Exploring Montreal: A Perfect 3-Day Pre-Cruise Getaway

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Quebec, Canada


Thinking about heading straight from the airport to the cruise ship? Think again! For our recent late-September Canada and New England cruise, we flew into Montreal three days before embarkation to see the stunning fall colors and explore Eastern Canada.

Arriving at least a day or two before your ship sails is highly recommended. Flight delays and cancellations are far too common these days, and arriving early completely eliminates that stress while giving you time to experience a world-class city.

Here is what we learned during our three days in beautiful, historic Montreal.

 

Where We Stayed: Embassy Suites Near Old Town

We spent our three pre-cruise nights at the Embassy Suites, located right on the edge of the city center. It proved to be an excellent home base for our trip.

  • The Rooms: The hotel is located in a beautifully remodeled building, and we loved the spacious layout of our room.
  • The Vibe: The on-site hotel restaurant features a great sidewalk seating section—perfect for people-watching while enjoying a meal.
  • The Location: It is an incredibly short, easy walk to the historic charm of Old Town and very close to the cruise pier.
  • A Quick Safety Note: While the location is highly convenient, it sits close to Chinatown. We wanted to visit, but we felt the area seemed a bit questionable to walk through at night, so we decided to skip it.

 

Logistics: Navigating Montreal Airport & Rideshares

Getting from Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) to your hotel requires a bit of strategy, especially if you are traveling heavy.

  • The Airport Uber Walk: If you order an Uber from the airport, prepare to walk... and walk! The rideshare pickup zone is a significant distance from the baggage claim area.
  • Our Recommendation: If you are traveling with heavy cruise luggage, take a traditional taxi from the airport instead. It will save your arms and legs.
  • Getting to the Cruise Pier: On the day of embarkation, taking an Uber from the hotel near Old Town straight to the ship's pier was incredibly easy, smooth, and quick.

 

The Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Dilemma

On our free day, we decided to book a Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour to see the city's main sights. Unfortunately, it didn’t go quite as planned due to a few unique city quirks:

  1. No Physical Bus Signs: Montreal city ordinances do not allow physical signs for Hop-On Hop-Off buses. While the stops are marked on digital or paper maps, finding the exact physical spot on the street can be incredibly frustrating.
  2. Event Road Closures: We happened to visit during a major bicycle race. The city was packed, traffic was backed up, and nearly half of the standard tourist bus route was completely shut down.

When we finally tracked down a bus, it was entirely full. Fortunately, after a few stops, some seats opened up on the upper deck. We eventually hopped off to explore the city center and Old Town on foot, which turned out to be an absolute highlight. The architecture, the rich history, the friendly locals, and—of course—the incredible food made it all worth it!

 

Final Verdict

Montreal is a gorgeous city bursting with deep history and European charm. If you are booking a Canada or New England cruise that departs from here, do yourself a huge favor: fly in a few days early, book a hotel near Old Town, and take your time taking in the sights.

 

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