Canada and New England Viking Cruise

Want to experience the legendary autumn hues of Canada and New England? Then check out our recent Canada and New England Viking Cruise, which gave us this beauty and more, including lively culture, great food and the rich history of the province of Quebec and more! This post is sponsored by Viking Cruises.

This past fall my husband and I were able to enjoy another Viking Cruise through Canada and New England, along the gulf of the St. Lawrence.

This Canada and New England Viking Cruise immersed us in historic cities—so rich in culture, with world-class museums, vibrant cities and areas steeped in First Nations traditions. On this ocean cruise, we picked up Maple cookies, maple butter (yum!) and candies for souvenirs, and enjoyed French delicacies. We actually came back to Oregon and made Candied Maple Walnuts for homemade gifts, with Canadian maple syrup. 

We even did our own walking tour in Quebec City to see Ursuline Chapel privately. A must do is to enjoy a slice of maple pie at the oldest restaurant in Quebec City!

Canada and New England Viking Cruise

The beauty and colorful autumn hues hung on for us, as we started the 15-day cruise in Montreal, ending in Fort Lauderdale. We sailed the scenic St. Lawrence River and the remarkable Cape Cod Canal, then through charming Newport, RI, one of the oldest cities in the US—home of White Horse Tavern, America’s “oldest bar,” which hosted the legendary guest, George Washington.

The minute you step foot on the ship, you feel at home! Many of my readers know how much we love Viking! Earlier this year we also were able to cruise the Empire of the Mediterranean Cruise with Viking and it was fabulous! Viking offers extensions on either end of some of their cruises, and this one after the cruise, we visited Venice for 3 days!

Viking is for the young-at-heart who appreciate sophisticated amenities. I turned 60 this year, and my hubby and I fit in quite well with all the guests on the cruise. We meet so many new friends, and we truly enjoy not only the people, but the staff, entertainment, and all the activities. We love Viking so much that we call our voyages Vitamin V!

Itineray for this Canada and New England Viking cruise

The Itinerary brought us through:

• Montreal
• Quebec City
• Saguenay
• Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown)
• New Brunswick (St. John)
• Bar Harbor, Maine
• Portland, Maine
• Newport, Rhode Island
• 2 days at Sea on the Atlantic Ocean
• Fort Lauderdale

The Viking Sky

On this Viking Cruise, you can indulge in the endless comforts of Viking Sky. Relax on board, swim in their soothing infinity pool, treat yourself to the Nordic-inspired spa, enjoy the most delicious gourmet meals, and take in the beautiful entertainment and live music on the ship. Paul and I love to sit in the evenings in the beautiful Explorers’ Lounge, watch the sunset, and listen to great music. Pure magic.

The smaller size of the Viking ships are perfect, which they still manage to pack in so many amenities. Sky hosts only 930 guests, a number that provides a lot of interaction (if that’s your thing), and also plenty of space for quaint gatherings, reflection, me-time and alone time. The award-winning, all-veranda ship can dock where larger ships have to sail on by. You don’t get lost in the crowd, and you’re not “just a number.”

We love the living room, set up for relaxation and conversation, the library (packed with books), and the theater. As mentioned, there are shows almost every night, but also you can watch movies, and hear port talks and lecturers on many subjects and the region of travel.

Delux Veranda Rooms

Because we stayed in a Deluxe Veranda room 6 months ago, and then one year ago, I will refer you to this post so you can see what the ship is like, and what comes with the Deluxe Veranda room. We love coming back from a full day of excursions to our cozy room—so nice and clean—where everything has a place it can be stored. The balcony is wonderful, for waking up in the morning and enjoying coffee (and room service), or in the evening for sitting and watching the sunset. Or, just call room service for breakfast in bed!

Viking accommodations have a beautiful Nordic design, very straight-forward, modern, but yet homey. Each cabin contains two spacious closets and ample drawers along with a floor-to-ceiling closet, a replenished mini bar stocked with soft drinks, bottled water and snacks. We love the espresso maker, high-end binoculars, and an interactive TV (live news, movies, very good choices of educational shows to watch), where you can view your day’s schedule. Also every night you will get a copy of The Viking Daily. A comfy throw blanket is arranged on every bed—perfect for a nap. Bathrooms are modern with a step-in shower, a selection of lovely Freyja toiletries and (my favorite) heated floor—which was perfect for some of our chilly fall Canadian days.

Main Pool & Infinity Pool

Being that we traveled in the fall with cooler weather, the heated Main Pool and hot tub provided a calming oasis. By night, it’s a magical setting for stargazing and for viewing our “Movies under the Stars’ and entertainment. We spend most of our time in the Infinity pool, especially on this cruise, the last 2 days at sea. We love the hot tub, and the teak deck, which transforms into the Aquavit Terrace in the evening. This is also a casual place to enjoy al fresco dining.

Snacks, burgers & more

We loved the flavors of gelato, lunch by the pool (tuna steak, burgers, hot dogs), and so  many fun “bar food” choices!

Spa & Fitness Center

The Nordic Spa experience draws upon the holistic wellness philosophy of Nordic culture, with the Scandinavian tradition of the Sauna and steam room, and the Snow Grotto. We also enjoyed a Swedish massage and facial. Paul gets the massage, and I get the facial :)

If you follow me on Instagram, you saw my “fast-speed” work-out in the Fitness Center. There’s no excuse to not work out on the ship, with this amazing work out room, fully stocked with everything you could imagine, and plenty of yoga mats.

The Nordic Shop

I’ve never mentioned in all of my Viking cruise posts the Viking retail store, where they carry the coolest gifts (especially if you have grandchildren). We’ve bought their Norwegian sweaters, and this year I bought all the girls in our family the most unique wool slippers. They now carry a good assortment of beautiful women’s clothing, too (reasonably priced). Every cruise we try to buy one excellent quality item, and have never been disappointed.

Dining

With so many options, all you have to do is book your reservation via your cabin’s interactive TV or visit Guest Services. Do it every day, if you’d like, and go to whatever restaurant you prefer. We love the dining options that Viking offers!

World Café has all or nearly all of what your heart and hunger wants.

The Restaurant, with one daily menu supplemented by a second menu filled with “always available” classics. Excellent food!

Manfredi’s® Italian Restaurant – the Italian restaurant that will not disappoint with farm-inspired cuisine of Italy.

The Chef’s Table – elegant culinary creations paired with wines selected by our master sommeliers. The meal offers a five-course menu, where you can choose from up to five different food “journeys.”

The Restaurant – the main dining venue offers the highest onboard dining experience with regional cuisine and always available classics enhanced with locally sourced ingredients, so you can explore new cultures through food.

The Wintergarden – a fun snack with afternoon tea and decadent finger sandwiches, scones and desserts with relaxing classical music from the Viking Resident Musicians.

(Tip: We say opt for the “Silver Spirits” beverage package, a reasonably priced offering of higher end beverages, any time of day (both occupants of a cabin must purchase the package).

Excursions

Your Viking Cruise includes one free shore excursion in each port of call (excluding embarkation and disembarkation ports), and there are many optional excursions in most ports that will allow you to customize your journey. A full list of available shore excursions is provided to each guest well in advance of each cruise, so you can plan ahead.

Here are the excursions that we enjoyed:

Montreal: The Laurentian Mountains

We took a coach on a scenic drive to The Laurentians, with their forested hills, shimmering lakes and picturesque villages, stopping first for a stroll around the charming resort village of St. Sauveur. We continued to Mont-Tremblant where we shopped and ate an amazing French lunch at Tremblant’s Pedestrian Village. We love French Onion soup, so of course we had to try the Canadian version along with delicious crepes. We then rode the gondola to the top of Mont-Tremblant, known as the crown jewel of the Laurentians. We loved the fall colors!

Quebec City: Old Quebec City by foot

We walked around the Old Town of Quebec City, North America’s only walled city. We saw the continent’s oldest standing Catholic church, Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, and strolled through the cobblestones of the lively Quarter Petit Champlain. We then took a funicular ride to the Upper Town, where we viewed the Château Frontenac, perched castle-like above the St. Lawrence River. With the beautiful views of the river, the town of Lévis on the opposite shore and the Laurentian Mountains, we could see The Viking ship down in the bay—a stunning view. From there we explored the Upper Town, passing by the Place d’Armes, the Quebec Seminary, the Ursuline Convent, Artists Alley and more on our own, and returned to the ship. Quebec City was one of our favorite cities on this particular cruise

Saguenay: Zodiac in the Park – An Exhilarating Ride into the Saguenay Fjord

On a chilly, fall day, we boarded a high-speed Zodiac craft and cruised to the Saguenay Fjord for an up-close look at a magnificent waterway. What a great experience this was.

The Saguenay Fjord is one of the most southerly fjords in the Northern Hemisphere, measuring 65 miles long, a waterway lined by cliffs with an average height of 490 feet. The tallest fjord we saw was 1,150 feet. NOTE: We had to dress warmly, wear flat, comfortable shoes and be reasonably physically fit for this excursion. It was well-worth the time and money. Beautiful!

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada: Anne of Green Gables tour

We also took a coach to Cavendish, where we walked through Green Gables Heritage Place located in the Prince Edward Island National Park. Paul and I took a walk down Lovers Lane and The Haunted Woods, and were able to walk through Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish Home. What a fun experience this was!

Adjacent to the homestead is the Cavendish United Church where L.M. Montgomery worshiped. The church was built by the Presbyterian congregation in 1901. The organ that she played from 1903-1911 remains on display. Her funeral service was held here in 1942.

Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada: Landmarks and History of Canada’s Oldest City

We took a scenic drive through Canada’s oldest city in a motor coach. We visited the Reversing Falls Rapids, where the tides from the Bay of Fundy cause the flow of water to reverse directions. We stopped at the Saint John City Market, a National Historic Site that has been in operation since 1876, and took a panoramic drive through the Revolutionary War-era Fort Howe and admired the views of Saint John and its harbor before returning to the ship.

Since my Best Clam Chowder is so popular on RE, we had to try “New England Clam Chowder” and it idid not disappoint.

Eastport, Maine: Campobello Island & Roosevelt Cottage

On this excursion we learned about the life and times of Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt, and explored the island where they vacationed for more than 50 years.
Our time at Campobello Island, located in the Canadian province of New Brunswick and connected to the US by the FDR Memorial Bridge, was so fun and interesting. We were able to walk through the former cottage of the Roosevelts, persevered within the grounds of a beautiful international park jointly operated by Canada and the US. Later, we learned the story of Eleanor Roosevelt and her life of advocacy and public service, led by expert interpreters at the historic Wells-Shober summer cottage while sipping hot tea, accompanied by homemade cookies.

Portland, Maine, United States: Highlights of Portland, Maine

We hopped on a bus and enjoyed a panoramic tour of Portland’s main sights and saw the state’s oldest lighthouse. The revitalized historic neighborhoods and visiting Old Port, where gracious street lanterns line the pathways of the old warehouse district, was truly a magical experience. From atop Munjoy Hill, we enjoyed sweeping views over Casco Bay. We saw the childhood home of esteemed poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and then continued to Cape Elizabeth to admire the scenery of its rocky shore and Maine’s oldest lighthouse.

Newport, Rhode Island, United States: Panoramic Newport by Motor Coach

Again on a coach, we took a scenic drive past the iconic sights and picturesque coast of Newport, one of America’s oldest cities. We passed residences, like the landmarks, such as Trinity Church, Redwood Library and the Gothic-style St. Mary’s Church-the site of the marriage of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953.

We rode along the famous Ocean Drive, with picturesque views of sandy beaches, rocky coastline and the Atlantic Ocean. We also stopped at Fort Adams, once the largest coastal fortification in the US.

Tips & things you should know

Should you need an adapter, they are available for sale in the onboard shop or can be found at most electronics or travel stores. Most modern electronic devices can accommodate different electrical currents, so you probably will not need a current converter; hair dryers are provided in your stateroom.

Did you know, if you book a Deluxe Veranda, that you can log into My Viking Journey to book shore excursions, dinner reservations and spa appointments? Just sign into your existing account and add this journey to access your trip online.

Ambience: The ship is spacious and uncrowded with plenty of dens and alcoves, with sofas and comfy chairs and well-stocked bookshelves. The entertainment in the Atrium (three decks high) included a classical trio of flute, violin and viola, and a guitarist and a pianist who took turns playing throughout the evening. You could just relax, listen to the music and have a cocktail or after dinner drink. There is no casino, and there is a comfortable theater where most nights there were shows with very energetic and talented performers.

Inquisitive person’s cruise: Viking also focuses on enrichment and education, with selected experts and resident historians teaching and sharing. Education abounds, and there is a great variety of music, from classic, jazz, oldies but goodies, to the contemporaryViking Band.

Destination experts: Viking excursions are designed to help you explore and engage with your destination in mind, with food, culture, countryside, customs, and–depending on your activity level–a lot of walking.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Viking Cruises. We are grateful for the experience.

Check out these other cruises:

For more Viking Cruise posts, you can check out my travel page, or some of my favorite cruises:

• Viking Cruise Mediterranean Odyssey 
• Bermuda Escape
• Viking River Cruise Zurich Switzerland
• River Cruise from Switzerland to Paris
• Homeland Ocean Cruise