By Andrea M. Rotondo
Each September, a contingent of cruise ships head to the coast of New England and eastern Canada for a series of fall leaf-peeping itineraries. Lines from Crystal Cruises to the Disney Cruise Line descend on ports in the United States and Canada like Boston, New York, Quebec City, Montreal, Halifax, and Saint John.
Shore-side excursions include everything from cultural tours, museum exploration, fishing expeditions, coastal drives, hikes in national parks, and lobster bakes on the beach. Back on the ship, the emphasis is on guest lectures and food and wine presentations pegged to the New England region.
New England cruises are a favorite with regional travelers that prefer to drive and park at the port instead of adding the expense of an airline flight. Five years ago, only a handful of ships sailed these routes. Today, more than two-dozen ships ply the northeast coast each fall. There are luxury ships as well as value cruises.
This year, New England cruisers get an extra treat onboard: local Maine lobsters, fresh from the source. Maine fisherman pulled an unprecedented number of these delicious crustaceans from the sea this year—thus dropping prices. Cruise lines like Holland America and Celebrity are buying thousands of pounds of lobsters for their guests while in ports like Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine.
If you've never sailed the New England and Canadian coasts, now may be the perfect time to consider adding this itinerary to your vacation agenda.
Select Ships Cruising New England & Canada:
Cruise Ship: Carnival Glory
Departure Dates: September 8, 15, 22, 29; October 6, 2012
Cruise Duration: Seven nights
Ports of Call: New York City round-trip with calls on Halifax, Nova Scotia; Saint John, New Brunswick; Portland, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts
How Much: From $469 per person
Cruise Ship: Crystal Symphony
Departure Dates: October 7 and 14, 2012 (October 14 cruise in reverse order)
Cruise Duration: Seven nights
Ports of Call: Montreal to Boston with calls on Quebec City and Halifax in Canada and Bar Harbor, Maine
How Much: From $2,355 per person
Cruise Ship: Disney Magic
Departure Dates: September 2, 7, 12
Cruise Duration: Five nights
Ports of Call: New York City round-trip, calling on Halifax, Nova Scotia and Saint John, New Brunswick
How Much: From $1,657 per person
Cruise Ship: Holland America Maasdam
Departure Dates: September 1, 8*, 15, 22*, 29
Cruise Duration: Seven nights
Ports of Call: Boston to Montreal, visiting Bar Harbor, Maine; Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, and Quebec City in Canada
How Much: From $499 per person
Cruise Ship: Norwegian Dawn
Departure Dates: September 21, 28*; October 5, 12*, 19 (* indicates reverse order of ports)
Cruise Duration: Seven nights
Ports of Call: Boston to Quebec City with calls on Portland, Maine; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, and Gaspe, Canada
How Much: From $399
Cruise Ship: Regent Navigator
Departure Dates: September 24; October 4*, 14 (* indicates reverse order of ports)
Cruise Duration: Ten nights
Ports of Call: New York City to Montreal, calling upon Newport, Rhode Island; Boston, Massachusetts; Bar Harbor, Maine; Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, Saguenay, and Quebec City in Canada
How Much: From $7,399 per person
Source: http://www.fodors.com/news/new-england-and-canadas-fall-cruise-season-5925.html
