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Changing Leaves Lure Legions To
Autumn Foliage Cruises
Autumn: It’s a season of vibrant colors,
when the air turns crisp yet the temperature remains comfortably
warm and the skies are a robin’s egg blue. Fall is a season
like no other. And the best way to take it all in is aboard
a cruise on one of the member line ships of the Cruise
Lines International Association (CLIA), the marketing
and training organization that represents the 19 leading
cruise lines serving North America.
Fall foliage cruises traverse picturesque
landscapes that glow in brilliant hues of gold, yellow,
red and orange. These voyages also visit quaint coastal
villages and world-class destinations, including New York,
Boston, Montreal and Quebec City. “There’s nothing quite
like a cruise to Canada and New England,” said Terry L.
Dale, president and CEO of CLIA. “Vacationers on these
voyages not only see an ever-changing panorama of fall
foliage as they sail up the coast to Canada – but also
take in the charms of the region’s quaint towns and the
diverse cultures and attractions of New York and Boston.”
Along the way, cruise passengers can
sample such regional fare as New England clam chowder
and lobster. Guests will also experience French culture
in Quebec and Montreal and encounter Nova Scotia’s charm
in the smaller ports of Sydney and Halifax.
Optional sightseeing excursions on
fall foliage cruises run the gamut – from clambakes on
private islands to Broadway shows to culinary tours in
Boston’s Italian North End. Travelers will also have the
chance to take a walking tour of stately Quebec City,
tour St. John’s Bay of Fundy by jet boat or visit lighthouses
in Maine.
Following is a list of fall foliage
itineraries available aboard CLIA member cruise lines.
Carnival’s Carnival Triumph
will sail a series of five four-, five- and seven-day
fall-foliage cruises round-trip from New York, between
September 10 and October 1. Ports include Boston, Portland,
and Sydney and Halifax in Nova Scotia. Sightseeing highlights
include scenic Peggy’s Cove, the Fortress of Louisburg
and the Moosehead Brewery. From Portland, guests can board
a private boat for a cruise through Casco Bay to an island
for a lobster bake.
Constellation will offer guests
some of the region’s best presentations of fall foliage
on two 12-night sailings roundtrip from Cape Liberty,
New Jersey in September and October. Highlights include
Boston; Bar Harbor, Halifax; an overnight stay in Quebec
City; the Saguenay River; and Portland. Among the sightseeing
options are trips from Quebec City to the St. Anne de
Beaupre shrine, combined with a visit to the spectacular
Montmorency Falls—one-and-a-half times as high as Niagara
Falls.
Crystal offers five itineraries ranging
from seven to 11 days aboard Crystal Symphony in
September and October. Highlights include New York, Bar
Harbor and Canada’s Halifax among a host of other destinations.
Optional sightseeing tours include a Broadway performance
and private lunch with the cast of “Wicked” in New York,
an evening theater outing in Boston to see “Blue Man Group”
or “Shear Madness,” and coastal kayaking along Bar Harbor’s
Frenchman’s Bay.
Cunard’s famous Queen Mary 2 will sail
on a 12-day Splendours of the Fall cruise round-trip from
New York, departing September 26, 2005. Highlights include
Sydney, Nova Scotia; Corner Brook, Newfoundland; Quebec
City; Halifax; Portland; Boston and Newport. Optional
sightseeing excursions include a Pubs tour in Halifax
that begins with a complimentary beer tasting to prepare
participants’ palates for the evening’s reverie. Roving
musicians will serenade guests on the pub-crawl.
Maasdam will operate on eight itineraries
to the Canada/New England region in September and October.
Highlights include cruising the St. Lawrence River, Quebec
City, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Sydney, Halifax
and Bar Harbor. The line’s Medallion Special Collection
shore excursions, designed for seasoned travelers, provide
a unique perspective on the culture, history and heritage
of areas visited and include exclusive options such as
becoming a 19th-century Redcoat soldier for a day.
Canada and New England aren’t the only
places featuring beautiful foliage during the fall. Leaves
change color around the world. Travelers can combine the
joys of viewing glorious fall scenery with an MSC Cruises’
Mediterranean sailing, viewing the autumn wildflowers
and natural beauty of Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey
while enjoying the Italian ambiance, hospitality and cuisine
found on the six MSC Cruises’ ships sailing in the Mediterranean
-- without the summer crowds.
NCL’s brand-new Norwegian Jewel,
which debuts in Europe in August, will sail on a series
11-day Canada/New England itineraries roundtrip from New
York beginning September 18. Itinerary highlights include
Boston; Bar Harbor; cruising Cabot Strait and the Gulf
of St. Lawrence in Halifax; Quebec City; cruising the
Saguenay River; Sydney; cruising the Bay of Fundy; and
St. John. Sightseeing excursions include sea kayaking,
a haunted Halifax walking tour and whale-watching sojourns.
Princess’ Canada/New England cruises
are available from September 3 through October 24, 2005.
Golden Princess returns with a series of seven
weeklong sailings, roundtrip from New York. Sea Princess
will debut in the region with three departures of a new
ten-day itinerary from New York to Quebec City. The ship
will also sail one Canada/Colonial America voyage along
the full length of the Atlantic coast, visiting five of
the U.S.’s 13 original colonies.
Seven Seas Navigator will sail
Canada/New England waters in September and October on
seven- eight- and nine-night itineraries between New York
and Montreal. The season kicks off with a 10-night itinerary
from Norfolk, Va., to Montreal on Sept. 6. The line is
offering a host of unusual optional shore excursions,
including a ghost tour of Quebec and an excursion via
a World War II amphibious vehicle known as the Boston
Duck.
From September 4 to 18, 2005, Royal
Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas will sail out
of Boston on seven-night itineraries to Martha’s Vineyard,
Bar Harbor, Portland, Halifax and St. John’s. On September
25, the ship sails from Boston to Quebec; and on October
2, the ship sails a seven-night itinerary from Quebec
to Fort Lauderdale. Sightseeing highlights include a visit
to Maine’s Acadia National Park, and a canoe trip and
lobster bake.
Silver Whisper will offer nine-,
ten-, and 11-day cruises in September and October. Three
itineraries sail between Montreal and New York and a fourth
sails from Boston to Montreal. Highlights of the nine,
10- and 11-day itineraries include Bar Harbor, Boston,
Corner Book Halifax, Sydney as well as many other destinations.
A popular Silversea sightseeing option is a flightseeing
tour in Nova Scotia, including the Annapolis Valley, in
all its autumnal splendor.
Seabourn Pride will sail seven-day
cruises between New York and Quebec City that can be booked
as 14-day combination itineraries. September 18 and October
2 sailings from New York to Quebec call at Bar Harbor,
Lunenburg and Sydney. A complimentary excursion takes
passengers to the Highland Games at Sydney’s Gaelic College.
On September 25 and October 9 the ship will call at Halifax,
Boston and Newport, sailing between Quebec and New York.
For more information on CLIA member
lines, contact a CLIA-member travel agency. To locate
an agency near you, use the Travel Agent Locator on CLIA’s
website at www.cruising.org
.
About CLIA:
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is
the premier nonprofit cruise industry marketing organization
comprising 19 leading cruise lines, which collectively
accommodate 95 percent of North American cruise passengers.
CLIA member travel agencies – of which there are 16,500
– are considered the consumer’s very best resource when
planning a cruise vacation. For more information on CLIA,
cruise vacations, its member cruise lines and travel agencies,
visit www.cruising.org.
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