Quebec City to Kingston
6 nights, 7 days

“What river is this?” asked Jacques Cartier of his Indigenous guide as he looked on the St. Lawrence River.

“A river without end,” the Indigenous guide replied. And so it seems, as this cruise explores the staggering variety of one of the world’s great rivers.

As you cruise upriver in the safety and comfort of the Canadian Empress,  you will experience the sights and sounds of French Canada, while retracing the original route of the first explorers to Canada. As the journey reaches Montreal, you will enter the first locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway, before passing to Eastern Ontario. Along the way, you will experience firsthand the cultural divide between the old Lower Canada and British Upper Canada, culminating in the extraordinary scenery of historic Upper Canada and the Thousand Islands. 

Quebec City, Canada’s showpiece, provides the venue for the beginning of your river cruise vacation. Here you can experience the world charm and grace of “Old” Europe. You will encounter Quebec City’s unparalleled joie de vivre (love of life) found nowhere else in North America. Enjoy Old Quebec (the only walled city in North America) with its massive ramparts still bolstering the Plains of Abraham; and behold the imperial green-roofed towers of the legendary Chateau Frontenac.

Highlights of this cruise: Explore the islands and bays of the Thousand Islands, learn the deep historical roots of “Loyalist Brockville”, and experience the unique living community of Upper Canada Village. On the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City there are the “grassy Battures”, rich mudflats that are home to myriad species of birds. You will also pass the “Segnieury” areas, the prominent village cathedrals of Quebec, and witness the awesome cliffs stretching up to the historic Plains of Abraham.