The Port of Boston is well-known, not only because it is the oldest continually active port in the Western Hemisphere, but also because it is the location of one of the most famous events in U.S. history: the Boston Tea Party. What is perhaps not so well known about the Port of Boston is that it is the point of departure for a number of different cruises. It is, indeed, a major cruise ship port, albeit only during the summer season (approximately May to October). So, if you are taking a cruise from the East Coast, especially one that goes north to other parts of New England and Canada, there is a reasonably good chance you’ll sail from the Port of Boston, and if this is the case, you might want to know what there is to see and do in the port city of Boston. Below we supply precisely this information.
If you are sailing out of Boston (or interested in sailing out of Boston), you’ll be on one of the following six cruise ships, which are operated by five separate cruise lines: Brilliance of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International), Norwegian Dawn (Norwegian Cruise Line), Serenity (Chrystal Cruises), Seabourn Sojourn (Seabourn), Holland America Maasdam (Holland America Line), and Holland America Veendam (also Holland America Line). As you can see, this is a diverse selection, not only in terms of cruise lines, but also in terms of ship types. Two luxury cruises are available, one with the small Sojourn and another with the larger Serenity, and there are a number of regular cruise vacations offered on the large ships of the major cruise lines, Brilliance of the Seas and Norwegian Dawn. Holland America Line’s ships are in between; i.e., they are offered by a major cruise line, but the vessels they sail are smaller. (Fitting about 1,300 passengers each, they are comparable in size to the Serenity.) Every cruise line offers trips to New England and Canada, but Norwegian, Holland America, Royal Caribbean offer additional choices. Again, though, the cruises only operate from May to October (with the exception of the Norwegian Dawn’s one trip to the Caribbean in early November), so the bustling port basically completely shuts down for the winter, at least with respect to cruises.
As was the case when we wrote about the things you can see and do when in the port city of Baltimore, we feel compelled to start with the obvious: Boston is a major U.S. city with a long, rich history. Thus, there is almost certainly something of interest to just about any person who visits. Also, because it is a major city, we can only offer an extremely small sample of what Boston has to offer. Fortunately, though, we are focused only on the area right near the port, so we have less ground to cover, and there is a lot in this area. Right by the port is the Institute of Contemporary Art (housed in a striking building that almost hangs over the harbor), and about a ten minute walk from here, further into the city but still along the harbor, is the New England Aquarium. The Aquarium is near the heart of the Boston Waterfront, which is an excellent place to walk around and shop, and there are also a number of restaurants in this area. This is the area you’ll probably stay in if you have only a few hours in the city – like if you arrive to the city the night before your cruise departs and are staying near the harbor, or if you have some time to kill before a flight home after you get back from your cruise. (For the record, Logan International Airport is more or less overlooking the harbor, making it very conveniently located for cruise vacationers coming from or going to a cruise.)
Boston is a fairly compact city, so once you move away from the port even a little bit, attractions quickly multiply. If you are the type of person who wants to see everything, you’ll definitely need a few days in the city, which a lot of people taking a cruise don’t have. However, even with a solid day in the city you can see a lot, even by just walking around the area near the port. (Boston is a good city to explore on foot.) The highly regarded Boston Public Garden, a nice plot of open space in the middle of the city, is less than a mile from the Waterfront and is especially nice to visit in the summer (which is probably when your cruise would be leaving anyway). Baseball fans probably can’t imagine visiting the city without seeing Fenway Park, which is a little bit into the city, but not much more than a couple of miles from the port. If you do go to Fenway, you can also check out the Museum of Fine Arts, which always ranks as one of Boston’s top attractions. And all of this is really only in one small slice of Boston.
So, if you find yourself in Boston for a cruise, now you know what to do, or perhaps you will plan to sail out of Boston precisely because of all the things you can do. Either way, Boston is great place to cruise from, and if you have even a few hours to spare, the city will add an extra dimension to your vacation.
