Cruise Destination:  Atlantic Canada

Cruise ships docked in the Port of Halifax

More Ships, More Departures For 2007 Atlantic Canada Cruise Season
Looking to cruise this summer? A record 10.6 million North Americans are planning to this year. And if you’ve already island hopped in the Caribbean and taken in the scenery in Alaska, why not chart a course northward to Atlantic Canada’s uncrowded waters and a region whose history has been linked to the sea for centuries?
Where else in the world can cruise passengers whale watch from a ship’s deck, cruise down iceberg alley or ride the world’s highest tides in the Bay of Fundy?
This year cruise lines will have more ships with more departures—and sailing earlier in the year than ever before—in the Maritimes and the waters around Newfoundland and Labrador. Soon more cruise aficionados will have the chance to see firsthand their unspoiled natural beauty, quaint seaports, fascinating history and warm welcoming people. New cruises from New York and other Eastern seaboard ports are being offered and cruisers have a variety of large and small vessels to tour this area, sampling its delights and learning about its seafaring history.
Carnival Cruise Lines—www.carnival.com—will operate new four-day/three-night cruises from New York to Saint John, New Brunswick visiting the Bay of Fundy. Starting June 12 and then almost every Thursday through August 30, the line will offer seven departures leaving New York at 5 pm and arriving in Saint John at 8 am the next morning. Rates start at $319 per person, double occupancy.
From June 16 to August 20, Carnival will feature a series of 10 five-day/four-night itineraries calling at both Saint John and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The cruise departs New York on Saturdays or Mondays at 5 PM and spends almost a full day at each port. Rates start at $459 per person, double. Four seven-day/six-night itineraries will depart New York at 4 PM from September 8 to the 29 stopping at Boston, Portland, Saint John and Halifax with rates starting at $619 per person, double.
Holland America’s Maasdam— www.hollandamerica.com—will be offering a series of roundtrip cruises out of Boston this summer and fall.
Many other mainstream cruise lines call seasonally at Atlantic Canadian ports such as Celebrity, Cunard, Fred.Olsen, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, P&O Cruises, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. Or you might want to try a luxury cruise to the Maritimes with Crystal Cruises or Seabourn. Both cruise lines will be offering cruises to Atlantic Canada, along with New England, beginning in September. Websites: www.crystalcruises.com; www.seabourn.com  
Small or expeditionary ships are also operating cruises in Canadian waters.
Polar Star Expeditions—www.polarstarexpeditions.com—headquartered in Halifax, will offer two sailings calling at ports in Newfoundland, Labrador and Nova Scotia for the second year in a row in September and October.
Cruise North Expeditions—www.cruisenorthexpeditions.com—offers itineraries that explore the rugged coasts and charming outports of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Hapag Lloyd expedition ships have called at ports in Atlantic Canada and will do so again in 2008.
In 2008, Pearl Seas Cruises, www.pearlseascruises.com , a division of American Cruise Lines, will home port a new 165-passenger ship in Halifax built right in this historic ship-building port—one of the world’s largest natural harbors. From July to October, 2008 the line will offer 12 departures starting at $3250 for a seven-night itinerary.
More expedition ships are being attracted to Atlantic Canada.
As far as ports of call, travelers have a wonderful choice. A sampling:
With its pretty Victorian mansions, flower-filled gardens and tree-shaded squares,
Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island is a lovely town to wander through. Disembarking from their ship, passengers can follow the boardwalk to explore quaint boutiques, craft shops or charming cafes. More active passengers might opt for cycling on part of the island’s 217-mile Confederation Trail which winds through forest, farmland and along sandy beaches. Others of a more literary bent might choose to visit the home featured “Anne of Green Gables, the acclaimed children’s classic set in Prince Edward Island.
The city is in the midst of completing a $15 million waterfront refurbishment that will double the current berth length from 230 feet to 490 feet, allowing for larger vessels. The project includes a new center to welcome visitors and upgrades to the seaport’s existing facilities. Website: www.visitcharlottetown.com
In Saint John, New Brunswick – Canada’s oldest incorporated city circa 1785 – natural wonders abound alongside its bustling downtown. Visitors can ride in a boat as the highest tides in the world reverse the flow of the mighty St. John River at Reversing Falls.  Or they can journey through 350 million years of natural history in the New Brunswick Museum after exploring the amazing Bay of Fundy ecosystem on a bird-watch, whale-watch, canoe or kayak tour. In town, cruise passengers can take an invigorating walk to the oldest market in North America (1876) or ride off on a bike to see some of the area’s famed covered bridges.
A vibrant city and bustling seaport, Halifax has much to offer cruise passengers. www.destinationhalifax.com.  They can start off at the Citadel (1826-56) which crowns the city and wander down steep streets past Victorian gardens to the wharf side Historic Properties— the oldest surviving waterfront warehouses in Canada. Restored to their 19th century glory, they now house restaurants, bars and shops. Showcasing the city’s rich sailing heritage, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, has a permanent exhibit dedicated to the Titanic as well as information on shipping through the centuries.
A handsome city which expanded from its colorful waterfront, St. John—www.stjohns.ca—the capital of Newfoundland has Victorian architecture, heritage shops and a lively arts scene with plenty of traditional music.  Visitors can meander down quaint side streets lined with late 19th-century row houses in bright colors. Rising up over the harbor, Signal Hill offers great views and is crowned by Cabot Tower.  Dating from 1897, this castle was built for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and the 400th anniversary of John Cabot's arrival in the new world. The city’s top cultural attraction, The Rooms, is a striking modern complex housing a museum, an art gallery with 7000 works and historic archives. 
The Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership (ACTP) is a nine member pan-Atlantic partnership comprised of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the four Atlantic Canada Tourism Industry Associations, and the four departments responsible for tourism for the provinces of New Brunswick, www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca  (1-800-561-0123; Nova Scotia: www.novascotia.com  (1-800-565-0000); Newfoundland and Labrador, www.newfoundlandlabradortourism.com (1-800-563-NFLD); and Prince Edward Island www.gentleisland.com  (1-800-463-4PEI).