New England, Québec & Maritime Canada by cruise & train

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'll 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 on your cruise is Portland, Maine. The city is home to a thriving food scene and maritime heritage. Activity options from the ship include a lobster-catching tour, a culinary walking tour, sea kayaking in the calm waters of Casco Bay, or a scenic sunset cruise past secluded islands, historic forts, and the oldest lighthouse in Maine.

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 a journey 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 it as a key shipping route. This stretch of the river is littered with small islands, lighthouses, and fishing villages. There are also 13 resident whale species 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. After some time to settle in, you'll join a small group walking tour of Old Québec City with a local guide. Starting at Place d'Armes, you'll visit all the major sights of the old city, such as Dufferin Terrace, the Governors' Garden, the courtyard of the Ursuline Sisters, City Hall and St-Paul Street's Antique Dealers District. After your tour, you have the rest of the afternoon to explore at your own leisure. For dinner, we recommend Rue Saint-Jean, which is packed shoulder-to-shoulder with restaurants showcasing farm-fresh Québécois fare.

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 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 its ornate interior, then venture 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 visiting the Plateau and Mile-End districts, particularly to try one of the city's smoked meat sandwiches. You then make your own way to the airport for your onward flight.