Canadian Cruises - See New England & Eastern Canada In Its Peak Season

A Stroll Through Historic Charlottetown

Tour Code: YHG-006

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 1 hour)

Tour Effort: Moderate

Follow a costumed guide along the waterfront and through the heritage district of Charlottetown, giving you a wonderful, historic overview of the province's capital on this walking tour.

Your guide, dressed in a period costume, will meet you at the pier, where your walking tour will begin. Being right in the heart of this historic town, the largest in the province of Prince Edward Island, there is much to discover. The site of Charlottetown was chosen by British captain Samuel Holland, who named the settlement in honor of Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III. Shortly afterward, the town was surveyed, and many of those original city lots and squares still remain. During your city orientation, you will hear about the founding families and see some of their original homes, typically made of wood, sandstone or brick.

At the Province House National Historic Site, you will discover how Canada was formed as the result of a conference held in the building in 1864. That event led to Canada becoming a federation, and Charlottetown became known as the Birthplace of Canada. More fascinating information awaits you at Founder's Hall, a restored heritage building located on Charlottetown's waterfront. During your visit here, you will learn much about the history of Canada and Charlottetown since that watershed conference.

Your tour concludes at Founder's Hall and you are then free to either remain in town and do some further exploring on your own, or walk back to the pier.

Please note: This walking tour includes approximately 1-mile of walking over a variety of surfaces that includes cobblestone sidewalks. The tour is not available to wheelchair guests or those with mobility concerns. Participants should be in good physical condition. Layered, weather appropriate clothing and flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

Anne of Green Gables & Island Drive

Tour Code: YHG-005

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 3 1/2 hours)

Tour Effort: Moderate

In addition to enjoying the picture-perfect countryside, you'll have the chance to shop for local specialties, tour the Anne of the Green Gables homestead and visit a national park.

Starting off from the pier, you will drive through Charlottetown, the site of a historic 1864 conference that led to the confederation of Canada. Ever since this watershed event, Charlottetown has been known as the Birthplace of Canada. Continuing through town, you will head north into the picturesque countryside, passing the charming communities of Ebenezer and Wheatley River, before arriving at the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company, located in the town of New Glasgow. This landmark store also features a restaurant and lovely garden. During your stop, you can shop for specialty merchandise like tartan blankets, jewelry and, of course, the namesake preserves, which include sour cherry marmalade, or perhaps relax in the garden.

Continuing on, you will make your way to nearby Cavendish where you'll see the famed farmstead that inspired the setting for Lucy Maud Montgomery's 1908 classic "Anne of the Green Gables." The touching story about a red-haired orphan that is sent to live on Prince Edward Island has captivated audiences for more than a century. After a leisurely tour of the grounds of the historic site, you will drive into the Prince Edward Island National Park, a wonderland of red sandstone cliffs, expansive beaches and abundant wildlife where a photo stop at one of the park's beaches is included.

Returning to the pier, you will follow a scenic route through mile after mile of pastoral farmland.

Please note: This tour includes a limited amount of walking, mainly at the guests' discretion during the stops. The tour is available to wheelchair guests who have a collapsible wheelchair, are able to make their own way on and off the coach and have an able-bodied companion to assist them. Those with mobility concerns are cautioned to carefully evaluate their personal level of stamina and ability. Weather appropriate clothing and flat, comfortable shoes are recommended. The upstairs area of the "Anne of Green Gables" house is not wheelchair accessible.

Coastal Charms and Island Drive

Tour Code: YHG-004

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 3 1/2 hours)

Tour Effort: Easy

This leisurely driving tour of Prince Edward Island presents its pastoral beauty and gorgeous southern coastline with stops for photos and shopping in quaint Victoria-by-the-Sea.

Your tour commences with a southerly drive through Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest and greenest province. The island is known for its gently rolling landscape, picturesque beaches and red-hued soil, the result of its iron oxide, which rusts when exposed to air. Driving along, you will be taken by the land's immense natural beauty, and the villages are just as scenic.

Your first stop is Victoria-by-the-Sea, a charming seaport founded in 1819. Today, the year-round population barely approaches 200, so the village has easily retained its quaint charm. Walking along the tree-lined streets, which were laid out on a simple grid in the 19th century, you still get a sense of what life was like here years ago. Next, you will drive to the base of the spectacular Confederation Bridge, the world's longest bridge over ice-covered water. At a cost of more than a billion dollars, the bridge opened in 1997, connecting the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. You can get a great photo of the bridge from the village of Borden-Carleton.

Continuing on, you will drive through even more pastoral countryside before returning to the pier in Charlottetown.

Please note: This tour includes a limited amount of walking, mainly at the guests' discretion during the stops. The tour is available to wheelchair guests who have a collapsible wheelchair, are able to make their own way on and off the coach and have an able-bodied companion to assist them. Those with mobility concerns are cautioned to carefully evaluate their personal level of stamina and ability. Weather appropriate clothing and flat, comfortable shoes are recommended.

Dunes Eco-Walk At Pei National Park

Tour Code: YHG-003

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 4 hours)

Tour Effort: Strenuous

Join a National Park Interpreter on a highly informative eco-walk along Prince Edward Island's unique coastal dunes, which are of great ecological and archaeological importance.

From the pier, it's a scenic drive of just over 1-hour to reach the northern shore of Prince Edward Island. Upon arriving at Greenwich, you will receive an overview of the area at the Interpretation Center and then join a National Park Interpreter for an Eco-Walk along a boardwalk that travels over the moving and shifting dunes. Because of the fragile, rare nature of this 900-acre ecosystem, it is protected against future development, which might disrupt the unique dune structure, abundant wildlife and significant archaeological remnants of the island's earliest inhabitants.

You will soon discover that these coastal dunes are a rare phenomenon in North America, as they migrate several feet annually, depending on the wind and weather. The dunes are also important for their bio-diversity, which includes endangered shorebirds and a variety of rare plants such as the mud wart. Additionally, archaeological digs in the area have unearthed evidence of at least six different cultures, one dating back 11,000 years. By the end of the tour, you will have gained a greater understanding and appreciation for this rare ecosystem, which doesn't exist anywhere else on the continent.

Afterward, you will re-join your transportation and retrace your route back to the ship in Charlottetown.

Please note: This tour includes approximately 3-4 miles of hiking over dirt paths, gravel and a wooden boardwalk. The tour is not available to wheelchair guests or those with mobility concerns. Participants should be in good physical condition. Layered, weather appropriate clothing and flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

Historic Charlottetown By Horse-Drawn Trolley

Tour Code: YHG-007

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 1 hour)

Tour Effort: Easy

Seeing Charlottetown by horse-drawn trolley is the ultimate way to become immersed in the area's history, as the founding fathers relied on this same mode of transportation.

A horse-drawn trolley will be waiting for you at the pier, and climbing inside it will feel like being transported back in time. The horsepower, literally, will be supplied by a pair of well-muscled Clydesdales, a breed of draft horses named after the area in Scotland where they derived. Traveling along, you will hear the distinctive click of their hooves upon the city streets, the feathering on their lower legs rhythmically dancing in the breeze. It's a wonderful way to journey through the historic downtown, marveling at the Victorian architecture.

As you make your way through the city, you'll see many of the key landmarks and attractions, including the Province House National Historic Site. A conference held in the building in 1864 led to Canada becoming a federation, and Charlottetown became known as the Birthplace of Canada. You will also be able to admire the historic homes lining Great George Street, many of them built in the mid-1800s. Other sites include the Confederation Centre, a hub of cultural excellence and Founder's Hall.

By the time your tour ends back at the pier, you will have gained a fine understanding of the area historically and still have plenty of time to explore further on your own if you like.

Please note: This tour is panoramic in nature and does not include any stops. The tour is not available to wheelchair guests and may not be suitable for those with mobility concerns, as guests must be able to climb in and out of the carriage with minimal assistance. Weather appropriate clothing and flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

Malpeque Oyster Experience

Tour Code: YHG-002

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 4 hours)

Tour Effort: Moderate

Become an expert on oysters, especially the prized Malpeque variety from Prince Edward Island, by visiting a local oyster farm and sampling its fresh, succulent bi-valves.

From the pier, it a scenic drive west across beautiful Prince Edward Island to Future Seafoods, one of the best-known local oyster cultivators. The province of Prince Edward Island harvests approximately six million pounds of oysters each year, distinguishing it as Canada's leading oyster producer. Future Seafoods cultivates the bi-valves along more than 200 acres in the protected sanctuary of Salutation Cove. Their method of cultivation replicates that of Mother Nature, as you will see during your insightful visit.

Upon arriving at the oyster farm, you will meet co-owners and brothers Erskine and Brian Lewis, who will explain how they farm and fish their different varieties of Rocky Bay oysters. It's a slow, natural process that results in desirable, thick-shelled oysters with an exceptional briny taste that reflects the pristine nature of the cove waters. The plump oysters have a sweet, crisp finish that leaves the mouth feeling refreshed. You'll have the opportunity to try your hand at harvesting some using oyster tongs and then shuck a few oysters, which you can eat raw. The Lewis brothers will also offer you an Oysters Rocky Fellas appetizer, their version of the classic Oysters Rockefeller. It's a unique, highly memorable experience.

Following a delightful visit of approximately 2-hours, you will transfer back to the pier where your tour concludes.

Please note: This tour includes approximately 2-hours of walking/standing over mostly flat surfaces. Due to accessibility issues, the tour is not available to wheelchair guests. Those with mobility concerns are cautioned to carefully evaluate their personal level of stamina and ability. Weather appropriate clothing and flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

Seafood 101 At the Culinary Institute of Canada

Tour Code: YHG-001

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 4 hours)

Tour Effort: Moderate

Learn to prepare extraordinary gourmet cuisine hands-on, under the guidance of master chefs at the prestigious Culinary Institute of Canada.

It's a short transfer from the pier to the nearby Culinary Institute of Canada, one of the country's premier culinary schools since being founded in 1983. Here, you will slip into chef's whites and begin your culinary training in a state-of-the-art kitchen. Working side by side with the award-winning master chefs, you will learn essential kitchen fundamentals, helpful cooking tips, and the intricacies of preparing gourmet cuisine. The emphasis will be on seafood dishes, as Prince Edward Island is known for its bountiful fish and shellfish. The dishes vary according to the season and what fresh, local ingredients are available. However, in the past, dishes have included Island Scallops Stuffed with Wild Mushroom Butter, Grilled Salmon with Sesame Maple Glaze, and Mussels Pot au Feu.

This is a highly interactive, hands-on experience, and the chefs encourage questions. Feel free to ask about how best to select ingredients, prepare dishes step-by-step, and creatively enhance recipes. You may also take photos of the preparation process, which will help when re-creating the dishes once you return home. After preparing and cooking your gourmet meal, take a seat in the institute's Lucy Maud Dining Room and sample your creation, accompanied by a glass of wine. Afterwards, you will return to the pier.

Please note: This tour includes limited walking, but has extensive standing. The tour is not available to wheelchair guests and not recommended for those with mobility concerns. Light-weight clothing is recommended as you will be wearing chef's whites, and flat, comfortable shoes. Shorts, open sandals, dangly jewelry, iPods and mp3 players are not allowed.