Cruises from New York City to Canada & New England

Which lines sail from New York City to Canada & New England?

• Carnival Cruise Line
  Laid-back, loud in the best way and unpretentious; flip-flops, burgers by the pool and a comedy show after dinner.
• Cunard Line
  Elegant and classic, with a British accent; afternoon tea, ballroom dancing and black-tie evenings at sea.
• Norwegian Cruise Line
  Flexible and lively, with a Las Vegas-meets-resort feel; dinner whenever you want, in whatever you packed.
• Princess Cruises
  Relaxed, welcoming and dependable; a comfortable middle ground between mass-market buzz and premium polish.

When to go

1. January: Few or no cruises, average high 32 degrees F Jan 32°17°
2. February: Few or no cruises, average high 33 degrees F Feb 33°19°
3. March: Few or no cruises, average high 38 degrees F Mar 38°25°
4. April: Few or no cruises, average high 48 degrees F Apr 48°34°
5. May: Cruises run, average high 58 degrees F May 58°42°
6. June: Shoulder season, average high 67 degrees F Jun 67°51°
7. July: Shoulder season, average high 74 degrees F Jul 74°58°
8. August: Shoulder season, average high 74 degrees F Aug 74°59°
9. September: Best time, average high 67 degrees F Sep 67°53°
10. October: Best time, average high 56 degrees F Oct 56°44°
11. November: Few or no cruises, average high 47 degrees F Nov 47°35°
12. December: Few or no cruises, average high 37 degrees F Dec 37°24°

• Best time
• Shoulder season
• Cruises run
• Few or none

Temperatures in Fahrenheit, long-term averages. Climate source.

Cruises run from about May to late October. Fall foliage season (late September to mid-October) is in highest demand and fills early. Summer has the warmest weather; May and early June can be cool and foggy.

Atlantic hurricane season (June 1 to November 30) can affect this route, especially in September, when post-tropical storms sometimes reach New England and Nova Scotia and force port changes. Fog is common in early summer. Ports can be cool and windy in May and October, so pack layers.

Where you'll stop

Itineraries vary by line and length. These are the ports Canada & New England cruises most often visit:

• Bar Harbor, Maine, United States: Gateway to Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain, plus lobster shacks. A tender port with a daily cap on cruise visitors.
• Portland, Maine, United States: A food-focused harbor city with lighthouses such as Portland Head Light nearby.
• Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada: A lively waterfront, the Citadel, Pier 21 immigration museum next to the cruise terminal, and Peggy's Cove.
• Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada: The Bay of Fundy and the Reversing Falls, where the huge tides push the river upstream.
• Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada: Access to Cape Breton Island, the Cabot Trail and the Fortress of Louisbourg.
• Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada: Red-sand beaches, mussels and oysters, and Anne of Green Gables country.

Before you sail from New York City

Manhattan: take the A, B, C, D or 1 train to 59th Street-Columbus Circle and walk west to 12th Avenue, or take the M57 or M31 bus. Drivers and taxis must approach from the north at 55th Street and 12th Avenue. Brooklyn: the terminal is served by the B61 bus and by NYC Ferry's South Brooklyn route, and taxis and rideshares can drop off at the curb. JFK is usually the easier airport for Brooklyn; LaGuardia is closest to Manhattan.

At the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, cruise parking is on the terminal rooftop, run by ProPark and bookable through the cruise.nyc website. It is credit card only (no cash), opens at 8 a.m., and has a height limit for passenger vehicles. The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal has on-site parking and dedicated bus stalls. In both cases, parking costs more than at most U.S. cruise ports, so transit or a car service is often the better value.

• Check which terminal you are sailing from; Manhattan and Brooklyn are about 7 miles apart and a wrong guess costs real time.
• Approach the Manhattan terminal from the north at 55th Street; vehicles cannot enter from the south.
• Book a window seat on sailaway: the route down the Hudson past the Statue of Liberty is one of the best departures anywhere.
• Pack layers. Even summer Bermuda cruises can be cool and windy on the first and last days.

Documents: Round trips from New York, New Jersey or Boston are closed-loop cruises. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says US citizens on a closed-loop cruise can re-enter with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID, and Canada accepts proof of US citizenship plus photo ID for cruise visitors. One-way cruises to or from Quebec City or Montreal are not closed-loop, and you will be flying into or out of Canada, so you need a passport book. US citizens do not need a Canadian eTA. We recommend a passport book for every itinerary. Non-US citizens should check both US and Canadian rules. Check current requirements with your line before you sail.

More detail: our full New York City cruise port guide and our Canada & New England cruise guide.

Related routes

Also from New York City: Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean, Transatlantic.

Canada & New England from other ports: Baltimore, Boston, Cape Liberty (Bayonne), Montreal, Quebec City.