THESE ARE REMINDERS FOR OUR JUNE 27-28 TRIP:
Please sign and bring your liability waiver document with you, if you have not already mailed it. Having everybody sign this document protects both Nova Star Cruises and us from accidents.
You will need to bring your passport or passport card. This is an international trip, to Canada and back.
Part of this trip will be outdoors on the upper decks, unless you choose not to do that part of the trip. We have flexibility.
Wear shoes/sneakers with sticky bottoms. The top decks can be a bit wet and slippery.
Bring a sweater and coat/windbreaker for cold windy weather: it can be surprisingly & amazingly cold and windy on the GOM.
In case it rains, please bring at least a jacket/hood to protect youself from rain.
Bring a pair of binoculars. This is important. If you do not have binoculars let me know and we will bring a pair for you.
The Nova Star is a large super-stabilized vessel (our October trip was during a crazy wind storm, but the Nova Star was stable like a rock), but if you have any concerns about seasickness, Bonine (as you know) taken several hours before boarding works for most people, even on small vessels which are not stabilized.
Recommended boarding time, as per the Nova Star website....
"Final boarding is at 7:15 pm ET for Portland departures, and at 8:45 am AT for Yarmouth departures. Please be at the terminal no later than 1.5 hours prior to final boarding so that you can be checked in and your documentation verified."
I would recommend you be in Portland no later than 5:20pm to park your car and walk to the dock area (the ticketing area is now relocated into the dock main building).
Ocean Gateway Parking Garage is recommended:
Secure parking is available at the Ocean Gateway Garage, located 1 block from the ferry terminal at 167 Fore Street in Portland, ME. This convenient automated facility is open 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365 days of the year, and offers abundant parking on 7 levels.
OCEAN GATEWAY PARKING RATES:
$3.50 USD for 1 hour or less
$2.50 USD for each additional hour or fraction thereof
$31.00 USD maximum for 24 hours
MEETING LOCATION:
After we board the ship it is possible to get separated, and cell phones do not work most of the time. The best place for us to rendez-vous in that situation would be the very front of the main deck (I think that is level #7 ), near the big front windows.
