Red Bay Labrador

As cruise ships are not able to dock here you will be tendered ashore. The town has less inhabitants than cruise passengers visiting.

Printable map to take along.

Cruise schedule for Red Bay.

Right and bowhead whales, once plentiful in the waters of coastal Labrador, attracted whalers from the Basque country (northern Spain and southern France) during the 16th century. A thriving industry based on the production of whale oil for export to Europe developed along the Labrador coast during the mid to late 1500s. The busiest port for this historic enterprise was the sheltered harbor of Red Bay.

• Two exhibits at the Canada Hall of the Canadian Museum of Civilization -- Shipboard Life and A Whaling Station -- portray 16th century fishing and whaling.
• Here is the official Parks Canada website for Red Bay National Historic Site.
• Then hop in a small boat ($2) to nearby Saddle Island, where there is a self-guided interpretive trail around the excavated land sites. Allow at least two or three hours for the museum and island.

Tour the Visitor Interpretation center; immerse yourself in Labrador's rugged coastal beauty; and enjoy an iceberg and whale watching tour.

It's considered normal to tip 10-15% of a restaurant bill. Tips are also usually given to bell hops, concierges, room cleaners, cab drivers, hairdressers, hotel attendants and, by savvy drinkers, bar staff.

Canadian dollar

You will find ATMs in many grocery stores, malls, airports and so on, and most are linked to the international networks, the most common being Cirrus, Plus, Star and Maestro. You can also grab cash from an ATM if you use a major credit card although this method tends to be more expensive because, in addition to a service fee, you'll be charged interest immediately.

In Canada the main languages are English 59.3%, French 23.2% (both official); other 17.5%. Quebec and New Brunswick being the most "French" The rest of the country is English speaking.