Cruise Itinerary

New York was once the capital of America, but that illustrious title seems insignificant compared to the modern role of the Big Apple. Fashion, finance and fine arts—it all happens here.

In the 19th century, Newport was America's Versailles. It was here that the great merchant princes and robber barons of the Gilded Age erected the elaborate summerhouses they so ingenuously dubbed "cottages." At the height of its splendor, a Newport season was a giddy whirl of grand fêtes, yacht races and elaborate beach picnics for assorted Vanderbilts, Astors and Morgans. Today, it is the privileged traveler who marvels at the splendor of great mansions like The Breakers, The Elms, or Rosecliff. Gone are the days when "Tessie" Oelrichs, one of Newport's fabled hostesses, had 12 skeleton ships anchored offshore and dramatically lit for her legendary "White Ball."

Squint your eyes and admit it: Doesn’t that skinny, bearded hipster walking down the cobbled street look a lot like a 19th-century sea captain heading to the wharf to check his ship? Modern Portland, first settled in 1633, carries the marks of both subsets of Mainers. The restored brick buildings and warehouses of the Old Port and the fine upright houses of prosperous captains, merchants and shipbuilders make the city’s past a living part of its present. And the waterfront is a going concern, not a museum: Fishing boats chug into and out of their berths, buoys clang, harbor seals bark. Those shop windows aren’t displaying hardtack, rope or hand salve, though. Juice joints, art galleries, bookstores (and comic-book stores!), worshipful temples to coffee, locavore bistros with national press, bespoke menswear designers and gelato shops all jostle for attention. Don’t limit your visit to the Old Port, though. Wander through the terrific art museum or take a tour of one of the city’s historic homes. Jump on a ferry or whale-watching boat and get out into the busy harbor. Head to the coast—craggy, windswept, dramatic—a glorious and undeniably New England panorama. Get out and take it all in. Welcome to Vacationland.

Located on Mount Desert Island in Maine, Bar Harbor is the quintessential New England coastal town. Our Bar Harbor cruise takes our guests to this picturesque and charming town with its scenic and walkable streets lined with restaurants and boutiques. Dining on lobster is a must, as is a scoop or two at one of the town’s homemade ice cream shops. Boat tours explore the waters and islands that surround Bar Harbor, with seasonal opportunities to see wildlife—including whales—and lighthouses along the way. A favorite attraction many of our guests enjoy on our cruises to Bar Harbor is the magnificent Acadia National Park, an adventurer’s playground. The park, which is celebrating its centennial in 2016, is home to sites such as Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain along the eastern coast of the United States and the first place in the country to see the sun rise. Bar Harbor cruise guests can hike, bike or take a horse-and-carriage ride to explore Acadia’s lakes and striking coastline. While on your cruise to Bar Harbor, take advantage of the best bargain in town during your visit: The free Island Explorer buses take guests to Acadia’s major sites and to other nearby destinations.

Saint John is a city on the Bay of Fundy, in New Brunswick, Canada. It’s known for the Reversing Rapids, a phenomenon caused by bay tides colliding with the Saint John River. Food and craft stalls fill the Saint John City Market, in an 1876 building. On a peninsula nearby, trails wind through Irving Nature Park’s salt marshes, volcanic rock and forests. The 1913 Imperial Theatre stages plays, concerts and dance.

The capital of Nova Scotia and the largest city in Canada's Atlantic Provinces, Halifax was once Great Britain's major military bastion in North America. The beautifully restored waterfront buildings of Halifax's Historic Properties recall the city's centuries-old maritime heritage. Stroll the waterfront, and you may find Nova Scotia's floating ambassador, the schooner Bluenose II, tied up to Privateer's Wharf, just as old sailing ships have done for over 200 years. Halifax is also the gateway to Nova Scotia's stunning scenery, including famous Peggy's Cove, where surf-pounded granite cliffs and a solitary lighthouse create an unsurpassed scene of rugged natural beauty.

New York was once the capital of America, but that illustrious title seems insignificant compared to the modern role of the Big Apple. Fashion, finance and fine arts—it all happens here.