alabama ghost Posted June 12, 2009 #1 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Has anyone been to this port? Is there anything to do if you don't take a shore excursion? (Haven't had much response on the Ports board.) Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaMar Posted June 12, 2009 #2 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Has anyone been to this port? Is there anything to do if you don't take a shore excursion? (Haven't had much response on the Ports board.) Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks! I've done two Canada/New England cruises and I have never seen this port in the itinerary :confused: When are you cruising? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanJ Posted June 12, 2009 #3 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Saguenay is in Quebec so it's on those itineraries that either begin or end in Quebec City or some of the longer cruises out of New York. I believe you actually tender into the town of Bagotville, home to eastern Canada's fighter airbase. I've never been there, so I can't say what the port town is like, or what private tours there might be. I would think, given it's location, that language could be an issue in some stores. It's bad enough trying to get somebody to speak English down along the TransCanada Highway east of Montreal, let alone up in the more remote areas of Quebec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaMar Posted June 12, 2009 #4 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Thanks for the info DanJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabama ghost Posted June 12, 2009 Author #5 Share Posted June 12, 2009 We're on a 10-day cruise from New York to Quebec and our last stop prior to Quebec is Port Saguenay. It just seems difficult to find anything out about this stop. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaMar Posted June 12, 2009 #6 Share Posted June 12, 2009 That sounds like a nice cruise. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananavan Posted June 12, 2009 #7 Share Posted June 12, 2009 We took a Canada/New England cruise on Celebrity four years ago. We sailed the Saguenay river. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful places to be. It is so peaceful and rugged. We did not stop anywhere but the captain sailed the area very slowly in order that we could enjoy the beauty. I have unbelievable pictures of the sunrise on that day. I have no clue as to where you would stop for a day tour there. Does it give a town name, or does it say, at sea/Saguenay? Whatever it is I think that you will love this part of the trip. I hope that this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabama ghost Posted June 12, 2009 Author #8 Share Posted June 12, 2009 All I know is that it's a tender port and in some of the excursions they refer to the Saguenay Region and La Baie. I guess it'll be a mystery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanJ Posted June 12, 2009 #9 Share Posted June 12, 2009 In the past few years, many towns and small cities in Ontario and Quebec have amalgamated with other nearby towns to form a larger municipality, basically to save money on local government costs. But the towns still maintain their old identity. Such is the case with Saguenay Quebec. It is made up of the towns of La Baie, Bagotville, Chicoutimi, Jonquiere and a few other smaller towns. It has a rather large geographical footprint, but La Baie and Bagotville are where the ships anchor and tender in. If you have Google Earth, there are lots of pictures on there of cruise ships in the Bay. There is even one picture of the Eurodam docked there last fall, so it might even be that more ships dock there instead of tender now. I would suspect many of the tours would go to the larger population centers of Chicoutimi and Jonquiere (60,000 or so each), 10-15 miles away. La Baie area is around 20,000 people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mii Posted June 12, 2009 #10 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I just put in my search engine the name of the port and all sorts of stuff comes up. I do not know if that will help or not but also try Googling it too. Marilyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love2cruise42 Posted June 12, 2009 #11 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I am looking for a private tour for Ville Saguenay. Any suggestions? That is our first stop after leaving Quebec... Jackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabama ghost Posted June 12, 2009 Author #12 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Thanks for all your information. It's interesting to know that it's a combination of various towns that just recently merged. I would also like to know if there are any private tours available from that area. Keep it coming! (Even though I misspelled Saguenay in the header!) Pam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KENANDPAT Posted June 12, 2009 #13 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Look up saguenay-travelguide on google. There is a lot of info on Saguenay and LaBaie. Museums, activities, festivals/events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevroeil Posted June 14, 2009 #14 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Hi, I actually come from Ville saguenay. As of the month of May, Ships dock at La Baie. They do not tender anymore. There are a couple of local vendors for souvenir on the dock. There is a very nice restaurant at the dock called Bistro Victoria. Just don'T expect everyone to speak perfect english, as it is a REALLY french region. You can find al sorts of information on this site. http://www.ville.saguenay.qc.ca/tourisme/Cruises/croisiere/horaire_navire.htm?lang=en&ouvrir=Cruises I imagine that booking tours through the ship would be much more expensive, as it always is!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabama ghost Posted June 14, 2009 Author #15 Share Posted June 14, 2009 It's great to hear from someone who's actually from there! Also good to hear it's no longer a tender port. But my question now is HOW FRENCH? In other words, if I can't speak French should I take a cruise line excursion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seabee Posted June 14, 2009 #16 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Ghost...I just moved from MGM last year. Lived in Wynlakes and loved it. We did the NE?Canada cruise a few years ago and it was excellent...Quebec was extremely nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabama ghost Posted June 15, 2009 Author #17 Share Posted June 15, 2009 SeaBee:Glad you enjoyed the Canada/NE trip and Quebec. How's your French? We live a few miles from Wynlakes; where is Lake Norman? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailingpeace Posted June 15, 2009 #18 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Bonjour ( hello in the province ( somewhat similar to a state ) of Quebec), there is some way understandable confusion starting with the names of the place. Saguenay is a river that goes up ( a beautiful fjord) to Saguenay city, wich is the new name for the merged cities of Bagotville, la Baie ( I'll spare you the in betwen fusions) and Port Alfred ( you will sound smart mentionning knowing about that one when you get there ! ). That is close to Chicoutimi city. In addition to that, ther is a city called Quebec ( great port to visit !!! Unesco site- on new England cruises) within the "Province" of Quebec. Quebec "city" is a few hours drive from the entrance of Saguenay river. So , on the Saguenay river, on your way up to Saguenay city, you are in Quebec ( province) , getting away from Quebec ( city). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnsteph Posted June 16, 2009 #19 Share Posted June 16, 2009 We cruised up the Saguenay Fjord in early October 2004 on the Regal Princess from New York to Montreal. We saw stunning Fall colors along the St. Lawrence and alongside Saguenay Fjord. We also saw plenty of white Beluga whales, especially near the entrance of the fjord near the town of Tadoussac, Quebec. The Beluga whales appeared about 50-100 feet in front of the ship in groups (pods). Then they got shy and disappeared under the water as the ship got closer. If you want to see these interesting white whales, stand on a forward-facing deck as the ship enters the fjord. Enjoy your cruise.:) David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevroeil Posted June 16, 2009 #20 Share Posted June 16, 2009 The people doing the tours are most likely bilingual. But the shop keepers aren't all... or a little bit.. They do try very hard though! and there's always a way to understand each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxeysandy Posted June 16, 2009 #21 Share Posted June 16, 2009 My husband and I will be cruising with Alabama Ghost from NY to Quebec City in mid to late October, and we would really love to see the Belugas! Did your ship actually cruise on the fjord? Ours is the Crown Princess, which I believe is larger. Do you think we'll go through the same area? I'd planned on booking the Princess "Land and Sea" shore excursion which included a trip on the fjord, but that has been cancelled. The other option is a zodiac or kayak, but we're not quite that adventurous. Maybe we'll look into an independent tour through one of the sites mentioned previously on this thread. Everyone has been so helpful, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron Posted June 16, 2009 #22 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Si vous prenez ou choisissez une croisiere avec des portes dans la Province de Quebec, ca sera une bonne opportunite a decider de prendre des lecons en francais. There are two official languages in Canada, English, and French. Quebecois French is the most prevalent in Quebec. For those who can speak Parisien French, you may encounter some difficulties with Quebecois French as it is an older form of French that has not evolved to the extent of Parisien French, that is to say it has not been bastardized by the Anglophone world to the extent that Parisien French has. For example, a traffic STOP sign in France will in many cases stay "STOP" whereas in Quebec it will probably say "ARRET". Ne permettez pas la difference des langues a faire decider de prendre une croisiere dans une des plus belles et uniques provinces dans notre pays, Canada. If you were going on a European cruise from Barcelona, to France, to Italy, to Greece and Turkey, would you allow that to stop you from experiencing other cultures and languages....NO OF COURSE NOT, so don't let it bother you that the ship will call at a port or two in a part of Canada where English is not the primary language. Bon Voyage and I hope you enjoy your ports of call in one of the most multicultural countries in the world, Canada. Ciao for now!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AAAAmerican Posted June 16, 2009 #23 Share Posted June 16, 2009 What a wonderful are and people. Flora as well fauna! Knowing a little Canadian French is so much better than not. I remember going there when I was a very young lad and had double and triple yolk chicken eggs too. As in anything do your research on what you want , wish to do and can afford. Plans should always have Plan A, B, C,D, e etc.... If you want also bring something from where you reside and share it with the people which live there. I was last there on the Anniversary 1608 a.dd to 2008 a.d last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabama ghost Posted June 16, 2009 Author #24 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Bonjour and merci for all the help and information. I'm really looking forward to this port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seabee Posted June 16, 2009 #25 Share Posted June 16, 2009 SeaBee:Glad you enjoyed the Canada/NE trip and Quebec. How's your French? We live a few miles from Wynlakes; where is Lake Norman? Lake Norman is 30 miles north of Charlotte, NC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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