2019 was another banner year for cruise ship visits and Coastline Custom Tours. My bookings were slightly behind 2018’s numbers, but only because Mother Nature gave us a few surprises, especially the first hurricane to make landfall in Nova Scotia since 2003. Dorian toppled numerous trees and a large crane at a construction site across from the Public Gardens. This and a few later Fall storms diverted some ships from Halifax. Otherwise, the weather was fairly typical: cool and wet in the spring, pleasant (mid-70s F) days in July and August, and clear, calm days in September and October.
Once again the ‘Secret Seanic Route to Peggy’s Cove’ was my most popular itinerary. Every year Peggy’s Cove struggles to accommodate heavy traffic during peak periods, so it’s welcome news that infrastructure improvements are in the works. My Halifax City tour also drew many bookings, with Titanic graves topping the list of most-requested city sights among travelers, followed by points of interest connected with the 1917 Halifax Explosion.
Here are a few reviews from the 2019 season:
It’s my second time with Jay and he gets better and better! This time I had friends and my husband along and they enjoyed all the rich history Jay includes in this harbor journey. For me Jay knows I am after exceptional photography which we found even with cloudy gray skies. Any tour you take, Jay is the perfect host and historian to make your day in Halifax memorable!
Karen H., October 2019
Jay has an extraordinary depth of knowledge about Halifax history. He comes prepared with visual aids and a well crafted presentation. And he is also flexible enough to work around unexpected street closures and demonstrations. Thank you Jay for a wonderful experience. You brought Halifax to life for us.
Melissa D., September 2019
My wife and I spent 4+ hours with Jay… We have nothing but praise and appreciation for his knowledge base and competence. He was a marvellous tour guide and conversationalist. We requested a focus on the great Halifax explosion of 1917 and we got exactly what we wanted. However, in addition to being an authority on the explosion, Jay has a deep knowledge and understanding of Canadian history, Nova Scotia history, military history, American history, and Halifax today.
Dwight E., August 2019
Personable, knowledgeable, native historian, flexible to our needs, comfortable spotless van, diversified experience…what is not to like about this guy. If you want a good overview of Halifax and the surrounding areas this is your tour. We saw things off the beaten path that most tourists probably wouldn’t discover. We never felt rushed or that Jay was reading from a script. The experience was well worth the five hours invested.
Alison G., July 2019
Jay took our group of six ladies on a very informative tour of his city. He was very conscious of our time constraint and adjusted the tour accordingly. We also appreciate that he had a microphone for the people at the back of the vehicle. Thank you Jay, a true historian.
Leesa H., May 2019
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