Canada & New England Cruises: Excursions

Travel back to revolutionary Boston with a walk along the Freedom Trail. Your experienced guide will reveal the sites and scenes of critical events that paved the way for American independence. Highlights include the Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church and the Granary Burying Ground, the final resting place of many famous Americans including John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Paul Revere. You’ll see the Old Corner Bookstore where the nation’s greatest authors often gathered, including Emerson, Longfellow and Hawthorne. In the heart of Old Boston is the Old South Meeting House, where angry colonists met on the eve of the Boston Tea Party. Near the circle of stones in front of the Old State House, you’ll hear the story of the Boston Massacre, the first bloodshed of the Revolution. Passing Faneuil Hall, continue to the North End, Boston's oldest surviving residential neighborhood and home of Paul Revere. Before returning to the pier, a visit will be made to the Old North Church where Paul Revere ordered two lanterns hung in the steeple to signal that the British redcoats were approaching. Your guided walk will end at Quincy Market for your return transfer back to the pier. Note: Total distance covered is about two miles, with approximately three hours of slow walking and standing. Not possible for guests in wheelchairs or with limited mobility. less

Travel with your kilted guide through historic streets as you learn the story of Halifax’s founding, of the pirates and privateers who walked its streets and of the prosperous, world-class city it has become today. Hear of the Halifax explosion, the terrible devastation in 1917 when the face of the city’s north end was changed forever by the collision of two ships in the harbor. Visit Halifax’s famed Victorian Public Gardens where you’ll enjoy a guided walk in a 17-acre oasis in the middle of the city and a photo stop at the Halifax Citadel, the fourth fortress to guard the city since its founding two-and-a-half centuries ago and one of Canada’s most popular and most visited national historic sites. Then, visit one of the three main Titanic cemeteries, where 121 Titanic victims are buried. You’ll also see such landmarks as St. Paul’s Anglican Church, City Hall, the Old Town Clock and Province House as your coach travels through the streets of this historic, yet modern city. Note: The cemetery site is not accessible to guests confined to a wheelchair. less

The spectacular rocky coastline nearby Portland, Maine is studded with lighthouses dating back over 200 years. On this half-day tour you’ll see three prominent lighthouses and visit the Museum of Portland Head Light. Departing the pier, drive through historic Portland passing by the Eastern Promenade offering a panoramic view of Casco Bay, the Portland Observatory, the new arts district, as well as the thriving commercial and business districts. Visit Bug Light, a steel structure lined with brick, that was first lighted in 1875 as an aid to navigation for this busy port. In addition, enjoy the Liberty Ship Memorial dedicated to the 266 ships built on the site during WWII. Commonly known as American ugly ducklings, these vessels were the workhorses of the WWII fleet, carrying cargoes of grain and mail, ore and ammo, trucks and troops in the fabled horizon-filling convoys. Then it’s a short jaunt to the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, a typical sparkplug-style lighthouse constructed of brick on a cylindrical cast-iron caisson. Many vessels ran aground on this dangerous ledge before requests from seven steamship companies in 1891 convinced the government to build a lighthouse. Then travel along Cape Elizabeth’s rocky coast to Fort Williams, once a military outpost for coastal defense and now home of Maine’s oldest lighthouse. First illuminated on January 10, 1791, Portland Head Light has since stood at the gateway to Portland Harbor for mariners traveling Maine’s perilous coast. Here you’ll have ample time to explore the grounds and visit the impressive museum located in the former lighthouse keeper’s quarters. The museum chronicles the history of the Portland Head Light and Fort Williams through permanent exhibits displaying original artifacts and documents, navigational aids, lenses, video displays, models and photography. Note: At Portland Head Light, guests must walk from the bus parking lot to the lighthouse for approximately 200 yards on level and uneven ground with a few steps. This tour is not suitable for guests on wheelchairs. less

Discover the rolling hills and pastoral beauty of Prince Edward Island on a scenic drive along the beautiful southern shoreline of Canada’s smallest and greenest province. This tour begins with the highlights of Charlottetown and then travels the scenic Blue Heron Drive, through the heart of the south shore famous for its rolling hills, red cliffs and winding rivers. Learn a brief history of Confederation Bridge, one the world’s longest multi-span structures that links the province with mainland Canada. There will be incredible photo opportunities of the bridge from Borden-Carleton and the Cape Jourimain Interpretive Centre after crossing. On the return route to your ship, marvel at the sights - red soil, acres of potato fields, lush woods and some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. Note: Bridge crossing subject to weather conditions. Not all areas are accessible. less