When is the best time to cruise New England?

[Bestbubba]

We want to cruise New England next Sept/Oct (2005) when is the best time to see all the beautiful fall foliage? We have been told that timing is everything and would hate to arrive and find we've missed it!! All advice/info would be very welcome.

Happy 4th July everyone :)

Sue

[zrmolly]

Speaking from the Berkshires Of Ma. (Western part of the state), our peak foliage is around the second week in October. Depending on the amount of rain ahead of time, it could be a week or two sooner. I would think the first or second week in October would be good..Happy 4th to:D you!

[spongerob]

We went in mid-September and were just a little bit early, except in the Saguenay river estuary. The weather was awesome for the entire cruise.

[Druke I]

We have done the Fall Foliage trip twice, both times Montreal to New York, 1st time Oct 92 on Crystal Harmony, and second time Sep 97 on HAL's Westerdam (now Costa Europa).

First time (92), the colors had just changed, and were magnicifent.

Second time (97), colors had not yet changed, and were certainly pretty, but not as dramatic. Seas were bumpier in Sep than Oct, at least for us.

Being from the Left Coast, I have absolutely no idea about what time should usually be best - I would hazard a guess that the colors are much like sea state - a crapshoot.

Good luck.

Michael

[bjkTX]

We did the Canada/New England cruise 2 years ago the second week in October - and we were about a week early that year - but it was still beautiful. Like a previous poster from that area said, it depends on their weather and rainfall - pretty hard to predict :-)