Canada/New England cruise ports

Top 5 Canada New England cruise ports
Criteria include the interest level of shore excursions in a Canada New England cruise port city and beyond. My port rankings exclude the embarkation ports Montreal and New York.

1. Old Quebec City    Quebec
This French-Canadian city has retained its French spirit and 18th-century architecture. Wander down its narrow, winding cobblestone streets - and enjoy the gourmet restaurants. Read my Old Quebec City page for more tips and insights.

2. Boston    Massachusetts
Follow the Freedom Trail to Old North Church and other historic sites. Visit its restored harbor area. Try famous New England dishes.

3. Bar Harbor   Maine
This is an active fishing port with a tourism infrastructure. Don't miss ordering food from one of the picturesque harbor-side lobster shacks. And visit nearby Acadia National Park (especially at peak-foliage time).

4. Halifax    Nova Scotia
Go on one of Halifax's renowned pub crawls. View Titanic artifacts in the Maritime Museum and visit the Titanic passenger graveyard. Take excursions to nearby pretty Peggy Cove and historic Lunenburg.

5. Newport   Rhode Island
Visit the mammoth "summer cottages" and Victorian gardens of Vanderbilt and other 19th century moneybags. Pay a visit to the Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum. Explore the thriving yacht harbor.

Best times to go on a Canada New England cruise
The 4-month prime cruise season

• July & August
Pros
Long daylight sightseeing hours.

Cons
No foliage displays. Days can be uncomfortably hot & humid. Tourist crowds.

• September
Pros
Day temperatures gradually get more comfortable. Tourist crowds decline.

Cons
Too early for foliage. September is a hurricane-prone month.

• October
Pros
It's the amazing foliage month

Cons
Cold temperatures are made worse by windy conditions. Daylight hours are short.

Off season
A few Canada New England cruises sail as early as May and June.

Learn my tips before you book because fall foliage is the prime attraction of a Canada New England cruise
1. Timing
Peak foliage occurs in October. If you want to enjoy this magnificent natural wonder, you must travel then.

2. Moving foliage line
Peak fall foliage does not take place all over at once. The foliage line begins in the north and slowly moves south. Some approximate dates:

    Oct 4 - Corner Brook   (Newfoundland)
    Oct 9 - Halifax   (Nova Scotia)
    Oct 12 - Bar Harbor   (Maine)
    Oct 19 - Boston   (Massachusetts)
    Oct 21 - Newport   (Rhode Island)

When it's peak foliage in Newfoundland, the leaves are still green in Rhode Island. When it's peak time in Rhode Island, virtually all the foliage leaves have fallen off the trees in Newfoundland. Take this information into consideration when selecting your cruise.

3. Prediction accuracy
The dates listed above are estimates based on multi-decade averages. You cannot accurately predict local foliage peaks for any given year. Unexpected frigid nights can hasten the color metamorphosis of the leaves. Indian Summers (unusual warm spells in the fall) can delay the process. Even what happens in the summer (temperature, rainfall and sunlight) affects the eventual outcome.

4. Cruise directions
Some cruises are one-way, such as New York to Montreal. I recommend you sail the Canada to USA direction. Reason: You will remain longer within the southerly moving peak-foliage zone.

Also remember to book a cabin on the starboard side (right) when sailing south. Reason: The beautiful Atlantic coastline will be on that side, the bare ocean on the other. However, people on a northbound cruise should book a port side (left) cabin.

5. North vs South
The foliage colors (crimson, gold, and amber) are more brilliant and spectacular in the north than in the south.

Canada New England pointers
Itineraries
Most are round trips, some are one ways (such as New York to Montreal).

What to do on board
View rugged coastlines, photogenic light houses, and possibly whales from your cruise ship's observation deck. Entertainment and lecture focus and quality varies by ship.

Shore excursions
View rugged coastlines, photogenic light houses, and possibly whales from your cruise ship's observation deck. Entertainment and lecture focus and quality vary by ship.