Boston

Flynn Cruiseport Boston is conveniently 10 minutes from Boston Logan International Airport and less than two miles from Boston neighbourhoods. These include historic Back Bay, trendy Newbury Street and Copley Square shopping districts, plus the South End, the city’s newest culinary hot spot; all are within walking distance of one another.

From Black Falcon Ave., take Silver Line SL2 to South Station. Follow signs for the Red Line toward Alewife, then ride 2 stops to Park St. Boston Common, with the Freedom Trail’s start and its information booth, is immediately there.

Walking takes around 30 minutes via Northern Avenue, partly following the new Harborwalk and crossing Northern Avenue pedestrian bridge.

Taxis are plentiful at Boston Cruise Terminal and are often cheaper than a cruise-ship shuttle for 2 persons or more.

GPS users should enter One Black Falcon Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

Despite its many attractions and visitors, Boston is relatively straightforward to visit. Simple walking tours link historic sites, while the subway moves passengers efficiently around the city. A car is unnecessary, which helps because even locals find Boston driving hair-raising.

The central city occupies a peninsula bordered by Charles River, Boston Inner Harbor and Fort Point Channel. Downtown, near the peninsula’s middle, contains many Freedom Trail sites. To its west are historic Beacon Hill, Boston Common and Boston Public Garden; farther west lie Back Bay, a leading shopping, entertainment and dining district, then Fenway. At the peninsula’s northeastern tip is the atmospheric Italian North End, while Chinatown and the South End are south of downtown. Across the Charles River is Cambridge...

Cambridge, also across the river, is another popular visitor area and home to Harvard and MIT. Boston and Cambridge are closely linked.

Key sights include the Freedom Trail and its 16 famous early U.S. history sites; Boston Public Garden and swan boats; boutique- and gallery-filled Newbury Street; the old-world Italian North End; Beacon Hill, known for gas lamps, Yankee Federal architecture, Louisburg Square mansions and the gold-domed New State House; the Victorian row houses of the South End; and Fenway Park.

Museum highlights are the Museum of Fine Arts for Impressionists and antiquities; the charming Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, with a stunning three-storey garden atrium and important art; the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum; Institute of Contemporary Art; and Harvard Museum of Natural History.

Boston Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour is available.

Boston’s public transit is convenient, relatively inexpensive and reaches most points of interest directly. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, “MBTA” or “the T”, serves the Boston Metro area as its single transit agency and is the U.S.’s fourth-largest system. Its official website has complete schedules, maps and other information.

“Festival markets” are now common: seemingly every city has converted old brick buildings into chic shops and endless restaurants.

Boston’s Quincy Market set the example. In the mid-1960s, city planner James Rouse proposed a revolutionary alternative to letting downtown decay: create a lively marketplace to draw tourists and keep workers downtown after dark.

Quincy Market is now Boston’s most visited tourist attraction. It has become a little less Boston and more Any-mall, U.S.A.—Abercrombie & Fitch even has its own building—but retains its vibrant character, street performers and zillions of people. Its food court may be the best anywhere, with original local eateries and stalls, and more lobster goods, from candy lobsters and T-shirts to stuffed toys, than anywhere else in the world.

The United States dollar, symbol $, is the official U.S. currency. ATMs are everywhere.

Visa, MasterCard and other major credit cards are widely accepted, even for purchases of only a few dollars; sometimes they are the only way to pay. Overseas visitors should note that prices of goods and services often appear lower than they are because taxes and gratuities are rarely included.

Most states levy sales tax of 2.9% to nearly 10% of retail price, with 4-6% typical. It is almost never included in advertised prices, except gasoline and, in most states, alcoholic drinks consumed on premises; instead it is calculated and added at payment.

Tipping is widespread and expected in America. Americans may debate the right amount and who deserves a tip, but these are generally accepted standard rates:

• At full-service restaurants, tip 15-20%. This is often a wait(ress)’s only income; tips may be cash or added to the credit-card slip. Few restaurants add automatic service charge, so decide any extra tip after checking the bill.
• Taxi drivers, hairdressers and other personal services: 10-15%.
• For bartenders, give $1 per inexpensive drink or 15% of the total.
• Bellhops: $1-2 per bag, with a $3-5 minimum regardless.
• Hotel doorman: when they help, give $1 for each bag and another $1 for calling a cab.
• Tour guides: depending on length, size and quality, $5-10 per person for half-day tours or less, and $10-20 per person for longer tours.
• Private car and limousine drivers: 15-20%.
• Hotel housekeeping: $1-2 a day for long stays, or $5 minimum for very short stays; this is optional.
• Food delivery, such as pizza: $2-5, possibly more for very large orders.

The U.S. has no official federal language, but English overwhelmingly dominates everyday use. Several states have made English their official state language. Spanish is also official and widely spoken in New Mexico; French is official in Louisiana and Hawaiian in Hawaii, though neither has English’s use and both are official mainly for historical reasons.

For emergencies, dial 911.

Major metropolitan areas such as New York and Los Angeles often have drugstores and supermarkets open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Department stores, shopping centres and most large retailers typically trade Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with shorter Sunday hours, usually 11 a.m. or noon to 5 or 6 p.m. Holiday trading often continues, except on major holidays such as Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, when stores are generally closed.