Best Things To Do In Boston While Visiting On A Cruise Ship (Celebrity Summit Review – Boston)

Our most recent trip, which we took on the Celebrity Summit, lasted for 11 days and included stops in Bermuda, Boston, Bar Harbor, and Portland. The schedule was absolutely stunning. A cruise that visits both New England and Bermuda makes for the ideal summer vacation destination. The activities that are available to cruise ship passengers while they are in Boston will be the primary emphasis of this port analysis.

Having arrived at the Cruise Port in Boston

When we were on a cruise a few years ago, Boston was one of the ports of call, and we fell in love with this city. It manages to be stunning, fascinating and entertaining all at the same time. When you factor in exceptional cuisine, you have a winning combination.

Due to the fact that Boston is a very walkable city, it is possible to explore the city on your own.

Tip: When you disembark the ship and make your way towards the cruise port, you will find advisors there who are willing to provide you with free information as well as maps of the city of Boston.

How can I travel from the cruise port into the central business district of Boston?

If you are not participating in a tour, you have the option of taking the ship transfer, which costs approximately 18 USD per person for a round trip. You will be dropped off in a convenient location that is not too far from the Quincy Market neighbourhood and is located just next to the Boston Greenway.

You also have the option of taking an Uber, which is what we did during this cruise. The fare was approximately ten dollars one way. Because there were three of us, this was unquestionably an advantage.

A helpful hint is to walk one block up from the cruise terminal before calling an Uber because it will be far less crowded.

Activities available in Boston for cruise passengers to enjoy during their time in port

This is in no way meant to be an exhaustive guide, as there is a great deal to see and do in the Boston area.

Nevertheless, we went to and experienced some of the most well-known places and activities in Boston, such as Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the Freedom Trail, the Greenway, and Little Italy, and because our day was so enjoyable, I won’t be bashful about telling you about them. Obviously, you should adjust your personal schedule based on the things that most interest you.

The beginning of our day began with a drop off in a convenient location, directly over the Boston Greenway and not far from Quincy Market. You may stroll up to Faneuil Hall and other nearby attractions from here, and you can also cross the Greenway and enter Little Italy from there.

Our Itinerary for Boston, Including Suggested Activities for Those in Town During a Cruise

1. Holocaust Memorial

The Holocaust Memorial, which is located along the Freedom Trail, was where we started the day off by paying our respects. Even though it is located in a beautiful environment that resembles a park, it is significant and should be seen for at least half an hour.

The memorial is comprised of six towers, each of which is meant to symbolise one of the six million lives who were sadly lost in the Holocaust. These towers, which each have a realistic pile of glowing embers at their bases, have a connotation that is both beautiful and tragic.

On some of the larger stones are inscriptions with statements that are still relevant for us to learn and keep in mind even in modern times. It is a moving homage that also serves as a reminder that we should never take our freedoms for granted and that hatred can grow into something that is impossible to fathom.

2. The Quincy Market (Q.M.)

After making our way across the street, we found ourselves in the pedestrian-friendly section of Quincy Market. During this particular visit, the structure itself was undergoing renovation. Outside, there were incredibly skilled street performers putting on a couple of different shows for the audience.

Now that I’ve settled in Montreal, I can attest to the fact that the Old Port hosts a variety of entertaining entertainment. I’ve travelled to New York, and there’s no question that some of the street musicians and artists there are pretty talented. On the other hand, I’ve never been witness to a performance on the street that compares to this one!

Because of how fantastic they were, the artists that we watched readily had the ability to charge for their performances. In addition, the participation of the crowd made the event a lot of fun. Performers such as stand-up comics, magicians, rap groups, and dancers. Very unique!

A helpful hint is to keep a few bucks on hand in case you decide to make a little donation.

3. The Marketplace at Faneuil Hall

It was a fascinating experience to go through Faneuil Hall Marketplace. To begin, look at how incredible this old structure is! It’s a wonderful experience all the way through.

In addition to this, the varied selection of mouthwatering delicacies was a really alluring feature of the event. There’s even more, like lobster rolls, pizza, whoopie pies, gelato, and candy! We had some plans for lunch and “dessert,” so we merely drooled as we walked through the market, but we didn’t stop to really eat anything.

There are also some fantastic shops and locations where you can buy t-shirts and other mementos to take home with you. We picked grabbed a pair of Boston Bruins sweatpants for my oldest kid, who wasn’t able to come along, as well as a few baseball caps to take back to the grandparents.

My son Ethan enjoys shopping, and he was excited to go into Urban Outfitters, where he was able to find some cool concert shirts that had a vintage appearance to them. The prices appeared excessively high for simple t-shirts, but don’t we all just buy what we like? LOL

Check out the restaurant, the bar, and the souvenir shop if you’re a fan of the television show Cheers. If you have children, you might paint with water at a table, which would be a fun activity (yes, this is left here free to use). You also have the option to play chess. When I remark that the atmosphere is so wonderful, I’m not exaggerating the situation at all.

P.S. Are you a fan of the UCLA Bruins? Have a peek down, and you’ll see that this is painted on the path.

4. The Little Italy Area

Although Faneuil Hall is quite lovely, the Little Italy neighbourhood has a more genuine, “people actually live here” vibe. It is well worth your time to stroll about and admire the floral arrangements that folks have grown in front of their homes and doorways. Take a look inside the neighbourhood eateries and bars to observe how the residents spend their time.

Two things were going through our minds in addition to taking in the atmosphere. Pizza and Cannolis.

5. Eating Boston Pizza

We LOVE pizza. So, before going on a previous cruise, I did a lot of research on different blogs and reviews, and Regina Pizzeria (the original) kept coming up time and time again. The atmosphere is quite laid back, but the service is top-notch. It is not a sophisticated restaurant, and it has not been “modernised” or brought up to date, but it serves extremely delicious pizza at a reasonable price!

It was equally enjoyable the second time around. Don’t forget to dip the dough in their own spicy oil and sprinkle some extra parmesan on the piece of pizza before serving. SO GOOD!

A word to the wise: You should anticipate there being a brief queue in front of the establishment, but the wait shouldn’t be too long. You just need to schedule your time appropriately.

6. Cannoli Time

If you have been researching Boston to find out where to get the best cannoli, you will most likely come across two bakeries: Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry. Both bakeries are located in Boston.

To tell you the truth, making a decision might be challenging. Mike’s is quite well-known and has been cherished for many years. Also receiving a lot of positive feedback is Modern Pastry.

During our most recent trip, we inquired with locals and ultimately chose to follow their recommendations. The results of our extremely small and unscientific poll showed that most people preferred the modern option.

Can you tell me about the cannolis? Delicious and so decadent!

This time, we thought it would be best to try both options and determine for ourselves which one we preferred. We would have a taste-off and compare and contrast the two of them. Aren’t we on vacation right now?

Therefore, we stopped by Mike’s Pastry and Modern and picked up some cannoli to take with us. We would take them to a different location to test (the Greenway – to come next)

Before I get into the “review” portion of this conversation, let’s discuss the setting and the ambiance. Both bakeries can be found in quite close proximity to one another, virtually just across the street from one another.

Even though Mike’s could be hectic, the restaurant’s service was surprisingly prompt taking everything into account. Because there is such a wide variety of cannoli fillings from which to choose, this is unquestionably a point in the cannoli’s favour.

Additionally, many fillings were available in contemporary pastries. Once inside, there was a slightly longer delay in service.

We chose to use standard filling for both cannolis—nothing fancy like chocolate chips or anything else—so that we could do an accurate comparison between the two.

Cannoli taste test results

So, what did we decide? Although Mike’s cannoli was larger, and the filling was lighter and fluffier, we found that the Modern cannoli was more decadent, and the pastry itself had a deeper, more complex flavour.

I’m going to release a video very soon so that you can see how the discussion actually went. I mean, they were both such wonderful examples!

Honestly, there is no way that you could possibly make a mistake. If you can’t make up your mind, have both ;-).

7. Boston Greenway

The fact that Boston, despite its reputation as a “large metropolis,” managed to maintain the appearance and atmosphere of a little town was one of the things that impressed us the most about our visit there. I think that the Rose Kennedy Greenway, which is located in the centre of Faneuil Hall and Little Italy, is a significant contributor to the atmosphere that is created here.

The Greenway is a stunning linear park and open area that has been constructed above a tunnel and a motorway. The noise from the nearby roadways is barely audible, and the air quality is excellent.

Our Uber driver was extremely pleased with the Greenway and how it was constructed, and he informed us that as a result of this, the level of air pollution has significantly decreased over the past 20 years. He also suggested that we view the Big Dig, which is something that we really ought to do (but haven’t done so as of yet), and I’m reminded myself of this now.

We carried our cannoli with us, sat on a swinging bench, and enjoyed ourselves while people watching for a while before heading home.

It was an amazing scene to see. Others were sitting at tables and working on their laptops while others were eating picnics, sunning on the grass, watching children play in the sprinklers that were built into the fountain area, or having a picnic.

Before making our way back to the ship, we stopped to take a few pictures and enjoy the beauty of the city. Our day came to a wonderful and restful close in the most ideal setting.

Our Boston Itinerary, Including the Top Activities for One Day in the City of Boston

If you are going to be in Boston for a cruise port, or even if you are just going to be there for a day before your cruise, I hope that this one day visit was helpful in giving you some ideas as to what you can do and see in Boston. I hope that this visit gave you some ideas as to what you can do and see in Boston.

There are always new attractions and activities to discover in Boston. A trip to the brewery, a baseball game at Fenway Park, or a tour of the complete Freedom Trail, which passes by Paul Revere’s residence, are some of the other potential destinations to take into consideration.