New England & Canada Shore Excursions & Cruise Tours

Wadi Rum is a vast protected desert wilderness in southern Jordan — the dramatic red-dune landscape used as the filming location for Lawrence of Arabia and The Martian. From Aqaba, it is accessible on a shore excursion day via a 4×4 jeep tour. If Petra is a full-day commitment, Wadi Rum makes an outstanding half-day alternative.

Our Middle East shore excursions combine licensed local expertise with our industry-leading guarantees: Back to Ship Guarantee, Don't Port, Don't Pay protection, small groups, vetted guides, and prices up to 50% below cruise line rates. For high-stakes excursions like Petra — where logistics are complex and timing is critical — these protections matter enormously.

Top picks include a whale-watch charter and Acadia National Park drive from Bar Harbor, a Halifax Citadel and waterfront walking tour, an Old Quebec City guided walk, a Portland lobster pier lunch and lighthouse drive, and a Prince Edward Island coastal drive with oyster tasting. Venture Ashore curates all of these as small-group cruise excursions with pier transfers.

The season runs August through October. Late August and September offer warm seas, active whale watching, and the first autumn colour. October is peak foliage month — the most popular time to cruise and the most visually spectacular. May and June offer excellent shoulder-season value with whale sightings and the lobster season getting underway.

Yes — and seeing it from the water gives you a perspective that a road trip simply cannot match. The combination of crimson and gold maples against whitewashed lighthouses, colonial harbours, and the steel-blue North Atlantic is genuinely one of the great visual experiences in North American travel. October is the best month; early October in northern ports, mid-to-late October further south.

Yes — up to 50% less in most cases. Our New England and Canada shore excursions include small groups, expert local guides, pier pick-up and drop-off, and our Back to Ship Guarantee — at prices well below what your ship charges for comparable tours. The savings on a 7-night fall foliage cruise can be substantial.

Bar Harbor is the gateway to Acadia National Park — one of America's most beloved national parks — and the prime whale-feeding grounds off the Northeast Atlantic coast. Top shore excursions include a whale-watch boat charter, a scenic Acadia park drive with Jordan Pond lunch, and a kayak tour of the harbour. Venture Ashore offers all of these as small-group experiences.

Quebec City is one of the most atmospheric ports in the entire New England and Canada run. The UNESCO-listed upper and lower towns, the Château Frontenac, the Plains of Abraham, and the cobblestone streets of the Petit-Champlain district are all within easy walking distance of the cruise pier. Venture Ashore's guided walking tour is one of our most consistently five-star-reviewed excursions.

Halifax is Atlantic Canada's most historic port city. The star-shaped Citadel Hill fortress, the Victorian-era waterfront boardwalk, the Historic Properties, and the Seaport Farmers' Market are all highlights. Venture Ashore's Halifax walking excursion includes a local lobster roll lunch at a harbourfront stall — a proper Maritime Canada experience.