Porthole....

FALLING FOR FOLIAGE

If you’re into leaf-peeping, but don’t want to fight traffic with fellow fall colors lovers, then let someone else captain your transportation of choice--a cruise ship! This coming season, there will be more fall foliage cruises and itineraries than ever before, offering the opportunity to cruise out of convenient North American ports to both quaint coastal towns and bustling world-class cities. The ports of call and cruising waters, with accompanying shore excursions and colorful scenery, are what have increased interest in fall foliage cruising to record levels. Here’s a sampling of fall foliage cruises for 2003:

*American Canadian Caribbean Line: The 7-day Autumn Coastal Colors cruises aboard Niagara Prince (September 13) sail round-trip from Warren, Rhode Island, with stops in New London, Connecticut, New York’s West Point, Kingston, Greenport, and New York City, as well as Newport, Rhode Island. The 13-day Erie Canal/Fall Foliage itinerary aboard Niagara Prince (September 23 and October 5), Grande Mariner (September 26 and October 8), or Grande Caribe (September 28 and October 10) cruises out of Warren or Quebec City and includes colorful shoreline cruising along Long Island Sound, the Hudson River, the Erie Canal, and the western end of Lake Ontario, as well as a long list of stops in New York State and Canada’s Ontario and Quebec regions (including Montreal).

*American Cruse Lines: American Eagle and American Glory offer a wide range of 7-day fall foliage cruises out of New London, Connecticut. The 7-night Hudson River fall foliage cruises depart on October 4, 11, 18, and 25, with stops at small New York State ports like West Point, Albany, and Kingston, as well as calling on New York City. It’s 7-night New England Islands cruise departs September6, 13, 20, and 27 and includes calls in smaller ports in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. In addition, the line’s 7-night Chesapeake Bay cruise departs Baltimore on October 18 and 25, calling on Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, Annapolis, and several small ports along Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

*Carnival Cruise Lines: Carnival Victory will offer 7-day fall foliage cruises from New York September 6, 13, 20 and 27, visiting Boston, Portland, Sydney and Halifax. Unlike many fall foliage cruises, the ship will sail round-trip out of New York (the ship is also sailing 4- and 5-day Canada itineraries through September 1).

*Celebrity Cruises: With a unique Baltimore-based itinerary, Galaxy will set sail on September 11 and 22, with 11-night cruises that include Bar Harbor, Portland, Halifax, Sydney, and Quebec City, as well as Saguenay Fjord.

*Clipper Cruise Line: Nantucket Clipper will feature four 8-day Hudson River sailings round-trip from New York City September 20 and October 4, 11, and 18, calling on Kingston, Troy/Albany, and West Point. Nantucket Clipper will then sail from New York City to Alexandria, Virginia, on October 25, with stops at Kingston, West Point, Annapolis, St. Michaels, and Norfolk on the 11-day journey. Clipper Adventurer will set sail from Halifax on September 7, offering a 15-day cruise that stops several places in the northeast before heading down the coast.

*Cunard: Queen Elizabeth 2’s final New England & Canada cruise has been lengthened so passengers can enjoy fall foliage. The 12-day voyage sails round-trip from New York October 7 and calls on Halifax, Sydney, Corner Brook (Newfoundland), Quebec City, St. John (New Brunswick), and Newport.

*Holland America Line: Rotterdam returns to the region with popular 10-day fall foliage cruises departing New York September 17 and October 7 and Montreal September 27 and October 17. Ports of call, identical in either direction, include Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, and Quebec City. In addition, Prinsendam will depart Boston October 2 on a 10-day exploration that visits Bar Harbor, Halifax, St. John’s, St. Pierre (just off Newfoundland)), Charlottetown, Quebec City, and Montreal. A 16-day cruise departs Montreal on October 12 and calls on Quebec City, Charlottetown, Ingonish, Sydney, Halifax, Bar Harbor, Portland, Oak Bluffs (Martha’s Vineyard), Newport, and New York City, before proceeding down the Atlantic coastline.

*Norwegian Cruise Line: Crown Odyssey, which is being transferred to NCL from Orient Lines in September, will begin a series of 11-day Canada/New England sailings from Baltimore. It will sail round-trip from Baltimore September 15 and 26 and October 7 and 18 calling on Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney, Quebec City, and Boston, including cruising on the Cape Cod Canal, the Gulf of St. Lawrence River, and the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, Norwegian Dream will feature 10-day Boston-based itineraries on September 22 and October 2 and 12, calling on Sydney, Corner Brook (Newfoundland), Quebec City, Halifax, and Bar Harbor, and cruising on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Saguenay River, and the Gulf of Maine.

*Princess Cruises: Golden Princess will offer a 4-day round-trip sailing from New York on October 19 which calls on Halifax, as well as a 7-day round-trip New York cruises departing September 21 and 28, and October 5 and 12, calling on Halifax, St. John (New Brunswick), Bar Harbor, Boston, and Newport. Regal Princess will feature the line’s traditional 10-day route, sailing between New York and Montreal September 4, 14, and 24 and October 4 and 14 and calling on Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, St. John, Halifax, and Quebec City, along with Saguenay Fjord. On October 24, Regal Princess will then depart Montreal for a 14-day cruise to Ft. Lauderdale, which calls on several New England ports along the way.

*Radisson Seven Seas: Seven Seas Navigator will offer 9-night cruises from New York to Montreal on September 24 and October 10, calling on Newport (September 24 cruise only), Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, and Quebec City. The ship will sail from Montreal to New York for 7-night itineraries October 3 and 19, with ports of call including Quebec City, Sydney, Halifax, Bar Harbor, and Boston.

*Royal Caribbean: Grandeur of the Seas will sail on a 7-night cruise out of Boston September 14, calling on Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney, St. John and Portland. It’ll then sail a 10-night itinerary September 21 and October 1, 11, and 21, adding Quebec City and Saguenay Fjord. The brand new Serenade of the Seas is scheduled to start a 4- and 5-night schedule out of New York City, with 4-night departures heading to Halifax on September 11 and 25, and October 9 and 23, and 5-night departures on September 1, 6, 15, 20 and 29 and October 4, and 18 calling on Halifax and St. John, as well as a 5-night departure October 13, which calls on Bar Harbor and Halifax.

*Seabourn Cruise Line: Seabourn Pride will offer 7-day cruises from New York City to Quebec City September 24 and October 8 calling on Bar Harbor, Lunenburg (Nova Scotia), and Charlottetown, as well as cruises from Quebec City to New York City October 1 and 15, calling on Halifax, Boston and Newport. There is also an option to sail both itineraries back-to-back for a 14-day round-trip from either New York or Quebec City. The line is also offering a 10-day fall foliage sampler from Quebec City to New York October 15, and a 3-day cruise on October 23, departing New York City and cruising along Long Island Sound and the Hudson River (no ports of call).

*Silversea Cruises: Silversea Cruises offers three sailings in September, with the Silver Whisper alternating between Montreal and New York City, calling on Quebec City, historic Gaspe (along the St. Lawrence River), Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, Boston, Oak Bluffs (Martha’s Vineyard), Bar Harbor, and Newport, depending on the ititnerary. The 9- and 10-day cruises depart September 11, 20, and 29.