Portland, Maine: We decided to skip the pricey ship excursions and rent a car. We brought a GPS and guidebook from home. We drove to Victorian Mansion (a very interesting old house turned museum with a 45-minute guided tour) and Portland Head Light (cool lighthouse, great views, free). Then, we drove to Kennebunkport (about 40 minutes south) for lunch. We drove along Ocean Avenue to see President Bush's family house at Walker Point. You can get a good view from a turnout on Ocean Drive. Tip: If you're renting a car in Portland, try Enterprise. They are 5 minutes from the port and will pick you up and drop you off at the ship. Our midsize car was $70 for the day. Also, if you want to save money on a ship excursion, there are trolley tours a few blocks from the ship and a boat tour where you can walk up and buy tickets. 


Portland (Maine)

Bar Harbor, Maine: We splurged on the 7-hour Acadia and Cadillac Mountain bus tour through Celebrity. It was worth it, the Cadillac Mountain view from the top was the highlight of the cruise for us. The tour doesn't let you do much walking, only a 20-minute stop at Thunder Hole and a 30-minute stop at Jordan Pond. There was a lobster lunch at a local inn, where they will teach you to crack and eat a whole lobster. Or you can have steak, but we had to send ours back because it was raw in the middle. If you don't do an excursion, the ship tenders in Bar Harbor and you can easily walk around the cute village. But, you shouldn't miss Acadia, it's worth a tour. Tip: Think carefully about renting a bike on your own at the dock to bike into Acadia. It's more than a mile up hill to reach the entrance to the park. And the park is huge. We heard one group say they tried to a 15-mile bike loop in Acadia and nearly missed the ship because it was so strenuous. 


Bar Harbor

St. John, Canada: We skipped the excursions and spent the morning walking around the downtown. The City Market, indoor mall, Loyalist Cemetery and city park were all within a few blocks of the ship. If you want to spend $35, there is a trolley tour that does a 90-minute loop of the city. You can buy tickets at the cruise ship terminal. Tip: Don't exchange your US dollars in Canadian cruise ship ports. Everyone takes American money, interchangeable with Canadian money. 


Saint John (New Brunswick)

Halifax, Canada: We splurged on the 7-hour Top 10 Halifax ship excursion. We didn't seem to get to 10 places by my count, but the tour was worth the money. Peggy's Cove (small fishing village with an awesome lighthouse) is one of the highlights of the cruise. We also saw the Titanic cemetery, Citadel and a maple syrup factory among other stops. If you're not booking a tour, Halifax is the most difficult of the four ports to tour on your own. It's a big walk (15 or 20 minutes) from the cruise ship to downtown and its pretty hilly once you get there. The major tourist attractions are outside the city, so it may be worth a tour. Tip: Try Tim Horton's-- Canada's ubiquitous coffee shop chain-- to eat like the locals and get a cheap lunch. We had coffee, drinks, sandwiches and donuts for four people for about $20. 


Halifax

Dining problems: I wish someone had told me to double check my dining table size and seating time well before the cruise.Tip: The dining room is two floors-- the 5th floor balcony (table numbers in the 500s) and the 4th floor main level (tables in the 400s).

Celebrity Summit Review

Things I wish someone had told me before a Canada cruise

Rating by category

Additional details

Cabin Review

Inside Stateroom 11

Find a Celebrity Summit Cruise from $172