Canada & New England Cruise: Quebec, Halifax & Martha's Vineyard

Montreal is the largest city in Quebec, Canada, and is also the largest inland port in the world. Situated between a majestic mountain and the sparkling St Lawrence River, sailing into the port with its impressive skyline of grand 19th century grey stone buildings never loses its fascination for passengers. Old Montreal is one of the main attractions, where visitors can travel by horse-drawn carriages, stroll along the cobble stone streets, visit museums, art galleries, chic boutiques and vintage coffee shops. Read more about Montreal, Canada

Quebec, capital of the Canadian province of the same name, is so ‘French’ it is said that to visit Quebec is to experience France without crossing the Atlantic. French must be the predominant language on signs, retail or food service employees always greet customers in French, and there are even laws dictating whether parents can send their children to English or French school. The architecture, ambience and mostly French-speaking citizens are proof that some of France has been permanently ingrained in North America. Read more about Quebec, Canada

The 96 km Saguenay River is a major river of Quebec, Canada. It is bordered by steep cliffs and has a very high flow rate. The river drains into the Saint Lawrence River at Tadoussac, where its cold waters merge with the warmer waters of the St. Read more about Saguenay River, Canada

Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, the Gateway to Atlantic Canada, is a lively and colourful combination of urban and rural living at its best. It is situated on the world’s second largest harbour, and the beautifully restored waterfront buildings recall the city's centuries-old maritime heritage, which is also cleverly explained at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, and the Halifax Citadel that explores the unique local heritage. Read more about Halifax, Canada

St John, the first incorporated city in Canada, is situated on the north shore of the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick Canada. It is the most Irish city in the country as reflected in its architecture, names, and of course several Irish Pubs with their typical Irish atmosphere. Take a walking tour of the picturesque city of Saint John that offers visitors the opportunity to explore the thriving ecosystem that is part of the Bay of Fundy, in Rockwood Park. Read more about St John (Bay of Fundy), Canada

Rockland lies on the Atlantic coast of Maine in the New England region of the USA. A mile-long granite breakwater protects Rockland Harbour and lighthouse, making it one of the finest shipping and recreational boating harbours on the East Coast of the United States. Since the early 1990s Rockland has seen a shift in its economy away from fishery and toward a service-centred city. Read more about Rockland, USA

Boston is the capital and largest city in Massachusetts, USA. Calling this quaint and delightful city the 'Athens of America' might seem a bit pretentious, but the city's 19th-century glory radiates through its grand architecture, and its world-renowned academic and cultural institutions. Disastrous 'urban renewal' projects in the 1950s provoked such a furious backlash that Boston now has some of the best preserved historic buildings and neighbourhoods in the country. Read more about Boston, USA

The 11 km long Cape Cod Canal, in Massachusetts USA, was built during the Great Depression and remains the widest (at 146m) man-made sea-level canal without locks in the world. It is home to the Cape Cod Canal Railroad bridge, a vertical lift bridge that carries railroad traffic across the Canal. Of additional interest are the two car bridges, and the best way to appreciate the beauty of all three is to take a boat tour that provides a fascinating ‘underbelly’ view of all three bridges. Read more about Cape Cod Canal, USA

New York is situated on the Atlantic coast of NE United States. With its world-class museums, big statues, even bigger buildings and being the most linguistically diverse city in the world, the Big Apple’s hyperactive rush keeps drawing more and more people to it. The City of New York is a densely packed mass of humanity and all this living on top of one another makes the New Yorker a special kind of person. Read more about New York, USA