Going to Saguenay vs Portland and too many ports possible

[latebuyer]

There is a norwegian gem cruise next year and quebec city to boston goes to portland and boston to quebec city goes to saguenay. Is there a preference between the 2? The added wrinkle is the one to portland the stop in charlottetown is 1 to 8 which isn’t great.

 

I’m also wondering if too many stops is a good thing. I’ve been debating between a princess cruise this year that has 8 stops (including boston and quebec vs 6 stops on norwegian gem next year. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by the number of stops and excursions. I don’t know if people felt that way on the cruise. I feel the 6 port cruise hits the high spots but is more expensive per night. I’m not sure.

[latebuyer]

Just to add charlottetown, halifax and sydney are main ones i want to go to.

[Alberta Quilter]

My vote is for Saguenay!  Lovely port, lovely people.  I quite enjoyed Portland, too, but I've only been there once.  I've been to Saguenay three times.  And going up and down the fjord is very scenic.

 

As for feeling overwhelmed with ports/research, etc, just take it one port at a time.  Set up a spreadsheet with your entire itinerary on it and start making notes for each port.  Read the cruise line shorex choices to see what options are available and then read reviews and start to narrow down to what interests you.  Read the various threads in this forum.  Read prior roll call threads.  Read every single Live From thread that you can!  The amount of information on this site is amazing.

 

For Sydney, I recommend going to Fortress Louisbourg for a first time visitor but there are lots of other interesting tours.  We also did the Cabot Trail.  On one visit to Halifax, we went to Mahone Bay and Lunenburg, another time, we did a private taxi tour to Peggy's Cove, had a lobster lunch, and saw the Titanic cemetery.  The third time, we walked along the waterfront, had lunch and walked back.  We also did the Immigration Museum right at the port on one visit.  In Charlottetown, one time we did a private tour around the island.  The other time, we stayed in town and had more lobster!  One time we missed the port due to high winds.

 

If you do choose the itinerary with Saguenay, I highly recommend the ship tour to the show that the townspeople put on depicting their history.  I found it quite entertaining.  They are the same performers who welcome the ships when they dock.  

 

Hope that helps!

[tring]

Another vote for Saguenay.  Far better than Portland imo and we saw Beluga whales coming out of the fjord.

 

I also recommend seeing their local show, which has a really big cast, all volunteers.

 

There is not much near the port itself, but it is a beautiful region, so it is one place I would suggest an excursion.

 

 

Edited Sunday at 09:42 PM by tring

[latebuyer]

Thanks for the feedback. Its strange as i am not seeing that show advertised as norwegian or princess excursions. I wonder if its no longer offered?

[tring]

13 hours ago, latebuyer said:

Thanks for the feedback. Its strange as i am not seeing that show advertised as norwegian or princess excursions. I wonder if its no longer offered?

 

It was some years since we went there, perhaps even as much as ten years, before the main cruise lines started to visit.  Perhaps they have stopped it as it was a very big production, staged by volunteers, (unless that had changed nor recently).  It was a story of the origins of the community, including setbacks, such as a big fire.

 

I got the impression it was largely to encourage visitors and, perhaps especially cruise ships, which is hardly needed now.  So perhaps it is no longer done, or perhaps it is connected to your time in port.  It would still be an excellent port imo, but as I said not much near the port, so more a take an excursion to somewhere out into the lovely surrounding area.  Also the sail in and out of the fjord was brilliant, but we were in overnight, with both of those done in daylight.  If done very early morning, or after dark, it would be a sad loss.  I think the sail in/out could have taken as much as two hours, but I am not sure on that.  Others who have been more recently may be able to clarify that.  

 

Some people like Portland, it was ok for the one visit we had, but nothing special.  Our visit was on a Sunday though, which may have played a part in that.

 

Edited Monday at 11:27 AM by tring

[Alberta Quilter]

It seems to still be on according to the local tourism website:  https://saguenaylacsaintjean.ca/en/attraction/quoi-faire/la-fabuleuse-histoire-dun-royaume

 

The actual website (https://fabuleuse.com) for the show was not available this morning so I couldn’t  check that.  The name of the show is La Fabuleuse Histoire d'un Royaume.  As I recall, it is usually performed in French but on cruise ship days, there is a performance in English for passengers.

[latebuyer]

Thanks both. It is weird the cruise ships don’t seem to go there but i’ll check it out. Thats good to hear about portland. The only thing i thought may be worthwhile is seeing the lighthouses but i guess there is peggys cove for that.

Edited Monday at 02:23 PM by latebuyer

[loretta]

On a HAL cruise in Portland, we did the mail ferry Casco Bay Islands Ferry Schedule - Leaving Portland, Maine (cascobaylines.com). I want to it again on my next cruise this August. Very easy walk from the cruise dock and was pretty inexpensive. I don't know if it was the captain or someone else, but they gave us a lot of information about the history and population of most of the islands we stopped at. It was fascinating to see what was dropped off at some of the stops- one was just one 2'x4'! For other stops there were stacks of food wrapped up in cling wrap in banana boxes that were refrigerated until shortly before we left and lots of pallets of booze. We enjoyed the journey and hearing about the amount of time it takes to get back and forth and seeing the effort it takes to live on the islands. Not much time to get off except at one stop for ten minutes, which I didn't do, but it very enjoyable. You can bring your own food if you feel you need it. I think we took the 10 am and was back in Portland in time to have a leisurely lunch (lobster rolls!) and then back to the ship.

 

There weren't any whales though!

[latebuyer]

Thank you. I think my preference is to go on the 10 day cruise this year that goes to saguenay and portland. Unfortunately i'm waiting for biopsy results so that plan may be torpedoed. Then there is a 7 day norwegian cruise next year that goes to saguenay. I'm thinking bar harbour may be replaced with portland and that would be ideal. Then a round trip 10 day new york is tempting as direct flights are so nice! Anyways i am a bit all over the map but i appreciate the comments. I wondered what the mail boat thread was about! 

[latebuyer]

Just to add, thanks for description of saguenay as thats what keeps me interested in annoying quebec to boston route. I can go to quebec city another time.

[CCJack]

Good luck with the biopsy results, lets hope that torpedo misses by a long ways! 

 

In my opinion Quebec City is one of the most beautiful cities in N. America and a perfect cruise stop as the ship will dock right in the old town.   You can walk everywhere.   It would be a don't miss stop for me.

 

Saguenay was very enjoyable.   The sail in / out in the Fjord is really nice.   We went to the national parked and hiked up the Fjord.   As others have said, there is not a lot around the ship so you need to have a plan / excursion there.

 

Good luck. 

 

Edited Tuesday at 02:32 PM by CCJack

[latebuyer]

Thank you. I live in vancouver so i can fly direct to montreal and get to quebec city easily. It does seem like i can take a bus to saguenay and take a fjord cruise. I like a plan b. Still i hope this year’s cruise works out. I’ve heard cruising the st. Lawrence river is scenic as well? Also i discovered that saguenay show is only available in the summer.

Edited Tuesday at 03:21 PM by latebuyer