On the eve of America and Canada’s birthdays, Crystal is skyrocketing toward a bright and colorful fall with a burst of Crystal Adventures featuring the neighboring countries’ early histories and architecture. Patriotic shore excursions span four 10- or 11-day Crystal Symphony sailings between NYC and Montréal in September/October, and include a dozen new historical sparklers.
“These areas—Manhattan, Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, St. John, Halifax, Québec City, and Montréal—are where modern-day North America was founded,” says John Stoll, vice president land and port operations. “Our luxury access offers travelers a comprehensive, comfortable, and easy insider’s look at the intimate places these nations were built upon.”
Adventures, which can be enjoyed as group or “Private Adventure Options,” include:
Boston
• Plymouth Rock—1627 pilgrim village life, plus the Mayflower.
• American Revolution Revisited—Boston, Lexington, and Concord, where America’s independence began (and authors Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau lived).
• Marblehead and Salem—Federal architecture, Yankee Doodle painting, and the Salem witch trials.
New York
• Brooklyn Bridge—Construction tales of this 19th-century engineering marvel animate a 1.5 mile bridge walk.
Bar Harbor
• Victorian Era Stroll—Costumed guides, period “cottages,” and accounts of extravagant parties from yesteryear.
Newport
• Colonial Historic District—This formerly rundown neighborhood of 18th-century/Georgian houses became a model of historic preservation.
• Gilded Era Mansions—Homes of 19th-century’s wealthiest Americans, including the Astors’ Beechwood and Vanderbilts’ Marble House and Breakers, with period family and staff lookalikes.
St. John
• Geopark by Foot–Some of Canada’s most architecturally important streetscapes, much built from ancient stone.
Halifax
• Afternoon Tea at the Citadel—Victorian tea at the former seat of British control over North America.
• Lighthouse and Lobsters—Lobster lunch and drive through the “Lighthouse Route” (150 lighthouses).
Montréal and Québec
• Foot, Coach, or Horse-drawn Carriage Tours—Highlights include neo-Gothic structures and historically-preserved neighborhoods.
Two-for-One fares begin at US$3,940/person, including US$500 “As You Wish” shipboard credit, free air from 24 North American cities (or air credit), and possible additional savings for family/friends.
