Not only are US residents the most frequent cruise passengers, their country and neighbours to the north and south can boast some truly wonderful holiday hotspots. Whether you’re looking to soak up the action of the Big Apple or wish to explore the cusp of the Arctic Circle in Northern Canada; there are endless holidays to be enjoyed in the countries of North America.
With all the major cruise lines dedicating a huge number of ships to the region, and the world’s three busiest cruise ports located in the US, there are no shortage of options if you are looking to enjoy a maritime holiday in North America.
Fast Facts
Countries: Canada, Mexico, USA
Number of Port Cities: 196
Busiest Port: Miami – 4.85million Passengers/Year
Popular Ports: Miami, Everglades, Canaveral, New Orleans, Galveston, Seattle, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Quebec, Montreal
Regular Visitors: Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Breakaway, Queen Mary 2, Regal Princess, Navigator of the Seas, MSC Divina, Explorer of the Seas, Carnival Dream, Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox
Must Visit Cities
There are few things left to say about New York which haven’t already been extolled by the world’s foremost literary minds, musicians and artists. Number one on many a bucket list, the Big Apple and its exhaustive list of must-see sites means the city simply cannot be avoided when approaching the US’s east coast.
The home of jazz and one of the world’s most eclectically vibrant cities, New Orleans is unlike anywhere else on the planet. The French influence on the Big Easy still remains in a city permanently in party mode. And the city’s unique cuisine (a mixture of Cajun, Creole and French) is worth the trip alone.
Found in the central highlands of Mexico, San Cristóbal de las Casas is a wonderful city built up of cobbled streets, churches and market stalls. San Cristóbal has retained an authentic Mexican flavour, with indigenous communities residing within the city limits and the endless tiny villages dotted around like satellites.
Even before you factor in the local wine production, Niagara-on-the-Lake simply sounds the most wonderful place. This beautifully preserved 19th century town is surrounded by vineyards, and lovingly wraps around the eponymous body of water. Rich with boutique shops and lush vegetation, the town will have you looking longingly in the windows of local estate agents.
Hidden Gems
Just an hour outside of gambling capital, Las Vegas, the Valley of Fire is an impressively named 150-million-year-old sandstone formation. The amazing scenery of the site even doubled up as the setting for Mars during the filming of 1990’s blockbuster, Total Recall.
With a whole continent to explore, swamps may not be the first place you’d think to start, but the Cache River State Natural Area in Illinois has its own unique charm. This 15,000-acre state park is home to more than 100 endangered or threatened species, and is best explored by canoe above the bright-green layer of duckweed.
Pelee Island in Ontario, Canada is one of the country’s most southerly points. Best known for its wine production and the mass migration of monarch migration which takes place in September, Pelee Island can be reached by ferry and is best explored by bicycle.
A world away from the packed beaches of Cancun, Isla Holbox is a beautiful laid-back beach retreat placed in the placid Gulf of Mexico. Truly the perfect place to enjoy the wonderful year-round sun of Mexico.
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