Newfoundland Circumnavigation Cruise
Highlights
Highlights
- Revel in Newfoundland’s world-famous culture and hospitality
- Experience life in remote outports and fishing villages
- Visit North America's only authenticated Norse site at L’Anse aux Meadows
- Enjoy a warm Mi’kmaw welcome in Miawpukek First Nation
- Hike the spectacular Tablelands at Gros Morne National Park
- Get a taste of Europe on the French island of Saint-Pierre
- Visit three UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Red Bay, L'Anse aux Meadows, and Gros Morne National Park
- Savour local dishes and meet the fishers and growers who make it happen
Map
Map
Overview
Tour Overview
Explore Newfoundland at its most authentic: by sea! Daily excursions explore the island’s hidden treasures. Our engaging local guides will have you wanting to stay.
Canada’s newest province is unlike anywhere else on Earth. Hiking is excellent. Photography, superb. Wildlife and scenery, striking. And the hospitality, sublime.
Newfoundland is full of unexpected sights; Gros Morne, where the Earth’s mantle protrudes through the crust; Red Bay, where Basque whalers once plied their trade; L’Anse aux Meadows, where Vikings established a base. Miawpukek First Nation, where a thriving community offers a warm welcome. The French island of Saint-Pierre provides a taste of Europe.
Join our expedition team of enthusiastic local musicians, artists, naturalists, scientists, and scholars. Every day is an adventure ashore, and every night is a potential kitchen party aboard the Ocean Endeavour!
Departures & Cabins
DEPARTURES & CABINS
Deck Plan
What's Included
What's Included
Tour Price Includes
- Passage aboard the Ocean Endeavour
- Applicable taxes and credit card fees
- Complimentary expedition jacket
- Contribution to Discovery Fund
- Special access permits, entry, and park fees
- Expert expedition team
- Guided activities
- Sightseeing and community visits
- All Zodiac excursions
- Port fees
- Pre-departure materials
- Educational program
- Photo Equipment Trial Program
- Interactive workshops
- Evening entertainment
- All shipboard meals
Tour Price Does Not Include
- Commercial and charter flights
- Program enhancements/optional excursions
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
- Mandatory medical evacuation insurance
- Additional expenses in the event of delays or itinerary changes
- Pre- and post-trip hotel accommodation
Gallery
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1: St. John’s, NL, Canada
Welcome to St. John’s—Newfoundland’s historic, vibrant capital. Sailing out of the port of St. John’s, Signal Hill keeps watch as we exit the world-famous Narrows. The charming houses of the Battery are always a hit with shutterbugs. Watch for icebergs, whales, and seabirds as we sail!
Day 2–3: Northeast Coast
Look forward to a characteristically warm Newfoundland welcome upon your arrival in the picturesque villages and unique communities that dot the rocky shores of the northeast coast of Newfoundland.
Have your camera at the ready—photographers will have their work cut out for them capturing all the special charm of classic island communities and rambling coastlines.
Day 4: L’Anse aux Meadows
Wander through the reconstructed Viking habitation at L’Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only authenticated Norse settlement in North America.
Learn more about the archaeological remains that date to approximately 1000 CE, and how—amazingly—the site was first found here in 1960 by a close reading of the Viking sagas.
Be sure to visit the superb interpretation centre and meet the actors in period costumes as you make your way through the reconstructed Norse-style sod buildings. This is a must-see for any visitor to Newfoundland and Labrador!
Day 5: Red Bay
Make a stop in Labrador at the Red Bay Basque Whaling Station, which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013.
Learn firsthand about how Basque whalers operated out of the harbour in the 1500s, creating what was to be North America’s first export industry.
Browse through the excellent interpretation centre to see the tools, personal items, and navigational instruments recovered from the wreck of the whaling ship San Juan, which was lost in a storm in 1565 and found centuries later submerged in the harbour.
Visit nearby Saddle Island to delve even deeper into the history of the whaling industry.
Day 6–7: Gros Morne National Park & Woody Point
Stretch your legs with a walk or hike at Gros Morne National Park.
Soak in the extraordinary views of beautiful Bonne Bay and be sure to take time to explore the park’s excellent interpretation centre and the town of Woody Point.
Witness for yourself the spectacular Tablelands, a six-hundred-metre plateau that forms one of the world’s best examples of exposed mantle.
Normally found below the Earth’s crust, the mineral-rich rocks support very little life, making the Tablelands an eerie landscape.
Day 8–9: Southern Coast
Journey through the beautiful and windswept coast of southern Newfoundland, dotted with bays, coves, and a few remaining remote outport communities.
Admire outstanding geology and gorgeous botanical life.
Spot plentiful birds, whales, and other wildlife as we make the most of every opportunity for Zodiac and land excursions.
A visit here will be a highlight of your trip!
Day 10: Miawpukek (Conne River)
Receive a formal welcome from local leaders of the First Nations community of Miawpukek.
Learn more about the history of the community, formerly called Conne River, which became a permanent settlement sometime around 1822. Before then, it was one of many semi-permanent camping sites used by Mi'kmaw people, who traditionally travelled nomadically throughout the east coast of Canada.
Have a chance to explore this special community, which was established as a reserve in 1987 and has successfully bridged traditional knowledge and contemporary practice.
Day 11: Saint-Pierre, France
Indulge in the colourful town of Saint-Pierre, a charming finale to your trip. Just off the shores of Newfoundland lie the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon—an official territory of France.
Wind through charming streets lined with shops, houses, and cafés that bring a taste of Europe to the east coast of North America.
Day 12: St. John’s, NL, Canada
Complete your journey by sailing back through the picturesque Narrows and into St. John’s harbour.
Say your farewells in this cultural hotspot and what is sometimes called North America's oldest city.
What to Expect
What to Expect
Our Newfoundland cruise program allow you to experience the best of the natural world, while enjoying the comforts of our friendly floating hotel. The ship generally makes crossing between islands at night, so every morning you awake to new vistas and discoveries. Every day we offer a combination of interesting shore excursions and fun shipboard activities. You can choose which elements of the program you want to participate in.
This expedition cruise necessitates passengers to be in reasonably good health. Zodiac cruises and transfer times can be lengthy. You must be able to climb stairs between decks on the ship, as well as the external gangway stairs to transfer between the zodiac and ship.
Some of our shore landings will be ‘wet’, requiring waterproof boots. Once you have left the zodiac, you’ll find our shore excursions accommodate both those who wish to enjoy a gentle stroll and those who prefer more active hikes. The excursion may involve walking over uneven or sandy terrain in variable weather conditions. Our onboard specialists will join us on these shore excursions to provide interpretation and narration to these wonderful landscapes and experiences.
Each evening we will gather in the lounge to recount the day’s events and share memorable stories. Our onboard musician will provide some lively entertainment during happy hour and the expedition leader will outline the following day’s schedule. Our resource staff of naturalists, historians, and other guest speakers will give informative talks at various times throughout the voyage.
Meals in the ship’s dining room are a great opportunity to meet new friends and recount the day’s adventures. Special diets can be accommodated with advance notice. Safety is also a top priority with Eagle-Eye Tours – our team has extensive experience in the field, and all of our Voyages are run in conjunction with operators with the highest safety standards.
When the ship is underway, it is a wonderful time to join a naturalist on deck, take photos of the stunning scenery, or get caught up on some reading in the library.
Weather, ice, government regulations, and community requests may necessitate changes to the planned itineraries and/or the cancellation of certain shore excursions and enhancements. Published itineraries are examples only and we reserve the right to change or modify the itinerary and landing sites at any time prior or during an expedition. Changes will be communicated at your expedition orientation or during your onboard expedition briefings.
We know that everyone travels for different reasons. Over the years, however, we have found one common element among the guest who choose to travel with us – a thirst of knowledge and authentic experience. Knowing this drives us to ensure the highest quality learning experience on our trips, by taking time to carefully design each trip we offer.
Ship & Deck Plan
Ship & Deck Plan
Ocean Endeavour
Sailing with a maximum of 198-passengers, Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for expedition cruising. Outfitted with twenty Zodiacs, advanced navigation equipment, multiple lounges and a top deck observation room, she is purpose-built for passenger experiences in remote environments. The Ocean Endeavour boasts a 1B ice class, enabling her to freely explore throughout the Arctic summer.
Launched in 1982, she has had numerous upgrades, most recently in 2010 and 2014. At 137 meters (450ft) in length, Ocean Endeavour has plenty of interior and exterior space. Enjoy multiple decks offering comfortable lounge chairs, outdoor dining, a swimming pool, sauna and even a hot tub! The spacious interiors allow for multiple workshops and presentations to occur simultaneously. Community is at the heart of Adventure Canada’s expedition experience. We gather together to learn, enjoy a drink, sing a song or share a yarn – connecting with one and other. The three lounges aboard Ocean Endeavour are fantastic public spaces for seminars, events and dialogue.
The Ocean Endeavour’s private spaces are stylish and comfortable. All cabins have private washroom facilities, a phone for internal calls, radio, TV and air-conditioning.
Ocean Endeavour’s crew is experienced, and friendly. Her shallow draft and maneuverability allow her to access isolated fiords, bays and secluded communities. The stylish vessel is at home among the glorious settings we seek. Enjoy the class and comfort of a boutique hotel, while venturing to some of the world’s last great frontiers aboard the Ocean Endeavour!
Learn MoreDeck Plan
Featured Wildlife
Featured Wildlife
While we cannot guarantee sightings of the birds or mammals listed below, we believe that encountering these species is quite likely during this tour.
- Black-legged Kittiwake
- Atlantic Puffin
- Common Murre
- Greater Shearwater
- Razorbill
- Black Guillemot
- Humpback Whale
- Minke Whale
- Fin Whale
Past Tour Checklists
Past Tour Checklists
View the list of birds and other wildlife we encountered on our past tours.
