Eats, Cruises & Leaves
Eric Gillin
09/09/04 - 07:56 AM EDT
A trip to view foliage in late autumn doesn't have to mean endless games of license plate bingo and constant pit-stops for cranky kids, just to see acres of orange and yellow blow past the window of a speeding car.
Try something new this fall. See the leaves change from the deck of a boat.
Foliage cruises have been around for decades, but over the last 15 years, they've grown exponentially, piggybacking on the overall growth of the cruise industry, especially the move toward "home ports" and launching cruises from places other than Florida. Since the World Trade Center attacks, the cruise industry has capitalized on the tendency to travel closer to home by running more and more cruises from people's backyards.
"Consumers had concerns with jumping on planes, so it was just easier for them to drive into Baltimore or drive into Boston and board one of these ships," said Terry Dale, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association. "It's really come along in the last four to five years. We have 30 ports of call in North America."
To take advantage of the spread of home ports, cruise lines have been adding ships and setting off for European summer sunsets and Caribbean winter escapes. But during the fall, when cruise demand tends to dip, operators need a place for their returning boats to dock. And so, an increasing number of operators have placed ships where travelers are already going -- locales where the changing leaves are the big draw.
Nowhere has the growth of foliage cruises been more dramatic than in New England, which is not only a hotbed of autumnal action, but has a number of active seaports, making it easy to plan itineraries that have a lot to offer. Over the last year, according to CLIA's data, the number of days cruises were at sea increased more than 9%, but in a New England and Canadian market dominated by foliage cruises, that number is up nearly 35%. Since 1989, the Northeast has seen a six-fold increase in capacity.
"For those people living outside the New England region, the opportunity to board one of these amazing ships and see the dynamic colors is a pretty romantic notion that strikes at the hearts of many people," said Dale. "The popularity is a combination of fall foliage catching on and having more product out there in the marketplace.
Indeed, fall fans looking for new and luxurious ways to see the autumn up close have more options than ever before, cruises that combine upscale shopping, historic scenery and athletic activities in a first-class setting.
To meet the rising demand, luxe liner Crystal Cruises, winner of
Conde Nast Traveler magazine's "best cruise ship" award, now offers five foliage cruises. This year, the cruise line added a seven-day voyage from New York to Montreal and recently beefed up tour itineraries with all new adventures. (Next year, the liner will add a sixth cruise, a two-week "Path of the Vikings" tour that goes from London to New York, with stops in Iceland and Greenland.)
"We have more than 50 short excursions in these cruises, which include everything from visiting the mansions in Newport, to stopping by the botanical gardens in Montreal, or seeing the picturesque historical town of Bar Harbor," said Mimi Weisband, spokeswoman for Crystal Cruises. "We have lobster bakes and more active things, too, like kayaking and hiking."
Because of the wide array of options -- especially now that Crystal Cruises offers more sporting-related jaunts -- there's something for everyone, regardless of age, fitness level or interest. Consider the number of different offerings during the two-day Quebec City stop on the liner's 11-day "Autumn Tapestry Cruise," which travels one way from New York City to Montreal and starts at $3,155 per person for a deluxe stateroom.
While in Quebec City, Crystal Cruises has eight different activities planned for shore leave. For the epicurious there's a four-course French meal at the famous Chateau Frontenac or a tour of Orleans to sample the island's fine pates, ciders and taffies. The active can hike through the Ste Anne Canyon and traverse the 181-foot-high McNicoll Bridge or take the two-and-a-half hour walking tour of Old Quebec. And for the classic tourist, there are motorcoach tours of Quebec City, along with the area's many waterfalls and cascades, with loads of shopping stops along the way. There's even a helicopter tour of the city for people who can't get enough excitement.
How the Foliage Falls
Autumn Cruises
Orbitz and other third-party travel sites like Expedia and Travelocity offers a number of foliage cruises online. Here's a look at some of the more moderately priced, but act now -- some cruises are already sold out. |
| Cruise Line |
Route |
# of Nights |
Date |
Interior Cabin |
Exterior Cabin |
| Royal Caribbean |
N.J. to Canada |
5 |
Oct. 17 |
$499 |
$599 |
| Carnival Cruise Line |
N.Y. to Canada |
7 |
Oct. 2 |
649 |
749 |
| Princess Cruise Line |
N.Y. to Canada |
7 |
Oct. 24 |
599 |
698 |
| Jewel of the Seas |
Boston to Canada |
10 |
Oct. 18 |
1,199 |
1,449 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line |
Baltimore to Canada |
11 |
Sept. 24 |
849 |
sold out |
| Source: Orbitz |
Most of the foliage cruises take place in and around the New York and New England area, but there are some offerings that travel the Mississippi River. Each fall, the Mississippi Queen travels between St. Louis, Mo. and St. Paul, Minn. making a number of stops along the way, including Hannibal, Mo., Mark Twain's hometown, and the casino at Dubuque, Iowa. But while the leaves may be equally brilliant, the experience is not the same.
"There's cruising on the Mississippi but that really appeals to a much smaller audience, because the amenities on those ships are not equivalent to the larger ships used in the Northeast," said Geoff Silvers, director of merchandising for Orbitz.com. "The experience is more limited. You don't have as many lounges, entertainers or dining options. These are paddlewheels."
Attention to detail -- and the fact you don't have to plan, you only have to pay -- is what makes foliage cruises so attractive. While it's often said that a cruise's main selling point is that your hotel room floats with you, ending the need to pack and unpack each time you hit a new point of interest, few hotel rooms have five-foot picture windows with acres of foliage drifting by.
Operators like Crystal Cruises and Seabourn operate at the very high end of the spectrum, charging upwards of $4,000 for a week-long cruise, but offering a level of comfort and class that surpasses most five-star hotels. Seabourn's "Canadian Gold" tour, a week-long cruise between New York City and Quebec City, starts at $2,998 and includes food, drink and a world-class suite with an ocean view.
"All of the suites on our ships are 277 square feet and come with a five-foot picture window," said Bruce Good, spokesperson for Seabourn. "The rate is all inclusive, cover meals and bars, everything except spa treatments. Rooms have a queen-sized bed, a fully-stocked bar and walk in closets."
There are downscale offerings as well, many of which offer remarkable values over the old drive-and-lodge approach to leaf peeping. Ocean views on the Carnival Cruise Line's seven-day foliage cruise are just $750, per person, according to Orbitz. And many of these cruises include the same stops found on upscale itineraries, with disembarkments in Boston, Maine and Nova Scotia.
Unlike the traditional, fly-and-stay vacations, it pays to book early on a specialty cruise, like one to the New England market. Over the summer, most cruise lines offer deep discounts from the prices listed on brochures to make sure that fall cruises fill up fast, but as the departure date approaches, they're less willing to offer deep discounts, since demand to see fall foliage doesn't hit a fever pitch until the leaves are turning on the trees.
And big ticket prices haven't scared off travelers who have their hearts set on shoving off in search of foliage. Demand has remained firm and the best deals are going to those who book early -- many cruise operators are currently selling tours at 50% from their arguably inflated brochure prices. According to Crystal Cruises bookings are already 17% ahead of last year and at Seabourne Cruises some cruises are already sold out.
"We're booking very well," said Good. "There's not very much space left."
