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When to cruise to Canada and New England

Month	Cruise season indicator		Month	Cruise seacon indicator
January	No		July
February	No		August
March	No		September
April	No		October
May			November	No
June			December	No

Canada and New England Cruise Season Guide »

All you Need to Know

by Travel Journalist Tony Peisley

Anytime someone mentions climate change to me, I immediately think of Toronto.

Last year, the temperature there had changed dramatically in the few days before my October arrival to start a Canada/New England cruise. From being in the low 80Fs, it had fallen to the low 40s. Two days later, it was back up in the 60s.

This had nothing to do with global warming but everything to do with why the Fall/Autumn foliage colours in that part of the world are so spectacular...and so unpredictable.

Ships have been cruising in either direction between Montreal/Toronto and New York/Boston during September and October for many years, with the Fall foliage colours the main attraction. Yet, beautiful though those colours are to see, no-one knows for sure exactly when they will be at their peak because it is so dependent on the seasonal weather.

But the lines came to realise that people enjoyed the cruises just as much even when the colours were not out in full force. The fact is that there is so much else to offer on these itineraries that an increasing number of ships now cruise Canada/New England all summer.

Whales, for a start. I have been lucky enough to see a fair few tail-flicking humpbacks from ships in Alaska but never as many whales in one place as I saw cruising along the Saguenay River en route from the St Lawrence Seaway to Quebec.

After all, there is nothing like a serving of Beluga to brighten up your day and that particular day we were treated to the awe-inspiring sight of pods of spouting Belugas keeping pace with our stately progress. It was a real (Sir) David Attenborough moment. And our next stop, Quebec, has to be one of Planet Earth's most attractive cities, combining - as it does - the style, elan and cuisine of France with the friendly, can-do service ethic of North America.

But there is not a duff call on a typical Canada/New England itinerary as this will include Halifax, Nova Scotia; Newport, Rhode Island; St John, Newfoundland; and Bar Harbour, USA. And one of the bonuses of this cruise destination is the opportunity it affords to extend your holiday at the beginning or end with every single one of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Montreal, Quebec and Toronto being great cities for a short break.

DOS and DON'TS of New England/Canada Cruising

DO make sure to leave enough time to return to your ship before it sails if you go ashore independently in Boston as "The Big Dig" continues. One of the longest-running road works in history, this means that some journeys take longer than you expect.

DON'T miss the tour of Rhode Island's lavish if often extraordinarily tasteless Belle Epoque mansions. This, after all, was the place where the expression "keeping up with the Joneses" emanated during what Mark Twain described as its "Gilded Age" of Astors and Vanderbilts.

DO remember to pack layers of clothing so that you are never caught cold (or hot) by sudden changes of weather, particularly in spring and autumn.

DON'T forget to be out on deck or on your balcony as you leave or sail into New York City harbour - it is a simply iconic experience.

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