History, culture and charming seaside towns define summer cruises
to Canada and New England.
by Marge Peterson

We picked herbs from the French garden and cut up vegetables for a meat pie as our period-costumed interpreter at the Fortress of Louisbourg fired up the open hearth fireplace to cook dinner.

In title: Sand Beach is surrounded by rocky coastline that is a trademark of Acadia National Park. Maine Office of Tourism photo Above: Fort Louisbourg is the largest historical reconstruction in Canada. Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture and Heritage photo

Garden and kitchen duty was one option offered on a tour to Fort Louisbourg in Nova Scotia. Another was the forge and military tour.

The day at Fort Louisbourg was one of many memorable experiences from my seven-day Canada and New England cruise aboard Holland America’s Maasdam, which sails between Boston and Montreal.

An unspoiled area

“This is one of the nicest areas to sail in, an unspoiled area,” said Maasdam Capt. Arjen C. van der Loo. “In the late spring and summer, we’re the only ship in town and the people love it that we’re there. When the leaves change, the other ships come,” he added.

Our first stop was Bar Harbor, which at the turn of the century was home to many of America’s wealthiest families including the Carnegies, Fords and Rockefellers.

A ride through the nearby Acadian National Park took us along the 27-mile Park Loop Road past Sand Beach, Schooner Head Overlook and the High Seas mansion built by a wealthy man whose wife perished on the Titanic. We stopped at the picturesque Thunder Hole and the top of 1,530-foot Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on North America’s eastern seaboard.

Back in Bar Harbor, I browsed quaint shops and bought a cone at C.J.’s Ice Cream and Yogurt, once a favorite stop of the late Paul Newman. A local legend tells about a woman who spotted him in line and got so excited she couldn’t find her ice cream after she left the shop. When she came back in, Newman told her, “If you look in your handbag, you’ll find it.”

Maritime History

The tour options in Halifax, Nova Scotia, reflected the city’s maritime history. Choices include the rugged fishing community of Peggy’s Cove; Grand Pre National Historic Site, which is dedicated to the Acadians who were deported in 1755; and Halifax Citadel, one of the most visited sites in Canada.

After a Halifax city tour, we strolled along the harbor boardwalk and stopped at the Waterfront Warehouse for a fish sandwich. Another stop was the Maritime Museum, which has a permanent exhibit on the Titanic disaster.

As a long-time “Anne of Green Gables” fan, I couldn’t resist the Ultimate Anne of Green Gables tour on Prince Edward Island. The first stop was the Anne of Green Gables Museum where an Anne look-alike with strawberry-blonde pigtails treated us to a raspberry cordial before we went on a horse-and-carriage ride along the Lake of Shining Waters.

Dance of the Whales

On the day at sea between Charlottetown and Quebec, we cruised down the St. Lawrence River where our ship was surrounded by beluga whales dancing in the water. We took a side trip on the Saguenay River to Saguenay Fjord, where the waters from the Atlantic Ocean and the St. Lawrence River merge.

The fjord was spectacular with its steep escarpments, hanging valleys, many islands and a 25-foot-high statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary erected high on a cliff in 1881. It’s custom for all ships in the fjord to play “Ava Maria” and make a 180-degree turn at the statue.

It was tough to cram the sites of the Quebec area into one day. But our “Best of Quebec and Countryside” tour tried, starting with a walking tour through the narrow cobblestone streets of Old Quebec, which are lined with bistros, boutiques and sidewalk cafes.

The imposing multi-turreted Chateau Frontenac, the best-known landmark in Quebec, was the location where Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King met to discuss strategy during World War II.

The ship’s final stop was Montreal, where some cruisers went on a final tour before heading for the airport.

Canada and New England cruises are popular in the autumn to view the brilliant fall foliage, but for those who want to avoid the crowds or for families, a spring or summer cruise is an excellent alternative.

Marge Peterson is a contributor from Ralston, Neb.