This summer, I enjoyed a 7-day cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line on the Norwegian Getaway, sailing from New York to New England and Canada. It was my first time visiting this region, and it was absolutely beautiful.
My balcony stateroom was spacious, and I loved watching the sunsets from the port side of the ship. One of the highlights of my trip was being invited to a VIP party, where I had the chance to meet Captain Luigi Gentile along with other officers. It was truly amazing to speak with them—an experience I will never forget.
One of the stops on the itinerary was Boston, a city rich with history. I joined a guided walking tour along the Freedom Trail, visited Cheers, explored historic buildings and burial grounds, strolled through Boston Common and the Public Garden, and even took a city tour on a hop-on/hop-off bus. The information shared throughout the tours was priceless—I learned so much about the American Revolution and other historic sites in and around Boston. It was an incredibly interesting and memorable experience.
The next stop on the itinerary was Bar Harbor, Maine—a small town full of charm, with Acadia National Park as its crown jewel. Covering approximately 47,000 acres, Acadia is a breathtaking mix of rugged coastline, mountains, and forest. About 35,332 acres are owned by the National Park Service, while another 12,416 acres—originally donated by John D. Rockefeller Jr.—are also preserved and managed by the park. The scenery was absolutely stunning.
One of my life goals is to visit as many National Parks as possible, and Acadia far exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed it so much that I already want to return and explore more. While in port, I took two tours: the first was a small group drive along Park Loop Road, a 27-mile scenic route with several stops to take in the views. The second was an ocean walk hike, which allowed me to follow the rugged coastline on foot. Both experiences gave me a deeper appreciation of the park’s natural beauty.
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Jordan Pond
On the driving tour, we stopped at Cadillac Mountain and had time to explore the area. Standing at 1,530 feet, it is the highest peak in Acadia National Park and on Mount Desert Island. In fact, it’s also the tallest point along the eastern seaboard of the United States and the first place in the country to see the sunrise between October 7 and March 6.
During the ocean hike, the scenery felt both beautiful and peaceful. The brilliant blues of the sky and ocean, the lush greens of the trees and plant life, and the rugged granite formations combined to create a truly magnificent landscape.
My next stop was Nova Scotia, Canada, where I joined a tour to Newfoundland to hike the Fundy Trail and see the Bay of Fundy. The experience was excellent! Exploring the Bay of Fundy—where the tidal difference reaches about 60 feet and the water temperature hovers around 31°F—was absolutely mind-blowing. This remarkable area, home to the world’s highest tides, is truly a one-of-a-kind landscape.
This is Long Beach where instead of sand, it is full of river bed rocks. There is no swimming allowed at this beach and the water had a reddish tint from the cliffs. This landscape is so unique!
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