Is There A Ferry From Maine To Canada
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There is no direct ferry service from Maine to Canada, however there are a number of indirect routes that may be possible depending on your starting point and desired destination. For example, you could take a ferry from Portland, Maine to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia which is just a short drive from the Canadian border. Or, you could take a ferry from Bar Harbor, Maine to Nova Scotia which would also put you in close proximity to the Canadian border. There are a number of other possible routes as well, so be sure to do your research to find the best option for your travels.
It has been more than a year since the Cat Ferry was last in service between Bar Harbor, Maine, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. If you can make the 3.5-hour trip, you will be able to enjoy a variety of onboard activities in no time. The Cat service between Nova Scotia and Bar Harbor was discontinued in 2009. On board, there is a movie theater where you can watch the days movies, and a cafe where homemade gelato is served. If you book a ferry with two passengers and a vehicle, you can get three more passengers for free right now, up to a total of eight.
What Its Like Aboard The Cat Ferry
The ferry is quite comfortable, with numerous lounging areas as well as order-at-the-counter food service and a bar. Movies are shown on overhead TV screens. Theres also a gift shop aboard.
Guests can access the outdoors on both sides as well as in the back of The Cat ferry. On my trip, I found the back to be well sheltered from the wind and quite pleasant, although that likely changes with the weather and wind direction.
On our way over, we were entertained in the bar/front lounge by an acoustic duo: He played guitar, she played flute, and both sang. Think easy listening.
Food is served at three locations: one in the front, one in the back, and one mid ship. Breakfast pastries, pre-made sandwiches, soup, and baked goods are available midship. Youll find made to order coffee drinks and a selection of loose teas along with gelato in the back, and pizza, wings, nachos, and the like in the bar area at the of the ship.
Cruise Ship Visitor Limit
A petition that was voted on November 8 in Bar Harbor, Maine, had a very unwelcome effect on the cruise industry. Residents voted on November 8 to restrict the number of visitors from cruise ships to the town to a maximum of 1000 per day.
The petition, brought forward by Bar Harbor resident Charles Sidman, had 3098 voters casting ballots out of 5016 registered voters, a 61.7% turnout. The total was 1780 voting in favor of the ban and 1273 against the ban. There is a vast and deep feeling in the town that we have been overrun by cruise ship traffic,Sidman said earlier this summer.
The feeling from locals is not surprising. Back in 2021, a survey found that most locals were unhappy about the number of ships coming to Bar Harbor. 55% of respondents said cruise ship tourism is more negative than positive for Bar Harbor. Only 35% perceive it as more positive than negative.
The quality of life also was perceived to go down by 53% of respondents due to the impact of cruise tourism, while only 26% said they perceived it as positive. Cruise ships would also be detrimental to the overall feel and image that Bar Harbor tries to convey.
Bar Harbor already had a ban for cruise ship passengers, restricting traffic to 3,500 per day in the summer and 5,500 during the early and late parts of the cruise season. With just over 5,000 residents, the number of people in the town doubled during large cruise ship visits.
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Departure Ports For Nova Scotia Cruises
Cruises traveling to Halifax and Sydney leave from several East Coast ports, including Baltimore, Boston, and Cape Liberty, New Jersey. Several itineraries also depart from Quebec City, Canada, and there are even two cruises out of Copenhagen, Denmark, which bring you across the Atlantic to these Nova Scotian port cities. Cruise options include six-, seven-, nine-, 10-, 11- and 16-day sailings and also visit other port cities such as Bar Harbor, Maine Saint John, New Brunswick and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Depending on which sailing you choose, youll travel onboard the Adventure, Grandeur, Serenade or the Anthem of the Seas. A balcony room lets you fully experience the beauty of the natural landscapes youll encounter during your cruise. You can enjoy the sights while traveling into and out of each port, as well as amazing scenery along the way.
Canada Cruise Ports Of Call
Portland, Maine offers vibrant culture with artisans, shops, and microbreweries. Enjoy the Old Port Exchange and tour historic homes.
Bar Harbor, Maine, was once an exclusive summer resort for Americas wealthy. Now its the gateway to beautiful Acadia National Park. Take a carriage or ride a bike through the park.
Saint John, New Brunswick, lives its reputation as The Fundy City every day. Here are some of the highest and wildest tides in the world. Saint John offers the old-world charm of a historic seaport and a base for exciting Bay of Fundy eco-adventure.
In Halifax, , passengers are greeted by the skirl of pipes and drums as the 78th Highlanders offer a preview of historic Halifax. See the lighthouse at Peggys Cove, Lunenburg World UNESCO World Heritage Site, and more.
What should you pack for a New England & Canada cruise? For fall, bring warm sweaters and a medium jacket. For summer, bring a range of clothes from shorts and sandals to a light sweater or two for evenings.
Have fun. Explore the world. Take a New England & Canada cruise from Baltimore.
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Luxury Cruises To Maine
Cruises to Maine bring you the quintessential coastal New England experience where outdoor adventure, cultural heritage sites, and historic maritime tradition await. Visit centuries-old lighthouses as you cruise along the regions rugged shores. Witness the colorful beauty of Maines fall foliage, or feast on fresh lobster during the season.
On this New England cruise, youll visit some of the most popular destinations in the easternmost U.S. state and enjoy luxurious days at sea with the award-winning service and comfort Celebrity is famous for. Tour local craft breweries during your stop in Portland. Explore Acadia National Park, then take a sightseeing tour on a boat around Frenchman Bay. Enjoy the vacation of a lifetime on a luxury cruise to Maine.
Maine & Nova Scotia On A Luxury Cruise
When you think about cruise ships, you may imagine sailing to tropical islands to lay out on long beaches with clear water. Well, think again. In summer months where temperatures frequent the mid-90s, consider passing up the Caribbean heat and instead traveling north, to New England and Canada.
We decided to escape the heat and take a cruise to a region most people dont envision when they picture summer, although they should.
Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean sail to the New England and Canada region we sailed on the Anthem of the Seas, one of the newest and largest ships in the world. Its packed with a fitness center, SeaPlex entertainment facility, rock wall, FlowRider wave simulator, escape room, theater, casino, and so much more. Features such as the spa and arcade are available for an additional fee.
Our stateroom, an interior with a virtual balcony, exceeded our expectations. Royal Caribbean made excellent use of space in the room we never had issues moving around or storing our luggage. The virtual balcony updated in real time, adding some light to the room and making it feel like an exterior stateroom.
The staff on the ship was efficient and friendly. Fernanda at Guest Services was available to answer any and all questions with a smile while Helene and Jacob of the entertainment staff made typically generic games like Bingo and Finish That Lyric a ton of fun.
Bar Harbor
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Royal Caribbean Cruises To Nova Scotia
One of the largest cruise lines in the world, Royal Caribbean appeals to those with a sense of adventure who also enjoy incredible onboard amenities. From foodie-approved dining options to the diving shows to the ice skating rink, youll find tons to eat, see and do on each ship. Rivaling the onboard amenities, Royal Caribbeans destination ports are all over the world, each with exciting things to do and see. While many itineraries take you south to warm weather and beach destinations, several visit the port cities of Sydney and Halifax in Nova Scotia.
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AUGUSTA, Maine The new operator of a ferry service between Maine and Scotia is having such a hard time finding a vessel that ferry advocates are asking the U.S. Navy for help. A healthy ferry service would create 355 jobs, worth $8 million in annual income, provincewide as well, the study predicted. The draft RFP issued by the Scotia government seeks ferry.
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Bar Harbor Ferry To Nova Scotia
The Bar Harbor Ferry to Nova Scotia is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area. The ferry ride is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes long and takes passengers from the mainland of Nova Scotia to the island of Bar Harbor. The ferry leaves from the Halifax Ferry Terminal and arrives at the Bar Harbor Ferry Terminal. The ferry ride is very scenic and passengers can enjoy views of the Halifax skyline, the Bay of Fundy, and the Atlantic Ocean.
On the Cat ferry, you can also find a gourmet cafe, a movie theater, a childrens play area, a gift shop, and a fast and comfortable catamaran car ferry. The Cat leaves Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, at 09:30 a.m. Atlantic Daylight Time on the 5-1/2 to 6-hour outward voyage. A ferry will return to Nova Scotia at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, April 16. The cheapest way is US$174 one way for motor vehicles that are 20 feet long and no taller than 7 feet . Please make your reservations as soon as possible through the website, www.ferries.ca. The Cat is a luxury catamaran ferry that runs between Bar Harbor, ME and Yarmouth, NS.
Cruises From New York To New England & Canada
Cruises from New York to New England & Canada are popular, particularly in the autumn when the leaves are colorful. You’ll stop in interesting ports along the way and enjoy terrific scenery. Below is the full schedule of departures, divided into round-trip and one-way categories. One-way cruises end at Montreal or Quebec City.
Saint John is a stop on almost every Canada and New England cruise itinerary. One of its main attractions is the Bay of Fundy, which is well-known for having one of the greatest tidal ranges in the world. It is a natural wonder that you won’t want to miss.
You might also want to consider a cruise to Canada from Boston. They have many departures and some different itineraries from NYC.
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Cruise Port In Maine Votes To Restrict Cruise Ship Visitors
Residents of Bar Harbor, Maine, have voted to restrict the number of daily cruise ship visitors to the popular Atlantic cruise port.
At most, one thousand cruise ship passengers and crew will be allowed to disembark a cruise ship while in port in Bar Harbor, Maine, from 2024. This was the outcome of a vote in the quaint seaside town on the Atlantic Coast on Tuesday, November 8.
The decision from residents will likely not be welcomed by the cruise industry, as Bar Harbor plays a vital role during the popular autumn cruises to New England and Canada.
While cruise ships play an important role in bringing money into the local economy, more than 55% of residents said in 2021 that cruise ships have a negative impact on the town.
New England & Canada Cruises From Baltimore
There are cruises from Baltimore to New England and Canada on Royal Caribbean. The 8-night round-trip cruise from Baltimore goes to Portland, Maine Bar Harbor, Maine Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 2022 departures are August 11, August 25, September 8, September 22 and October 6.
In 2023, 9-night Canada and New England cruises on Royal Caribbean go to Boston, Massachusetts Portland, Maine Bar Harbor, Maine Saint John, Canada and Halifax, Canada. Departures are August 31, September 14, September 28 and October 12.
Carnival Cruise Line offers one 8-night cruise from Baltimore to New England and Canada. The round-trip cruise goes to Boston, Massachusetts Portland, Maine Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia. It departs September 3, 2022.
Norwegian Cruise Line offers one-way cruises from Baltimore to Quebec City, Canada.
Go north on your next cruise. New England and Canada cruises from Baltimore journey to beautiful scenery and historic ports. Dine on lobster, hike, bike, watch whales, and explore the towns.
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Prince Of Fundy Cruises
The service was sold by Lion Ferry in 1982 to Baron Stig Leuhusen who established Prince of Fundy Cruises as a subsidiary of Panamanian-based Transworld Steamship Company. The vessel M/S Scotia Prince was acquired and began service that season. In 1983, the other Yarmouth ferry operator, CN Marine, began using a sistership M/V Bluenose II on its Bar Harbor crossing. Prince of Fundy Cruises had the Scotia Prince lengthened in 1987 for increased capacity, changing the visual similarities between both ships. Leuhusen died in 1996 and his estate listed the company for sale in 1999.
In August 2000 the companys shares were purchased by a group led by Matthew Hudson of Virginia. The company was renamed Scotia Prince Cruises. The Scotia Prince was re-flagged . The company upgraded the ship and onboard services in addition to other improvements made at the company. The service was repositioned from a transport provider to a transport and package vacation company. The service was marketed as a cruiseferry and destination in its own right.
During the winter of 2002-2003, Scotia Prince Cruises Ltd. inaugurated a service called the Yucatan Express, using the M/S Scotia Prince on a route between Tampa, Florida, in the United States and Cancun, Quintana Roo, and Merida, Yucatán, in Mexico.
Scotia Prince
On March 20, 2012, the media reports that the vessel was sold for scrap metal in India.
What Will Happen To Cruises Scheduled To Bar Harbor
Cruise lines have so far not responded, but cruise industry lobby group CLIA will likely do so in the coming days, potentially looking at the ramifications of the Bar Harbor petition. In April of this year, CLIA released a press release stating the importance of Maine for the cruise industry:
Maine is a marquee New England destination offering spectacular scenery, recreational opportunities, and terrific cuisine, and also serves as the gateway to the United States and a port of call along the way to and from destinations in Canada, the Caribbean, and beyond for ocean-going cruise ships,said Kelly Craighead, President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association.
Eighty-four cruise ships with a passenger capacity of 1,000 or more guests are scheduled for cruise calls to Bar Harbor between May and November next year. However, these will likely not be impacted by the vote.
The petition allows for a gradual transition, which means that any cruise ship calls booked before the spring of 2022, which is the majority of calls, will be allowed to proceed as planned.
From 2024, the new rules will apply to all cruise ships. This would mean that larger ships would still be able to visit Bar Harbor, but only 1,000 guests and crew would be allowed off the ship. Cruise companies will likely bypass Bar Harbor entirely, opting to go to ports such as Portland, or ports in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada.
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The Good And Bad News Of The High
In less than 3.5 hours, the high-speed CAT ferry from Bar Harbor, Maine, to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, takes you between the two towns. The CAT has several types of vehicles available, including RVs, pickup trucks, SUVs, cars, tour buses, motorcycles, and bicycles, as well as walk-on passengers and four-legged friends. From Boston to Nova Scotia? Flight schedules from Boston Airport to Sydney Airport do not exist. You can fly by train, which costs $350- $1,200 and takes 46 hours, or by train, which costs $180- $600 and takes 6 hours. The ferry will begin serving Nova Scotians in 2022 and continue to operate for the foreseeable future, according to Nova Scotia tourism authorities. This move has both good and bad implications. Im happy to report that the ferry is now in Bar Harbor, but Im also disappointed that its located in Bar Harbor.
Ferry From Boston To Nova Scotia
The ferry from Boston to Nova Scotia is a great way to see the sights and sounds of the East Coast. The trip takes about 10 hours, but it is well worth it. The ferry leaves from Bostons South Station and arrives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The ferry ride is very scenic and you will get to see a lot of the coastline.
Nova Scotia is located on Canadas southeastern tip, northeast of Boston. It is located on the provinces south coast, in close proximity to the mainland of New Brunswick. can travel to Boston via ferry only via Bar Harbor, Maine. Another option is to drive from Boston to Saint John and then take the ferry to Digby. The majority of the way from Boston to Bar Harbor takes place along the coast. This route is a relatively simple path that provides excellent opportunities for sightseeing along major roads. A journey from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth takes 13 hours and 35 minutes.
Its a great way to see some of the best natural scenery along the way from Boston to Nova Scotia. It takes 13 hours and 30 minutes to drive the 790-mile trip, which stops at Portland, Maine Bar Harbor, Maine and Maines Acadia National Park. Saint John, New Brunswick, is also included in the itinerary. This trip will also allow you to see some of the most beautiful landscapes along the way, and the Bay of Fundy is a must-see.
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