Perched at the northern tip of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula, St Anthony is one of Canada’s most dramatically underrated cruise destinations — a small town of just 2,500 people sitting at the edge of Iceberg Alley. Here, Norse explorers landed over a thousand years ago, whales breach offshore, and colossal icebergs drift silently past like floating cathedrals of ice.
Arriving by Ship
St Anthony’s harbour is compact and genuinely scenic, with cruise ships tendering passengers ashore rather than docking at a dedicated terminal. The tender ride itself is a treat — you’ll likely spot your first iceberg before you even set foot on land. The town is walkable from the tender dock, and local volunteers often greet arriving passengers with warmth that feels entirely unforced. Given the modest scale of the port, crowds are rarely an issue, and you’ll feel the refreshing absence of the souvenir-stall gauntlet that plagues larger Caribbean ports.
Things to Do
St Anthony’s headline attraction is Norstead Viking Village and L’Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located about 45 minutes from town. This is the only confirmed Norse settlement in North America, dating back to around 1000 AD, and standing inside a reconstructed longhouse is genuinely spine-tingling. Back in town, Fishing Point Park is non-negotiable — it’s one of the best vantage points in Atlantic Canada for spotting icebergs, humpback whales, and minke whales all from the same clifftop path.
The Dr. Wilfred Grenfell Historic Properties honour the British medical missionary who transformed healthcare in this remote region; the site includes a restored heritage house, a gift shop, and a small museum worth an hour of your time. For wildlife enthusiasts, a boat tour out into the Strait of Belle Isle puts you within arm’s reach of icebergs and gives you the kind of perspective that photographs struggle to capture. Sea kayaking around the sea stacks is another option for the more adventurous visitor.
Local Food
Newfoundland cuisine is honest, hearty, and deeply tied to the sea. In St Anthony, you’ll want to try cod — battered and fried, salt-cured, or served as part of a traditional “fish and brewis” (salt cod and hard bread soaked overnight and pan-fried with scrunchions, which are crispy salted pork fat). It’s not pretty, but it is delicious. The Lighthouse Restaurant at Fishing Point is a local favourite, offering seafood chowder and fresh-caught fish against a backdrop of icebergs through the window — possibly the most dramatic lunchtime view you’ll ever encounter.
Toutons, a pan-fried dough served with molasses or butter, make for an excellent breakfast option at local cafés. If you’re lucky enough to find partridgeberry jam on the table, slather it on everything. Local breweries and distilleries in the broader Newfoundland region have been gaining national attention in recent years, and some of their products make their way onto menus here.
Shopping
Shopping in St Anthony is small-scale and all the better for it. The Grenfell Interpretation Centre sells Grenfell parkas — handmade hooded garments with a distinctive style that has been produced in the region since the early 1900s. They’re not cheap, but they’re legitimate heirlooms rather than mass-produced trinkets. Local craftspeople sell carved soapstone and driftwood artwork, much of it depicting the icebergs, whales, and Norse imagery that define this corner of Canada. For books about the region’s history, Viking heritage, and natural wonders, the small local gift shops punch well above their weight.
Practical Tips
St Anthony’s weather is genuinely unpredictable even in summer, so layering is essential — pack a windproof shell regardless of what the forecast says. The iceberg season typically peaks between May and July, so timing your cruise accordingly dramatically increases your chances of a sighting. The town has limited ATM availability, so arriving with Canadian cash is wise. Wi-Fi is sparse and often slow, which many visitors end up appreciating as an invitation to be fully present. If you plan to visit L’Anse aux Meadows, arrange transport in advance since taxis are few and the distances are significant for a port day.
Cruises That Visit St Anthony, Canada
St Anthony appears most frequently on expedition and small-ship itineraries rather than mainstream mega-ship sailings, which suits the port’s intimate character perfectly. Hurtigruten Expeditions and Quark Expeditions both include St Anthony on their eastern Canadian and Newfoundland itineraries, typically running voyages of 10 to 14 days that also call at places like Gros Morne, the Labrador Coast, and occasionally Greenland. These sailings frequently depart from St John’s, Newfoundland, or Montreal, Quebec.
Viking Cruises and Silversea have also featured St Anthony on their Canada and New England itineraries, typically 12 to 16-day sailings departing from New York or Boston in late spring and early summer. These voyages pair Newfoundland ports with destinations like Halifax, Quebec City, and Charlottetown for a rounded portrait of Atlantic Canada.
The optimal time to cruise to St Anthony is late May through early July, when iceberg frequency is at its peak and whale activity is high. Shoulder-season sailings in August and September offer calmer seas and pleasant temperatures but reduced iceberg sightings.
🚢 Cruises That Stop at St Anthony Canada
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St Anthony rewards the curious traveller who values raw, unspoiled nature and genuine history over manicured tourist infrastructure. It’s the kind of port where a single morning spent watching a skyscraper-sized iceberg drift past the headland can quietly become the most memorable moment of an entire voyage — and that’s worth every nautical mile to get here.
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📍 Getting to St Anthony Canada
Use the interactive map below to explore the port area and plan your route from the terminal.
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