North America Ferries

You want to travel to North America by ship? Then take a look at our current North America offers:

In northern North America, winters are very cold. The best time to travel to the east coast of Canada is from about mid-May until the end of September. For Newfoundland and northeastern Nova Scotia, this is even only the months of July to September. In the fall you can also experience the famous Indian Summer, best in the Portland and Bar Harbor area. Note, however, that even in the most beautiful months, it rains an average of 12 – 13 days a month. Towards the south, the U.S. gradually becomes warmer and warmer, and there are several climate zones. In southern Florida, Bermuda and the Bahamas, to May to August travel season is best avoided due to violent hurricanes. The best time to travel here is around November to March. It’s much the same on the West Coast. For Alaska, the best time to travel is from May to mid-September, with a lot of tourists visiting the national parks especially in July/August. Around Vancouver the weather is particularly mild. However, it rains least in the months of June to August. April, July and August are the best months to travel to San Diego, California. Los Angeles and San Francisco are best visited from June to October, although travel in July to September can be quite expensive due to the summer vacations there.

Corner Brook (Newfoundland)

The Port of Corner Brook is an ice-free port where container ships and cargo vessels have been docked for about 100 years. Cruise ships also have space in this port, as the quay is very spacious. Ferries operate between Corner Brook and the southern Labrador region. The terminal is located in the western part of the port. Corner Brook is dominated by a 100-year-old paper mill. From here you can make trips to the Gros Morne National Park, which is also home to moose.

Sydney (Nova Scotia)

Located on the island of Nova Scotia (Nova Scotia) in the northeast is Sydney. The port is a natural harbor. Many Scottish emigrants arrived here in the last centuries, and the giant fiddle in the harbor is a reminder of this. The district capital of Cape Breton is the starting point of many a cruise due to its seaport. Worth seeing is St. Patrick’s, the first Roman Catholic church on the island. It dates back to the first third of the 19th century and is located directly near the harbor.

Halifax (Nova Scotia)

Halifax to Nova Scotia Peninsula (Nova Scotia) has a modern cruise terminal called Halifax-Seaport. It is directly adjacent to the Halifax Seafront promenade at its southern end. The ice-free port is one of the largest ports in the world and is located on the southern coast of the city. It was founded in 1749 by the British, whose history is still recognizable today. The Citadel in the center of the city is interesting, as is a visit to the Halifax Public Gardens, laid out in 1867. It was laid out in the Victorian style. Approximately 40% of Nova Scotia’s total population lives in the Halifax Metro Area (HMA). In addition to Halifax, these include Dartmouth, Sackville and Bedford. The skyscrapers give a nice contrast to the historical legacies. At Pier 21, by the way, you can see a national monument and museum about the immigrants who arrived here over a long period of time. The last ones arrived here to end of the 2nd World War.

Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island)

Charlottetown is a Canadian city founded in 1764 and named to the then English Queen Sophie Charlotte. Charlottetown Harbour is a natural harbor. Here the three rivers Hillsborough, Yorke and Eliot flow together. At the terminal, cab drivers wait to day passengers from the cruise ships.

Québec

Québec is located to Cap Diamant, a huge rock jutting into the St. Lawrence River. Because of the still completely preserved fortification, Québec is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For cruise ships there are two possibilities to dock: in the old port Le Vieux Port or in the port at the old town Le Basse Ville. Both ports are not far from the old town, so you can walk to the main sights of the city. From the old port you can also take a cab to the old town. The Old Town is divided into Lower and Upper Town. The two parts of the city are connected by a cable car.

Montreal

The Port of Montreal is an inland port on the Saint Lawrence River. This powerful current also makes it possible for ocean-going ships to enter here without any problems in the interior of the continent. On the west bank of the St. Lawrence River are the piers to Montreal Island.

Saint John (New Brunswick)

In the port of Saint John, the old warehouses were renovated and rebuilt. Now they attract the cruise tourists. Double-decker buses in pink color wait in the port to those cruise ship passengers who have booked a city tour. Beacons still exist at the port, they convey some nostalgia. Trips to Newfoundland to the bird cliffs are offered here. By the way, the Saint John River flows in two directions. As soon as the tide comes in, it flows backwards.

Bar Harbor (Maine)

In front of Bar Harbor the ships anchor in the wide Frenchman Bay. There are no wharves where passengers can go ashore. Therefore, guests are brought ashore by tender boats. It is not far to the center of the village from the tender boat dock. Instead of a city tour, you can also choose to visit Acadia National Park, for example. It begins just a few minutes from the village in a westerly direction.

Portland (Maine)

Cruise ships dock at the modern Portland Ocean Gateway. Portland is considered a very popular destination for cruises. At the cruise terminal, buses for excursions are ready every day as soon as you dock. The city of Portland was rebuilt in the Victorian style to a major fire in 1866, and the brick buildings standing in the center are all part of it. Also worth seeing is the Old Port District with its restored merchant houses. Stores, restaurants and bars can now be found here.

Boston (Massachusetts)

Boston Harbor is a very large seaport. It is located southeast of the city center. You can reach the excursion buses to a short walk from the port. The cruise ships dock at Boston South across from Logan International Airport. To downtown you can choose the shuttle bus, take a cab or take the public bus from Falcon Avenue. A walk will take you to the city center in about 30 minutes. A red-marked trail leads to 16 historic sites in the city as the Freedom Trail. This path is 4 km long in total.

New York

The New York cruise port has three terminals. The Manhattan Cruise Terminal is also called the Passenger Port of New York. It has a total of 5 berths at piers nos. 88, 90 and 92. The city center is within easy walking distance from this terminal.

The second terminal is located in the industrial area of the city and is called Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Cruise ships dock here at Pier 12. From the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal you can take a cab to downtown or (with a change) public transportation from the Columbus Circle Subway.

The third terminal is located at Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, 10 km from downtown New York. From here, a cab ride would be way too expensive. You can, however, take the Harbor Shuttle to the Bayonne 34th Street station and from here take a train first to the Hudson Bergen Light Rail station and then from the nearby Exchange Place PATH Metro station to downtown Manhattan. This will take you about 1.5 hours. In addition to several historic facilities, the port includes seven other major docks and the natural harbor at the mouth of the Hudson River. Entering the harbor with the sight of the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline is very overwhelming.

Baltimore (Maryland)

The port of Baltimore is mainly used by American cruise ships, from.g. Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Approximately 200,000 passengers annually necessitated expansions at the Cruise Maryland Terminal. As soon as a ship has docked, cabs are ready at the terminal. In about 30 minutes you can reach Fort Mc Henry, a national monument. Free buses will run from the fire station to the city center.

Norfolk (Virginia)

Norfolk has a very lively harbor. Since 2007, the port has had a modern cruise terminal, the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center. The port is located directly in the city center and also offers casinos and duty free stores. It is a 15-minute drive from Norfolk International Airport. Right next to the harbor, you’ll find Town Point Park, a waterfront city park, to Elizabeth River. Concerts or festivals are often held here. The MacArthur Center, also nearby, contains about 140 stores, 18 movie theaters and 6 restaurants. And here near the port is also the world’s largest U.S. Navy base.

Charleston (South Carolina)

Charleston Harbor originated as a natural harbor at the point where the Ashley River and Cooper River meet. The terminals are partly private and partly public. The public ones are owned and operated by the South Carolina State Ports Authority. The port city was founded on to land between the rivers in 1670 and the old town with its cobblestone streets and historic buildings is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Many of the handsomely renovated homes have gardens and exude Southern charm.

Port Canaveral (Florida)

The cruise port at Port Canaveral is very large. It has 6 terminals that run along the parts of the country between the Atlantic Ocean and the Banana River. The more westerly terminals transport passengers in shared cabs to Cocoa Beach to the east. Public buses from middle terminals. The port has about 3 million guests every year. This is also where the modern ships of Disney Cruise Lines are moored.

Fort Lauderdale (Florida)

Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale is a very extensive cruise port with eleven terminals, and is one of the largest cruise ports in the world to Miami. In addition, the port is also home to the second largest marina in America. Fort Lauderdale is easily accessible from Germany via three airports: Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Miami. You can get to the city quickly on foot. Here, historic colonial buildings as well as long white beaches with many restaurants attract visitors.

Miami (Florida)

The port is called Dante B. Fascell Port of Miami. It is the largest port for cruise ships in the world with its 7 terminals. More than 10,000 passengers embark here every day. The port is directly connected to the city center via a tunnel. Worth seeing are the Art Deco district in Miami Beach, the Cuban district around Calle Ocho or the Miami Seaquarium to Key Biscayne. The port is also considered a hub for travel to Central America.

Hamilton (Bermuda)

In Hamilton, the ships are usually to and tender passengers ashore in large tender boats (600 guests). The crossing to the pier takes about 40 minutes. It is located right in the center of Hamilton at Waterfront Square Deck 1. Next to City Hall is the bus terminal from which buses run in all directions across the island.

Nassau (Bahamas)

The Bahamas consists of more than 700 islands. The capital of it is Nassau. The city is located on the east of the island of New Providence. The colonial charm of the old town can still be felt with the two forts Fincastle and Charlotte. In the north of Nassau is the harbor entrance, from Nassau’s Paradise Island barely 200 meters away. This island used to be called Hog Island. It can be reached directly over a bridge. At the pier of the port of Nassau are sometimes more than 5 ships at the same time. The cruise terminal is modern and also has a tourist information center, stores, a post office and fast food.

Central Park in New York

Big Apple, as New York is also called, has besides countless sights also a 340 hectare park in the middle of Manhattan. It is a very popular meeting place and has even been featured many times in movie scenes. A large meadow is called Sheep Meadow. Pleasant is a walk around the artificial lake and the Bethesda Fountain with the “Angel over the Waters” is a popular photo motif. From Manhattan Cruise Terminal the fountain is about 2 km away.

Dartmouth east of Halifax (Nova Scotia)

A trip to Dartmouth is not far from the Port of Halifax. Basically you just have to cross the bridge from Halifax to Dartmouth. North of the terminal, buses of lines 29 and 41 leave every 15-20 minutes. Apart from a shopping center and the old Christ Church, this place is especially popular with nature lovers. You can do wonderful cycling, paddling or just hiking.

Whale Watching in the Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy is located between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Here the chance to observe humpback whales is very high. You can book a whale watching tour and many operators will even give you your money back if you don’t see a whale. Besides whales, dolphins and puffins can be seen. A special experience is to see the whales jumping out of the water. The best seasons for whale watching are summer and autumn.

Two Rivers Wildlife Park in Huntington

The Wildlife Park offers the opportunity to observe harmless free-living animals in their natural environment. Animals native to Nova Scotia such as cougars, black bears, lynx and wolves are special attractions. For children there is also a large playground and a petting zoo. The Huntington Zoo is located south of Sydney and is a 30-minute drive away. The road runs along Gabarus Highway/NS-327 and Grand Mira Road.

Gros Morne National Park Newfoundland

Trips to Gros Morne National Park are available from Corner Brook. You’ll see Canadian moose, as well as caribou, sea eagles and other animals. It is located north of Corner Brook on the west coast of Newfoundland and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The drive to the park takes about an hour and is via the Trans Canada Highway/NL-1 E and NL-430 N. The park is 1805 km². Especially worth seeing are the Pissing Mare Falls. They have a drop height of 350 meters.

Rolling Hills to Prince Edward Island from Charlottetown

If you search to “Rolling Hills” to island in your route planner, you won’t find it. This means the entire hilly landscape of the island. Here, the way is the goal, so to speak. The best place to start your trip is at the cruise terminal of the port, where cab drivers to waiting for passengers. Take PE-6 E or PE-2 W and PE-13 N to get to Green Gables Heritage Place. The one-way trip takes about 40 minutes. The small village of North Rustico has a harbor, a beacon and spits of sand barrier islands. Here live the lobster fishermen.

Niagara Falls

You can reach Niagara Falls from Montreal or New York City in about 6 hours by car. Cruises usually do not allow such long excursions in terms of time. Alternatively, there are flights from New York City that reach the Falls in 1 hr and 20 minutes. Non-stop flights leave about 14-20 times a day. Niagara Falls is located on the border between Canada and the United States of the USA. The Niagara River falls here up to 57 meters into the depth. The spectacular thing about Niagara Falls here, however, is the width over which the water falls. Horseshoe Falls falls over a width of 670 meters, American Falls over 260 meters.

Muir Woods and Sausalito near San Francisco

From San Francisco you drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and then the highway to Muir Woods. The approximately half-hour drive takes you along a panoramic road with a wonderful view. The Muir Woods are redwoods that grow up to 79 feet tall. The oldest trees are 800 to 1100 years old. The way back is via Sausalito and from there by ferry.

White Mountain National Forest near Portland

From Portland you drive about 2 hours via the ME-25 W and the NH-25 W. At Marshfield Base Station, you have the option of taking the cogwheel train to Mount Washington. The top station of the Cog Railway is located to 1,917 meters, the bottom station to 823 meters. One trip takes about 1.5 hours. In total you should plan at least 8 hours for this trip.

Magnolia Plantation near Charleston

From Charleston, you can reach Magnolia Plantation in about 40 minutes by car. It is located directly on the Ashley River. The plantation, built in 1676, contains extensive gardens with camelias and azaleas. The path along the river leads through forests and along swamps and from and then you can see sunbathing alligators. Part of this excursion takes place by means of a small train. The excursion is also called “Gardens and marshes”. It takes about 6 hours in total and can only be booked as an organized trip.

Which shipping companies offer North America cruises?

By far the largest cruise operator in North America is Carnival Cruise Line, followed by Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. Other cruise lines with North America in their program are: Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Cunard, AIDA Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Seabourn, TUI Cruises, P&O Cruises, Hurtigruten, Phoenix and Plantours Cruises.

What is the climate in North America?

Canada is framed by three oceans, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. These seas influence the climate, as do the Rocky Mountains, which run parallel to the Pacific Ocean in the southeast. In the east of the mountain range the influence of arctic winds has an effect. The maximum temperatures in summer are 26 degrees Celsius on average and the coldest temperatures are -14 degrees Celsius in January. Even in summer there are still 12 rainy days a month and to Atlantic and near the coast it is often very fresh even in summer. In contrast, northern Canada with Newfoundland and northern Nova Scotia are very cold from November to mid-May and have high precipitation. In New England, the weather is humid continental all the way to Washington, but rather temperate, with hot summers and quite cold winters. Then, the further south you go, subtropical climate is found in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and large parts of Florida. The south of Florida is already part of the tropics and has both dry and rainy seasons. Hurricanes often to here from May to August. The same applies to Bermuda and Bahamas. If you want to go on a cruise in Alaska, on the other hand, you will not only have to deal with many tourists in high summer, but also with mosquitoes. Alaska is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the south, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Bering Sea to the west. The climate here south of the Alaska Range is rather mild due to the warm ocean current of the Kuroshio. Also in British Columbia with Vancouver, temperatures are about 5 degrees warmer in winter and 5 degrees colder in summer than the rest of Canada. Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego in California have primarily dry and warm climates.

What clothes should I take with me?

Basically, the clothes are no different from the pieces required for air travel. However, this vacation has the special feature that you will sometimes stay to ship for a whole day. Inside it is warm, on deck a cold damp wind can easily blow. Since it often rains in Canada, rain gear and a sturdy windbreaker are a must, as are sturdy walking shoes. Warm clothing is also in order if you will be moving around Florida more in the south. On the sea, it is often really cool here, too. You will need swimwear and sportswear on board, but not a bathrobe. It is available in every room. You can easily have your laundry washed on board, so you don’t have to pack too much.

Is a North America cruise with baby or toddler possible and recommended?

All cruise ships are adapted to small children and babies. There is childcare and even children’s events to most ships. Medical care is also provided. If tropical destinations are also to your list, you should check with a tropical institute before you travel to see what precautions would make sense. Some shipping companies offer special cruises for families. MSC Cruises and AIDA offer free travel for children up to age 15 and 17, respectively.

What shore excursions are recommended in North America?

No matter which cruise ship you have planned your vacation with, organized excursions are offered for every port. In northern Canada, the most popular trips are to the countryside. It goes to spectacular waterfalls, large lakes, nature parks with free-living animals or on the water for whale watching. But also the cities themselves are often very popular, especially if they have historic fortresses, churches or other buildings to offer. In the south around Florida, the snow-white beaches are a popular destination.

Can I organize excursions in North America myself?

You can always organize excursions to your cruise in North America yourself. However, it is important to note that you must keep to the specified times for the return. Unforeseen closures, controls or an accident to route can rob you of the most valuable time. Therefore, as a precaution, plan for larger time reserves in these cases.

Is the swell in North America very strong?

A strong swell is always possible anywhere to seas. It can also occur suddenly. In the south you have to expect hurricanes in certain months. However, the swell is not felt as much in cruise ships because the ship largely balances the waves. The bigger the ship, the less you will feel. However, it may happen that the route or the port of call is changed at short notice due to weather conditions.

Do I need a passport or is an ID card sufficient for the North American trip?

A valid passport is always required when traveling to North America. And the passport must be valid for at least 6 months to end of your trip. For the USA, there is even mandatory ESTA approval. It must be applied for online at least 72 hours before the trip. Passports must be electronically readable, including children’s passports. Photos and fingerprints are mandatory. These German passports can be recognized by their burgundy color. Additionally, it is important to carry copies of your travel and identification documents with you and keep them in a different place than the originals in case of loss.

On the map you get a rough overview of North America.

A trip to America is a trip that offers a little bit of everything. Large and worth seeing cities are approached one after the other on the east coast and in between there is breathtaking nature. Especially if the trip also has Canada on to route. Spectacular waterfalls like Niagara Falls, whale watching or wildlife on land, there is always something for everyone.