Duration: 12 Days
If you didn’t cruise through North American history as a student, now’s the perfect chance. This enlightening tour through the great cities of New England and Eastern Canada – including a 7-night cruise – is the ultimate hands-on field trip. Explore the revolutionary city of Boston, the exhilarating White Mountains of New Hampshire, and an idyllic maple syrup farm in Stowe, Vermont before the sweet experience of cruising through Eastern Canada’s most scenic cities, straits, and sounds. Aboard a 5-star Holland America cruise ship, you’ll sail through the greatest chapters of the past, including the lighthouse-lined St. Lawrence River, the French-infused cities of Montréal and Québec, the green and Gaelic Cape Breton Island, and the pleasing provincial capital cities of Charlottetown and Halifax where walkable Victorian streets await. Cruising through centuries of history, this East Coast tour perfectly balances learning and laughter with one last recess at Bar Harbor, Maine’s oldest summer resort.
Traveller Notes
- We’ve packed everything you need for the perfect holiday—from hand-selected hotels and dining to the friendly expertise of Globus Tour Directors and Local Guides, to seamless transportation between destinations and VIP access to the world’s most iconic sites! Touring by private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi.
- Your package price includes Holland America’s ‘Have It All Premium Cruise Package.’ Included for 2024: Signature Beverage package, $100 Shore Excursion Credit, One dinner in a specialty restaurant and Surf Wi-Fi package.
- Enjoy the Fall colours on the September departures (Mother Nature permitting).
- At least one member of the travelling party must be 21 years of age or older.
- The August 27, September 10 & September 24, departures will embark from Quebec City vs. Montreal.
- July 09, September 10 & September 24 departures: Due to operational difficulties, the Bar Harbor, Maine port of call has been replaced with a Portland, Maine port of call.
- The September 24 departure will visit Cap-aux-Meules instead of Charlottetown due to Holland America operational considerations.
Welcome to Boston! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome drink.
Treasures of New England Enjoy an orientation tour of Boston including Boston Common, the State House, and Faneuil Hall. Depart Boston for New Hampshire and the scenic White Mountains, New England's greatest range and premier outdoor playground. Then, visit Franconia Notch State Park. Tonight, enjoy a Globus Local Favourite Raven Interpretive Wildlife Program presentation by a Local Naturalist this evening. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVOURITE
NATURAL WONDERS Hear historical and ecological insights into New Hampshire nature from a Local Naturalist at the Raven Interpretive Wildlife Program. Discover the flora and fauna of New England in a fun and fascinating evening to enjoy your vacation even more!
Sweet Tastes & Small Towns Visit Montpelier, the Capitol of Vermont, for a tour at a historic Globus Local Favourite maple syrup farm, where you'll learn the art of making maple syrup and enjoy a local treat. Next, visit beautiful Stowe, voted one of 11 Best Small Towns in America by Travel + Leisure. Continue to Vergennes for the historic Basin Harbor Club & Resort, overlooking Lake Champlain with views of the Adirondacks and Green Mountains. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVOURITE
LOCAL TASTES Visit the historic Morse Farm where maple syrup is produced in the tradition of their ancestors who helped settle Central Vermont and learned the art of tapping maple trees from Native Americans. The farm has been boiling the sweet sap ever since.
Adirondack Adventures Visit nearby Shelburne Heritage Park for a taste of authentic Adirondack culture. Travel northwest to Montreal, Canada's second largest city. As Montreal has a unique mix of historical, natural, and cultural offerings, you may like to visit Old Port Montreal, the McCord Museum, or stroll lively St. Catherine Street. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURAL GEM Visit Shelburne Heritage Park, home of one of the nation's most extraordinary collections of American decorative, folk, and fine art. It showcases buildings from around New England and New York, including an 1890 railroad station, a lighthouse, a stagecoach inn, and an Adirondack lodge.
Royal Mountain Views
This morning, sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the Old Seminary of St. Sulpice and a drive to the top of Mount Royal to enjoy a panorama of the city. This afternoon, transfer to Montreal's and wave goodbye to your Tour Director and Driver as you embark on your ship for a 7-night cruise. (B,L,D) *August 27, 2024, September 10, 2024 & September 24, 2024 will embark in Quebec City.
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CITY SIGHTS Named for Mount Royal on an idyllic island on the Saint Lawrence River, Montreal is the largest city in Canada's Quebec province. At its heart are cobblestone lanes of French colonial Vieux-Montreal - with the Gothic Revival Notre-Dame Basilica, the Old Seminary of St. Sulpice, and a hilltop panorama view from Mount Royal itself.
French Canadian Treasures
Free time to explore on your own. (B,L,D)
FREE TIME TIPS
EXPLORE MORE in Canada's only walled city, which, until the British victory of 1759, was the centre of New France and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll within the walls and see the Place d'Armes, Laval Seminary, and ancient Place Royale. Also see Old World houses crowding the narrow streets in Lower Town by the St. Lawrence River and the historic Plains of Abraham.
Atlantic Adventures Spend the day at leisure aboard your ship, taking advantage of the numerous amenities. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CRUISE VIEWS Saguenay Fjord is a 200-mile-long natural canal brings saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean inland and creates a beautiful environment for waterfront living for the communities of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Royal Beauty Spend the day in Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. (B,L,D)
Please note: the September 24 departure will visit Cap-aux-Meules, QU instead of Charlottetown, PEI.
FREE TIME TIPS
EXPLORE MORE on Prince Edward Island town of Charlottetown, the provincial capital named after Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III. The city is famous for hosting the 1864 conference that three years later led to the creation of the independent Dominion of Canada. Perhaps take a trip to Cavendish and visit the famous Anne of Green Gables homestead. Your GlobusGO app has maps and tips for a great day on the island.
Cape Breton Calling Free time to explore Cape Breton Island. (B,L,D)
FREE TIME TIPS
EXPLORE MORE So green and Gaelic is Cape Breton Island that Scotsman and inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, spent the last 37 years of his life here. In fact, Cape Breton was principally settled by Highland Scots whose families had come out on the wrong side of rebellions against the Crown. You can still see this heritage in the accents in some remote villages - and in the great popularity of Scottish-style folk music. Today, you may choose to travel along the scenic Cabot Trail or visit historic Louisbourg Fortress, which recreates life in French-occupied Canada. Your GlobusGO mobile app can point you in the right direction!
Lighthouses & legendary Resting Places Free time to explore Halifax. (B,L,D)
FREE TIME TIPS
EXPLORE MORE in Halifax, where lighthouses stand sentinel on cliff side ledges and tiny villages are huddled together in rocky inlets. Take time to explore Citadel Hill with its early 19th-century star-shaped fort, the tree-shaded walks of the public gardens, and Fairview Cemetery, the final resting place for more than 100 people who perished on the Titanic.
Magnificent Maine Arrive in Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, Maine?s oldest summer resort, and stroll around the charming waterfront with its many shops, galleries, and boutiques. (B,L,D)
Please note: the September 10 & September 24 departures will visit Portland, ME instead of Bar Harbor due to Holland America operational considerations.
FREE TIME TIPS
EXPLORE MORE with an optional excursion to picturesque Acadia National Park, one of America's most visited parks - for good reason! This 47,000-acre Atlantic coast paradise on Maine's Mount Desert Island is blessed with lush woodlands, dramatic rocky beaches, and glacier-carved granite peaks such as Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the America's East Coast. Keep an eye out for fascinating wildlife, including moose, bear, whales, and seabirds.
Safe travels until we meet again!
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. Schedule flights departing from Boston Logan International Airport after noon. (B)
