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This morning, I heard the travel warning re: SARS and Canada. Knowing we still have 2.5 months until our Canada/New England cruise from Montreal, is there cause for concern? Our party just made final payment so our options may be gone anyway. We are also booked for a couple of days in Montreal prior to the cruise. This is a long-awaited cruise for some of our party and would hate to see that dream crushed. At the same time we wish for this disease to be controlled soon, not for our convenience, but for those affected. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Toley, can't guarantee anything about the cruise itself, but I can assure you that so far, there are NO reported cases of SARS in Montreal. Our public health officials are being very vigilant about this, recently quarantining 450 people who attended a business conference where a Toronto man reportedly had SARS symptoms. The quarantine ends today, no-one else showed any symptoms. As for the cruise lines, it's been reported that some of them are carefully screening passengers from Hong Kong, and Toronto where the biggest outbreaks have been. Good luck with your cruise!
Donna,
Thanks for the news. Hopefully Montreal will continue to be vigilant and this will have passed by July.
Do you have any "must see/do" advice for our time in Montreal? We'd also appreciate the names of any good restaurants. We're staying at the Auberge Bonaparte.
Thanks,
Toley
This SARS thing is getting bad, in the media anyway. If you are planning on spending anytime in hospital, you may be at risk of contracting SARS. 97% of Canadians who have contracted SARS have survived. The other 3% have already had underlying health concerns. You have a greater chance of contracting and dying from influenza and that is everywhere in the world, including the USA, right now!
Toley: when exactly in July will you be in Montreal, and on what ship? Because our world-famous Jazz Festival takes place in Montreal in July and that is a MUST-see! Lots of free outdoor concerts, all kinds of music, not just jazz, and a wonderful street-festival atmosphere. If you miss the Jazz Festival, it is always followed by the Just for Laughs Festival, and that is an experience in itself! Please know that July in Montreal can be hot as hades, and very humid as well - we don't all live in igloos up here as some may believe!
Auberge Bonaparte sounds like Old Montreal, and there is a great restaurant Le Vieux Port (The Old Port) right there. If you go to downtown Montreal, St. Catherine St., you must try a French bistro called Le Paris, a real fine dining experience. Have fun!
Donna,
Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, the Bonaparte is in Old Montreal and fairly close to the pier from what we understand. We'll be in Montreal at the very beginning of July for a couple of days. When is the jazz festival? We'll be taking the Rotterdam through the Atlantic Provinces to Boston. We're used to hot and humid in the summer so that's not a problem. As long as it isn't snowy and rainy like this spring has been! If you have any other ideas for us, we'd like to hear them.
Thanks,
Toley
I live in Toronto. I am cruising in three weeks time. It was announced today that the health officials believe they have the SARS outbreak under control. I know this has been extemely serious and there have been some deaths in Toronto (13) but we have a city
of over two million people. Our mayor Mel Lastman is trying to get the World health Organization to over turn its warning. The city is functioning very well and life is moving on. Precautions are being taken for prevention of further outbreaks. the only other place in Canada where there has been one case is on the west coast in Vancouver British Columbia.
Take your cruise and enjoy it. Montreal is a wonderful city. I left from there last fall on a cruise on Norwegian Cruise Lines. it was great.
My only hope is that the cruise line that I am booked on next month, Cunard. does not follow suite with Crystal cruise Lines and ban Torontonians from boarding.
Haze,
Thanks for the info. I hope for you that Cunard does not feel that barring residents of Toronto is needed. Happy cruising to you. What is your itinerary?
Toley
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