite welcome. I forgot another option, closer to the port and in the very center of downtown Montreal. Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral is the go-to church for major ceremonies such as VVVIP funerals, etc. and worth a visit https://www.diocesemontreal.org/en/lets-connect/churches-parishes/mary-queen-world-cathedral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d9704011 Posted May 12, 2023 #14 Share Posted May 12, 2023 2 hours ago, lx200gps said: You're quite welcome. I forgot another option, closer to the port and in the very center of downtown Montreal. Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral is the go-to church for major ceremonies such as VVVIP funerals, etc. and worth a visit https://www.diocesemontreal.org/en/lets-connect/churches-parishes/mary-queen-world-cathedral If a visitor to Montreal is interested in places of worship, they ought to check this out: https://centrebell.ca/en/guided-tours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfish Posted May 14, 2023 #15 Share Posted May 14, 2023 When we did this Boston/Montreal/Boston b2b in 2018, there were no protocols to adhere to in Montreal. We did get a letter explaining that we were free to leave the ship and visit the city. We had special passes that allowed us to bypass all the check in lines when we wanted to reboard. We got off around 9:30, walked around town, had lunch, and returned mid-afternoon. On that particular voyage we were required to do muster again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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