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

Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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, Quebec, Canada
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.

Shore Excursions – Historic Quebec City
Duration: 2 hours
Explore cultural and historic sites in Quebec City, hailed as the most authentically French city outside France. Begin your journey with a drive past the beautifully restored Place Royale market square in the atmospheric Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The square is dotted with stone architecture dating as far back as the 1600s, including the oldest standing Catholic church in North America. Next, head to the Plains of Abraham, the site where the French surrendered to the British in 1759. Enjoy more spectacular river and city views from its cliffside perch atop Cape Diamond, the highest point of the Quebec promontory—it is named after the stones explorer Jacques Cartier found here and mistook for diamonds. Continue along the Grande Allée, the Champs-Élysées of Quebec, passing by the imposing Second Empire–style Parliament Building on the way back to your ship.

Saguenay, Quebec, Canada
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.

Shore Excursions – Saguenay Discovery
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Learn how the Saguenay Fjord has shaped this scenic region at the Musée du Fjord and see the sights of Chicoutimi. Enjoy a panoramic drive and hear about the lives of locals during the 17th century, where settlers and First Nations peoples lived alongside each other. Continue to Chicoutimi along its main street, Rue Racine. Pause at the Little White House and discover how it miraculously survived the great flood of 1996. Drive by the Pulp Mill of Chicoutimi and hear how important the mill was to the economic prosperity of the region. Next, you will pass the Ha! Ha! Pyramid, a monument to the great flood, and learn about the unusual tale of its creation. Continue to the Musée du Fjord to learn about the local marine life at its saltwater aquarium and get hands-on at the touch pool where you will be able to gently handle a variety of species. After, return to your ship.

Sail the Gulf of St. Lawrence
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 or begin your day with a workout in the well-equipped Fitness Center.

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
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.

Shore Excursions – A Celtic Celebration
Duration: 2 hours
Attend an authentic ceilidh (pronounced “kay-lee”), a Scottish- and Acadian-inspired kitchen party. You will find that the food is plentiful and the music festive. Traditionally, these gatherings of friends and families occurred in the host’s kitchen around the hearth and featured abundant food. Music has long been a mainstay of the community in this corner of Canada, so musicians brought along their fiddles and guitars and made use of the house piano, inspiring guests to sing and dance. Our version of the traditional kitchen party will feature one of Prince Edward Island’s most popular ceilidh performers. During the celebration, you will enjoy a delicious seafood chowder and a lobster roll, accompanied by a glass of wine or beer. Your appetite sated, head out on foot for a short walking tour of the historic Old Town, before returning to your awaiting ship.

Sail the Nova Scotia Coast
It was 1605 when French ships first plied these waters to establish Nova Scotia’s first European settlement. British and Dutch galleons followed, intent on conquest. By the time of the American Revolution, the British had won Nova Scotia, but Americans wreaked havoc along their coast, commandeering mercantile ships and ruining the economy for the redcoats and their loyalists. It all culminated in several naval battles here, the waters crowded with American and British war ships at full mast and the smog of booming cannons drifting over the sea. 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, New Brunswick, Canada
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.

Shore Excursions – Highlights of Saint John
Duration: 2 hours
Discover Saint John’s prominent landmarks and historic sights during a scenic drive through Canada’s oldest city. Board your motor coach and meet your guide, who will regale you with tales of Saint John’s storied past. Visit the Reversing Falls Rapids, where the tides from the Bay of Fundy cause the flow of water to reverse directions. Your journey will take you to several Canadian National Historic Sites. Stop to explore the Saint John City Market, a National Historic Site that has been in operation since 1876. Enjoy time to browse the colorful stalls selling everything from meat and fish to bread and cheese. Cap your tour with a panoramic drive through the Revolutionary War-era Fort Howe and admire the views of Saint John and its harbor before returning to your awaiting ship.

Shore Excursions – Acadia’s Park Loop Road & Ocean Path Drive
Duration: 2 hours
Journey along one of America’s most scenic byways and discover the natural beauty of Acadia National Park. Take a drive along picturesque Park Loop Road, admiring striking views of pine forest landscapes, glacially carved mountains and rugged coastal scenery. Your knowledgeable guide will regale you with stories of the park’s history; beginning in the late 19th century, it was a favored summer playground among America’s elite. Depending on weather and traffic conditions, your guide will choose one or two ideal destinations for photo stops. You might gaze out over the eastern shores of the island at Schooner Head, marvel at the pink granite rock of Otter Cliff or revel in the Atlantic’s power as its waves crash into the rocks at Thunder Hole. Wind your way past the Jordan Pond House, with the Penobscot and Bubble Mountains forming a dramatic backdrop, en route to your ship.

Portland, Maine, United States
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.

Shore Excursions – Highlights of Portland
Duration: 2 hours
Enjoy a panoramic tour of Portland’s main sights and see the state’s oldest lighthouse. Board your motor coach and embark on a scenic drive through the revitalized historic neighborhoods that define Portland. Journey through the Old Port, where gracious street lanterns line the pathways of the old warehouse district, whose red-brick buildings have been transformed into charming eateries, boutique shops and art galleries. From atop Munjoy Hill, you will enjoy sweeping views over Casco Bay. Continue your drive along vibrant Congress Street into the heart of the New Arts District, home to the Portland Museum of Art, State Theater and Center for Marine History. Here, you will find the childhood home of esteemed poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Continue to Cape Elizabeth as you admire the scenery of its rocky shore and Maine’s oldest lighthouse. Enjoy free time to learn about its maritime history as you explore the museum—once the quarters of the lighthouse keeper.

Newport, Rhode Island, United States
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.

Shore Excursions – Panoramic Newport by Motor Coach
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Take a scenic drive past the iconic sights and picturesque coast of Newport, one of America’s oldest cities. Founded in 1639, Newport’s storied past remains well preserved; many of its colonial-era buildings have been designated National Historic Sites. Embark on a scenic drive, passing residences that are exemplary of colonial and Gilded Age architecture. Admire Trinity Church and the Redwood Library, and glimpse the Gothic-style St. Mary’s Church—where President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier were wed. Ride along the famous Ocean Drive for picturesque views of sandy beaches, rocky coastline and the Atlantic Ocean. Time permitting, pause at Fort Adams, once the largest coastal fortification in the US. Finish with a drive down elegant Bellevue Avenue, where millionaire industrialists such as Vanderbilt, Astor and Morgan built their opulent summer residences.

Sail the Atlantic Ocean
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.

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Bid farewell to your fellow guests and journey home. Or spend more time exploring, perhaps joining one of our extensions.