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»	Cruise Talk » Ports of Call and Destinations » What to do in Halifax and St.John?

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Topic: What to do in Halifax and St.John?

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 11-17-2000 07:33 AM

What is there to do in Halifax and St.John? Are there excursions offered?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 11-17-2000 08:15 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Malcolm:
What is there to do in Halifax and St.John? Are there excursions offered?

There's lots to do in Halifax. The Maritime Museum is there, the Citadel, Peggy's Cove, one of the excursions is called Titanic Connection - so much to see and do. I will e-mail you a list as it is too long to list here - I was browsing through HAL's list of excursions the other night as LizB, NAL & I will be there next September and couldn't figure out what to do.Last time I was there my husband walked up to the Citadel and I went to the British Properties - a group of renovated stores down on the waterfront and did some shopping, then we had lunch at a restaurant right on the water. This time I think I will go on one of the excursions or take a cab as I can pay for the cab in Cdn $'s and the excursions are in US $'s
Now do you mean St. John, New Brunswick, or St. John's Newfoundland?????
Are you going on the Norway's last Transatlantic Cruise with Joe?

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

DCM
First Class Passenger
Member # 1454

posted 11-17-2000 08:28 AM

Downtown Halifax is only a short (1/2 to 3/4 mile) walk from the dock. There's a nice Maritime Museum with a few relics from the Titanic. There's also The Citadel, an old fort up on the hill (a smaller scale version of the San Juan forts). There's a nice park (can't remember the name). There's a small brewery. Outside of Halifax, you can go to Peggy's Cove, a small fishing village and site of the Swissair crash. I personally wasn't that impressed with Peggy's Cove and would recommend downtown Halifax as there is more than enough to see there.

Can't help you with St. John although I've heard that the Bay of Fundy tidal change is interesting.

Posts: 55 | From: Southeastern PA | Registered: Jul 2000 | IP: Logged

DCM
First Class Passenger
Member # 1454

posted 11-17-2000 08:30 AM

Looks like I need to speed up my typing as sympatico beat me with the reply.

Posts: 55 | From: Southeastern PA | Registered: Jul 2000 | IP: Logged

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 11-17-2000 10:47 AM

You might want to visit http://www.halifaxinfo.com/

Joe at TravelPage.com

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

topgun
First Class Passenger
Member # 928

posted 11-17-2000 11:29 AM

From my experience, albiet a few years ago, bring a good book to read; especially if you're there over a weekend.

Posts: 759 | From: Burlington ont,canada Cruise center of North America | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 11-17-2000 12:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by topgun:
From my experience, albiet a few years ago, bring a good book to read; especially if you're there over a weekend.

Topgun - why do you say this? Did you not have a good time when you were there? We enjoyed ourselves. The only disappointment was that we could not get into Ingonish to do the Cabot Trail. The sea was pretty rough and just too dangerous to take the tenders in to the dock. We took a tour in Sydney instead and went to the Bell Homestead - scenery was beautiful.

P.S. Did you see Royal Canadian Air Farce tonight - mention was made of a week-end in New Brunswick!

[This message has been edited by sympatico (edited 11-17-2000).]

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

topgun
First Class Passenger
Member # 928

posted 11-17-2000 02:36 PM

Sympatico, just kidding. Remember TO in the sixties when everything was shut down on Sundays. Times change.

Posts: 759 | From: Burlington ont,canada Cruise center of North America | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 11-17-2000 04:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by topgun:
Sympatico, just kidding. Remember TO in the sixties when everything was shut down on Sundays. Times change.

I don't remember everything being shut down in the 60's, but I sure do remember the forties and fifties. It was a BIG deal to go to Buffalo to see a movie on Sunday and then when they started showing them here, we never went. Have you ever done that Canada/New England cruise? By your response, am I to take it that Halifax shuts down on Sunday?

Hey, Malcolm - they even have a Casino in Halifax right near where the ship docks!

[This message has been edited by sympatico (edited 11-17-2000).]

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

jean elmore
First Class Passenger
Member # 1192

posted 11-18-2000 07:42 PM

to all contributors, its Saint John NB and St John`s Newfoundland, I`m surprised at all you Canadians for not catching that,(LOL) I have a friend from there and she lets everyone know how its spelled, I was there a few years back and visited the reversing falls (they really do go uphill) something to do with the tides in the bay of Fundy, also magnetic hill, where cars, if put in neutral will go backwards up the hill (honest) down town across from the pier is Market st, lots of good lobster to be had, walk up market st. and you`ll come to a very quaint and old indoor market, selling antiques along with the usual assortment of market goods, (eat some dulse for me, sympatico) jean

Posts: 68 | From: obetz oh. usa | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 11-18-2000 08:46 PM

Hi Jean - won't be long for our Christmas cruises now!
If you notice in my first post to Malcolm, I did ask him if it was Saint John, N.B. or St. John's Nfld he was asking about. I know so many people confuse both places.
As to the "dulce" - no thank you. I've had Screetch and it was OK and I think they gave us bologna with it!
The Amsterdam does not go to either port , which is disappointing. I have a good friend in Saint John and would love to see her and her husband again. They also used to cruise with us.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 11-19-2000 07:05 AM

Thanks for the debate folks! Yes I'm booked on The SS Norways Transatlantic

One of the ports of call is "St. John's, Newfoundland".

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 11-19-2000 07:14 AM

How far is the Halifax 'Maritime Museum' from the docks!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

DCM
First Class Passenger
Member # 1454

posted 11-24-2000 04:45 PM

The Maritime Museum is probably no more than 1 mile (or 1.6 kilometers) from the dock. It is located on Lower Water Street (1st street on right after leaving the dock area) between Sackville & Prince Streets. I personally thought that it was an easy walk from the dock.

Dave

Posts: 55 | From: Southeastern PA | Registered: Jul 2000 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 02-04-2001 07:03 AM

DCM, so if I walk and visit the Museum, are there other things I can easily reach by foot?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

DCM
First Class Passenger
Member # 1454

posted 02-05-2001 07:38 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Malcolm:
DCM, so if I walk and visit the Museum, are there other things I can easily reach by foot?

On the way to the museum, you will pass the brewery on your left, several old ships/boats on your right (can't remember what they are at the moment but I have some info on them at home), the Citadel fort is up the hill on your left, the gardens are to the left of the Citadel. When I was in Halifax in Aug. 1999, I walked to the Maritime Museum, toured two of the old ships/boats, then to the Citadel, then quickly walked through the edge of the gardens.

P.S. Welcome back!

Posts: 55 | From: Southeastern PA | Registered: Jul 2000 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 02-05-2001 08:07 AM

Malcolm - I hope you are in good shape to walk up the hill to the Citadel!!! My husband went there while I went to the Heritage stores SHOPPING

He enjoyed the Citadel.
When I am there in Sept. I hope to go to the Marine Museum Archives and see if I can find the ship my Dad came over on about 1908. My daughter said it is a fascinating place.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 02-05-2001 05:40 PM

Thanks folks, very useful information!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 02-07-2001 09:58 PM

Malcolm - "St. John's, Newfoundland"
Have you heard how much snow they've had so far this year? - 3 metres - 117 inches - and more expected. I wouldn't worry too much -it will probably be gone by the time you get there!

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 02-15-2007 10:37 AM

For those on the CruiseTalk cruise. Halifax is the port of call.
I have been there twice. When raining it is a depressing city, when sunny it is wonderful.
The public garden is beautiful. There is a transitional nieghborhood of painted lady Victorian houses on the way to the docks.

[ 02-15-2007: Message edited by: desirod7 ]

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

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