Canada & New England Cruises: Excursions

As soon as you hop aboard one of the famous Harbour Hoppers, prepare yourself for one-hour of fun-filled adventure. Your 'Harbour Hopper' will take you on a land and water excursion of beautiful Halifax and its harbor. Your commentator will introduce you to Halifax’s finest shops, restaurants, museums and historic sites. Prepare yourself for a big splash as your Hopper plunges into the Halifax harbor. Be amazed by The Royal Canadian Naval Fleet and the spectacular sights along the waterfront. You’ll be dropped off in front of the Cruise Ship Pavilion. less

Enjoy the rustic beauty of a 19th century horse-drawn wagon ride through the city of Portland. Your matched team of magnificent horses will tour you comfortably through the narrow streets of the city Henry Wadsworth Longfellow named a ‘Jewel by the Sea’. Your experienced guide will point out all the historical sites of this magnificent jewel we call Portland. Your tour will include Portland’s working waterfront, the Eastern Promenade with its spectacular views of Casco Bay and the Calendar Islands, the Portland Observatory which was used to notify the city of a ships arrival, Monument Square with its tribute to those who gave their lives for freedom, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s home and Longfellow Square. Pass by the Portland Museum of Art designed by I. M. Pei, and the unique combination of architectural styles that make up this vibrant city. Your guide will also discuss the history of Portland from its beginning as a part of Massachusetts to its independence and how the city was destroyed four times and rebuilt. Note: Participants must be able to negotiate three large steps to embark /disembark the wagon. This tour is not suitable for guests on wheelchairs. less

This exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience of Halifax’s 'Top 10' things to see and do is designed for those who want to see it all and in very little time. Your tour starts as you travel to Peggy’s Cove the world’s most photographed fishing village. Here you’ll have time to visit and explore the rugged, sea-sculpted granite shores. On your return to the city learn about the maple syrup industry as you make a stop at Acadian Maple and sample a sweet treat. Continue onto Halifax and its major sites. You’ll visit Fairview Lawn Cemetery where 121 victims of the Titanic disaster are buried. Discover trendy Spring Garden Road with its many restaurants and boutiques – it’s been voted "best place to people watch” east of Montreal.

Escape to the lush oasis of the Public Gardens, an authentic Victorian garden nestled in the city’s bustling downtown. Stop atop atop Citadel Hill, one of Canada’s most visited National Historic Sites where you'll have an amazing photo opportunity of the city. Drive along the waterfront and see the longest oceanfront boardwalk in Canada and the unique stone buildings of the first business in Halifax. You'll see historic properties and hear the tales of privateers, pirates and the founding fathers of the banking industry of Canada. See Nova Scotian Crystal where skilled artisans craft blown and hand cut crystal, the only place of its kind in Canada.

Note: Admission to Citadel Hill is not included. Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Peggy's Cove (path to lighthouse) and many older buildings in Halifax are not wheelchair accessible. less

Enjoy the highlights of Boston as this panoramic tour takes you past the city’s most important and scenic sites. See Copley Square, one of the city’s most attractive spots bordered by the architectural wonders of Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library. Continuing through the upscale residential area of Back Bay and along Newbury Street, you’ll pass exclusive boutiques, trendy cafes and the Public Garden. In the heart of the city and overlooking the green oasis of Boston Common, lies one of the most elegant and wealthiest neighborhoods of the city, Beacon Hill. Passing the gold dome of the Massachusetts State House, you'll see the Old South Meeting House where the Boston Tea Party began. Looking across the Charles River as the patriots did in April of 1775, catch a glimpse of the steeple of Old North Church where Paul Revere ordered two lanterns hung in the steeple to signal that the British Recoats were on the move. Note: This tour ends at the Boston Logan Airport and is only available for Norwegian Dawn guests with domestic flights after 2:00 pm, international flights after 3:00 pm, or who have an extended stay in Boston. Guests are responsible for ensuring their debarkation tours are compatible with their flight departure times. This tour does not necessarily drop off at all NCL program hotels, please check with the Shore Excursion staff onboard as to which hotel drop-offs are available. Guests have the option to book their flights through our Premium Air Department to ensure that flight departure times do not interfere with debark tours. Tour itinerary may vary due to traffic conditions. less

Explore Gaspe, its surroundings and magnificent Forillon National Park. In the Micmac language, Gaspe means Land’s End. Gaspe is associated with the beginning of western history in North America; the cross that Jacques Cartier erected here in 1534 has made it the birthplace of Canada. The town is unique, covering 606 square miles (975 square km), with 93 miles (150 km) of coastline exposed to the sea! Wherever one is in Gaspe, water – either fresh or salty – is never far away. The deep, coastal indentation is the Bay of Gaspe – a magnificent body of water sheltered by the surrounding mountains. Edged by stretches of sandy or pebble beaches, the bay becomes the gathering place for swimmers, boaters and water-sports enthusiasts. A visit to Forillon National Park is sure to be a unique adventure. The tip of Forillon, which was declared a Canadian national park in order to preserve the wild beauty of its coast, reveals various geological formations and phenomena up to 450 million years old. Its majestic landscapes cover a 152 square mile (244 square km) area that is carved out of the sea, cliffs and mountains. Here, where the land joins the sea, are born pebble beaches, dizzying cliffs, small coves, rocky capes and fine sand beaches. The presence of ten different rock formations, colonies of seabirds and enigmatic Arctic-alpine plants give this park its unique character. The park also bears witness to an important cultural and historical heritage. The mark humans have left on the Forillon landscape speaks of how closely their lifestyle was attuned to the natural environment. In fact, 'Harmony between man, the land and the sea' was chosen as the theme that would guide promotional activities in the park precisely because of the significant natural and cultural characteristics inherent to Forillon. To the west of the village, you can explore Fort Peninsule, an old lookout and vestige of the Second World War. A little-known episode of the Second World War took place right in the Bay of Gaspe. Located in the northern area of Forillon National Park, Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse, erected in 1858, is one of the tallest beacons built by the Canadian Coast Guard in Quebec. Canada's tallest lighthouse, it soars 112 feet (34.1 meters) into the air. The Cap-Bon-Ami Sea Cliffs constitute the rock walls corresponding to the peak front and are located at the northern side of the Forillon Peninsula. Those escarpments are huge especially near the sea, from the end of the Cap-des-Rosiers plains to Forillon extremity. All of the littoral wall vary in heights and can go to 197 feet (180 meters) at the south-east of Cap-bon-Ami. Seabirds give the park a definite maritime feel. Each year, the spring migrations bring double-crested cormorant, black guillemot, black-legged kittiwake, gulls and razorbill, all attracted by suitable breeding sites and an abundance of food in the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Gaspe Bay. The sea cliffs of the Cap-bon-Ami area accommodate the park's largest gathering of birds during the breeding period, including thousands of black-legged kittiwakes. Designated a historic monument and a national historic site of Canada, the Manoir Le Boutillier was constructed around 1850 by John Le Boutillier, a leading cod merchant originally from Jersey (one of the Channel Islands). The lively tour introduces visitors to a facet of the regional heritage of the Gaspe Peninsula; the restored manor is as it was when John Le Boutillier occupied the house (1850-1860). Wrap up your tour with lunch at Centre Culturel Le Griffon, a unique cultural center with a maritime atmosphere. Located in a former authentic cold store built in 1942, The Centre Culturel Le Griffon houses a number of services for visitors including the Cafe de L'Anse, a historic exhibit on the time when cooperatives came into being, and an artists' studio. Note: Walking is on both flat and gravel surfaces with 1 1/2 flights of stairs at Le Boutillier Manor. Fort Peninsula and LeBoutiller Manor are not wheelchair accessible. less