Viking Oceans Cruises – Canada & New England Scenic Shores (Canada, United States) 15 Days

Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Montreal enjoys a picturesque island setting on the St. Lawrence River. Historic Vieux-Montréal, or Old Montreal, evokes the early days of fur trading. The heart of the city is rich with stone houses, inviting boutiques and grand public buildings. The 1829 neo-Gothic Notre-Dame Basilica on the Place d’Armes, is one of the city’s most beloved structures; its colorful interior includes a deep blue ceiling sprinkled with gold stars and stained glass windows. In the Bonsecours Market, a classic Palladian-style, domed building, shops and cafés are a lively stage for daily life.

Vieux-Montréal, or Old Montreal, preserves the rich character of an old colony. Archaeological remains from the city’s first settlement are preserved in the Pointe-à-Callière museum. The silver dome of the Bonsecours Market, a splendid Renaissance Revival building, sheltered Montreal’s main market for over a century and briefly hosted the Parliament of United Canada in 1849. Adjacent, the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours is one of the city’s oldest churches, and the historic Château Ramezay once hosted Benjamin Franklin as he sought to recruit troops against the British.

Quebec City is by many accounts the most French city in New France. The Old Town’s centerpiece, the magnificent Château Frontenac, seems transported from the palatial landscapes of the Loire Valley, and its French-accented streets lead past white-stone buildings that evoke old-world medieval villages. The only remaining walled city in North America outside of Mexico, Quebec City was fortified in the 17th century soon after its founding in 1608. Its strategic setting on the rocky promontory of Cape Diamond gave troops a close view of the St. Lawrence.

Saguenay is one of southern Quebec’s most cosmopolitan cities. It consists of three boroughs: Jonquière, Chicoutimi and La Baie. Once neighboring towns, they were merged to form the present-day city in 2002. Except for some Inuit and Cree villages, there are no towns due north between Saguenay and the Arctic. Like so many Canadian cities founded amid woodland, Saguenay grew its pulp and paper trade with the late 19th century arrival of the Canadian National Railway. Since then, this resilient town has recovered from a great fire, a landslide and a flood.

Follow in the footsteps of 10th-century Vikings and sail the vast Gulf of St. Lawrence, an outlet for the North American Great Lakes into the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Enjoy the amenities of your ship as you sail. Perhaps take a breath of fresh air on a brisk walk around the Promenade Deck or begin your day with a workout in the well-equipped Fitness Center.

Prince Edward Island evokes the simplicity of Canada’s maritime life, a fertile mix of fishing and farming. In the capital of Charlottetown, tree-lined streets shade restored 19th-century mansions and tidy green parcels dot provincial squares. The island has been molded by rich Scottish and French heritages, as evidenced by the traditional ceilidh, or kitchen party, that still unites friends and neighbors. Besides its picturesque landscapes, the island’s biggest draw might be the farmhouse that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery to write her famous novel Anne of Green Gables.

Trace the coast of Nova Scotia, where French ships first plied these waters to establish the first European settlement in North America. As you sail, explore our well-curated library, tucked in a private alcove of The Living Room, and select from a broad range of titles. Read a book by the Main Pool, a calming oasis in any weather with its retractable roof, allowing for year-round swimming.

Saint John is fondly deemed the “Original City,” and lies on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. The city exudes a rich history and culture at every turn. Uptown alone is home to several historic landmarks. On the North Market Wharf stands the New Brunswick Museum, the longest continually operating museum in Canada. Nearby, the bell of the Saint John City Market announces the start and end of its business day, a tradition it has upheld for more than a century. At night, in St. Patrick’s Square, the Three Sisters Lamp is aglow, as she helps to guide ships into the harbor.

Bar Harbor is a picturesque coastal town occupying northeastern Mount Desert Island. Nearly a century after welcoming its first European settlers, the town began to experience an influx of visitors with the arrival of Thomas Cole, whose paintings revealed an idyllic wilderness. His landscapes of verdant spruce forests, glistening ponds and dramatic mountain peaks captured the attention of city dwellers longing for respite from urban life, and by the mid-20th century, Bar Harbor became a thriving summer getaway and a favorite among the wealthy and artistic.

Portland is one of Maine’s biggest cities and its largest port. This city “Down East” was established in 1633 and grew into a major shipping center whose past is evoked today by redbrick warehouses, shipbuilders’ mansions and narrow cobblestone streets. Today, it is a haven of fine restaurants, numerous public parks and rich arts, music and museum scenes. American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born here and American painter Winslow Homer was inspired by its seascapes. Portland’s coastal vistas include the Portland Head Light, the state’s oldest lighthouse.

Newport is a showcase of palatial mansions and stunning lawns and gardens on Narragansett Bay. Families such as the Vanderbilts and Astors constructed their grand houses here as extravagant retreats from the bustle of New York. Others followed, and soon the city was the second home of the most elite families in the nation. A sojourn along ten-mile Ocean Drive reveals much of the city’s architectural and seaside splendor. The city’s marina showcases a jaw-dropping collection of sleek, gleaming yachts.

Sail the Atlantic Ocean, divided in half, north to south, by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Longer than the Rockies, the Himalayas and the Andes combined, this underwater mountain range is the longest on Earth. Renew your body, mind and spirit in our Scandinavian-inspired spa, a Nordic sanctuary of holistic wellness, today while at sea. Whether you unwind in the Sauna, refresh in the Snow Grotto or take a dip in the Thermal Pool, you will feel recharged and revitalized.

A beloved leisure destination for Floridians and visitors alike, the Ft. Lauderdale area exudes the carefree attitude of South Florida’s coast. In Miami, a thriving Cuban culture infuses Old Havana and gleaming high-rises overlook Biscayne Bay. On the outlying barrier islands, South Beach is an intoxicating blend of seaside glamour and art deco pastel brilliance. Farther north, the seven-mile-long Ft. Lauderdale Beach provides a more leisurely ambience. Along Las Olas Boulevard, cafés and boutiques invite lingering and endless browsing. After breakfast, disembark your ship and journey home.