Boston & eastern Canada by cruise & train

You start your day with a 90-minute shared, guided walk along the Freedom Trail, which begins at the Old State House and connects 16 nationally significant sites. The tour takes in the city's most important Revolutionary War sights, like Paul Revere’s house, Faneuil Hall, and the USS Constitution. We also suggest a visit to the red-brick houses of Beacon Hill and the world-famous Harvard University just over the river in Cambridge.

You have a morning at leisure in Boston for last-minute sightseeing. In the early afternoon, make your own way from your hotel to Boston's cruise ship terminal to board your Holland America cruise ship. Once boarded, you will have time to explore the ship’s many facilities, including the various music rooms, fitness room, swimming pool and casino. The ship departs in the late afternoon, and you can watch the city disappear behind you as the sun goes down.

Your first stop in New England is Eastport, Maine. The town is home to a thriving art scene and maritime heritage. Activity options from the ship include a lobster-catching tour, a heritage walking tour, whale watching to search for the humpback, fin, minke and blue whales that populate the coast, or a visit to Franklin D. Roosevelt's summer home on Campobello Island.

You’ll dock today in Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia and the largest city in Atlantic Canada. Activities offered from the ship include historic walking tours to the Public Gardens and the Citadel National Historic Site, trips to the scenic small town of Peggy’s Cove with its lighthouse, one of the most photographed buildings in Canada, food walking tours, tall-ship sailing boat trips in the harbor, and admission to the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

Your ship will dock at Cape Breton’s only large urban area, Sydney. Activity options from the ship today include the opportunity to relive history at the Fortress of Louisbourg, a visit to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, a drive along the famed scenic Cabot Trail to see the road winding its way through the cliffs above the ocean, a lobster boil, and the chance to learn more about the Indigenous Mi’kmaq people at the Membertou Heritage Park.

The largest settlement on Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, is a compact city full of leafy avenues lined with Victorian clapboard houses. The island is also known for being the home of Anne of Green Gables, and fans can visit the house and farm that inspired the book. Your activity options today include a lighthouse and wine tasting tour, several food tours, a visit to the Anne of Green Gables house, and journeys along Island Drive, the panoramic drive along the coastline.

On this day entirely at sea, you cruise through the massive Gulf of Saint Lawrence, a hugely biodiverse ecosystem that attracts a range of sea life, from tiny krill to enormous whales, as well as a whole range of seabirds. We recommend spending plenty of time on deck spotting this marine life. You may catch glimpses of white on the surface signalling the beluga whales that flock to this area, or even the hulking giants of the blue whales.

For your final day fully on board, you continue cruising the St Lawrence River toward Québec City. This river is culturally significant to the Maritime Algonquin people and became important to European settlers who established whaling operations and used the river as a key shipping route. This stretch of the river is littered with small islands, lighthouses, and fishing villages. There are also 13 resident species of whales found along the river, including blue, beluga and right whales.

Disembark from your cruise ship in the early morning and make your own way to your hotel in the heart of Québec City. You have the rest of the day to explore at your own leisure. We recommend a walk along Dufferin Terrace past the turrets of the Fairmont Château Frontenac and overlooking the river. For dinner, we recommend Rue Saint-Jean, which is packed shoulder to shoulder with restaurants showcasing farm-fresh Québécois fare.

You have most of the day at leisure to explore Québec City. For a taste of history, we recommend a visit to La Citadelle with its old fortified walls. There’s also the museum at Monastere des Augustines showcasing the religious history of the city. We recommend a visit to the oft-photographed Petit-Champlain for a spot of shopping in the boutiques housed in colorful, traditional buildings. This evening, you have a guided five-course food walking tour to indulge in the city’s best gastronomy while learning more about the city’s history and culture.

This morning, make your own way to Québec City’s railway station, where you board a train bound for Montréal. You spend the three-and-a-half-hour journey in business class with a light meal included. Settle in and watch the scenery pass by from the large windows. On arrival in Montréal, make your own way to your hotel in the heart of downtown Montréal. Then, spend the afternoon exploring the city’s blend of French, British, and Canadian cultures.

This morning, make your way to Place D’Armes opposite the Notre Dame Basilica to join a small group walking tour of Old Montréal with a local guide. Begin by skipping the line for entry to the basilica to see the ornate interior before venturing into the elegant streets of the old city. Stop at several historical and architectural gems along the way and visit some of the less-visited spots of the city. The rest of the day is free for you to explore at your own leisure, perhaps using recommendations from your guide.

Spend the morning doing some last-minute sightseeing in the city. We recommend a visit to the Plateau and Mile-End districts, particularly to try one of the smoked meat sandwiches the city is known for. You then make your own way to the airport for your onward flight.