Are Saint John Excursion Times Adjusted for Tides?

[Shipshape7]

I've booked a shore excursion to St. Martin through Carnival on July 1st. I know that low tide will be at 2PM that day and my chief interest in taking this tour is visiting the sea caves, which I understand are only accessible for about 2 hours before and after low tide. I read a post that seemed to imply that the ships adjust their excursion times to sync with the tides in Saint John, but am wondering if this is really true. Does anyone know?

[Acey]

I've booked a shore excursion to St. Martin through Carnival on July 1st. I know that low tide will be at 2PM that day and my chief interest in taking this tour is visiting the sea caves, which I understand are only accessible for about 2 hours before and after low tide. I read a post that seemed to imply that the ships adjust their excursion times to sync with the tides in Saint John, but am wondering if this is really true. Does anyone know? This is a very port specific situation unique to Saint John, so I doubt the Carnival employees will even know what I'm talking about if I call.

 

Freedom tours is one of the excursion providers - they can definitively answer your question: 800 561 2324 lenab@freedomtours.com

[Shipshape7]

Freedom tours is one of the excursion providers - they can definitively answer your question: 800 561 2324 lenab@freedomtours.com

 

Acey, thank you so much! I'm sure that is the best way to get an answer to my question. As usual, you know what there is to know about Saint John!

[Acey]

Acey, thank you so much! I'm sure that is the best way to get an answer to my question. As usual, you know what there is to know about Saint John!

 

Can you kindly post the answer if you find out - I`m curious - good question...

[Shipshape7]

Can you kindly post the answer if you find out - I`m curious - good question...

 

Yes, of course. I'll call them tomorrow (Wednesday) and post what they tell me. Thanks again for the assistance.

[DanJ]

Make sure you take a picture of the ship at the pier when you get off, and then again when you get back on. We boarded on a different deck than we got off from a few hours earlier.

[Shipshape7]

Can you kindly post the answer if you find out - I`m curious - good question...

 

Freedom Tours responded that they are not Carnival's tour operator and only do independent tours. I have to say that I find it curious that they use the exact same wording in their description of the tour that Carnival does. The duration is identical, the price nearly identical and they are using what sound like large busses. Also Freedom is only $4 less than what Carnival is charging, if I'm remembering correctly. They certainly LOOK like they are actually the tour operator. Perhaps they just want people to book independently so they will not have to pay Carnival's commission? However, they did say that it is their policy to adjust the excursion time to suit the tide whenever possible.

[Middleager]

Newfounland government is starting a project. They will control the tides to be at a constant schedule each day. It'll become 12noon and 12 midnight for low tide, and 6am and 6pm for high tide.

 

This will allow fisherman, tour companies, and naturalists, a much more conveniently timed set of activities.

 

The estimated start date of the Tide control system, is Apr. 1, 2010.

[Middleager]

Ok, enough of my nonsense above. I'm on the same sailing, and we'll like to go to St. Martin. So I also wondered about low tide time. Fortunately by the time we get there, it'll be before low tide and a good time to walk the caves.

 

I also found out on July 1, Canada Day, the NB museum will be open, free of charge. It was the same thing a few years ago when we were at Ottawa. So it's probably like that in many museums.

[Shipshape7]

Ok, enough of my nonsense above. I'm on the same sailing, and we'll like to go to St. Martin. So I also wondered about low tide time. Fortunately by the time we get there, it'll be before low tide and a good time to walk the caves.

 

I also found out on July 1, Canada Day, the NB museum will be open, free of charge. It was the same thing a few years ago when we were at Ottawa. So it's probably like that in many museums.

 

First, a correction (to my post, not yours): Freedom Tours does not use large busses and the price they quoted me was Canadian, which is 30 per cent less than American funds.

 

As far as us being there at a good time, I'm not sure about that although I certainly hope that will be the case for us. The tour leaves at 9:30 AM and low tide will be at 2:10 PM on July 1st (if the government doesn't intervene;)). It is an hour's drive to St. Martins and the caves are accessible for an hour and a half before and an hour and a half after 2:10 tide. Doing the math, 12:40 is the start of the accessible period and you need about a half hour to walk accross the beach to the caves and back, plus the time to regroup, plus an hour to get back to Saint John. We have to be back on the ship at 3:30. That is all doable except that Carnival's tour ends with an unspecified time period dedicated to shopping at the Old City Market. If they swing things around so that we have our shopping time before going up to St. Martins, that will work out fine. Otherwise it looks to me as though we might be headed back too early. I'm told this excursion is very popular and was hoping to hear from those who have taken the ship's tour exactly what their experience was.

[Shipshape7]

I've booked a shore excursion to St. Martin through Carnival on July 1st. I know that low tide will be at 2PM that day and my chief interest in taking this tour is visiting the sea caves, which I understand are only accessible for about 2 hours before and after low tide. I read a post that seemed to imply that the ships adjust their excursion times to sync with the tides in Saint John, but am wondering if this is really true. Does anyone know?

 

I was able to find out the answer, so I thought I would post it for the information of anyone else who might want the information. Aquila Tours is Carnival's operator in Saint John and they have told me that they DO make every attempt to get people to to St. Martin at a time when they will be able to view the sea caves. They are usually able to accomplish this by changing the order in which they visit the several sights included in this tour.