New England Islands Cruise

Experience all that Providence has to offer with our Pre-Cruise Package, including a one-night stay at a premium downtown hotel, conveniently located onto near to the dock. On the day of embarkation enjoy a full breakfast and a narrated exploration visiting highlights of the city, concluding at the ship for a seamless boarding process.

Pre-Cruise Packages must be reserved at least 30 days before your cruise date. Please call a Cruise Specialist at (800) 460-4518 for pricing and availability.

As you embark upon your journey, enjoy a Welcome Aboard Reception with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and entertainment. Meet the crew, your onboard experts, and fellow guests. Learn more about the wonderful adventure ahead of you.

After a hearty New England-inspired breakfast, the harbor cruise captain will greet you at the ship and take you on relaxing cruise around the historic New Bedford / Fairhaven Harbor. Admire the popular Palmer’s Island Lighthouse, a working fishing fleet, and Fort Phoenix, which dates back to the Revolutionary War. Your captain will also share insights into the local fishing industry and plenty of whaling history. After you arrive back on the ship, enjoy a seafood dinner made from the locally sourced scallops and fish. 

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: No

Once the whaling capital of the world, today, New Bedford is the nation’s most valuable fishing port. Take a shuttle to the Fishing Heritage Center, where you can learn the story of this fishing community. Watch a short orientation film, explore the Center's interactive exhibits, and browse the gift shop.  Next enjoy a guided walking exploration of New Bedford’s working waterfront where you can learn about different types of fishing vessels, shoreside businesses, the old auction, and local fishing families. 

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Yes

In this famous whaling city, be sure to stop at the New Bedford Visitors Center and Whaling Museum, just a 10-minute walk from the ship or a short ride on the shuttle. The museum is the largest of its kind, devoted to the history of North American whaling.  At the Center, enjoy a short introductory film in the theater and time to explore, before taking a short walk across the street to visit the Whaling Museum. Explore the many engaging exhibits to gain an understanding of the industry that shaped the town of New Bedford.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Yes

New Bedford was the mid-19th century’s preeminent whaling port and for a time “the richest city in the world.” Enjoy a leisure walk with a Park Ranger from the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the world’s largest whaling museum. Stroll down cobblestone streets, led by your guide, who will take you into the heart of the park and speak on the whaling history within New Bedford. Explore a whaling merchant’s home and whaleman's chapel, and walk a 19th century schooner’s decks. Walk in the footsteps of Herman Melville and Frederick Douglass and learn about a remarkable era.

Activity Level: Moderate | ADA Accessible: Partial 

Enjoy a complimentary shuttle to area attractions such as:

• New Bedford Whaling Museum - This museum is the largest of its kind, devoted to the history of North American whaling. Discover the art, science, history, culture, and people of this vibrant maritime region. Explore the museum’s many exhibits, including massive whale skeletons, the world's largest ship model, and a collection of impressive contemporary artwork.  
• Museum of Glass - During the Victorian era, New Bedford was renowned as the “Art Glass Headquarters of the Country.” Rose Amber glass, Crown Milano, Royal Flemish, Burmese, and Lava glass are just a few of the exotic lines developed in this town. Many of these fine examples are represented in museum’s 7,000-piece collection, chronicling the history of glass from ancient times to the present day.
• •    Fishing Heritage Museum - Learn the story of this fishing community. Watch a short orientation film, explore the center's interactive exhibits, and browse the gift shop.

  Featured Excursion / Duration: Continuous loop
   

Featuring permanent and rotating exhibitions in 9 premium galleries, The Whaling Museum has over a thousand works of art, artifacts, and treasures on display, chronicling the Island’s fascinating history over 4 centuries. View a 46-foot sperm whale skeleton and a massive Fresnel lens. Explore a restored 1847 candle factory and as well as a fully accessible rooftop deck, offering stunning views of Nantucket harbor. At you leisure, visit the onsite historic buildings, including a Quaker Meeting House, the oldest functioning mill in the country, and the oldest residence on Nantucket still on its original site.

Activity Level: Moderate | ADA Accessible: Yes

Be enchanted as you explore this quiet 19th-century island which still retains the character of the whaling era. This narrated exploration of the entire island will include its early history, including whaling stories of this popular spot, as well as a ride through the beautiful village of Siasconset known for its rose-covered cottages. 

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Yes

Enjoy a narrated exploration of Martha’s Vineyard. Explore the quaint streets of Vineyard Haven lined with cozy cafes and boutique shops, inviting leisurely strolls and glimpses of island life at its best.  Discover the idyllic countryside of West Tisbury, where the landscape unfolds like a scene from a Currier & Ives print, with rolling hills blanketed in lush greenery and dotted with bucolic farmhouses. Learn the history, both past and present, of the 6 unique towns on the island.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: No

Enjoy the sights and history of Provincetown on a narrated trolley exploration, including seeing the Cape Cod National Seashore. Learn about America's first destination, see where the Mayflower first landed and hear the amazing stories of Provincetown.

Bandits, pirates, and armies have all visited the Island over the years. Though they physically left long ago, recent evidence, uncovered by the Block Island Ghost Tours Team, suggests that a group of real-life vampires may have used the island as a meeting place. Learn about this and much more on our brand new walking exploration through the New Harbor area. At the end of the excursion, receive a free flashlight and an “I Survived” sticker.

Activity Level: Low | ADA Accessible: No

Enjoy a narrated ride on a school bus (the only one allowed on the island) conducted by a spirited Block Island native guide. Travel along the Mohegan Bluffs, 200 feet above sea level and stretching nearly three miles, creating spectacular views of the ocean, the Southeast Lighthouse, and Old Harbor.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: No

Visit Fort Adams, the well-known fort used to protect the harbor, and puts us just a short ride away from Newport’s bustling riverfront. View the “Officer’s Quarters” and ascend to the scenic overlook for a breathtaking view of Newport Harbor. Learn about past and future plans for the restoration of the Fort and enter the restored casemates to visit the latest historical exhibit. The listening tunnels beneath the walls of the Fort are a marvel of architecture and engineering and represent 180 years of American military history and culture.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Yes

Travel back in time to the epicenter of 19th-century opulence as a knowledgeable guide takes you down one of the most architecturally impressive avenues in the world. Learn about the owners of the homes and their monetary successes as you travel along the spectacular Ocean View Drive and Bellevue Avenue, stopping at the “grande dame” of them all, The Breakers Mansion.

A portrayal of the social and financial prominence of the Vanderbilt family at the turn of the century, the architecture of this seventy-room Italian Renaissance-style palazzo is remarkable. Take a leisurely audio tour of the home and learn about the Vanderbilt family and the inspiration for their building this impressive summer “cottage.” At the conclusion of the tour, you will have time to explore the bustling Newport waterfront at your leisure.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Partial

Watch the unveiling of a traditional, old-fashioned lobster bake, followed by a delicious buffet. Be treated to fresh lobster, steamed clams and mussels, warm corn on the cob, and baked rolls. A true New England experience!

Activity Level: Low / ADA Accessible: Yes

Enjoy a complimentary shuttle into the center of town to enjoy stops in Newport at your leisure.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Yes
 

• International Tennis Hall of Fame - Set in The Newport Casino, it’s a National Historic Landmark that was first opened on July 26, 1880, as a social club for Newport’s turn of the century summer elite. Its mission is to preserve and promote the history of tennis and celebrate its champions.
• Audrain Auto Museum - Founded in 2014 in Newport, Rhode Island with a mission of "Preserving, Celebrating & Sharing Automotive History," the Audrain Automobile Museum and historic Audrain Building was transformed into a captivating exhibition space, fit specifically for our cultural needs. The museum welcomes visitors with access to collections containing over 400 cars and motorcycles ranging from brass era Veteran cars to Supercars of today.
• The Red Parrot Restaurant - In the heart of downtown Newport where streets lined with shopping boutiques, visitor information, local favorites, and gift shops await.
• The Sailing Museum – This museum features National Sailing Hall of Fame and America’s Cup Hall of Fame exhibits. In the space once used as the Press Room for the America’s Cup the heritage of sailing is celebrated, the legends of the sport honored, and new sailors and innovators inspired. Interactive educational exhibits provide real-world applications of STEAM concepts that come alive through sailing; and visitors of all ages, non-sailors, and sailors alike, experience the magic that happens when wind and water meet.
• Transit Station - Access hub for the Newport City public transportation system with buses and trolleys taking visitors to all the highlight areas of interest such as the Cliff Walk and Bellevue Mansions.

Take a narrated exploration of historic and famous Newport. With the brilliant Atlantic Ocean on one side and some of the country’s most impressive properties on the other, this celebrated trail is an unforgettable one. Drive along the 10-mile, spectacular Ocean View Drive and Bellevue Ave— “Avenue of the Mansions.” The highlight of the excursion is a stop at the Breakers, a seventy-room mansion and National Historic Landmark built for Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1895. A short stop will be made for picture opportunities at a beautiful waterfront lookout at Brenton Point State Park.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Yes
Featured Excursion  
 

One of the highlights of our New England itineraries is the traditional Lobsterbake. This tradition pre-dates America itself, beginning thousands of years ago with the Native Americans. 

Our version of this long held New England summer tradition is very much the same, featuring fresh lobsters, steamed clams and mussels, warm corn on the cob, and baked rolls, prepared on a fire along the beach. In addition to the finest seafood in the area, we also feature live music presented by talented local musicians.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Yes

Blithewold is a 33-acre summer estate with grand views of Narragansett Bay. This mansion has historical significance as one of the most fully developed and authentic examples of the Country Place era, and for its value in representing the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement. The property features a 45-room mansion filled with family heirlooms and is framed by a series of lovely gardens that range in character from historic to contemporary. Unique to Blithewold is an exceptional collection of rare and unusual plants, specimen trees, an accessible greenhouse, and whimsical stonework throughout the grounds.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Yes

Located directly across the street from where the ship docks, this museum is considered a maritime historic site and was the place where the world’s finest yachts were built during “The Golden Age of Yachting.” The America’s Cup Hall of Fame is a feature of the museum, honoring participating individuals of this 150-year old competition and most distinguished of all international sporting trophies.

Activity Level: Low | ADA ACCESSIBLE: Yes

Stay an extra day or even a few nights to enjoy all that Providence has to offer. Take a walk through Waterplace Park, the backdrop for the famous WaterFire art installation that lights up the surrounding tidal basin most nights in the summer. Ask your onboard Hotel Manager for recommendations on area hotels, attractions, and more.