Montreal to New York on Insignia

After included VIP airport lounge access, board your flight to Montreal where, on arrival, you'll transfer to your hotel for the night.

Stay: Montreal hotel

After breakfast you've got the morning to explore the cultural hub of Montreal, from its historic Old Port to the Museum of Fine Arts and beautiful Montreal Botanical Garden. Then, embark Insignia and settle in among the teakwood, neo-classical furnishings and rich fabrics of your suite, with its own private veranda. Then, this evening, it's time for the first of your open-seated, gourmet dinner, for the likes of authentic Italian – think octopus carpaccio and classic osso bucov– at Toscana and 28-day aged steak, swordfish and Maine lobster at the Polo Grill. Come nighttime, the likes of live piano-accompanied bars and a country club ambience serve up expertly-mixed cocktails, ideal for a post-dinner digestif.

Stay: Insignia 

Anchor in to the ancient city of Quebec today. Highlights include the UNESCO-listed Old Town, the Musée de la Civilisation and the 17th-century Plains of Abraham fort, best explored with a walking tour and drive into the surrounding countryside to pause at the famous Montmorency Falls and Anne-de-Beaupré basilica, a centuries-old pilgrimage site. Later, a funicular or horse and carriage ride is a wonderful way to explore the Old Town, before a sumptuous afternoon tea at iconic hotel Château Frontenac. Remember, all excursions can be easily organised directly from the ship up to a year before your cruise, or once on board.

Stay: Insignia 

Sail to Saguenay today, perched at the tip of a magnificent fjord. Travel along the Craftsman Road with a guided tour to sample local cheese before learning about the city's history of glass-blowing and soap-making. We'd also highly recommend a visit to Saguenay National Park where you'll discover how glaciers shaped the landscape before kayaking through its waters to spot beluga whales, seals and marine birds. 

Stay: Insignia 

You've got a full day to explore the delights of the ship. Perhaps begin by attending an expert lecture about Atlantic Canada, your next destination, before a relaxing treatment at the Canyon Ranch spa. Then, lunch on the pool deck offers everything from gourmet burgers and seafood to to fresh salads and truffle parmesan fries – the perfect prelude to a dip in the pool or one of the two Jacuzzis, frozen cocktail in hand. Later, perhaps sample a fine vintage at a wine tasting before another gourmet dinner, such as fresh sushi and lobster at the Terrace Café.

Stay: Insignia 

Enjoy the breathtaking view from the monument honouring Captain James Cook, the first European to map the area in 1767. More history you in the Corner Brook Museum, with its displays of marine artefacts, forestry exhibits and collections from first-nation history.

Anchor in to historic Sydney today in the Atlantic Canada province of Nova Scotia. Walk among the outdoor museum to discover the cultural link between Scotland and Cape Breton Island, taking in its historical architecture and enjoying a hands-on fudge-making class. Other highlights include the National Historic Site of Fortress Louisbourg and the Alexander Graham Bell Museum.

Stay: Insignia 

Sail to Halifax today, where a daily ceremonial gun is fired at the National Historic Site of the Halifax Citadel, reminding you of the city's military history. It's all best understood with a tour of Halifax’s architectural gems as you learn about the events that shaped the city, including the sinking of the Titanic. Other highlights include a tour of beautiful Peggy's Cove and the Lighthouse Route, that'll see you stop at fishing villages, breweries and UNESCO-listed Lunenburg, a British colonial settlement. The lobster industry is an essential part of life in Nova Scotia, and we'd highly recommend a cruise of the harbour while you learn about the industry and watch as the crew pulls lobster traps from the sea before an indulgent lobster lunch.

Stay: Insignia 

After breakfast, anchor in to Saint John, the capital of New Brunswick. Highlights include the Reversing Falls, a daily tidal phenomenon that reverses the flow of the Saint John River, best observed on a glass-bottom 'Skywalk', and the Hopewell Rocks, rock formations caused by tidal erosion. We'd also recommend a privately-driven car tour through Saint John to pause at its 19th-century architecture and the Old City market to sample coffee, seafood, locally-produced rhubarb wine and local dried sea vegetables known as dulse. Further afield, the Fundy Trail is an ultra-scenic coastal drive that affords you beautiful forest and beach vistas or, if you'd rather stay on the water, cruise the Saint John River on a riverboat as you take in the lighthouses and abundant wildlife, with a photo stop at the Reversing Falls accompanied by a professional photographer who'll help you get the best snaps.

Stay: Insignia 

Anchor in to upmarket Bar Harbor today, established in the 19th century as New England's top summer resort. Highlights include the sweeping vistas of Acadia National Park – be sure to keep an eye out for breaching humpback whales below – as well as the area's Norway-esque fjords, Victorian villages and the exclusive mansions that were once home to famous families like the Rockefellers, Carnegies and Vanderbilts. Back on board, be sure to sample an indulgent afternoon tea if you haven't already, practise your swing at the putting green and, come evening, attend a spectacular show at the onboard theatre. 

Stay: Insignia 

The historic city of Boston is your next stop today. Its history is best explored with a guided tour or trolley ride through the city along the Freedom Trail, which links more than a dozen historic sights. It's well worth exploring Salem, learning about its notorious witch trials with a walking tour, while sports fans should head to iconic America’s oldest baseball park Fenway. Other highlights include nearby Cape Cod, insider's tours at Harvard University and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

Stay: Insignia 

With a final day at sea, take advantage of everything you may have missed. Perhaps head to the Vitality Centre for complimentary fitness classes or enjoy a friendly game of shuffleboard on the sports deck before sampling the Grand Dining Room's European-inspired cuisine or quintessential French dishes at the Bistro tonight. Then, perhaps head to the convivial Horizons bar for post-dinner cocktails with new-found friends.

Stay: Insignia 

After breakfast, disembark to explore your penultimate stop, Rhode Island's upmarket town of Newport. Famous for its Gilded Age mansions and lighthouse-dotted shores, explore with tours that'll see you explore Newport’s most famous colonial buildings and Jackie Kennedy's childhood home before walking the famous Cliff Walk trail to tour the Vanderbilt’s seaside mansions. To really mark the end of your cruise in style, why not fly over Newport with a private helicopter ride?

Stay: Insignia 

After a final breakfast, disembark and transfer to airport and fly home overnight.