CRUISE Canada / New England: Top Tips for Smooth Sailing

Cruising Eastern Canada / New England

5 tips for smooth sailing

By Toby Saltzman

Maximize your experiences with a pre- or post-cruise stay

This will give you time to feel the sense of place, to linger like a local charming cafés, leisurely stroll through parks and outdoor markets and take in cultural happenings at, say, jazz clubs, live theatre or ballet.

My suggestions for Quebec City:

Fairmont Chateau Frontenac for historic grandeur.

Auberge Saint-Antoine for luxurious accommodations and culinary style.

and Hilton Quebec City for its lofty view over the Old City:

My suggestion for Boston:

Westin Copley Place for great location and views stretching to the harbour.

Plan with your personal style in mind

Before booking, consider the options and your budget. Do you need a suite for lingering, or can you trade a smaller space for splurging in shops or the spa? Before pre-booking spa treatments, know that they’re typically cheaper on port days, but sublimely indulgent on sea days, especially for couples who relish retreating to the private spa terraces. Pack appropriately for your activities, with shoes and layers of clothes all types of weather. Be a savvy cruiser: read the daily roster of activities for enrichment activities, show times and lectures. Maximize your thrills at arrivals and sail-aways by getting out early on deck or your balcony. Take it from me: your photos and memories of approaching the ports will be worth waking early.

Choose shore excursions with your fitness level in mind

Navigating the sea of options for shore excursions can be awesome. Before deciding whether to buy into the ship’s guided, group excursions, it’s worth researching the itinerary’s various ports’ activities. Know your fitness level before planning a long walking tour, hiking or kayaking expedition. Consider the distance before going solo. Independent touring is typically easy near the port, say, in Halifax Harbour where you can spend a day visiting museums, hopping on a harbour cruise and sampling seafood at shore side eateries. But before venturing a great distance, say, from Charlottetown for a cycling tour of PEI, or from Sydney to Fortress Louisbourg, or Halifax to Peggy’s Cove, you must be confident that you’ll return on time. Ships depart promptly, and passengers incur the costs of flying to meet the ship at the next port of call. Especially for an intergenerational family intent on travelling together, it’s smart to consult the ship’s concierge for a private guide with van.   

Maximize your budget and luxury quotient

If budget counts, book the lowest level accommodation on the ship. You’ll enjoy the itinerary and have access to public lounges, dining rooms and amenities whether you’re in an interior cabin, one with an obstructed view, or a balcony suite.

Book early with a cruise expert. It’s possible to score last-minute Internet deals, but cruise lines typically offer their best rates – often with substantial bonuses such as free air fare – at least six months to a year in advance. An expert cruise agent may be able to glean lower-than-advertised rates, upgraded cabins from interior to ocean-view, or from balcony to spa suites, or shipboard credits for the spa, and exclusive shore excursions. And in case of later price reductions, an agent can re-price your cruise without penalty. Booking early assures the choice pick of accommodations in your price range. The first to go? The cheapest cabins; the most expensive suites.

Adult couples who prefer to shy away from the masses can score cabins with access to a private, restricted lounge. For intergenerational families, an agent can wangle a reduced group rate and allocate appropriate cabins. For Example, on Holland America Line: perhaps a Vista Suite for grandparents, smaller suite for parents and inside room for kids.

Stretch your vacation dollars and save on flights by driving or taking VIA Rail to Quebec City. I met several families with kids who figured that cruise the round-trip loop from Quebec City to Boston to Quebec City, they could save on airfare and double the experiences in each port. As the cruise line typically discounts the second week, it was almost the same price to sail the round trip as to fly home from Boston after the first week.

Combine economy and peace of mind by booking the cruise line’s fly-sail packages. They typically include transfers to and from the airports and guarantee timely flight arrivals, so you don’t risk you risk missing the ship with flight delays. Most importantly, ensure that you have appropriate travel insurance, identification and visas. 

Know your vacation costs up front

Most premium and luxury cruise ships plying this exciting itinerary include an “all-inclusive” policy includes accommodations, meals, entertainment and use of the ship’s facilities and public spaces. It’s pays to find out in advance if you should expect extra charges for soft drinks, wines, spirits and gourmet coffees. Premiums for dining in the specialty restaurants (often starting at about $25 per person) are worth the gourmet experience.  Check if the cruise line includes gratuities, or if this will be added to your account. Some lines offer complimentary babysitting during dinner. The top luxury lines typically include wine with dinner,  all alcoholic beverages and specialty coffees; but if these are optional and you enjoy imbibing beer and/or wine, it’s possible to buy discounted packages for both. For kids who can easily guzzle the budget in soft drinks, it’s worth buying a soft drink package or restricting them to complimentary juice or iced tea from the dining room canteen.   

Bon Voyage! 

Copyright 2017 Travelterrific Inc. Toby Saltzman