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.

Crystal’s passion for creating exclusive, eye-opening, luxury shore-side experiences are cornerstones of its Crystal Adventures program, earning the line top ratings for two decades.