New England in Fall: 12 Cruise Lines That Highlight the Season
It may surprise some, but one of the most interesting ways to explore New England is by taking a cruise ship, especially in the fall when the foliage is at its peak. Better yet, many New England cruise itineraries also pass through Canadian ports. Some of the most popular ports of call include Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax and Quebec.
If you’re considering a cruise to New England and Canada, you also have plenty of options to choose from. From large cruise lines to intimate ships, you can explore New England and Canada in the style that suits you. Here are the best cruise lines offering sailings in New England.
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1. Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises has officially made Boston one of its homeports, and the line now offers seven-, 10-, and 17-day itineraries to New England and Canada from Massachusetts aboard its 3-star Emerald Princess 080 passengers. Cruises to New England and Canada are also available from New York and Quebec.
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Your itinerary may include a combination of ports throughout New England and Canada. Stops range from Boston to Bar Harbor in the United States, and Halifax, Saint John, Charlottetown and Quebec in Canada. Feeling even more adventurous? The Princess’s 17-day voyage from Boston takes you on a round trip to Greenland.
2. Royal Caribbean
Whether you’re departing from Boston, Baltimore or Cape Liberty (in New Jersey), Royal Caribbean offers a range of itineraries in New England and Canada. With sailings ranging from four to nine nights, there is plenty of flexibility for those looking for a long weekend and longer vacation. Maine, Nova Scotia and Halifax are just a few of the ports of call you could visit.
3. Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian’s New England and Canada cruise itineraries include sailings stretching from Maine to Nova Scotia. Cruise lines have a multitude of departure port options, including Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore and Quebec. Norwegian offers voyages lasting five to eight days as well as nine to 14 days. This gives you plenty of time to explore New England and its surrounding areas, whether your ship takes you to Boston, Bar Harbor, or Halifax.
4. American cruise lines
American Cruise Lines offers tailor-made New England cruises, allowing passengers to explore various regions of New England and Canada in more detail. This way, you can head to popular spots as well as quieter destinations that you might miss on the big cruise lines.
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The nine-day Maine Coast and Harbors cruise includes stops in Portland and Bangor as well as Boothbay Harbor, Castine and days cruising along the Maine coast. The eight-day Cape Codder cruise stops at Martha’s Vineyard, Provincetown and Newport. And if you have time, the 15-day Fall Foliage Cruise is a good option for those wanting a one-way trip from Maine to New York.
5. Celebrity Cruises
Although Celebrity Cruises offers fewer New England cruises than some of its competitors, the ones it does offer are worth checking out if you’re interested in a long cruise. These are 10 or 11 night round trip trips from Boston. Many ports of call are similar for these crossings, including Halifax, Charlottetown, Portland and Quebec.
6. Holland America
With cruises departing from Boston, Quebec and Montreal, Holland America cruises to New England and Canada include popular stops in Nova Scotia and Maine. Shore Excursions cater to all types of vacations, from adventurous hikes around Acadia National Park to gourmet strolls through Saint John, New Brunswick.
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Itineraries are available through mid-fall as well as spring and summer. Most of the line’s New England cruises range in length from seven to 15 days, and there is also an epic 25-day voyage that includes stops in Greenland and Iceland.
7. Cruises in Oceania
If you’ve already taken New England cruises and visited the typical ports of call, you may want to consider a trip aboard Oceania Cruises next. It has unique ports of call that you don’t like to find on other cruise lines, including Baie-Comeau and Gaspé in Quebec; Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts; and Cortner Brook, Newfoundland.
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New England and Canada cruises depart in August, September and October and include one-way and round-trip itineraries from New York, Boston and Montreal. Sailings last 10 to 12 days on the 1,200-passenger Allura, the 684-passenger Nautica and the 684-passenger Insignia.
8. Seabourn Cruise Line
Choose Seabourn Canada and New England cruises for a yacht-like experience with smaller ships that pull out all the stops. The majority of its regional itineraries depart from Montreal and focus on Canadian ports with only a few stops in New England, including Boston and potentially Provincetown, Newport or Martha’s Vineyard.
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If you want a longer trip along the East Coast, select routes that leave from Montreal and go all the way to Miami. These longer trips span 22 days. Seabourn Cruise Line’s ultra-intimate Canada and New England sailings are on the 229-passenger Seabourn Quest or the 229-passenger Seabourn Sojourn.
9. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
With four ports in New England and several more in Canada, Regent Seven Seas Cruises allows passengers to experience the highlights of the region with organized excursions. Stop at Martha’s Vineyard, Boston, Bar Harbor or Portland to enjoy the sights and sounds of New England with their themed cruises. These include lighthouses and lobster rolls, numerous fall foliage tours, and much more. Most of these New England and Canada sailings are aboard the 744-passenger Seven Seas Grandeur or the 746-passenger Seven Seas Splendor.
10. Silversea Cruises
For another intimate New England cruise experience, consider Silversea Cruises. The line’s crew-to-guest ratio is nearly 1:1, and its small ships can access ports that others cannot. Its 10- and 11-day itineraries include stops at ports such as Newport, Portland and Quebec.
11. Windstar Cruises
If your New England cruise idea also includes several stops in Canada as part of your trip, then you should look into Windstar Cruises. The small ship cruise line includes New England ports like Boston and Portland, but the majority of ports you’ll experience are in Canada. For example, its 11-day Southeast Canada Exploration Cruise stops in Halifax and Quebec City as well as lesser-visited destinations like Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, and Gaspé, Quebec.
12. Viking Cruises
Want a New England cruise that also includes some palm trees? Viking Cruises is distinguished by the fact that its 15-day cruise of the scenic coasts of Canada and New England also brings passengers to Fort Lauderdale. So if you’re interested in a one-way cruise that takes you somewhere a little more tropical than New England, this itinerary might be perfect for you. The trip begins in Montreal and stops at several Canadian ports along the way before visiting Bar Harbor, Portland and Newport. It then continues down the East Coast to Florida. Reverse shipping from Florida to Canada is also available.
Viking also offers 13-day Eastern Seaboard Discovery and Eastern Seaboard Explorer cruises, offering one-way voyages from Boston to Montreal. Viking’s New England itineraries sail either the 930-passenger Viking Mars or the 930-passenger Viking Neptune.
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