Galaxy: May27- June7

[Kodiak]

Im still on the fence with booking the megaliner Galaxy on its roundtrip Baltimore to Quebec City route. I am holding a veranda cabin that is extremely pricey due to the balcony but am wondering if it would be to cold and/or rainy to use anyway. If thats the case .....what a waste. However, I am partial to the freedom and escape a balcony provides.

Also I have not crusied on a large ship in over a decade due to the 'mob scene' experience I had on a 14 day transcanal aboard the Royal Princess in 1988. The Galaxy at nearly twice the capacity is alarming to say the least, not to mention its history of scraping bottom. Should I be concerned with its ability to traverse the Saint Lawrence river not to mention the tiny saguenay river? I understand sandbar issues are a common problem in this waterway.

Finally, this sails May27 thru June 7th. Will we be able to use the open deck areas or will it be so cold and wet that all 1870 passengers via for a chair at the the small indoor pool aft of the ship?

Any input would be much appreciated. Thankyou

[Phil]

We did the Royal Caribean cruise out of Boston at the end of Sept. 2000. We are also residents of Montréal Canada so I'll claim to be an expert on this :-). We had also booked a balcony cabin and my first recommendation will be to take the balcony. You'll be hitting a fair number of ports on your cruise (I snuck a peak) and there is nothing more enjoyable than being able to step out on the balcony bright and early (perhaps for breakfast) as you sail into these ports.

As far as the weather goes I'd like to be able to forecast better than our meteorologists (maybe we all could) but, these days it's a toss up. We've had the driest summer and winter in history and likely one of the mildest. Under normal circumstances the end of May would be beautiful but not necessarily sun tanning weather unless you enjoy tanning in the mid 70s although you can also hit a hotspell. Let's face it however, for a good part of your trip you'll be on the North Atlantic not the Carribean. On the other hand it can be beautiful weather to visit these cities. The best news is that you may not have to reserve your deck chair at 07:00. Even thought it may be cool, if you are protected from the wind you might be quite comfortable in the sun. You'll also benefit from fairly extended daylight hours.

With respect to the St-Lawrence and the Saguenay; don't even think about it. Leave the driving to those that are paid to do it. THe last grounding was the result of sandbars but had more to do with all the officers Captain and Pilot incl. watching the whales instead of their route. Needless to say it was a wake up call that must have been heard by all ship's captains.

One point: This will likely not be the party crowd that you'd find in the islands. Based on the fact that you've been cruising since 88 this may be a plus (we are in our mid 40's). We loved this cruise. LOVED the balcony. Made great use of it. These cities are beautiful, clean and very "safe". Be ready to spend in Canada. With the Cdn dollar at 60 odd cents US you can't go wrong. Moreover whiles the taxes are high you as tourists, can get it reimbursed after leaving.

Good luck and have a great cruise. If you have any other questions; feel free.
Phil

[Kodiak]

Many thanks Phil ! My wife and myself, also mid 40s, appreciate your prospective. We've taken the veranda room and look forward to a great time and scenery. Thanks for your informative response.

[Debbie]

I was on the Victory last June 7th. One day was good One day was very cold. I only stopped in Halifax so you are in for iffy weather, if you can make it end of June -Aug you will be better

[Peggy]

My husband and I will be aboard also. I took the same cruise last October......solo because he can't get away because of his teaching schedule. This is the first time cruises to New England that has been offered during the summer months, so we are taking adventage of it.

On my trip in late October, the weather was quite cold, and the fall leaves were spectactular. But I think the summer months will be just as nice. The towns are quaint and very walkable, and of course Quebec was awesome. After 18 cruises, I consider this my personal favorite.

If you have any questions, respond by email.

[Robert]

Great, See you on board shipmate.
The weather should be about like Alaska this time of year, a little brisk.