When one thinks of cruising, we imagine crossing vast oceans in faraway locales.  However, there is so much beauty to be discovered along the waterways of our very own Continent. With the economy on everyone’s mind, many people are opting for shorter vacations and are choosing to stay closer to home, reducing airfare expenses. Cruise lines are adapting to travelers’ needs and offer a diverse palette to choose from.

You may uncover the splendor along the Pacific Coast with its plentiful wildlife, cosmopolitan cities and majestic mountains. Or on the opposite coast, along the Eastern Seaboard, where you get a flavor of New England, some of the country’s major cities and the charm of the American South. Perhaps you’ll head inland and experience the great lakes, interlocking canals and rivers of Middle America -- or follow the footsteps of Lewis & Clark along the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

Celebrity Cruises
Aboard Celebrity Millennium or Celebrity Mercury
September-October departures

Your explorations of the Pacific Coast will span from Vancouver, British Columbia with its European flair to San Diego and its world-class zoo, in southern California. Along the way during these 11- or 12-night voyages, you will make stops in Seattle, Astoria—in Oregon, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies, San Francisco, Monterey, and Catalina Island, a seaside gem 20 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. The distance of this voyage will give you a true sense of what makes this coastline so unique.

Cruise West
Aboard Spirit of '98 or Spirit of Discovery
September-October departures

Aboard intimate ships reminiscent of early 20th-century coastal steamers, you will explore the richness of the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the Pacific Northwest on three different voyages of discovery. Along scenic riverways surrounded by orchards, evergreens and dramatic waterfalls, you will travel nearly 1,000 miles inland and retrace part of Lewis & Clark’s epic journey. Traverse 8 impressive sets of locks and dams elevating you nearly 738 feet. Or perhaps board a jet boat for a thrilling ride up Hells Canyon. On a culinary cruise, you travel through Washington’s lush wine country, with exclusive winery tours and epicurean samplings unique to this region.

American Canadian Caribbean Line
Aboard Grande Caribe, Grande Mariner or Niagara Prince
May-November departures

Family-operated for over 40 years, this line’s shallow draft vessels allow you to explore some of North America's most historic waterways in a style suggesting a bygone era. Their ships go where big ships cannot so you can make your own discoveries in New England, the Great Lakes, the Intercoastal Waterway, Chesapeake Bay and the great Colonial South. With the famed steamboat Delta Queen no longer churning on the mighty Mississippi, American Canadian Caribbean Line is the only company offering overnight cruises on this river. On a special voyage through America’s heartland, you may travel from Chicago to New Orleans via an intriguing set of interlocking rivers and canals.

Peter Deilmann Cruises
Aboard MS Deutschland
October-December departures

As the recipient of many small ship cruising awards, this company offers deluxe river cruises with personalized service and a luxurious ‘Grand Hotel’ atmosphere. You have many options in which to explore North America’s diverse Eastern Seaboard.  From Montreal to Baltimore, you’ll discover spectacular views along Cape Cod Canal, the 19th century mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, the vibrant pulse of New York City and the history of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Or continue further south where you’ll dock in Chesapeake Canal, visit Everglades National Park in Florida, cruise along the Mississippi with its historic mansions and fragrant magnolias, explore the French Quarter in New Orleans, and end your journey in Montego Bay, Jamaica.