"What fascinates you most? The crash of the headlands? The ceremonial changing of the guard in citadel cities? Nature's splashy parade of fall colors? Holland America can satisfy your curiosity on every count as our flagship ms Rotterdam spends the entire summer and fall exploring Eastern Canada and New England.

Ashore: delightful discoveries. Some, including Gaelic Nova Scotia, French-speaking Quebec, and the vacation enclaves of Kennebunkport and Martha's Vineyard may have intrigued you for years. Others serve you vivid slices of history: Cape Breton Islands famous Cabot Train (see below) and Boston's Freedom Trail."

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
A provincial capital with a distinctly English feel. Where red double-decker buses motor along streets lined with gingerbread-trimmed Victorian houses; and tea is served promptly at three.

Halifax, Nova Scotia
Ocean scenery at its best: granite boulders pounded by crashing surf, lighthouses standing sentinel on rocky ledges, a delectable lobster lunch caught fresh from the waters off Peggy's Cove. Back in Halifax, the ramparts of the Citadel await your inspection.

Montreal, Quebec
Part French, part English, totally intriguing. Explore the cobblestone streets of lamp-lit Old Montreal; visit the tranquil Botanical Gardens; try your luck at the high-energy Casino de Montreal.

Quebec City, Quebec
Holland America gives you two full days to explore this noble walled city with a French accent. Stroll Old Quebec's maze of cobbled streets, happening upon quaint sidewalk cafes, boutiques and antique shops; tour to Montmorency Falls, higher than Niagara.

Sydney, Nova Scotia
So green and Gaelic is Cape Breton Island that Scotsman Alexander Graham Bell called it home for the last 37 years of his life. See why as you follow the scenic 184-mile-long Cabot Trail. Or tour to the Fortress of Louisbourg, meticulously restored to its 1744 mint condition.

Sample of shore excursion:
Scenic Cabot Trail at Sydney, Nova Scotia

This full-day tour traverses the 184-mile Cabot Trail named after John Cabot, the great navigator and explorer who first sighted Cape Breton Island in 1497. As you make your way around the Trail, you are retracing the historic route that served as the only link between the isolated Scottish, English and French Acadian communities during Colonial times. En route, you'll also see views of some of the most dramatic and unspoiled scenery in North America, including spruce-covered mountains, tranquil rivers and secluded beaches.

Lunch on this tour consists of a delicious meal in the French fishing village of Cheticamp, located on the west side of the Trail. Regarded as the center of French Acadian heritage in the area, this busy fishing village is also known as a rug-hooking center.

The relaxing return trip includes photo stops along the way, allowing you ample opportunity to record the gorgeous views and rich foliage.