Atlantic Coast Harbors & Antilles Overture Cruise

Day 1 - Montreal

Arrive: Fri 18 October 2024 / Depart: Fri 18 October 2024 at 17:00

Montreal, an island city of approximately three million people, claims to be the largest French-speaking city outside of Paris. It was here in 1535 that Jacques Cartier, the first European to explore the St. Lawrence River, founded a small settlement on the island. This settlement failed, so the official founding date of the city is May 1642. In modern days, Expo '67 and the Summer Olympics of 1976 brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to Montreal. Major conventions, film festivals and cultural events are held in Montreal, attracted by the city's extensive facilities, fine hotels and excellent dining.

Day 2 - Quebec City, Canada

Arrive: Sat 19 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 19 October 2024 at 20:00

Founded in 1608 as a fur-trading base by Samuel de Champlain, Québec has a long and exciting history. In 1759, the English defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham and helped determine the outcome of the French and Indian Wars, which under the Treaty of 1763, established British supremacy in Canada. The joie de vivre and panache, however are totally French, as are the cuisine, language and heritage. The first buildings were close to the St. Lawrence waterfront and are known as Lower Town. Most hotels are on a hill that rises steeply from the river in what today is called Upper Town. Québec is still North America's only walled city north of Mexico. Handsome old structures throughout the city are fine examples of classical French architecture. The towers and spire of the imposing Château Frontenac Hotel, built by the Canadian and Pacific Railway in 1892, lend the city an aura of the Belle Epoque.

Day 3 - Scenic cruising Saguenay Fjord

Day 3 - Saguenay

Arrive: Sun 20 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 20 October 2024 at 18:00

The great fjord of Saguenay cuts deep into the slopes of the Laurentian Shield, cited as the oldest rocks on earth. On either side, domes of rock are furred with forests of conifer and hardwoods whose fallen foliage gives the fjord its tea-colored hue. At the head of this spectacular waterway, the newly-created Port Saguenay provides easy access to the natural splendors of the Laurentian forests, a favorite year-round playground of the Quebecois.

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - At Sea

Day 6 - Halifax

Arrive: Wed 23 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 23 October 2024 at 21:00

With its exceptionally delightful harbor side setting, early Europeans were first attracted to Halifax in 1749 with the establishment here of a military outpost by Colonel Cornwallis. The ports natural advantages of a well-protected harbor and close proximity to major fishing grounds resulted in its growth into a major military base and sea port. The peninsula has had several major immigrations during its history; English, French, German, Irish and Scottish have come in substantial numbers at various times. Travelers familiar with the South Pacific will find it interesting to know that Captain James Cook, whose explorations defined most of the Pacific Basin for Europeans, also spent four years in Halifax charting Nova Scotia and the waters of the St. Lawrence. A college town, Halifax has an exhilarating and youthful air about it, as evidenced by many bicyclists and skateboarders. The heart of Halifax offers wonderful restaurants and shopping, galleries, museums, and sites of historic interest including the Naval Dockyard, which dates from 1757, and St. Paul's Church. Heading out of town, the wonders of nature are to be found in the form of the sea, with the smell of salty air, cool ocean breezes, and the powerful force of waves crashing against the rugged shoreline.

Day 7 - Shelburne, Nova Scotia

Arrive: Thu 24 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 24 October 2024 at 17:00

Although it was first colonized by French Acadians in the late 17th century, Shelburne’s real expansion began during the American Revolution, when it was a haven for British Loyalists fleeing the mainland colonies. In 1783, these included a large number of escaped African-American slaves who founded Birchtown, at that time the largest free black community in North America. A decade later, some 1,000 of them accepted a British offer to be relocated to the new African colony in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Learn about this, as well as Shelburne’s shipbuilding past and other historical eras in the town’s complex of three museums, including the Dory Shop Museum where boats are still built.

Day 8 - Bar Harbor, Maine, USA

Arrive: Fri 25 October 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 25 October 2024 at 17:00

As the state of Maine stands apart from the rest of New England, so does Mount Desert Island stand apart from the rest of Maine. When French explorer Samuel de Champlain first dropped anchor here in 1604 he was so impressed by the outline of its towering peaks that he named it "the island of wilderness mountains" - Isle des Monts Deserts. Locals call it the place where the mountains meet the sea. Pink granite mountains give way to pristine freshwater lakes on one side and the mighty Atlantic on the other. Mount Desert's largest town, Bar Harbor, existed for decades as a small local resort and farming community. By the turn of the century, Bar Harbor had gained a reputation as a playground for the rich. In 1916, some of the more conservation-minded residents got together and purchased some 33,000 acres of land and donated it to the government as Acadia National Park, the only national park in the New England states.

Day 9 - At Sea

Day 10 - New York

Arrive: Sun 27 October 2024 at 08:00

Merely sailing into the harbor of New York past its world-famous skyline is sure to win a special place in your travel diary. Although it will be quite early in the morning, this fabulous experience is well worth getting up for. Be sure to have your camera ready for a picture of the legendary Statue of Liberty, once the first welcome sight for millions of arriving immigrants. New York is rich in history, from its early Dutch settlers to the swearing-in of George Washington as the first U.S. president, on to its status as the capital of finance, fashion, art, publishing, broadcasting, theater and advertising. Truly, The Big Apple has something to offer everyone.

Day 11 - New York

Depart: Mon 28 October 2024 at 12:00

Merely sailing into the harbor of New York past its world-famous skyline is sure to win a special place in your travel diary. Although it will be quite early in the morning, this fabulous experience is well worth getting up for. Be sure to have your camera ready for a picture of the legendary Statue of Liberty, once the first welcome sight for millions of arriving immigrants. New York is rich in history, from its early Dutch settlers to the swearing-in of George Washington as the first U.S. president, on to its status as the capital of finance, fashion, art, publishing, broadcasting, theater and advertising. Truly, The Big Apple has something to offer everyone.

Day 12 - At Sea

Day 13 - Charleston, SC, USA

Arrive: Wed 30 October 2024 at 10:00 / Depart: Wed 30 October 2024 at 23:00

Expansive Charleston Harbor is a major seaport with an aristocratic, colonial city gracing its shores. Your first glimpse of the city's historical importance comes as you sail through the harbor and pass Fort Sumter. This national monument, constructed on a man-made island, marks the spot where the Civil War began. Once ashore, you will delight in strolling through the French Quarter, seeing the elegant homes of the Low Country dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, and shopping for that perfect treasure in one of the city's excellent antique stores.

Day 14 - At Sea

Day 15 - Miami, Florida

Arrive: Fri 01 November 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 01 November 2024

Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world, hosting a myriad of ships year-round from all over the globe. Although it is technically not on the Caribbean Sea, no other American city exudes more of the diverse tropical appeal of the Caribbean. The city is home to a large and vibrant immigrant population that blends snowbird refugees from more northern climes with emigres from all Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as sizable groups from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. From the hot-blooded Art Deco haunts of South Beach to the natural wonders of the UNESCO-inscribed Everglades and the laid-back charms of the Keys, South Florida offers a bounty of appealing attractions that make an extended stay in the region nearly mandatory for those either embarking or disembarking here.

Day 16 - At Sea

Day 17 - At Sea

Day 18 - Soper's Hole, Tortola, British

Arrive: Mon 04 November 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 04 November 2024 at 18:00

Day 19 - St. Kitts

Arrive: Tue 05 November 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Tue 05 November 2024 at 16:00

A classic golden arc of sugary sand at South Friar’s Bay, Carambola is home to the island’s most luxurious beach clubs and restaurants. Umbrellas, loungers and optional water sports abound for those so inclined. Otherwise St. Kitts has other attractions, including a number of lovingly preserved plantation great houses, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Brimstone Hill Fortress and a scenic narrow gauge sugarcane railway.

Day 20 - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Arrive: Wed 06 November 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 06 November 2024 at 16:00

Puerto Rico has been voluntarily associated with the United States since it was ceded by Spain in 1898. In 1952, this island country became a self-governing commonwealth territory of the United States. The capital, San Juan, is a teeming city of over 1.5 million. Remnants of colonial architecture stand side by side with the most modern high rises in this city of contrasts. The 7-square-block area, which contains the historic zone of Old San Juan, was once completely encircled by city walls and is still guarded by the impressive forts of El Morro and San Cristobal, which loom over the harbor as reminders of the centuries of Spanish rule. El Yunque rainforest, on the northeastern side of the island, is just one of many distinctive geographical features found here. Mountain lakes, waterfalls, teak forests, and three magnificent phosphorescent bays offer the visitor a variety of diversions.

Day 21 - At Sea

Day 22 - Half Moon Cay

Arrive: Fri 08 November 2024 at 09:00 / Depart: Fri 08 November 2024 at 14:00

A picture-perfect crescent of shining beach awaits your footprints, curving for more than two miles around a candy-blue bay. Snorkel the clear waters, play with docile stingrays, walk the undeveloped island adding migratory birds to your life-list, enjoy horseback riding in the surf. Or simply savor the soothing, serene panorama of sea and sand, the very essence of a Caribbean castaway day.

Day 23 - Miami, Florida

Arrive: Sat 09 November 2024 at 09:00 / Depart: Sat 09 November 2024

Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world, hosting a myriad of ships year-round from all over the globe. Although it is technically not on the Caribbean Sea, no other American city exudes more of the diverse tropical appeal of the Caribbean. The city is home to a large and vibrant immigrant population that blends snowbird refugees from more northern climes with emigres from all Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as sizable groups from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. From the hot-blooded Art Deco haunts of South Beach to the natural wonders of the UNESCO-inscribed Everglades and the laid-back charms of the Keys, South Florida offers a bounty of appealing attractions that make an extended stay in the region nearly mandatory for those either embarking or disembarking here.