United States

The Abenaki people once called this town Catawamteak, meaning “great landing place,” and Rockland certainly remains exactly that. This gateway to island-dotted Penobscot Bay is a thriving port of fishing boats and tall-masted sailing ships. Main Street is the hub with an array of specialty shops, antique stores, historic storefronts and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art. Other museum stops include the renowned Farnsworth Art Museum and the Maine Lighthouse Museum. The charming lighthouse and fascinating transportation museum in nearby Owls Head also merit a visit.

Few American cruise destinations have a past as engrained in popular culture as Salem. Settled by European fishermen in 1626 and named for the Hebrew word for peace – “shalom” – the seaport in 1692 was anything but peaceful. Multiple attractions harken back to the days of the witch trials, including the Witch House and the Trials Memorial. The Maritime National Historic Site comprises the Custom House, the enduring wharves and buildings along Derby Street and the Friendship of Salem, a replica of the East Indiaman tall ship launched in 1797.