2023 Escape to Canada and New England Shore Excursions

These excursions are exclusive events for Stitchers’ Escapes. You must be registered for the 2023 Escape to Canada and New England Cruise to participate.

General Information

We are still finalizing some of the excursion details, but we are releasing the information we have now in order to give you an idea of what we are planning. All excursions are currently subject to change. We will update descriptions, itineraries, and pricing prior to opening registration.

We arranged the excursions with Celebrity, which means we have all the benefits of taking a ship excursion: guaranteed first off the ship, guaranteed return to the ship, and most convenient access to the tour bus. However, you will register for our excursions through Stitchers’ Escapes rather than Celebrity. Therefore, you will not see our excursions on your cruise planner after booking. Tickets are provided to the Stitchers’ Escapes crew and distributed to the group on board.

For all excursions, please notify us on your registration form if you use a wheelchair or motorized scooter. We will work with the Celebrity staff to provide the most comfortable experience possible.

Each tour has a minimum and maximum number of guests. If it appears that we will not reach this minimum, we reserve the right to cancel an excursion and return the excursion registration fees for that excursion. If we exceed the maximum, in many cases we will be able to add additional groups.

When the excursion groups need to split up, we make every effort to keep roommates and people traveling together in the same group.

Registration

You will register for classes and excursions at the same time. Class details can be found here.

If you will be paying for yourself and your traveling companion(s), you will be able to submit a registration form for everyone. If you need to submit a registration for someone who will pay for themselves, you will need to submit an individual form for each person. The Stitchers’ Escapes Crew will be unable to split invoices for multiple people on the same registration form.

The registration form is now closed. Contact the Stitchers’ Escapes crew if you need to make changes or additions to your registration.

Bar Harbor, Maine – Friday, September 22

Tea and Popovers at Jordan Pond

In Bar Harbor, we have two options for touring Acadia National Park, one of the top 10 most-visited National Parks in the United States. No matter which one you choose, you’ll enjoy a scenic drive through the park with an extended stop at beautiful Jordan Pond to indulge in tea and popovers at the historic Jordan Pond House.

Tea and Popovers at Jordan Pond with Cadillac Mountain (van transportation)

$278
9:30am-1:30pm
Minimum: 16
Maximum: 48
Activity Level: Very Mild

For this version of the tour, our transport will be 12-passenger vans. The smaller vehicles will be allowed to access Cadillac Mountain, where we will take in the stunning views from the highest point in the park, 1,530 feet above sea level. We will also stop at Thunder Hole and experience the waves crashing against its distinctive rocky shore.

Activity note: Guests choosing this option must be comfortable entering and exiting a van. Accommodations for wheelchairs or scooters are handled on a case-by case basis and must be requested in advance.

Tea and Popovers at Jordan Pond (motor coach transportation)

$144
Duration: 3-4 hours
Minimum: 20
Maximum: 50
Activity Level: Very Mild

For this version of the tour, we’ll travel by motor coach. Although we won’t be able to access Cadillac Mountain due to park restrictions, there’s plenty of beauty to see as we travel the picturesque Park Loop Road. The tour will include at least one photo stop, and the location will be determined on the day depending on park capacity. Please note that we are working on extending the duration of the tour to include two stops.

Activity note: Accommodations for wheelchairs or scooters are handled on a case-by case basis and must be requested in advance.

Halifax, Nova Scotia – Saturday, September 23

Annapolis Valley Wine & Cheese Tour

$200
10:00am-3:00pm
Minimum: 35
Maximum: 50
Activity Level: Mild

Explore the beautiful Annapolis Valley on this tour that combines local history with local delicacies. We’ll have tastings at three wineries, including Grand Pré Wines, the oldest in Atlantic Canada, where we will also enjoy a selection of regional cheeses. Along the way, we’ll learn about Acadian history and see some of the area’s most striking scenery.

Activity note: We will be walking over pavement, gravel, uneven surfaces, inclines, and grassy farmland. Guests may be expected to stand for an extended period of time. Guests in wheelchairs and others with mobility challenges should not select this tour.

Titanic – The Halifax Connection

$77.99
11:30am-2:30pm
Minimum/Maximum: 16
Activity Level: Mild

On April 15, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg 700 miles east of Halifax. In the days after the disaster, the White Star line dispatched several ships from Halifax to search for victims. This tour explores the deep connection between Halifax and the Titanic, visiting one of the three area cemeteries where victims are buried, along with the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, home to the largest collection of wooden artifacts from the ship.

For this excursion, we will be joining other Celebrity guests on the standard tour. We have secured the last 17 tickets and this tour is no longer available to book on the Celebrity website.

Activity note: Most venues on this tour are wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair guests may require assistance at the Cemetery due to slight inclines.

Sydney, Nova Scotia – Sunday, September 24

Old Sydney Walking Tour

$42
10:00am-12:30pm
Minimum: 16
Maximum: 20
Activity Level: Mild (walking distance is approximately 1 mile)

If you love history and love wandering amongst old buildings, join this walking tour of Old Sydney! As an interesting footnote to our American Revolution, many Loyalists fleeing their losses in the colonies headed to Nova Scotia and so “Old Sydney” is teeming with rich history and a vibrant culture. What better way to become acquainted with the city’s architecture, monuments, and art than on foot? Your tour includes visits to the Jost House (the oldest house in Sydney built in 1786), the Cossit House (1787) and St Patrick’s Church Museum. The walking tour ends at the pier before lunch so you can either return to the ship or enjoy a local eatery.

Activity note: This tour can accommodate a manual, collapsible wheelchair.

Fortress of Louisbourg & Membertou Heritage Park

$103
10:00am-4:00pm
Minimum: 35
Maximum: 50
Activity Level: Moderate

Step off the ship and into 1744 with a visit to the Fortress of Louisbourg. This lively attraction recreates the old days with costumed characters, historic figures, artfully done buildings, lively re-enactments and even smoke-filled musket demonstrations. Stroll the narrow streets past lovely gardens. Visit the homes of local legends to hear tall tales of colonial times. Immerse yourself in a long-lost era wonderfully recreated for your enjoyment.

Next, we travel by coach to Membertou Heritage Park, a thriving community where the Mi’kmaq people of Membertou and their ancestors have lived, long before the arrival of the Europeans to these lands. Today, the community and elders maintain this living museum as a way to share their exclusive culture and history with all people.

This excursion combines guided tours with unstructured time to explore. There is a cafe at the Fortress of Louisbourg for lunch on your own.

Activity note: We will be walking over pavement, gravel, uneven surfaces, inclines, and grassy farmland. Guests in wheelchairs and others with mobility challenges should not select this tour.

Quebec City, Quebec

Explore Île d’Orléans – Tuesday, September 26

$196
Duration: TBD
Minimum: 20
Maximum: 50
Activity Level: Mild (some walking between coach stops)

The Île d’Orléans, with its ancestral homes dating back to the 17th century, is a treasure trove of French heritage right here in North America. A thorough visit would take several days so your SE crew has selected the points of interest we think you will enjoy. The candymakers at La Nougaterie de l’Île will share their delicious wares. At Parc maritime de Saint-Laurent, take a trip back in time to the era of wooden boatbuilding, with an authentic 19th-century chalouperie where rowboats were built. Manoir Mauve-Genset is a gorgeous country manor home built in 1734 in the time of New France. The tour operator is still working on some additional details, but the tour includes lunch and we are hoping to add a stop at one of the island’s cheese shops.

Activity note: This tour can accommodate a foldable scooter that is 60 lbs maximum. Dietary restrictions can be accommodated upon request.

Old Quebec Walking Tour – Choose Tuesday, September 26 or Wednesday, September 27

$58
Duration: 3 hours
Minimum: 16
Maximum: 24
Activity Level: Moderate (3 hours of walking)

Travel back to the days of early Quebec under the power of your own two feet. Stroll through the cobblestone streets of Lower Town for an immersive look at the stone homes of the Place Royale and the oldest Catholic church north of Mexico. Watch jugglers and street performers entertain the crowds on Petit Champlain. Then, enjoy a short funicular ride to Upper Town, where Chateau Frontenac lies perched above the St. Lawrence River.

Explore the fortress area, passing Place d’Armes, the Quebec Seminary, the Ursuline Convent, Place de l’Hotel de Ville, and the Artists Alley. Step inside Holy Trinity Church, the first Anglican Cathedral built outside the British Isles. Modeled after London’s St-Martin-in-the-Fields, this cathedral houses numerous precious objects donated by King George III. The bells are the oldest change-ringing bells in Canada. They were made in England at the same foundry that cast Big Ben. Don’t miss a visit to Morrin College, built 200 years ago as the city’s first prison. Interestingly, it now houses one of the world’s most beautiful libraries. You will see the jail cells and the Victorian library whose artifacts date back to the 16th century.

This tour will be offered on both Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, the tour will depart at 12:30pm. The departure time for Thursday is TBD.

Activity note: We will be walking over cobblestone streets and walking or standing for the duration of the tour. Guests in wheelchairs and others with mobility challenges should not select this tour.

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island – Friday, September 29

The World of Anne of Green Gables

$165
8:00am-2:30pm
Minimum: 20
Maximum: 40
Activity Level: Mild

In 1908, author L.M. Montgomery introduced the world to Anne (with an “e”), an orphan girl who captivated the world. Anne of Green Gables and its seven sequels followed Anne’s adventures growing up on Prince Edward Island. On this tour, we’ll visit three sites related to Anne’s world. Our first stop is Green Gables Heritage Place. This farm belonged to Montgomery’s cousins and was the model for Green Gables. The property includes the spots that inspired the Haunted Wood and Lover’s Lane, and our extended visit will allow time to explore them along with the house.

Next, we’ll visit the Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace. Artifacts on display here include a replica of Montgomery’s wedding gown, and some of her personal scrapbooks. Our final stop is the Anne of Green Gables Museum. Montgomery was a frequent visitor to the home, owned by her aunt and uncle, and she found inspiration here, too. Our group will get to meet Anne herself, and enjoy a bottle of raspberry cordial (hopefully it won’t turn out to be current wine!).

Along the way we’ll stop for lunch at the PEI Preserve Company. Lunch is not included in the excursion price, and details are forthcoming.

Activity note: This tour can accommodate a manual, collapsible wheelchair. Guests must be able to negotiate 3-5 stairs to enter and exit the vehicles. Dietary restrictions can be accommodated upon request.

City to Sea – Panoramic View

$146.50
7:30am-1:30pm
Minimum: 35
Maximum: 50
Activity Level: Mild

We’ll begin our driving tour in charming Charlottetown, known for its role as the Birthplace of the Confederation. Then, we will travel along the Trans-Canada Highway to Confederation Bridge, the longest in Canada. Next, we head to the Green Gables Heritage Place and step inside the world of Prince Edward Island’s beloved red-haired orphan, Anne. After a stop for a lobster roll lunch (included), our drive continues through Prince Edward Island National Park and along the scenic North Shore before returning to the ship.

Portland, Maine – Sunday, October 1

Kennebunkport Visit with Optional Lobster Boat Add-On

Kennebunkport Visit: $103
Lobster Boat Add-On: $53
Duration: 5 hours
Minimum: 35
Maximum: 50
Activity Level: Mild

Discover Maine’s rugged coast and historic landmarks on a scenic drive, followed by a visit to the breathtaking coastal village of Kennebunkport with streets of stunning Federal and Victorian-style homes built by wealthy sea captains and merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries. There, you’ll have 2.5 hours of free time to enjoy the charming art galleries, upscale boutiques, and antique shops of Kennebunkport. Or, spend some of your time on an authentic lobster boat with the optional Lobster Boat Add-On. This 50-minute excursion add-on will give you a taste of what it’s like to be a lobsterman. You’ll learn about the industry and even get to pull a few lobster traps!