There are more than the colours changing on cruises along the Atlantic coast of New England and Canada. Now the times they are a-changin’, too.
It wasn’t that many years ago that the Atlantic cruise season was confined to the period in the fall when cruise ships would head for Canada to take in the changing of the colours. But the 2011 season is underway this month and runs right until late fall.
Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian are among lines offering cruises to Canada from U.S ports, mainly Boston and the New York area. Cruises originating in Canada are mainly one way from Montreal and Quebec City.
Holland America has two ships in the market, with over 20 cruises. Maasdam (above) operates between Boston and Montreal — 7-day cruises with home ports at each end. Calls on this cruise include Halifax, Sydney and Charlottetown. On a June 11 cruise, I found a starting price of $851 CAD.
Eurodam is offering 10-day one-way cruises between New York and Quebec City. The best bang for your buck comes from its Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale re-positioning cruise. It departs on October 10, lasts 12 days and includes Saguenay, Saint Lawrence River Cruising, Gaspe, Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, Bar Harbor (Maine), Gloucester (Massachusetts) and Newport (Rhode Island). Prices start at $1,480 CAD.
Carnival operates the Glory on short cruises from New York that take in Saint John and Halifax.
Princess is already sailing to the Canadian market and has 24 cruises, sailing out of Brooklyn and Quebec City.
Royal Caribbean sails New England and Canada out of Boston, Baltimore and Cape Liberty in New Jersey. Jewel of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas are the ships sailing these routes and the itineraries range from 7 to 9 nights.
NCL sticks to changing-of-the-colours season, with four trips from September 17 to October 8.
The Celebrity Summit offers 14-day sailings — only three of them — starting in September through to October 9.
All for now.
