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Posted

This Peak Foliage Predictor link showed up in my RSS feed today. It's currently for 2018, but my understanding is that it's updated yearly as the same link showed up in my feed at this time last year. For anyone looking to plan a fall foliage sailing for 2019 or 2020, I think this can be a useful reference to get an idea of when you really should try to book if your goal is to see the absolute peak colors. I've definitely noticed that the colors are coming much later than I've been used to for New Jersey, not really showing up until early-to-mid October the last few years, and that lines up with what this foliage predictor shows.

Based on the current prediction, the 2019 Snowbird Migration itinerary would be the absolute best time to see the colors in the region. It starts right when this site predicts peak colors for the northernmost New York area, which is only a little south of where Quebec is located, and by the time it gets to the New England and Mid-Atlantic states in the US, they will have reached their peak colors as well.

While I had been thinking of trying to book the southbound open-jaw itinerary for 2020 that goes from Quebec to NJ, based on the expected peaks and the current timing of the 2019 itineraries, that would actually be the second-worst time to go for colors (worst being the first northbound route), as nothing will be more than patchy at any point in the cruise. Since the Snowbird Migration route really wouldn't be a great option for me with the need for a one-way flight from Florida, I'm looking now at the last northbound open-jaw route before the Snowbird one; since I learned I can easily drive home from Quebec, taking this option would mean we'd get somewhere between patchy and partial colors on the way up through New England, be just at peak by the time we arrive in Quebec, have that overnight port day there to fully enjoy the colors on display while we explore the city and surroundings, and then have a spectacular display for the drive home through New York, which should be entirely in peak color at that point.

I'll have to see (a) if there is any group cruise in June 2020 to CA/NE (I know, broken rec... broken rec... broken record), and (b) when the 2020 fall foliage itineraries get scheduled relative to these current predicted peaks. But assuming those itineraries go at roughly the same times, I think that will be my goal for a 2020 booking if there's no July 2020 CA/NE GC.

Posted
1 hour ago, JLMoran said:

I'll have to see (a) if there is any group cruise in June 2020 to CA/NE (I know, broken rec... broken rec... broken record), 

You mean July 2020 GC right?  How can I toast your 50th bday in June?? ?

And @Matt, we need to announce this Canada/NE GC for July/August 2020 to put poor @JLMoran out of his misery.  Look at what the guy is analyzing these days! ?

55 minutes ago, mworkman said:

@JLMoran I hate to break it to you Joe, but Matt would like to do a Transatlantic GC...Florida to Spain ?

Umm... @mworkman...you know @Matt doesn't like to fly right...That would be a really long trip back from Barcelona. lol

Posted
4 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:
1 hour ago, mworkman said:

@JLMoran I hate to break it to you Joe, but Matt would like to do a Transatlantic GC...Florida to Spain ?

Umm... @mworkman...you know @Matt doesn't like to fly right...That would be a really long trip back from Barcelona. lol

I just figured if that happened, Matt's plan was going to be to (a) go solo, and (b) work remotely from Barcelona until the return TA sails at the end of the summer. ?

Posted
2 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

Impressive research there @JLMoran.....I am keeping any eye on this being a potential GC as well...

I don't see a fall foliage cruise being a group cruise any time soon, unless Matt's wife was OK with him going solo. All of those cruises happen only after school has started, and as I recall from some of Matt's podcasts and live blogs, the grandparents are all up in the New England area. Would also be impossible for folks like @Boston Babe, @Lovetocruise2002, I think @whitsmom or maybe @mom2mybugs, a fair number of others due to teaching commitments.

This is why I say it's my fallback plan if there's no July 2020 GC to CA/NE. And if there is one, I may well book one of these foliage tours for 2021 or 2022; by 2022, the older one will be a senior in college and younger one a senior in high school, and both probably would be fine skipping two weeks of school at the start of the year for that experience. If they weren't... well, the wife and I could probably swing a Grand Suite in that case! ?

Posted
25 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

 Would also be impossible for folks like @Bo

Joe, thank the lord, I don't teach, it was hubby who is retired. I would be in jail with my lack of patience! I thought you were looking at 2019 for the NE/CA cruise? 

Posted
28 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

 Would also be impossible for folks like @Boston Babe, @Lovetocruise2002, I think @whitsmom or maybe @mom2mybugs, a fair number of others due to teaching commitments.

At the moment...I'm good too for September 2020-June 2021.  I would prefer July/August 2020 so it doesn't affect the kids and their school.  I however, will be good to cruise!

Posted
24 minutes ago, Boston Babe said:

I thought you were looking at 2019 for the NE/CA cruise?

Originally I was. But I've had some ongoing expenses that have made doing any kind of cruise booking for 2019 impossible. Next year I'll be in drydock, and 2020 will be the soonest I can look at cruising again.

And originally for 2020 I was looking at the 11-night Southern (Eastern) Caribbean offering in January, as that would like right up with my b-day; but due to the kids' schedules with college and high school, plus it being the second half of the year when homework tends to be more heavily loaded up (at the high school, anyway), and the fact that it's an $1,800 deposit for two cabins that I'd have to book pretty much as soon as the itineraries come out in November or very early next year... well, it just stopped being an option.

So I pushed the CA/NE out to 2020, as that could work nicely both for summer sailing with the full family (and hopes for joining a group cruise) or the fall foliage option.

Posted
10 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Newsflash! @JLMoran @Baked Alaska @monctonguy...just learned on Periscope tonight... @AnnetteJackson Is the brains behind the GC!  We've been harassing the wrong person! ?

Y'all are in trouble....I've just noticed that she's in Fayetteville, NC......right where I live....I can do some serious bribery without y'all knowing ????? 

Posted
1 hour ago, Matt said:

Just to throw a wrench in all your evil plans...go ahead and all agree on a week in the summer that works for everyone

In 2020, any week in July or August should work just fine for me. I'd prefer to avoid July 4th week, both because it's pretty much right after the school year ends and also because of the holiday tax on all sailings. But if that was the only week that worked for everyone else then I'd do it.

If it was an itinerary that included July 12, my wife would love it since that's her birthday and we could do a double celebration!

Posted
3 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

In 2020, any week in July or August should work just fine for me. I'd prefer to avoid July 4th week, both because it's pretty much right after the school year ends and also because of the holiday tax on all sailings. But if that was the only week that worked for everyone else then I'd do it.

If it was an itinerary that included July 12, my wife would love it since that's her birthday and we could do a double celebration!

The exact same thing works for me.  School will be out June 26, 2020 and I am free to go anytime after that!  See, @Matt @AnnetteJackson we are flexible people. ?

Posted
7 hours ago, JLMoran said:

In 2020, any week in July or August should work just fine for me. I'd prefer to avoid July 4th week, both because it's pretty much right after the school year ends and also because of the holiday tax on all sailings. But if that was the only week that worked for everyone else then I'd do it.

If it was an itinerary that included July 12, my wife would love it since that's her birthday and we could do a double celebration!

Works for me.

Posted
On 8/30/2018 at 11:04 AM, JLMoran said:

In 2020, any week in July or August should work just fine for me. I'd prefer to avoid July 4th week, both because it's pretty much right after the school year ends and also because of the holiday tax on all sailings. But if that was the only week that worked for everyone else then I'd do it.

If it was an itinerary that included July 12, my wife would love it since that's her birthday and we could do a double celebration!

 

On 8/30/2018 at 11:11 AM, Lovetocruise2002 said:

The exact same thing works for me.  School will be out June 26, 2020 and I am free to go anytime after that!  See, @Matt @AnnetteJackson we are flexible people. ?

 

On 8/30/2018 at 6:08 PM, Sweety said:

Works for me.

 

52 minutes ago, Baked Alaska said:

July 2020! For @JLMoran wife's birthday! How could we say "no" to that? 

Wow! That was easy and new itineraries haven't even come out yet!  @Matt and @AnnetteJackson pick any week in July 2020 and 5 of us here can go already! Add that to the group of Insiders who I know want a Canada/NE sailing and I would say you have many interested already ?

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