Great Gaspe’ & Maritime Q & A

Q.        What are the rally masters and co-rally masters’ responsibilities?

A.        The function of the rally master and co-rally master is to organize and facilitate the rolling rally.

Q.        Once the rally starts if we need to leave the rally due to illness, or, for some other reason will we get a full refund?

A.        Sorry, no. A significant percentage of our activities are pre-booked and take advantage of group discounts. You will be responsible for your percentage of those activities once the rally starts. Further, once the rally starts you won’t see your refund until after the rally is completed. Every effort will be made to refund you as much as possible of your rally fee.

Q.        How much are the rally masters and co-rally masters being paid?

A.        $0.00 and they pay the same rally fees as everyone else.

Q.        What happens to the money, if there is a surplus of funds at the end of the rally?

A.        Any surplus will be divided equally between all of the participants in the rally.

Q.        Will we be caravanning between campgrounds on the Maritime rally?

A.        For the most part, we will employ two methods to move between campgrounds. We will either travel independently or we will travel in groups of three or four coaches.

Independently - the rally master will provide a window of time between their departure and the co-rally masters (sweep) departure. Though you may choose to travel earlier than the rally master or later than the sweep we ask that you do not arrive in the destination campground before the rally master. If you choose to deviate from the caravan route, we ask that you inform the rally master before doing so.

Groups - The rally master will assign groups of 3 or 4 rigs to travel together to begin the travel day, so that we can begin to foster relationships, and to avoid a convoy situation. Groups are released from the park at a designated time so that the roads do not become congested with RVers and so there is less congestion at en-route stops.

Convoy – under very limited circumstances we may convoy at the US Border Crossing, PEI bridge and ferry crossings.

Q.        What if we break down have a flat tire, or a blowout?

A.        If you break down, we will make every effort to get you off the road and to a repair facility. However, the rally will continue and you can rejoin the group once your repairs are completed. You may want to make sure your roadside assistance and coach insurance policies are current and valid in Canada.

Q.        How do we communicate while we are on the road?

A.        Because we will be in some remote locations which may have minimal cellular coverage there are three options: first - CB radio’s, second - text messages and third - cell phone calls. If you don’t have a CB think about putting one in your coach

Q.        Are pet sitters included as part of the cost of the rally at all of the campgrounds?

A.        If your pets will need to be cared for by a campground pet-sitter or kennel, the fees are your responsibility.

Q.        What about pets on the ferry crossings?

A.        Here is how pets will be addressed on our Ferry crossing from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland (North Sydney to Port aux Basques). The ferry crossing is between 6 and 8 hours in duration. You may leave your pet in your coach for the duration of the crossing. This is the recommended option for most dogs and cats. If you choose this option, you will need to notify Marine Atlantic upon check in. You should also request a ‘Pet On Board’ card for display in your coach window. This card will identify your vehicle as having a pet inside and will assist Marine Atlantic during the boarding process. The official  Marine Atlantic statement is “ No one is permitted on the vehicle deck during the crossing”. Therefore, you are not permitted to visit your pet until the vessel has arrived in port. If you feel this is too much time to leave your dog or cat alone there is a second option. You can reserve a space for your own pet travel carrier.  The pet travel carrier must be hard plastic (collapsible wire or soft sided carriers are not permitted). The price for reserving a space is $16.75 + HST for all routes. The spaces are available in three sizes:

Small:    Measures NO GREATER THAN 27.5" deep x 21.5" wide x 21" high. Usually suitable for medium to small Shetland Sheepdogs, Miniature Poodles, Shi-Tzu, Lhasa Apso.

Medium: Measures NO GREATER THAN 31.5" deep x 22" wide x 25" high. Usually suitable for Beagles, larger Shetland Sheepdogs, small Border Collies, English Bulldogs, Springer Spaniels.

Large:    Measures NO GREATER THAN 35.5" deep x 25" wide x 27" high. Usually suitable for medium to small Labradors, Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Boxers, Dalmatians, Airedale Terriers.

Each kennel stowage area includes a relief center where pets may relieve themselves. Pet owners are responsible to clean up after their pet. The area contains disposable plastic bags and a shovel-type tool, along with a trash receptacle and water.

Space is limited and must be booked in advance through the Reservations Office at 1-800-341-7981 once we have confirmed our date and time of departure.

The following is a quote from Marine Atlantic “all pets must be transported to the kennel stowage area inside a pet travel carrier. It is your responsibility to transport your pet from your vehicle to this area. Our staff will gladly provide directions. Walked or carried dogs must be muzzled and leashed.  Failure to muzzle and leash your pet while outside of your vehicle may result in your reservation being cancelled”. Obviously, if you need help with moving your pet to the kennel storage area I will be happy to help.

Q.        What type of accommodations are provided on the ferry?

A.        We will be in reserved seating on deck 9 - a reclining leather seat in a secure area accessible by key card only. If you prefer two berth cabins can be reserved for the 6 to 8 hour crossing for $180 + GST. Just let me know and we won’t reserve seats for you.

Q.        What about church services?

A.        Where possible, we will try to identify available worship services.

Q          Do we have any down days on the rally?

A.        Scheduled activities are minimized on most of the days we move on to the next campground and the average drive is less than 140 miles with the longest drive being 242 miles. We have four back to back travel intervals scheduled during the rally.

Q.        Are you identifying potential fuel stops, rest areas, etc.?

A         Yes they will be included in the trip log. You will receive both a paper and electronic version at the start of the rally. The electronic version will contain a .csv file for input into your GPS.

Q.        What about socials?

A.        Social gatherings in the campground will typically happen around 4:30 PM each day at the rally master's coach. It’s also when we may discuss the following days activities or travel.