Saturday, September 15, 2012
USA | QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, Canada | EMBARK
Fly to Quebec City and transfer to the pier to embark Yorktown.

Sunday, September 16
QUEBEC CITY
Quebec City, built on the site of Iroquois village Stadacona, sits high above the narrowest point of the St. Lawrence River. With its old city walls, narrow cobblestoned lanes, country squares, copper gables, outdoor cafes and historic battlements, it remains one of the most romantic spots in North America. The authentic, undeveloped charm led UNESCO to designate it a World Heritage site in 1985. Discover the Upper and Lower Towns; the Citadel; the Plains of Abraham, where General Wolfe claimed the city for England in 1759; and the Place Royale.

Monday, September 17
SAGUENAY RIVER | MATANE
Relax aboard Yorktown and attend a lecture by one of our onboard experts as we sail into the Saguenay River, an important trade route for Canada’s aboriginal peoples, and during the French colonization of the Americas was a major route for the fur trade. Arrive in Matane this evening.

Tuesday, September 18
MATANE | JARDINS DE MÉTIS | MATANE
Spend the day wandering through the Jardins de Métis (Reford Gardens), 40 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and among Quebec’s most revered attractions. Amble through the many gardens, which include some 3,000 species of native and exotic plants; view the Himalayan blue poppy, the garden’s token plant; and relax amidst the myriad bridges and streams that dot the grounds.

Wednesday, September 19
GASPÉ | PERCE | ILE BONAVENTURE | GASPÉ
Gaspé, on the eastern coast of the remote peninsula of the same name, is where Jacques Cartier first claimed Canada for France. From “Land’s End,” visit the National Park of Bonaventure Island and Perce Rock, rising out of the sea to a solitary height of almost 300 feet. Carved by volcanic action, Perce Rock is a continuation of the Appalachian Mountains, which extend from the peninsula to Alabama. Its neighbor, Bonaventure Island, houses a migratory bird sanctuary with the largest concentration of Northern Gannets in North America.

Thursday, September 20
CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island
Today visit Prince Edward Island, known as the Garden of the Gulf for its pastoral landscape. Tour of the island, including the colonial seaport of Charlottetown and its historic Province House. Continue to Prince Edward Island National Park, where we will see the Anne of Green Gables House—the inspiration for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic novel—and take in some of the 200 bird species inhabiting the parkland.

Friday, September 21
PORT HAWKESBURY | BADDECK | PORT HAWKESBURY, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
From Port Hawkesbury, located on the shores of the Strait of Canso, visit Baddeck, whose beauty motivated the great inventor Alexander Graham Bell to use it as his summer retreat. Today Baddeck is the home of the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. Further explore Cape Breton’s scenic beauty as we discover the Cabot Trail, the historic route that linked the isolated Scottish, English, and Acadian communities during colonial times.

Saturday, September 22
LISCOMB | SHERBROOKE | LISCOMB
Visit Sherbrooke, an open-air museum depicting Nova Scotian village life during the 19th and early-20th centuries. The village is Nova Scotia’s largest museum site with costumed interpreters and we will glimpse the area as it was during its industrial boom with visits to the woodturner shop and blacksmith, among others.

Sunday, September 23
HALIFAX
Arrive in Halifax, a vital port city teeming with an impressive array of cultural and historic delights. In the morning, tour the sandstone Province House, St. Paul’s Church, the oldest building in the city, the Citadel National Historic Site and the Public Gardens. Spend the afternoon at leisure to explore the Halifax’s vibrant attractions such as Historic Properties, which mixes Canada’s oldest surviving warehouses with charming boutiques and restaurants.

Monday, September 24
LUNENBURG
Nestled on a hilly peninsula is the 19th-century village of Lunenburg, known for its shipbuilding, seafaring expertise, and natural beauty. A walking tour views the historic buildings and stately heritage home of the Old Town, designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Also visit the aquarium at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.

Tuesday, September 25
YARMOUTH
Call in Nova Scotia’s Yarmouth, a fishing port with a long history of shipbuilding and lobster catching. This charming town, with its Cape Forchu Lighthouse and charming Victorian houses, is also home to several cultural centers, including art galleries and museums. Among those enjoy the opportunity to visit are Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the Yarmouth County Museum & Archives.

Wednesday, September 26
BAR HARBOR | ACADIA NATIONAL PARK | BAR HARBOR, Maine, USA
Today explore Bar Harbor, set amid Maine’s dramatic coast. Surrounded by Acadia National Park, this quaint fishing village on Mount Desert Island was a fashionable resort town in the late 1800s and the summer home of influential families, including the Astors and Rockefellers. In the afternoon, tour Acadia National Park to discover the Wild Gardens of Acadia, showcasing over 300 native plant species. Also visit the Abbe Museum’s collections chronicling Maine’s 10,000 years of Native American culture and history.

Thursday, September 27
BOOTHBAY HARBOR | BATH | BOOTHBAY HARBOR
Call at Boothbay Harbor, often referred to as “the boating capital of New England.” From the ship’s deck, enjoy a panoramic view of the lighthouses that dot the coast. Walk along the town’s quaint streets, lined with charming shops and restaurants. Continue to the Maine Maritime Museum, in the town of Bath, on the banks of the Kennebec River. See the displays on shipbuilding and lobstering, and visit the dock to board the schooner Sherman Zwicker, an example of boats that once cruised the Grand Banks off of Newfoundland in search of cod.

Friday, September 28
PORTLAND | DISEMBARK | FLY HOME
Disembark in Portland and transfer to the airport for return flights home.

The Yorktown is the perfect vessel for relaxed and convivial exploration of America’s great coastal waterways. Built in Florida in 1988 specifically for coastal cruising and certified by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Yorktown flies the American flag and is staffed by friendly and experienced American officers and crew. 257 feet long, 43 feet wide, with a draft of 8 feet, the Yorktown is able to maneuver in secluded waterways and visit small ports that are inaccessible to larger vessels. And Yorktown’s American registry makes it possible to operate domestic itineraries unavailable to foreign-flag ships. In addition to a large sun deck, the Yorktown boasts a spacious lounge for social gatherings and lectures as well as quiet space for private conversation. The ship’s cuisine, served in a dining room large enough to accommodate all guests at once, emphasizes American regional culinary traditions and specialties. Both the lounge and dining room are surrounded by large picture windows that afford unobstructed views of the passing scenery. Accommodating 138 guests in 69 exterior cabins, the Yorktown enjoys an atmosphere of warm and relaxed informality that endears it to repeat and new guests alike.

SMALL-SHIP AMENITIES

Returning from excursions, guests enjoy complimentary refreshments, afternoon tea and all-day coffee in The Lounge, a gracious space for relaxation, surrounded by panoramic windows. Before or after dinner, cocktails are served to live music performed by the ship’s pianist.

Other Yorktown features include:

• Internet access
• Window-lined lounge with panoramic views
• Dining room surrounded by windows
• Swimming platform
• Kayaks for exploration