Best of Eastern Canada with Canadian Maritimes Cruise

Canada's multi-cultural metropolis of Toronto launches your journey across Eastern Canada. Relax after your journey, then meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception this evening. (WR) Stay: Sheraton Centre Toronto

On the way to Niagara Falls we stop and you get the chance to learn the art of playing the puck like a pro when you meet a real Canadian hockey player. Dive into Culture and embrace Canada's national sport, learning the secrets and superstitions of hockey players as a professional coach walks you through a day in the life of a player. Go inside the players' dressing room and put on the full hockey gear with help of a real coach. Grab your stick and it's off onto the ice where you'll soon find out whether you are a lefty or righty, and learn how to score the big goal. Witness Mother Nature's power first-hand when you journey to Niagara Falls and embark on an exhilarating boat ride to the base of Horseshoe Falls. You'll have some time on your own to explore Ontario's most enchanting village, Niagara-on-the-Lake. (B)

Our day begins with an orientation tour past Toronto's sprawling Queens Park, stately University Avenue and the Provincial Parliament Buildings. We continue to Kingston, a 17th-century former French trading post and gateway to a Thousand Islands.

This evening, we set sail on our dinner cruise against the backdrop of pretty riverside cottages and uninhabited islands. (B/RD) Stay: Delta Kingston Waterfront

Arriving in Ottawa, we embark on an introductory tour of Canada's capital. You'll have a full afternoon to explore the city on your terms. Consider a visit to one of the city's museums or join an Optional Evening at the Oh'Canada Eh? Dinner Show. (B) Stay: Sheraton Ottawa

A quick hop over the Ottawa River brings us in the French-speaking Province of Quebec for a private, exclusive experience on the grounds of the Canadian Museum History. Canada's Museum of History is the country's foremost and most visited museum. We will start with a Continental Breakfast followed by a lively and colorful interactive performance of traditional Pow Wow dancing. Join your Indigenous Cultural Ambassadors for a guided visit, including the onsite Indigenous village and outlining the diversity of Indigenous cultures across Canada. You will also enjoy an interactive beading workshop using authentic materials. We will then learn about the Manitobah Mukluks Storyboot Project, which aims to revive the traditional arts by creating partnerships with elders and artisans.

After we will enjoy lunch at our typical sugar shack at a local "Cabane a Sucre". Then continue to Quebec City to begin your love affair with the city's French Canadian joie de vivre and your hotel in Old Quebec. (B/L) Stay: Hotel Clarendon

Embark on a captivating walk through the narrow streets of Old Quebec City, joining your Local Specialist for an in-depth discovery of this UNESCO-listed place exuding all the charm on a European city. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring La Vieille Capitale on your terms. (B)

Leave the city behind, bound for Quebec's picturesque Eastern Townships. Your journey will take you past pretty villages and rolling farmlands before arriving at Domaine Ives Hill for an exclusive 'Be My Guest' lunch. 'Connect With Locals' and learn how black currants are farmed, picked and processed into a variety of beverages. You'll have an opportunity to make your own black current tea and enjoy a tasting session, followed by a hearty lunch of locally sourced ingredients.

Later, we'll make our way to Montreal and admire panoramic city views from its namesake, Mount Royal. (B/BMG) Stay: Le Centre Sheraton

Join your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour revealing the historic sites in the colourful Old Port area, the splendour of one of Montreal's crown jewels - Notre Dame Basilica and modern Downtown Montreal. Gain a deeper appreciation for the city's French Canadian roots as you spend the afternoon exploring the city on your terms before joining your fellow travellers for a Farewell Dinner in Old Montreal. (B/FD)

Bid farewell to the famous sights of Montreal before you start boarding the Holland America MS Zaandam to set sail on an unforgettable cruise discovering natural beauty and maritime treasures. (B/D)

Choose to take the funicular or the "neck-breaking steps" down to the Lower Town where you'll see Notre Dame des Victoires, the Petit Champlain district, the port, and Musée de la Civilisation. (B/L/D)

The Gulf of Saint Lawrence fringes the shores of half the provinces of Canada. The Gulf is defined by stunning coast line and beautiful islands, including Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands. (B/L/D)

Call in at Charlottetown, the capital of Canada's Prince Edward Island. (B/L/D)

Cruise on past the Highlands of Nova Scotia to the port of Sydney. Lighthouses stand sentinel on cliffside ledges; tiny villages huddle in rocky inlets and lobsters make it from the ocean to your plate in record time. (B/L/D)

In Halifax, the ramparts of the Citadel defend the city and await your inspection. (B/L/D)

Continuing south, Bar Harbor is the quintessential New England coastal town. (B/L/D)

Disembark the ship in Boston today. (B)