Merely sailing into the harbor of New York past its world-famous skyline is sure to win a special place in your travel diary. Although it will be quite early in the morning, this fabulous experience is well worth getting up for. Be sure to have your camera ready for a picture of the legendary Statue of Liberty, once the first welcome sight for millions of arriving immigrants. New York is rich in history, from its early Dutch settlers to the swearing-in of George Washington as the first U.S. president, on to its status as the capital of finance, fashion, art, publishing, broadcasting, theater and advertising. Truly, The Big Apple has something to offer everyone.

Sail into Narragansett Bay, passing the expansive lawns of some of the town’s “summer cottages” built by the Captains of Industry in an age before income taxes. Some of these opulent mansions are open to visitors, or you can view them from the famous Cliff Walk. The town also hosts the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Vintage 12-meter America’s Cup yachts are available for sailing excursions on the bay, or stroll the town’s oldest section, which boasts the largest collection of original colonial-period homes in the country.

Abundant with history, Boston is a pure delight for any visitor. Independent explorers can trace the past 200 years of American history by walking the ‘Freedom Trail.’ Winding its way past old brick buildings, glazed high-rises, green parks and the famous Charles River, the path enables followers to discover some of Boston’s historic events. The fiercely independent early citizens who resisted British rule and taxation without representation carved their story in the minds of all Americans. This pride is ever present today as Bostonians tout their many institutional and cultural treasures, such as Harvard and MIT, Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, Fenway Park, as well as such refined diversions as Symphony Hall and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Sailing into Casco Bay and threading between a number of small islands, you are welcomed to Maine’s largest town, and one of its busiest ports. The harbor bustles with fishing boats, cargo vessels and ferries coming and going between the mainland and the islands. The Old Port section, with cobblestone streets and a colorful fish market, is also a great place to wrap your hands around a fresh lobster roll, the quintessential summertime Maine treat. Stroll the Western Promenade for views of the river and the mountains, or the West End streets lined with 19th century houses. Further afield, there are no less than six picturesque lighthouses within 20 minutes of Portland.

The City of Trees welcomes you with a pleasant city crowned by the star-fortress of Citadel Hill, a National Historic Site, with its iconic Halifax Town Clock overlooking the downtown. The city rises from Halifax Harbour, still an important international port, however the area or wharves and warehouses known as the Historic Properties now host a thriving neighborhood of restaurants bars, galleries and shops. Outside the town, visitors are encouraged to explore the reconstructed French Fortress of Louisbourg, as well as the scenic lighthouse route and picturesque Peggy’s Cove.

A city firmly dedicated to nostalgia, PEI’s capital is full of period buildings recalling a past that strongly informs the present. The City Hall is a National Historic Site of Canada, and the city proudly proclaims its history as the Birthplace of Confederation. Wander the well-maintained waterfront and the atmospheric downtown streets, or cross the island’s pastoral fields to Summerside or the red rock North Cape.

The city of Saguenay is situated on the beautiful Saguenay River 78 miles (126 km) upriver from its confluence with the mighty St. Lawrence. This is an area of countless natural wonders.  The surrounding countryside is a combination of ageless coniferous forests, tranquil lakes and deep river-valleys. What gives the area its unique appearance is its geology. The Saguenay Graben is a great glaciated rift valley, the result of forces deep within the Canadian Shield some 200,000,000 years ago. Inhabited for thousands of years by the First Nations people, the Saguenay region during the early French colonial period was an integral part of the fur trade.

Canada’s Saguenay Fjord National Park encloses a very deep, winding waterway penetrating from the St. Lawrence River through the ancient glaciated foothills of the Laurentian Mountains. The brackish water of the Gulf of St. Lawrence mixes with the freshwater Saguenay River flowing from Lac St. Jean, and the fjord’s waters are tinted a rich tea color from the leaching of fallen leaves and needles of the forested slopes. The rounded slopes rise to heights from 450 to over 1,100 feet on both shores. Saguenay is one of the southernmost fjords in the Northern Hemisphere. The fjord is home to harbor seals, and blue, fin, minke and white beluga whales are seen at times. The hills hide wolves, bears, deer, lynx, beaver, moose and other species. The waters also hold isolated populations of Greenland halibut and Arctic cod, holdovers from the dim past. Your ship will cruise through this beautiful waterway, passing features such as Cap Trinité and the cliff-side statue of Notre-Dame-du-Saguenay, erected by grateful seamen saved from a terrible storm in the St. Lawrence Gulf.

Founded in 1608, Quebec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and the cradle of French Canadian civilization. With its historic ramparts, churches and Old Town, it is considered one of the most beautiful cities in North America.

The City of Montreal is a striking union of old-world charm and new-world attitude. Its name refers to the triple-peaked hill in the heart of the city, Mount Royal. The site has been occupied for 4,000 years and was originally home to First Nations people and known as Hochelaga. It began its current life in 1611 as a fur trading post established by the ‘Father of New France’, Samuel de Champlain. With over 4,000,000 inhabitants, today it is the world’s second largest French-speaking city, after Paris.