25 September - At sea

26 September

Canada: Montréal

Bilingual Montréal is Québec’s largest city, a vibrant island metropolis with a distinctive blend of old style European charm and thrusting modernity. Architectural highlights include the beautiful Basilique Notre-Dame-de-Montréal, and the city also boasts the world’s third largest botanical garden.

27 September

Canada: Québec City

Québec City, the capital of French-speaking Canada, is one of the North American continent’s most beguiling cities. The pretty old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a joy to behold; the cobbled streets and church spires are enclosed within the old city walls, and many of the buildings date back to the 17th century

28 September

Canada: Tadoussac

Tadoussac is situated at the meeting of the St Lawrence and Saguenay rivers, and is famous as one of the best whale-watching spots in Québec. Species including fin, minke, beluga and blue whales are drawn here by the bountiful supply of krill where the salt and freshwater meet.

29 September - At sea

30 September

Canada: Charlottetown

Charlottetown, the charming provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, occupies an important place in Canadian history: it was here that the conference which led to the creation of the Canadian Confederation took place in 1864. The city also has a great culinary scene, making use of the island’s bountiful seafood and fresh produce.

1 October

Canada: Cap-aux-Meules (Magdalen Islands)

2 October

Canada: Sydney

Sydney is the only real city on Nova Scotia’s beautiful Cape Breton island, a former steel and coal town that is reinventing itself as a cultural and culinary hub. The revitalised waterfront area is particularly appealing, and there are some interesting Loyalist-era buildings in the city’s North End district.

3 October

Canada: Lunenburg

Lunenburg’s UNESCO-listed old town is the best surviving example of a planned British colonial settlement in North America, with its picturesque wooden buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. You can also see a replica of the famous schooner Bluenose, an icon for Nova Scotians, which was built at the port.

4 October - At sea

5 October

United Kingdom: Portland

The windswept Isle of Portland is connected to the mainland by Chesil Beach, which curves west for 18 miles along the Dorset coast. The island is famous as the home of Portland stone and is rich in bird life, while just next door is the resort town of Weymouth, with its pretty Georgian harbour.

6 October

Arriving in Boston

Boston is one of the oldest cities in the USA, and in amongst the skyscrapers are plenty of red-brick buildings, a Georgian architecture that lends the city a distinctly European feel. Boston is also home to a wealth of cultural riches, including the superb Museum of Fine Arts, as well as the world famous Harvard University.