Article written by: Cindy Bokma

Last year, my husband and I decided to do a cruise on the east coast. We had just completed an Alaskan cruise (which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND) and wanted to see someplace new and different. I hadn’t been to New England since I was a pre-teen and this itinerary sounded perfect. I only wish that the cruise had taken place in October, so we could have witnessed the gorgeous leaves changing colors and chilly fall weather. There is nothing like fall back east!

We booked the cruise in August 2017 for August 2018. The year went by quickly, I cannot believe our vacation was so highly anticipated and its already been months since we’ve been home.

As I have mentioned before, I am from New Jersey and love going back although I am not too fond of long flights and pretty much white knuckle it for hours. My fears aside, I was super excited to board the cruise ship and head up the coast. We left from Cape Liberty, NJ and set sail for nine days. Nine amazing days stretched out before us, promising adventures and relaxation.

This cruise was a Royal Caribbean 9 Night Canada/New England cruise leaving from Cape Liberty NJ. This itinerary is available in the spring and summer months.

This cruise included these ports:

Boston, Massachusetts

Portland, Maine

Bar Harbor, Maine

Halifax, Nova 

Saint John, New Brunswick

When I pick excursions, I always try to figure out which adventure will yield the most photo opportunities. I like visiting new cities and taking as many photos as I can which I share on my Instagram. I love to stroll along, usually in my own little world, taking note of details and staring up at the sky or the leaves on the trees. Exploring and taking photos is my favorite way to zone out and be in the moment.

Every excursion I choose must allow me to carry my camera. For example, I would not say I like riding a bike, getting on a Segway or a horse because I cannot hold my camera and take pictures. What I like best about travel is documenting every location with photos. I used to love the adventure part of travel such as snorkeling or zip-lining, but now I find joy in exploring.

I have a Canon backpack specifically for a camera body and multiple lenses which also fits a wallet and a bottle of water. If you like taking pics and have a camera with multiple lenses, and a backpack l is perfect. It only takes less than a minute to swap out lenses so don’t be shy about bringing one or two (or more). I use a standard lens and a wide angle for landscape shots.

Some people like excursions which include historical elements, some are more adventurous. There are typically many options to choose from, and if you do your research, you can probably find options not offered through the cruise. I like to read cruise reviews and see what other people have enjoyed. Here are the excursions we chose: So, when I say “we” I mean me, my husband just went along for the ride. Such a good sport!

BOSTON

My husband and I woke up early and got off the ship, thinking we’d check out the city before our tour. However, this didn’t go as planned, one of us was a big baby and complained about the heat, got grumpy and wanted to go back to the ship. Yes, that was ME.

I wasn’t prepared for how far we’d have to walk from the ship terminal to the city center or where the Freedom Trail began. The walk wasn’t long, but the heat and humidity got to me.

Later that morning, we went on the Boston/Cambridge tour which took us on a bus ride through Boston, then a short walk to a graveyard, and then a ride to Cambridge where we walked around Harvard University, led by the tour guide. A few people complained about some steep hills and the fact the tour guide walked at a fast pace. If you have trouble walking, this is something to consider on a tour such as this.

I wished the guide was more animated and fun, she had lots of information, but the way she delivered the info did not draw me in. I tend to wander off, especially if something catches my eye…I missed some of what the guide said, but I did get a few great photos.

We’ve been on tours where the guides are fabulous, and we’ve done tours where the guides are dry and boring. It’s a gamble as to what kind of guide you will get on a tour. I liked exploring Harvard, the town of Cambridge looked like a nice place to walk around with little coffee shops and stores.

If we went back, I think we would walk the Freedom Trail in Boston on our own. Strolling through a city with no set plan is always fun for me. In a big city like Boston, you don’t need a professional tour because there are lots of places to see by merely walking around. There are self-guided tours online, and you can download a map before the trip, with some planning ahead, a tour is not necessary.

Portland, Maine

Oh, how I love Maine!

This was the tour we chose:

See Maine’s rocky coastline and visit the charming village of Kennebunkport, the summer home of the Bush family. You’ll take a scenic drive through the village, passing Federal and Victorian style mansions built by wealthy sea captains and merchants in the 1700s and 1800s.

I loved seeing the beautiful homes and strolling through Kennebunkport. I wished we had more time to explore on foot rather than on the bus. It seemed like the bus ride was forever. In Kennebunkport, there are a lot of touristy shops and places to eat.

It’s always fun seeing a new place and taking pictures to remember the area. There are whale watching trips, food tours, and bike tours that you can book on your own for a few hours.

5StarTip🌟:

If I had to do it again, I’d take a cab (or walk) to Saint Ann’s Church and the beach. TripAdvisor offers more options here too.

Bar Harbor, Maine

One of my favorite ports was Bar Harbor, a place I would love to see again. This is the only port where we tendered, meaning that the cruise parks in the harbor and you take a boat to shore. Arriving downtown with time to spare, we visited a few shops and took a quick walk before we got on the tour bus.

We chose an excursion through Acadia National Park and a Lobster lunch. This was another bus tour, and by this point, I wasn’t super keen on another bus ride. I anticipated more walking and less sitting on a bus to read the fine print before you book your excursion.

Before even leaving California, I knew I wanted to see Acadia National Park. I love national parks and trees and exploring. Nature is so soothing and peaceful, seeing photos of the park before I left home got me excited.

We drove through the park via the tour bus, so most of my photos were unfortunately taken from the window. There were a few stops where we could get off and take a photo, but then it was right back on the bus. It’s really a stunning place and if we went back, I’d want to walk on my own.

We had a lobster lunch after our drive through the park. It was a pleasant meal which included lobster, boiled potatoes and corn on the cob with a blueberry crumble for dessert. Because I cannot have gluten, I wasn’t able to eat the dessert, and there were no other options.

I look forward to the day when there are more gluten-free options available everywhere.

Back in Bar Harbor, I roamed around a bit and took pictures. I liked the downtown area, there were lots of places to walk, and the views were incredible. If there is one place NOT to do an excursion and just walk around, this would be the place. You can shop, get a lobster roll, admire the harbor, stroll through the town.

There are gorgeous flowers and plants everywhere; it’s such a picturesque place. I could have easily spent more time there.

5StarTip🌟:

If you want to see Acadia National Park, do a tour where you can explore on foot. Plan on spending an hour or two in the downtown Bar Harbor area to shop and walk.

Bar Harbor

Halifax, Nova Scotia

This was the Peggy’s Cove & Titanic excursion which takes you first to the graveyard where victims of the Titanic are buried. The tour guide talks about how they came to be buried here in Halifax and shares some interesting stories. The tour guide didn’t captivate my interest, so I half listened to him as I broke away from our tour group to take photos.

After a short stop at the graveyard, it’s an hour-long bus ride out to Peggy’s Cove. I saw this destination after viewing the photos online. It’s a gorgeous spot! I HIGHLY recommend doing an excursion that will take you here.

Peggy’s Cove is a quaint little fishing village; you will be able to take some beautiful photos in the cove. Our time was limited, and I wished we had another hour. This was another hot, humid day but I tried not to let it put me in a bad mood. I got an iced coffee at one of the gift shops and was happy to be in this little slice of beauty! This is an ideal place to wander for a while and take in the scenery.

It was slightly overcast, but that didn’t bother me. Sometimes the colors in photos pop more on cloudy days. My only issue, and it’s a small one is that this is a touristy spot and there are loads of people making it impossible to take photos without a few random strangers in the shot. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see how I try to crop out the crowds.

5StarTip🌟:

There are tours available outside of the cruise ship, but we like to book through the cruise since you are guaranteed to get back on board on time. You don’t want to risk the cruise ship leaving without you. Since this is an hour-long drive from the cruise ship terminal, play it safe and book through the cruise.

Saint John, New Brunswick

This was my favorite excursion of the whole trip, and it was the most low-key. It was a Coastal Photography Tour so its geared for those who love to take photos (me)! Everything about the tour was great. I liked the tour guide who was energetic and exciting. She was the best guide for our whole trip. I managed to get some nice pics and since the stops were was all off the beaten path (the best!) there weren’t tons of people around. Another cloudy day, but I didn’t mind. I wished we had visited more places on this tour, I enjoyed it immensely and wanted to keep going!

This is a description of the tour:

“Capture Saint John’s spectacular natural beauty as you travel off the beaten path with a professional photographer guide. Learn essential photography techniques as you focus on the character of coastal New Brunswick, including a rugged Bay of Fundy beach, a working fishing wharf, a charming waterfall and more. Plus stop at the famous Reversing Rapids, where the mighty Bay of Fundy tides force the Saint John River to reverse direction and flow upstream. 

Highlights: 

• Coastal photo stops: Photograph a Bay of Fundy beach and working fishing wharf while learning techniques from a professional photographer.

• Bay of Fundy: Capture spectacular waterfront shots of this bay, featuring the most extreme tides in the world.

• Reversing Rapids: Twice daily, the powerful tides of the bay push the river and its rapids to flow backward. “

The waterfront area was nearly empty of people but full of boats. I believe you can almost always find things to photograph if you open your mind and your eyes! I like getting up close to textures and patterns. Though we had a little time to go off on our own, it was not enough for me. I could have used about twenty more minutes at the waterfront to focus on some of the details and take more pictures.

Final Thoughts:

This was a terrific cruise for those who enjoy a more low key adventure. If you want explore part of the United States and Canada, this is the perfect way to do it.

Cruises in general are a convenient way to travel since you unpack once and don’t have to worry about finding places to eat each night. A benefit I like is that you are welcome to do as much or as little as you want. There are always activities on board if you want to learn something new or play games, get a spa treatment, go dancing, try your luck at the casino. I love sitting on the balcony, taking in the ocean air and reading. For me, sea days are all about peace and relaxation and port days are about adventure and seeing new sights.

The excursions I chose are a reflection of my personal preferences for history, adventure and nature. I advise that you do a little research prior to choosing excursions so that you can find something that will suit your needs. There have been times where I got off the ship and wandered around with no particular plan. This works well in a city like Boston where there is so much to see and do, just by walking off the ship and going directly into the city you will experience so much. Bar Harbor is another place where you can exit the ship and immediately enjoy shops and restaurants.

I have sailed exclusively on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity and am interested in other cruise lines, comment below and let me know if you’ve been a cruise and what you recommend!

Special Note:

You can find these excursions and more on the Royal Caribbean website.

5StarTip🌟:

This is a must-do excursion if you like photography as I do. Even if taking pics isn’t your thing, you can see some neat places without a lot of crowds. It’s a good overview of the area.

For MORE on cruising/travel, check out Cindy Bokma’s posts:

• First Time Cruising, Start Here 
• Cruising the Allure of The Seas 
• Practical Travel Tips 
• What’s New in Cruising 

Other Always5Star articles by Cindy Bokma:

Always5Star Are You A First Time Cruiser and/or Gluten Intolerant – Start Here For Great Travel Tips!

Always5Star Guide to A Day In Los Angeles, California – Top Tips of What To See and Do

Always5Star Guide To The Los Angeles Arboretum

A Peaceful Escape When Visiting Los Angeles – The Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens

Always5Star Guide to a Day In Anza-Borrego, California

5StarTip🌟: A Secret Garden in Southern California – Myrtle Creek Nursery in Fallbrook, California

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