Excursions on my cruise from New York to quebec and back on the Queen Mary2

Peggy's Cove near Halifax

Cruising means going from port to port and getting off the boat to explore a given area for one or two days. The cruise line offers many excursions and I prefer booking through them because it guarantees that you will not miss the boat if your group is late. That is very important because the ship will not wait for you beyond their given departure time.  I have seen and heard some horror stories. This is especially important when you embark on the boat for your cruise. My husband and I arrive at least two days ahead of time just in case the flight is canceled or delayed. I have talked to several disappointed people who have had family members miss their cruise. Enough of this, let's go to the fun part.
We boarded the Queen Mary 2 in New York and spent the first day at sea. Read about it here. Our first stop was Rockland, Maine. We took a bus ride to Camden. The local library in Camden is worth a visit. The picturesque scenery of the Maine coastline always intrigues me. My husband and I had visited Bar Harbor several years ago and loved it. I hope to visit again and stay a little longer. We had a delicious lobster roll in Rockport.   

Camden

The Camden Library

Our next port was Halifax, Nova Scotia, it was here that Samuel Cunard was born. He later moved to the United Kingdom where he set up a joint venture with several other businessman to bid on the right to run a transatlantic shipping company between the UK and North America. These days, Cunard is owned by the Carnival group.
​We visited Peggy’s Cove, a magnificent lighthouse built on the rocky coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The scenery was beautiful and the lobster delicious.

The Queen Mary 2 anchored in Sept-Îlles in Quebec. It was raining that day and there was little to see. We took the HopOnHopOff bus, but never got off and returned to our cozy ship for tea time. 
Our next stop was Saguenay, a nice town in the province of Quebec. The city can be described as an isolated oasis in the middle of the vast remote wilderness of Northern Quebec. It was here that my husband and I flew in a helicopter for the first time. It was a great experience. I enjoyed walking through this small town and buying some handmade gifts 

We finally arrived in Quebec, the second most populous province after Ontario.  Quebec City is the only fortified city north of Mexico and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985. Everybody in Quebec City speaks French and it feels a bit like Paris. Every cobblestone street, corner, and plaza tells a story. We visited the iconic Fairmont Hotel, Le Château Frontenac, and were able to enjoy the lobby. It is supposed to be the most photographed hotel in the world. The cobblestone streets have many restaurants, cafés, and stores. I was just glad I didn’t walk these steep streets during a rainstorm or in winter when it is icy. I asked myself, how do people do it? We found a little restaurant that served my husband‘s favorite dish, Foie Gras.

The following day, we visited Montmorency Falls, located 8 miles from Quebec City, this waterfall is 30 meters higher than Niagara Falls, but not as impressive because it is much smaller. My favorite stop that day was visiting a place where we learned the history of maple syrup and how it is harvested. I loved the samples.

After two days in Quebec City, we sailed away, which was quite an event. There is something about a ship leaving the harbor which always amazes me. Our last port before returning to New York was Sydney, Nova Scotia. There are many churches including St. Patrick's, the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Cape Breton. We opted to hire a taxi driver for a couple of hours to show us the area. He drove us along the Atlantic Coast and showed us a lighthouse and a museum from World War 2 where the Canadian military was sinking German U-boats. When we returned to town, three other boats had pulled in and the town was filling up. I visited a local store that had items made by local artists. There was some astonishing yarn and weaving work that I hadn't seen for decades. The tapestry was amazing. I bought some hand-knit socks and gloves.  

And just like that, our 12-day cruise on the beautiful Queen Mary 2 was over. I would love to go on another trip with any of the Queens.