Transatlantic Cruise on the New Ship Oceania Allura
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
In the fall of 2025, I went on a very pampering two-week cruise on the new and charming Allura ship of the Oceania company, which departed from Lisbon, Portugal and ended in New York. This was the first transatlantic cruise of this ship, which had been launched only two months prior to this cruise, and it featured the fewest sea days I have ever experienced or seen on a transatlantic cruise. A maximum of two consecutive sea days.
Allura is a mid-sized ship with a maximum of 1,200 passengers and 800 crew members (an excellent ratio of 1.5 passengers for every employee), with 612 guest rooms.
There are no interior rooms or rooms with non-opening windows. It features rooms with French balconies (large opening windows), rooms with balconies, and suites. The ship weighs 67,000 tons and has 11 passenger decks (from deck 4 to 16, excluding deck 13 of course).
The service is wonderful, there is no feeling of crowding, and there are no queues. The ship has a team of 12 singers and dancers with serious productions, plus a large orchestra, a string quartet, a pianist, and a rock band, a large and comfortable theater, and plenty of seating areas, clubs, and bars—truly impressive and surprising given the relatively low number of passengers. The rooms are spacious and the bathroom is convenient with a large shower (unlike rooms in most ships). The price is higher than ships like Royal Caribbean, Princess, or Celebrity (and all other family and premium lines) but lower compared to luxury lines like Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, and Seabourn. The price includes tips, internet, onboard credit, luxury specialty restaurants, soft drinks of all kinds including quality coffee and tea, fitness classes, and practically everything except for alcoholic beverages (if not included in the deal beforehand). Our deal also included wine, champagne, and beers during meals only (not at the bars).
Room on the ship:
The weather was wonderful on most days, allowing for swimming in the pool (outdoor but heated) almost every day and spending time on the decks. The sea was mostly very calm, more so than in most Caribbean cruises I've taken.
Cruise Itinerary:
The cruise took place in September, an early date relative to transatlantic cruises (most are in October to December) on a northern route that included Eastern Canada and the Northeast US.
Embarkation at the port of Lisbon was convenient and fast. The port is located in the city center, a few minutes' drive from most city hotels.
The next day was the first sea day to get to know the pampering ship, its facilities, and no less important: its restaurants.
The second day: Port of Madeira, Portugal. A lush and impressive island, abundant in touring options with dramatic scenery.
The following day—another sea day followed by two days in the Azores—in Ponta Delgada, the main city of São Miguel, and in Horta, the large city of Faial Island. The port of Horta was canceled at the last minute (claiming a stormy sea, which was quite puzzling given the calm and relaxed sea the ship was anchored in) and it was not possible to go ashore, but we stood at anchor for several hours with an impressive view.
Then two days in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, on the path of the Titanic. We didn't encounter icebergs, but these were the two coolest days of the cruise (perfect for the wonderful jacuzzis on deck 15). On the day we sailed through the area where the Titanic sank, a lecture on the Titanic was given by one of the two guest lecturers on the ship who gave daily lectures as part of the busy cruise program that included shows, games (my favorite, which was held on every sea day: "Majority Rules"), competitions, sports activities, meetings with various ship crew groups such as the entertainment team and chefs, and many corners with music. The ship has a large and beautiful library, a resident artist who gave various courses (without extra charge) in painting and various crafts, cooking courses (with extra charge), diverse fitness classes (included in the cruise price), a large and spacious gym, and a high-quality spa (as usual on ships: expensive). The emphasis on Oceania ships is on culinary, which as usual, did not disappoint. A wide variety of highly delicious options ranging from Michelin-level specialty restaurants (included in the price) through the "Aquamar" wellness restaurant and buffet to a coffee shop, creperie, and grill.
The first port in North America was St. John's, in Newfoundland, the easternmost city in America. The weather was cool but sunny and we discovered an enchanting and photogenic destination.
The next day was the last sea day of the cruise before three ports in three Northeast US states: Portland-Maine, Boston-Massachusetts, and Newport-Rhode Island.
The cruise ended in New York in the center of Manhattan.
The ship, launched in July 2025, continues with cruises in North America, primarily in the Caribbean in winter 2026, and will return in spring 2026 to Europe.
Good to know!
If you book an additional cruise during the cruise, you receive a 5-15 percent discount on the cruise price and also a generous onboard credit. The cruise continues to be associated with your agent (it's really recommended through an agent. We received a very generous onboard credit and also the drink package, compared to those who booked directly and received much less).
Restaurants on the Allura Ship
Oceania is known for its culinary side as one of the best available, even compared to the more luxurious ships. All restaurants on the ship are without an extra charge. Oceania Allura is a relatively small ship (1,200 passengers at maximum capacity), but the variety of food options is large and diverse. It features four specialty restaurants: Polo Grill, Red Ginger, Jacques, Toscana, where visits are limited to once per cruise (more possible if there is space). Additionally, there is a high-quality buffet, a main restaurant named "Grand Dining Room," and also a coffee bar called "Baristas" with light meals and quality coffee from morning until six in the evening, alongside a creperie with sweet crepes, waffles, and ice creams.
Particularly popular is the Wave Grill with grilled meats, pizzas, shakes, ice creams, and rotating dishes at lunch like giant paella. "Wave Grill" is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as is the buffet. The Grand Dining Room with table service is open daily for breakfast and dinner and on sea days for lunch as well. On one of the sea days, it features a pampering, delicious, and photogenic brunch with music from the ship's string quartet. Also available are the 4 o'clock tea with cookies and finger sandwiches in the Horizons hall and the Aquamar wellness restaurant.
Polo Grill Restaurant
Polo Grill is one of the most popular specialty restaurants on all eight ships of the Oceania company. Naturally, it is also on the new Allura as part of the tradition.
This is a high-quality steakhouse with sophisticated appetizers (in my opinion, the beet salad with goat cheese is an irreplaceable dish), salads, soups (hard to choose between a heavenly onion soup, rich mushroom soup, lobster bisque with cognac, etc.). Main courses include steaks of all kinds with foie gras, lobster, ribs, and a host of additional options (including of course for vegetarians). The desserts are also killer. For those who are undecided, there is a dish with four small different desserts.
The service—amazing! The level—the highest. Foodies will celebrate there. And as usual on Oceania ships, it's without an extra charge. Luckily, we ate there three times during a two-week cruise and didn't get tired of it...
Toscana Restaurant
The "Toscana" restaurant is an Italian specialty restaurant of the highest level, found on all of the company's eight ships and also on the new Allura.
All tableware is by Versace. The meal starts with a basket of breads, focaccias, and roasted garlic, where each diner chooses the olive oil and balsamic vinegar most suitable for their palate based on levels of sweetness, bitterness, strength, etc., from a variety of bottles. The menu is rich with delicious antipasti dishes (I particularly love the stuffed artichoke), Italian soups, salads, a pasta course from a massive selection, and every day also a "chef's special," plus of course meats including lamb chops and filet mignon, lobsters, and fish.
Among the desserts are of course Tiramisu, including its berry version, and a wealth of other options—the Zabaione is killer—and a quartet of small dishes for those who have trouble deciding.
Red Ginger Restaurant
My favorite specialty restaurant on the ship is the Asian Red Ginger restaurant.
The restaurant has wonderful dishes from Tom Kha soup through varied appetizers, exotic salads like duck with watermelon and cashews, to main courses where each is more recommended than the last: lamb chops, short ribs, sea bass with miso glaze in banana leaf, lobster pad thai, and more.
Everything has Asian aromas and flavors. Of course, there is also sushi, a dessert menu (not strictly Asian but tasty), a rich tea menu, and at the start, you receive edamame and a small "magic towel" that opens in water. In short: a gourmet meal that is an experience, without an extra price, with pampering service, and if you make an effort and are flexible with times, you can eat there several times in one cruise (if there is space). Officially, you are supposed to eat at each restaurant once.
Jacques Restaurant
Another of the four specialty restaurants on the ship is the high-quality French restaurant Jacques. The rich menu features filet steak with foie gras, lamb chops, lobster, and more. Amazing soups (onion and pumpkin), perfect hot and cold appetizers, as well as sides and desserts... even the warm bread with soft butter tastes better than usual there...
Service and appearance like in the best luxury restaurants. In short—a paradise for foodies. This restaurant exists on the four larger Oceania ships: the older Marina and Riviera, and the new Vista and Allura.
Aquamar Restaurant
On the Oceania Allura, as on its twin sister Vista, there is a wellness restaurant named Aquamar open for breakfast and lunch, with a menu of wellness juices and fruit juices, in the morning yogurts with chia seeds and various berries, banana-based pancakes, and avocado sandwiches in a variety of options.
The hot drink menu is also varied from turmeric coffee to matcha with strawberry. At lunch, they primarily serve a variety of wellness Power Bowls.
Everything is of course included in the cruise price with no extra charge, with full service (not a buffet) which is fast and efficient. There is a large variety of other breakfast options on the ship, but without a doubt—this is my preferred place. From every spot in the restaurant, there is a wonderful sea view which adds to the appetite and atmosphere.
Tea Time
The "4 o'clock tea" is an institution on all Oceania ships. Every day, on both sea days and port days, at exactly four in the afternoon for one hour, tea is served from a selection of flavors alongside scones with whipped cream and jam, cakes, cookies, and sandwiches while listening to a string quartet.
On this ship, four women from Ukraine dressed every day in matching brightly colored clothes.
The waiters are clad in white gloves, each guest receives a silver teapot with boiling water and their preferred tea, and chooses their favorite foods from a cart that travels between the tables. No need to even bother getting up... Occasionally there are special days like "Cupcake Day" where alongside the cookies and scones there is a colorful variety of cupcakes in many flavors and colors.
There is always a sugar-free option, and even for those trying to abstain from sweets, it's recommended to come just for the tea, music, and above all—the atmosphere.
Did you know? There is one cook for every 10 passengers on the Allura! That is, over 100 cooks and chefs!
Activities on the Ship
Country Fair
One of my favorite activities on Oceania cruises (usually on the longer ones with at least a few sea days) is an event called Country Fair where every department on the ship: the casino, cooks, excursions, stewards, spa, bartenders, and more prepare a booth with throwing games, amusements, and humorous competitions related to their work. For example: guessing destinations from photos, a pillowcase-fitting race, knot-tying, pouring water into a bottle, guessing spices by smell, a human slot machine, and much more.
Passengers move between the booths and can try and compete as much as they like. Whoever succeeds or wins—receives 3 raffle tickets. The loser only one. After the event conclusion is announced, the cruise director raffles off many nice prizes. From a ship model, through a massage discount voucher to shirts, hats, and more.
After five voyages with fairs, despite a significant amount of tickets we received, I still haven't won even a luggage tag, which didn't stop me from enjoying the superbly organized, very elaborate, and amusing event. The fair is held on both the smaller ships with only 600 passengers and the newer, larger Vista and Allura ships with 1,100 passengers.
Cooking Classes
On the Allura ship (as on its twin sister Vista and the Marina and Riviera ships) of the Oceania company, there is a culinary center where diverse cooking courses are held by a company chef. Each course has about a dozen participants and a different course is held every day. Each course lasts about two hours and is, of course, for an extra charge. The courses are so popular that they must be booked many months in advance (even half a year in advance it is sometimes hard to find a spot). This time we chose a brunch course where we prepared three dishes: muesli with fresh fruit, a scone, and a leek and spinach frittata. Before each dish and stage, the chef explained and demonstrated, and then everyone prepared according to instructions. Each person has a tidy station with a stove, all the ingredients in correct quantities and order, and all necessary tools. Three helpers go around collecting any dirt and waste and helping in any way needed. Of course, during and after, everyone eats what they prepared themselves, all accompanied by a limoncello and champagne cocktail. At the end of the short course, you receive the recipes for all dishes. A very pleasant gastronomic experience that makes you want to take the chef's devoted helpers home more than anything...
Meetings with Ship Crew Members
On Oceania cruises, there are many opportunities for face-to-face meetings with ship officers and crew on numerous occasions. On our cruise on Oceania Allura, there were activities and events almost daily in which senior officers and many other employees participated. From the traditional captain's reception,
through the repeat passenger event and a host of amusements and activities. A few examples: a musical trivia competition between passengers and officers, cooking demonstrations by the executive chef and the executive pastry chef, Q&A with the entertainment team.
And of course a farewell on the last evening from all the devoted workers. Of course, on many other cruise lines there are plenty of similar activities and events, but the smaller and more intimate the ship, the deeper the bond and acquaintance between passengers and crew, making it hard to say goodbye...
Shows, Lectures, and Entertainment Activities
On the ship, there is a spacious hall where a show is held daily in the evening (a single show at 21:30, after dinner). The Allura has a team of 8 dancers, 4 singers, an orchestra, 4 string musicians, a pianist, and an additional band of musicians and singers. A very impressive number considering this is a relatively small ship. The team of dancers and singers perform in four original shows unique to the ship. Additionally, the hall is used during the day for a variety of lectures by two guest lecturers, for social games and trivia, and other events, and in the evening also for guest artist performances.
On Deck 14, there is an Artist Loft where a guest artist conducts craft and/or painting workshops (no extra charge, but registration is required on the first or second day of the cruise at the latest). On the same floor, there is also a room named The LYNC Digital Center where lectures in computing and media are given, and also a particularly large library with giant floor-to-ceiling windows with a stunning view. In addition to books, there are a variety of games and puzzles.
Sports and Spa Facilities on the Ship
On the Allura (similarly to the Vista), there are pickleball and paddle courts, mini-golf, a croquet and "bocce ball" court, a shuffleboard court, a walking track, a well-equipped and spacious gym, and a group fitness room. Participation in fitness classes such as Pilates and Yoga is included in the cruise price and no extra charge is required. On the 15th floor, where the gym is located, there is a pampering spa with jacuzzis and saunas and a deck with particularly pampering chairs. Entry to the complex is included in the price for rooms in concierge categories and above. The spa also has treatment rooms for individuals and couples, a hair salon, and pedicure/manicure. All treatments of course involve an extra charge (quite expensive).
Sunrises and Sunsets on the Cruise
There's nothing like sunrises and sunsets on cruises! Every day the sunset is different and stunning because the location is completely different, and in September you also don't need to get up early to see wonderful sunrises. The sun rises at seven in the morning and sometimes later. It expands the heart, instills tranquility and calm, and of course romance. The best medicine for body and soul.
Sunrise over Pico Island in the Azores:
Cruise Ports in the Itinerary
Lisbon Port
One of the most recommended ports to reach with a cruise ship is the port of Lisbon in Portugal. The port is located in the city center within a short drive of most leading tourist sites in the city, and for fans of walking tours, in 10-15 minutes walk from the port you reach many attractions in the city center. It's also very convenient to board a ship (or disembark) in Lisbon.
Lisbon city viewed from a restaurant window on the ship:
After touring the city, or after boarding the ship and settling in, there's nothing like a meal with a city view, spending time in the pool and jacuzzi or even in the gym surrounded by bridges and impressive buildings, and of course when sailing to the next destination, you pass under the beautiful April 25th bridge and along the entire coastline with its gateways, castles, and churches. Scenic boating in wonderful weather.
Recommended tours from Viator suitable for cruise passengers with port pickup:
Port of Portimão in Southern Portugal
A rather rare cruise port in southern Portugal where ships stand at anchor is the port of Portimão in the Algarve. The ship anchored in this port on its previous voyage before reaching Lisbon. This port is located between lovely beaches, some long with kilometers of golden sand and some small and hidden among cliffs with caves.
In the area there is a wealth of small and charming resort towns. The weather in mid-September—perfect. Warm and pleasant. However, the water temperature for those wishing to bathe is not like what we're used to in the Mediterranean: only 19-20 degrees Celsius. After all—the Atlantic Ocean. The beautiful "Allura" ship of the Oceania company can be seen from any of the beaches.
Funchal Port in Madeira
The port of Funchal, Madeira, Portugal is one of the most popular and recommended destinations on a transatlantic cruise. This was the first port on the first transatlantic cruise of Oceania Allura.
The sunrise on the island in September is quite late—after seven in the morning. When we entered the port, it was still dark and only after we were moored did the sun start to rise. Wonderful views to start the morning with while having a high-quality breakfast before a perfect private jeep tour. Stunning Madeira is abundant with cliffs, mountains, and valleys, with 180 tunnels, countless viewpoints, "Levada" water channel walking trails, picturesque villages, and dirt roads to hidden valleys.
The most convenient and recommended way to tour it, especially when arriving by cruise ship (but also if living in a hotel and wanting serious added value to the trip) is on a jeep tour. We chose to go out again, to other areas on the island, this time in the northeast of the island, with Joel, from the Nourishing Experiences company. A young and energetic guide who loves the island where he was born, raised, and lives, and is proud of it. It's hard to believe how much can be covered in an eight-hour tour, including a coffee and "Poncha" break—the most popular local cocktail on the island—and a meal at a recommended grill restaurant. In both breaks, the view was amazing and you can't get used to it. We also tasted local fruits at a stall at one of the viewpoints, including banana-shaped passion fruit and a green fruit resembling a pine cone with a pineapple taste.
Before returning to the ship, we peeked at the beautiful beaches of Machico, the second-largest city, which has a beach with golden sand (imported from Morocco) alongside a beach with black volcanic sand, visited the center of the largest city, where the cruise port is located—Funchal, and even drove under the airport built on the sea above hundreds of giant columns.
Order private tours on Madeira Island - suitable for cruise passengers:
Port of Ponta Delgada
São Miguel is the largest and most visited of all the Azores islands belonging to Portugal and also the most diverse of them all. The port of Ponta Delgada on the island is a popular cruise port, especially on transatlantic cruises in spring and autumn. In the green and vegetation-rich island there is an abundance of lakes, waterfalls, bubbling mud pools, hot springs, lava pools, cliffs, wonderful gardens, and a host of agricultural crops and small factories ranging from tea fields to pineapple greenhouses to rum factories, in all of which you can taste the produce, tour, and learn the methods of growth and production.
It is recommended to take a guided tour with a company that organizes jeep tours to places on the island where you can't tour with a regular vehicle, with professional and knowledgeable guides who will give you great added value to the trip. They consider local forecasts on the island and adapt the trip to the weather. We chose a private jeep tour by the local T4W company with the excellent and knowledgeable guide Luis, to the town of Furnas with a tour along the way in the city of Ribeira Grande known for its surfing beaches and a visit to a tea factory and fields. The tour duration is eight hours and includes pickup and return to the ship. The price is cheaper than a ship tour in a large group for half the time and the output is at least triple, and you also reach less touristy and especially less crowded places. The town of Furnas is located in the center of the island about a 45-minute drive from Ponta Delgada. The town sits inside a volcano crater beside a lake of the same name. Around the lake and in the town are bubbling and steaming mud pools, among which you can tour on elevated platforms.
The ground here is scorching with bubbling mud pools, steam, smoke, and pits where locals and restaurant owners bury pots of their traditional dish called "Cozido," which includes meat and vegetables without seasonings, placed in a large pot buried in the burning ground for about six hours. Very tasty and reminiscent of Hamin.
In the boiling thermal waters they also cook sweet corn sold in a nearby shop where you can also taste liqueurs. The town also has hot springs with beautiful gardens: Terra Nostra Gardens. Adjacent to the massive and flower-and-vegetation-rich gardens is one very large pool with brown and warm waters at a temp of about 37 degrees and several other small pools.
A river with cold water alongside a pool with very hot water:
Recommended tours from Ponta Delgada (from Viator) suitable for cruise passengers with port pickup:
Horta Port in the Azores
The port of Horta on Faial Island in the Azores is another port in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean visited by cruise ships, especially smaller ones, as they stand at anchor rather than being moored to a pier.
We arrived there in the morning even before sunrise and saw the sunrise over the nearby Pico Island, the highest mountain in Portugal.
The ship stood between the two islands, Pico and Faial, and when the first boats were supposed to depart, they announced over the ship's general PA system that disembarkation at this port was canceled due to a stormy sea. As seen in the photos, the sea was completely calm and smooth, and the weather was perfect. It couldn't be better in the heart of the ocean. But for a truly unclear reason, they decided to skip the island. We anchored there between the islands with a wonderful view for another two hours and continued on. Pity. It's an interesting and impressive island with many thermal phenomena, a charming marina, a colorful town, and a wealth of hiking trails.
Recommended tours in Faial (from Viator) suitable for cruise passengers with port pickup:
♦ St. John's Port in Newfoundland - Canada
We arrived in Canada at the port of St. John's in Newfoundland after two and a half days in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean from the Azores to Canada. This is the easternmost city in North America. It is considered the oldest city in Canada, but the province of Newfoundland and Labrador is considered the youngest in Canada because it was the last to join the country (only in 1949). The port is located in the city center near the main street, Water Street.
In this port it's recommended to take a private guided tour of about 3-4 hours to the city's leading tourist sites and its vicinity: We started at the lighthouse situated on a historical site: Cape Spear National Historic Site, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. This is the easternmost point in the American continent and features a lighthouse from 1836, along with a historical house and bunkers, and among them all, many hiking trails overlooking beautiful views of the sea and cliffs.
From there we continued to a cute town named Petty Harbour which is more of a fishing village based on cod and crab fishing. we saw the fishermen in action cleaning the many fish they caught and admired the picturesque nature of the place, like on a postcard.
The next destination was one of the city's famous symbols: Signal Hill National Historic Site, a viewpoint tower situated atop a hill overlooking the sea, the lake, the city center, and of course the port with our photogenic ship: Oceania Allura. Coming down from the viewpoint we stopped at a chocolate shop and visitor center and drank hot cocoa to warm up a bit. The weather was quite cool: 12 degrees Celsius that felt much less because of the wind. From there we continued to a cute suburb named Quidi Vidi where we saw a viewpoint over a pastoral fishing harbor, an artists' village where you can see artists at work, and a nearby brewery. We continued to the city center and drove and also walked among multi-colored houses nicknamed "Jelly Beans" because of their colorfulness. There are hundreds of houses like them in the city center and they constitute one of the city's symbols.
We continued to the city center to a port viewpoint where there are also dog statues on one side (a Labrador dog and a Newfoundland dog) and the War Memorial on the other side. We saw the Confederation Building, a wealth of churches, the City Hall, the Supreme Court, and even the local synagogue. We ended the tour on the main street where we continued to stroll alone among shops, cafes, and beautiful houses. The excellent and friendly guide, Shaun by name, from the MCCARTHYS PARTY company taught us much about the area and even sang us songs and told fairy tales about spirits called Mummers which are the local equivalent to Halloween but the celebrations and costumes are actually during Christmas time.
Recommended tours from St. John's (from Viator) suitable for cruise passengers with port pickup:
Halifax Port
Halifax, in Nova Scotia in eastern Canada is a wonderful destination to reach with cruise ships. The ship is moored to a long pier located at the end of a wonderful promenade along the water.
The promenade abounds with statues, murals, chairs for viewing and resting, restaurants, stalls, ancient ships that can be visited, a recommended maritime museum with an impressive display on the Titanic, a host of water sports options such as kayaks and sailboats, hotels, a casino, and also ferry piers to the islands and the city across the bay.
It's fun to tour independently on foot and combine it with a visit to the vibrant city center and also the beautiful public gardens and the modern and impressive library.
All on foot, in peace, and for free (museums and water sports of course involve a fee, but the gardens, library, and all else—without charge). In the morning the sky turned blue with a pleasant sun and perfect temperatures of 22-26 degrees Celsius (late September). Anchored adjacent to us was another ship, the Norwegian Getaway. Both entering and leaving the port are recommended and especially scenic experiences. It's recommended to view from the room balcony, upper decks, or the jacuzzi.
Recommended tours in Halifax (from Viator) suitable for cruise passengers with port pickup:
♦ Portland Port, in Maine
Portland, the largest city in the state of Maine, is a major port city that also cruise ships, especially small and quality ones, arrive at, specifically in late summer and autumn. It's fun to arrive at the port in the late morning and see the port entry and the city landscape approaching and changing every moment. Together with our ship, Allura, two other small and luxury ships anchored at the Portland port. The port is in the city center and you can stroll from it on foot along a beautiful promenade near marinas and beautiful houses, but we preferred to tour a beach town named Kennebunkport about 40 minutes drive from Portland port. This is a picturesque resort town that served as a summer home for President Bush (the father) and his wife Barbara, with beaches, marinas, cute shops, a host of restaurants, and beaches.
We strolled on foot in its vibrant center and afterwards sailed in the river to the open sea with beautiful views and accompanied by humorous stories and explanations about the town and also about the extremely common local lobster fishing industry.
They showed us which lobsters are allowed to be caught and which must be returned to the sea based on gender, size, and other parameters. The weather was perfect—blue skies and temperatures of 22-25 degrees Celsius (early autumn!). The combination of a resort town, fishermen, and Halloween decorations—perfect.
Recommended tours from Portland (from Viator) suitable for cruise passengers with port pickup:
Boston Port
Boston's cruise port is located near the Seaport, close to the Aquarium and the famous Tea Party ship. We decided to take advantage of the perfect late September weather with blue skies and 23-29 degrees Celsius for a walk on the Freedom Trail, the Red Brick path, which starts at the historic city park: The Boston Common, where there's a visitor center, a host of statues and seating areas, and also many exhibitions.
During our visit there was a classic car exhibition named: The Boston Cup. From the park starts a red brick path passing among all the city's historical buildings from the Old State House, through churches, a historical school, the City Hall, the vibrant Quincy Market, an ancient warship, and more. We walked along the path, which is 4 kilometers long, but we settled for three kilometers and ended in the vibrant Italian Quarter. The path passes between old and new buildings, restaurants, shops, and universities. An easy and recommended route.
You can join guides in historical dress who tell about each of the buildings or read briefly by yourself on a map or chat (there are also explanations in Hebrew that can be purchased with the path map for 3 dollars at the park's visitor center). The drive from the cruise pier to the park takes about ten minutes. My article on trips in Boston:
Booking recommended private tours in Boston also suitable for cruise passengers:
With port pickup:
Newport Port in Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island, is a charming port city abundant with magnificent giant estates and scenery. It has a small cruise port where ships stand at anchor and are not moored to a pier, and except for this fact (the boat ride back and forth is tedious and time-consuming)—this is a wonderful destination to visit, both on a cruise and on a land trip on the way from New York to Boston. We took a tour that included a visit to two estates belonging to the same family: Marble House, whose construction was finished in 1888 and served as the summer home for the Vanderbilt family.
And another summer home of the same family, The Breakers, larger, from 1895 with 70 rooms, built on 13 dunams.
Both estates have beautiful gardens and are situated on a cliff overlooking the photogenic bay. On the way to the estates we drove past the city center and many other estates and heard stories about the city's history and residents. During the "tender" boat ride, the lifeboat of the Allura, we saw our beautiful ship from all directions and also another ship of the Norwegian company anchoring near us.
Booking recommended tours in Newport also suitable for cruise passengers:
New York Port
Arriving at the New York port and departing from the port is especially scenic. You pass under the famous bridges and sail near the Statue of Liberty. We arrived at the bridge at four in the morning, and since we had already entered and exited the New York port several times in the past, we decided to skip watching the entry this time. However, we woke up early in the morning, still in darkness, to see from the ship Manhattan illuminated in all its glory and the ships and planes of the Intrepid Museum adjacent to the cruise pier.
Slowly the sun rose and until we disembarked at nine in the morning from the ship, we ate breakfast on the deck overlooking the city and toured the decks, enjoying the winning combination of our beautiful ship's view against the backdrop of the skyscrapers adjacent to the cruise port located right in the heart of Manhattan. A photogenic ending to a wonderful cruise on the newest ship of my favorite company.