Compare Passage through New England & Eastern Canada by Globus vs Rockies Trail by Omega Tours
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 12 days | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 3,468 | $ 3,599 |
| Price Per Day | $ 289 | $ 360 |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | No | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description | If you didn’t cruise through North American history as a student, now’s the perfect chance. This enlightening tour through the great cities of New England and Eastern Canada – including a 7-night cruise – is the ultimate hands-on field trip. Explore the revolutionary city of Boston, the exhilarating White Mountains of New Hampshire, and an idyllic maple syrup farm in Stowe, Vermont before the sweet experience of cruising through Eastern Canada’s most scenic cities, straits, and sounds. Sail through the greatest chapters of the past aboard a Holland America cruise ship, including the lighthouse-lined St. Lawrence River, the French-infused cities of Montréal and Québec, the green and Gaelic Cape Breton Island, and the pleasing provincial capital cities of Charlottetown and Halifax where walkable Victorian streets await. Cruising through centuries of history, this East Coast tour perfectly balances learning and laughter with one last recess at Bar Harbor, Maine’s oldest summer resort. | Experience hot springs, glacial ice fields, and breathtaking views of soaring peaks in Canada's Rocky Mountains. Journey over rolling foothills and through interior canyons to discover the frontier legends of homesteaders, cowboys, and gold seekers. The spectacular mountain park settings of Banff, Jasper, and Whistler give way to the port cities of Vancouver and Victoria. Revel in the Pacific experience from awesome coastal scenery to boat cruises across blue-water straits where whales travel and bald eagles soar |
Day 1: ARRIVE IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Welcome to Boston! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome drink.
Day 2: BOSTON–FRANCONIA NOTCH STATE PARK, NEW HAMPSHIRE–JACKSON
Treasures of New England Enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of Boston including Boston Common, the State House, and Faneuil Hall. Depart Boston for New Hampshire and the scenic White Mountains, New England’s greatest range and premier outdoor playground. Then, visit Franconia Notch State Park. Tonight, enjoy a [LF] Raven Interpretive Wildlife Program presentation by a Local Naturalist. (Breakfast,Dinner)
LOCAL FAVORITE NATURAL WONDERS Hear historical and ecological insights into New Hampshire nature from a Local Naturalist at the Raven Interpretive Wildlife Program. Discover the flora and fauna of New England in a fun and fascinating evening to enjoy your vacation even more!
Day 3: JACKSON–MONTPELIER, VERMONT–MONTRÉAL
Sweet Tastes & Small Towns Visit Montpelier, the capital of Vermont, for a tour at a historic maple syrup farm, where you’ll learn the art of making maple syrup and enjoy a local treat. Travel northwest to Montréal, Canada’s second largest city. Montréal has a unique mix of historical, natural, and cultural offerings. After a city tour, enjoy leisure time to visit Old Port Montréal, the McCord Museum, or stroll lively St. Catherine Street before dinner at a local restaurant. (Breakfast,Dinner)
LOCAL FAVORITELOCAL TASTES Visit a local farm where maple syrup is produced in the tradition of their ancestors who helped settle Central Vermont and learned the art of tapping maple trees from Native Americans. The farm has been boiling the sweet sap ever since.
Day 4: MONTRÉAL–QUEBEC CITY
Royal Mountain Views This morning, sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the Old Seminary of St. Sulpice and a drive to the top of Mount Royal to enjoy a panorama of the city. Continue to Québec City for an orientation tour and free time in one of the most historic and best-preserved cities in North America.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTCITY SIGHTS Named for Mount Royal on an idyllic island on the Saint Lawrence River, Montréal is the largest city in Canada's Québec province. At its heart are cobblestone lanes of French colonial Vieux-Montréal – with the Gothic Revival Notre-Dame Basilica, the Old Seminary of St. Sulpice, and a hilltop panorama view from Mount Royal itself.
Day 5: QUEBEC CITY (EMBARKATION)
French Canadian Treasures Free time this morning in the heart of Old Quebec City to stroll through historic streets and experience genuine French culture. This afternoon, transfer to Quebec City’s port and wave goodbye to your Tour Director and Driver as you embark on your ship for a 7-night cruise.(Breakfast,Dinner)
FREE TIME TIPSEXPLORE MORE in Canada’s only walled city, which, until the British victory of 1759, was the center of New France and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll within the walls and see the Place d’Armes, Laval Seminary, and ancient Place Royale. Also see Old World houses crowding the narrow streets in Lower Town by the St. Lawrence River and the historic Plains of Abraham.
Day 6: ST. LAWRENCE RIVER
River Views and Villages Explore the ship and numerous amenities while watching charming fishing villages and lighthouses illuminate the passing shores. (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
Day 7: GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE
Atlantic Adventures Spend the day at leisure aboard your ship, taking advantage of the numerous amenities. (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTCRUISE VIEWS Saguenay Fjord is a 200-mile-long natural canal brings saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean inland and creates a beautiful environment for waterfront living for the communities of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Day 8: CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Royal Beauty Spend the day in Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
FREE TIME TIPSEXPLORE MORE on Prince Edward Island town of Charlottetown, the provincial capital named after Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III. The city is famous for hosting the 1864 conference that three years later led to the creation of the independent Dominion of Canada. Perhaps take a trip to Cavendish and visit the famous Anne of Green Gables homestead. Your GlobusGO app has maps and tips for a great day on the island.
Day 9: SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA
Cape Breton Calling Free time to explore Cape Breton Island. (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
FREE TIME TIPSEXPLORE MORE So green and Gaelic is Cape Breton Island that Scotsman and inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, spent the last 37 years of his life here. In fact, Cape Breton was principally settled by Highland Scots who had come out on the wrong side of rebellions against the Crown. You can still see this heritage in the accents in some remote villages—and in the great popularity of Scottish-style folk music. Today, you may choose to travel along the scenic Cabot Trail or visit historic Louisbourg Fortress, which recreates life in French-occupied Canada. Your GlobusGO mobile app can point you in the right direction!
Day 10: HALIFAX
Lighthouses & Legendary Resting Places Free time to explore Halifax. (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
FREE TIME TIPSEXPLORE MORE in Halifax, where lighthouses stand sentinel on cliff side ledges and tiny villages are huddled together in rocky inlets. Take time to explore Citadel Hill with its early 19th-century star-shaped fort, the tree-shaded walks of the public gardens, and Fairview Cemetery, the final resting place for more than 100 people who perished on the Titanic.
Day 11: BAR HARBOR, MAINE
Magnificent Maine Arrive in Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, Maine’s oldest summer resort, and stroll around the charming waterfront with its many shops, galleries, and boutiques. (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
FREE TIME TIPSEXPLORE MORE with an optional excursion to picturesque Acadia National Park, one of America’s most visited parks – for good reason! This 47,000-acre Atlantic coast paradise on Maine's Mount Desert Island is blessed with lush woodlands, dramatic rocky beaches, and glacier-carved granite peaks such as Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the America’s East Coast. Keep an eye out for fascinating wildlife, including moose, bear, whales, and seabirds.
Day 12: BOSTON (DISEMBARKATION)
Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. Schedule flights departing from Boston Logan International Airport after noon. (Breakfast)
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN CALGARY
Arrive at Calgary International Airport. Individual transfer to your centrally located hotel. After check-in the remainder of the day is free. The tour director will contact you in the late afternoon to give details about joining the tour. Explore the Old West at the Glenbow Museum or Fort Calgary on your own, browse through the Eau Claire Market, ride up the Calgary Tower for a great view and savor the great restaurants and dynamic nightlife. Overnight in Calgary.
Accommodation at the Delta Hotels by Marriott, Calgary, or similar
DAY 2: CALGARY TO BANFF NATIONAL PARK
We begin the day with a city tour of Calgary. Leaving the city, we travel west on the Trans-Canada Highway into the rolling foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The majestic peaks of the Canadian Rockies soon fill the horizon as we approach Banff National Park, our first of several in the Canadian national parks system. We soon arrive in the charming resort town of Banff. Overnight in Banff. Meals: B
Accommodation at the Mount Royal Hotel or Banff Aspen Lodge, Banff, or similar
DAY 3: BANFF NATIONAL PARK
Today we will enjoy a tour of the region around Banff. The area became Canada’s first national park in 1885 to protect its natural hot springs. An optional Helicopter Sightseeing Tour will give you the chance to see the eastern ranges of the Rocky Mountains. Alternatively, you can take an optional gondola ride to spectacular Sulphur Mountain. Bring your camera! The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the surroundings of Banff, stroll along Banff Avenue, or relax and enjoy the scenery. Meals: B
Accommodation at the Mount Royal Hotel or Banff Aspen Lodge, Banff, or similar
DAY 4: BANFF NATIONAL PARK TO JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Today’s journey through Banff and Jasper national parks promises to be a highlight of our Rockies Trail program. Shortly after leaving Banff, we visit the famous scenery of Lake Louise, one of the most photographed lakes in Canada. Afterward, we travel north on the famed Icefields Parkway through a rugged wilderness flanked by dramatic mountain ranges. At the Columbia Icefield, we board a specially constructed Ice Explorer to ride on the surface of the ancient Athabasca Glacier. Close to Jasper, you have the chance to go on an optional raft trip on the Athabasca River. Your experienced guide will point out the natural and human history as you raft through short rapids and stretches of calm waters. Overnight in Jasper. Meals: B
Accommodation at the Lobstick Lodge, Jasper, or similar
DAY 5: JASPER NATIONAL PARK TO SUN PEAKS
Before leaving Jasper National Park this morning, you can take part in an optional Spirit Island Cruise on Maligne Lake, the most picturesque and largest glacier-fed lake in the park. You may alternately take an optional motorcycle tour of Jasper, riding in the comfortable sidecar with an unmatched view of the forests and mountains. Then, we travel west along the Yellowhead Highway and into the heartland of British Columbia. Breathtaking, unspoiled vistas await visitors in every season of the year. The route takes us along the Thompson River through the picturesque Shuswap Highlands. Overnight in Sun Peaks. Meals: B
Accommodation at Sun Peaks Grand, Sun Peaks, or similar
DAY 6: SUN PEAKS TO WHISTLER
We can expect a day of dramatic scenery changes when we drive through the ranch lands and head for the coastal mountains. A journey along the Duffey Lake Road exposes new vistas at every turn. An optional Floatplane Sightseeing Tour over Garibaldi Park gives you an inspiring view of a natural preserve of volcanic peaks, alpine lakes, and meadows. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Whistler. Meals: B
Accommodation at Delta Hotels by Marriott Whistler Village Suites, Whistler, or similar
DAY 7: WHISTLER TO VICTORIA
The Sea-to-Sky Highway leads us south through spectacular coastal scenery today. You will visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge suspended high above a magnificent canyon. From Horseshoe Bay, we cruise by ferry across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island and continue by coach to Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city. Arriving in Victoria, we embark on a city tour of this former British enclave. Overnight in Victoria. Meals: B
Accommodation at the Coast Victoria Hotel & Marina by APA, Victoria, or similar
DAY 8: VICTORIA
Proud of her maritime heritage, Victoria has retained a quaint, colonial demeanor evident in the many 19th-century landmarks throughout the city. Today we treat ourselves to a tour of the world-famous Butchart Gardens, one of the world’s great floral displays set in a reclaimed stone quarry. Time will be allocated here for browsing through the regal gardens. You can take part in an optional Floatplane Sightseeing Tour over downtown Victoria and the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the Olympic Mountains in the distance. You can also go on an optional Whalewatching Excursion aboard a Zodiac or a regular vessel. Watch for the magnificent orcas and the abundance of marine wildlife. The remainder of the day is at leisurely exploring the city’s delights. Overnight in Victoria. Meals: B
Accommodation at the Coast Victoria Hotel & Marina by APA, Victoria, or similar
DAY 9: VICTORIA TO VANCOUVER
We continue through the resort region of the Gulf Islands to the oceanside city of Vancouver. Upon arrival in Vancouver, we enjoy an interesting tour of the city, including Stanley Park, English Bay, Gastown, Chinatown, and much more. The remainder of the day is free for independent exploration or simple relaxation. This evening features our farewell dinner. Meals: B, D
Accommodation at the Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver, or similar
DAY 10: VANCOUVER DEPARTURE
A time for last-minute shopping and sad farewells. Individual transfer to Vancouver International Airport in time to check in for your return flight. Meals: B
