Grand New England Portland, ME to Providence, RI 11 Days
Small Ship Cruising Done Perfectly™
Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059
Welcome
With over 30 years of experience, American Cruise Lines has perfected small ship cruising, allowing us to offer guests the best American cruise experience anywhere. With the newest fleet of ships, all-American crews, exciting shore excursions and unparalleled personalized service, American Cruise Lines is the only choice when it comes to planning your next cruise. We look forward to having you onboard soon.
Table of Contents
Ports of Call ..................................................... 3
What to Bring .................................................. 16
What Sets American Cruise Lines Apart .......... 4
Onboard Food & Beverage ............................... 16
Onboard Experience......................................... 5
Getting to Portland, ME and Your Ship ............ 17
Shore Tours ...................................................... 5
Boarding Process .............................................. 17
Location Highlights ......................................... 6–15
Cruise Conclusion ............................................ 17
Lounge 2
Acadia National Park
Ports of Call
Explore quaint islands and charming villages as you admire the ever changing New England coastline. Here you’ll experience fascinating museums, lighthouses, ports, lush national parks, and of course, seafood.
Portland, ME
Rockland, ME Camden, ME
Bar Harbor, ME Belfast, ME
Boothbay Harbor, ME Bath, ME
Gloucester, MA
Bucksport Belfast Camden Rockland Bath Boothbay Harbor Portland MAINE NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS
Gloucester
Boston RHODE ISLAND
PROVIDENCE
Martha’s Vineyard, MA Nantucket, MA
Bar Harbor
Nantucket Martha’s Vineyard
Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059. Subject to change.
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What Sets American Cruise Lines Apart The newest and most environmentally friendly small cruise ships and riverboats The largest fleet of small cruise ships in America Seven ships carrying 50 to 150 passengers
A true all-American experience. American built, flagged, and crewed ships The largest staterooms with interior entrances and private balconies Elevator service to all decks of the ship
Open seating dining allows you to dine where and when you want 35 cruise itineraries to 28 states in America
The only cruise line with three authentic paddlewheelers
Complimentary cocktail hour every evening before dinner Complimentary wine and beer with lunch and dinner
Gracious hospitality and personalized service—that is the hallmark of American Cruise Lines Many spacious lounges and public spaces on each ship
Exquisite cuisine from American Cruise Lines’ staff of highly trained chefs Entertainment each evening
Historians, naturalists, or local experts join every cruise
Daily lectures ranging from history & ecology to culture & cuisine Exciting shore excursions show you the best of each area
Independence 4
Onboard Experience
Our mission is to make your exploration effortless by providing unsurpassed attention to detail amid the magnificent landscape. This is just one of the benefits of small ship cruising with American Cruise Lines. Onboard and ashore we will work with you to accommodate your specific interests and tastes. The cruise director will assist to set up special land adventures and the chef will sit down with you to understand any dietary preferences. One of our resident onboard experts will listen attentively and answer your questions about your specific areas of interest to make your cruise enlightening.
Other Amenities include: • • • •
Twin or king-sized bed Private bathroom Twice-daily stateroom service Satellite TV with DVD player
Shore Tours
Your onshore experience is as important as your onboard experience, so American Cruise Lines has taken special care to research and plan excursions at each port. With American Cruise Lines, you will experience what makes each destination a special place. Every tour will take you to the finest local sites at each port and give you true insight to the area’s culture, heritage and history. On each excursion, you’ll be joined by local experts, historians or naturalists to further enhance your experience.
Independence stateroom
The experience we provide means something different to everyone, but assistance is available at all hours for any request large or small. Our staterooms are the most spacious in small ship cruising and offer all the amenities of a modern hotel. Every stateroom has a picturesque view of the ever-changing scenery and most feature a private balcony. • • • •
Complimentary wireless Internet access Hair dryer Spacious closets/four-drawer dressers 110-volt outlets
Shore excursions come in one of three categories:
F
P
S
Featured
Featured tours are complimentary to all guests.
Premium
Premium tours typically cost between $20 and $70 and can be paid for onboard, near the end of your cruise.
Signature
Signature tours are limitedavailability excursions. We recommend that you reserve and pay for these tours in advance with your Cruise Specialist.
Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059. Subject to change.
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Location Highlights Portland, ME
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is home to more than one-third of Maine's total population. The city offers many cultural activities and entertainment for guests to discover. A walkable and friendly city, venture down the cobblestone streets and explore galleries, shops, historic landmarks and diverse dining opportunities among a natural, waterfront setting. Points of interest include: Portland Museum of Art, Victoria Mansion, Portland Observatory, Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and Museum
Portland Head Light 6
Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059. Subject to change.
Rockland, ME
Rockland is known as the “Lobster Capitol of the World” due to its famous lobsters and involvement in the East Coast lobster industry and the Maine Lobster Festival. This area is home to over a dozen historic schooners, which is more than any other port in the country. You can also visit the Maine Lighthouse Museum. With a short distance from the ship, guests can experience the historic district which is filled with antique shops and art galleries.
Owl’s Head Transportation Museum
Shore Tour Options Lobsterbake
F
Held on the shore of the Penobscot Bay, enjoy the flavors of local lobster, clams and mussels as they are prepared right in front of you. As you dine on the various seafood cuisines, listen to eclectic musical entertainment. Captain Jake Lobsterboat Adventure
P
Ride a lobsterboat with up to 6 guests for an authentic experience on the Maine Coast. The Captain will take guests to catch lobsters while showing what it takes to be a lobsterman in Maine. With a unique sense of humor and character, this tour is memorable from beginning to end. City Tour & Farnsworth Art Museum
P
A narrated bus tour highlights a comprehensive collection of American Art related to Maine. The
museum opened to the public on August 15, 1948 and acquired 915 works of art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Visit the permanent collection “Maine in America” where famous paintings from Andrew Wyeth, a local Maine painter, are highlighted. Owl’s Head Transportation Museum
P
Explore hundreds of 19th-century and early 20thcentury pioneer-era aircraft and automobiles from across the world. The Aircraft Collection contains replicas and originals representing the first century of flight, from Cayley’s 1804 unmanned glider to the legendary Curtiss Jenny. The Automobile Collection spans from the late 19th century to the early 20th century from a refurbished 1908 Stanley K. Semi-Racer to a 1935 Stout Scarab (one of only six ever made and called the world’s first minivan).
Additional points of interest include: Maine Lighthouse Museum, Project Puffin Visitor Center, Rockland Breakwater Light 7
Camden, ME
This charming village is called the “Tall Ship Capitol of Maine” due to its classic schooners, scenery and historical attractions. With its scenic waterfront, Camden is known as Maine’s “prettiest” seacoast village. Camden is also only one of two places where the mountains meet the sea on the entire Atlantic coastline.
Shore Tour Options Guided Walking Tour
P
This tour takes you through Camden Hills State Park and includes a stop at the top of Mount Battie where you will have panoramic views of glistening lakes, Camden Harbor and the islands of Penobscot Bay. Additional points of interest include: High Street Historic District, Camden Harbor Park and Amphitheater
Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059 Subject to change.
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Schooners in Camden Harbor
Bar Harbor, ME
Bar Harbor has been the most scenic area in Maine for over one hundred years and is best known by locals as the place of inspiration, relaxation and outdoor activities. Located east of Mount Desert Island and surrounded by Acadia National Park, it is home to an abundance of wildlife. The ship docks at the base of Mount Desert Street which is the town’s national historic district and main road with local shops.
Shore Tour Options Nature Cruise
P
Narrated by the Captain, a true Lobsterman, you’ll explore and learn about native harbor seals, nesting eagles and view historic mansions and Acadia National Park. Acadia National Park
P
Donated by early 20th-century visionaries, this park is home to many plants, animals, and the tallest mountain on America’s Atlantic coast. Tour this location on a bus to view the rugged coastline and mountains along the summit of Cadillac Mountain and Thunder Hole. The summit of Cadillac Mountain is the first land in the United States touched by the morning sun. Thunder Hole is an inlet naturally carved out of rocks where the waves spout water as high as 40 feet. Additional points of interest include: Ocean Trail, George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History, Mount Desert Island Oceanarium, Abbe Museum Bar Harbor Shops Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059. Subject to change.
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Belfast, ME
The area of Belfast has a rich history dating back more than 200 years. Guests can explore historic Belfast with sightings of nineteenth-century architecture. Main street has numerous art galleries and local artisan shops for passengers to explore.
Shore Tour Options Guided Walking Tour
P
A local historian leads the tour along a walking route beginning in the city’s Historic District and ending at the Belfast Museum which features exhibits of the city’s history. Additional points of interest include: Mainely Pottery, Northern Lights Gallery
Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059 Subject to change.
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Belfast, ME
Boothbay Harbor, ME Boothbay is the largest boating harbor north of Boston and is known as the “Boating Capitol of New England.” This historic town is lined with shops, boutiques, picture perfect harbors with lobster boats, pleasure craft, windjammers and beautiful lighthouses. Guests can also explore Boothbay Harbor’s quiet coves and country roads for a scenic, relaxing afternoon.
Shore Tour Options Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
P
Join along a guided tour to channel your inner gardening and outdoor enthusiast on the 250-acre landscape. Discover the history, horticulture and local gardens in detail while visiting the Lerner Garden of Five Senses. Browse through the Gardens Gift Shop to find selected merchandise to make your own garden one of a kind. From “Green” items, gourmet foods, holiday decor, clothing and accessories, there is an item for everyone. Additional points of interest include: Boothbay Region Historical Society Museum, Boothbay Region Land Trust
Boothbay Harbor, ME 11
Bath, ME
Bath is located on the Kennebec River and is known as the “City of Ships” due to its long history of shipbuilding. Docking in the nationally acclaimed Maine Maritime Museum, guests can enjoy either a guided or self-guided tour.
Shore Tour Options Maine Maritime Museum
P
Take a tour of the museum and experience Maine’s rich seafaring history. From watercraft and lobstering to shipbuilding and sea trade, stories about dangerous voyages to distant lands abound. Explore fascinating exhibits and artifacts on display.
Participate in contemporary, interactive areas for children and adults. Visit the historic shipyard with five original 19th century buildings and a Victorian-era shipyard owner’s home. Enjoy an active waterfront and a scenic campus on the banks of the Kennebec River.
Maine Maritime Museum 12
Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059. Subject to change.
Gloucester, MA
Known as America’s Old Seaport, Gloucester has attracted fishermen and artists for centuries. The town was an important shipbuilding center and is home to where the first schooner was built in 1713. Here enjoy beautiful architecture from preRevolutionary houses to the hilltop 1870 City Hall. Gloucester’s most well-known landmark is the harbor side “Man at the Wheel” statue which is dedicated to a quote of “They that go down to the sea in ships.” Guests can also view the landscape of Cape Ann and learn about the Rocky Neck artist colony, a unique borough of galleries and workshops.
Shore Tour Options Schooner Lannon Cruise
P
Sail onboard the Schooner Lannon (65-foot boat) and get a taste for what it was like to sail on a fishing schooner 100 years ago. Help the crew raise the sails or just sit back and take in the sights and sounds of Gloucester’s coastline. Maritime Heritage Guide Tour
P
Visit New England’s only marine sanctuary that features a reproduction of one of the three ships that participated in the Boston Tea Party. This is a guided tour that allows time for self-exploration.
Man at the Wheel, Fisherman’s Memorial in Gloucester
P
Narrated Sightseeing Tour
This private tour includes a visit to Stacy Blvd where passengers can view the famous statue, “Man of the Wheel,” and the artists’ colony known as Rocky Neck.
Additional points of interest include: Sleeper-McCann House, Cape Ann Museum, Hammond Castle, Sargent House Museum, Ravenswood Park 13
Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Martha’s Vineyard is known as “The Vineyard” because of the wild grapevines that once grew there. It is the largest island not connected to mainland by a bridge or tunnel on the East Coast of the United States. Today, the island is one of the most popular vacation spots in New England and is only accessible by boat and air. Within Martha’s Vineyard are six distinct towns of Aquinnah, Chilmark, West Tisbury, Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. The island was once a hub for whaling fleets and merchant ships that carried exotic cargo from various countries. Martha’s Vineyard is also home to the Gay Head
Cliffs which is renowned for the multicolored earth that was once the main source of paint for the island’s houses.
Shore Tour Options Narrated Bus Tour
P
Join a narrated bus tour to experience a 19thcentury seaport village as you visit the historic Edgartown. Delight in Oak Bluffs’ gingerbread style cottages. This tour features a one-hour stop in Edgartown where you can stroll through the village.
Additional points of interest include: Martha’s Gay Head Lighthouse, Aquinnah Cliffs, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
Gay Head Cliffs 14
Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059. Subject to change.
Nantucket Harbor
Nantucket, MA
Nantucket is an island that features some of the most pristine beaches in the world. Embark on a tour where there is the highest concentration of pre-Civil War structures and the oldest operating windmill in the United States since 1746. Consider visiting the world-class Whaling Museum, the Lightship Basket Museum or one of the three lighthouses in Nantucket in which each has its own distinctive look, personality, and history. Walk along the streets lined with charming shops, ice cream parlors and rosecovered cottages before watching the sunset from one of Nantucket’s breathtaking beaches.
Shore Tour Options Island Tour
P
Join a narrated bus tour of this enchanting island. Learn about the island’s history and hear stories about whaling and life at sea. Explore the villages and seaside cottages of the island. Additional points of interest include: Nantucket Whaling Museum, Brandt Point Lighthouse, Nantucket Historical Association Properties, Milestone Cranberry Bog 15
What to Bring
Casual resort attire is recommended both on ship and ashore. For dinner, men’s clothing might include a sports shirt and slacks with a sport coat or sweater. Women might find a sweater or a dress more appropriate.
We do recommend you bring the following: Comfortable resort attire Comfortable walking shoes Sunscreen
Hat Light rain wear Jacket for cool evenings
Camera Photo identification
Please do not hesitate to ask your Hotel Manager for any item that you may have forgotten.
Onboard Food and Beverage
For your dining delight, our American Cruise Lines culinary masters have created a delectable all-American menu, tailored with a delightful regional twist. Each meal is carefully selected and locally sourced seafood, meat and produce are of the highest quality. We offer complimentary wine and beer during lunch and dinner and each evening before dinner, we offer a complimentary cocktail hour allowing guest to mingle and relax. If you have any special requests or dietary needs, they will be handled with precision and care.
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Contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059. Subject to change.
Getting to Portland, ME and Your Ship Your ship will be docked at the Maine State Pier/Portland Ocean Terminal.
Flying
Maine State Pier/Portland Ocean Terminal 40 Commercial St. Portland, ME 04101
Portland International Jet is the best airport to fly into. The airport is serviced by many airlines and is approximately 15 minutes from the ship when traveling by taxi. 1
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Train
Amtrak provides regular train service to the Portland train station. The port is approximately 10 minutes from the station.
Arriving Early?
If you arrive the day before your cruise, there are several hotels within a few minutes of the ship. Please ask for the American Cruise Lines rate. Each hotel can arrange for a taxi service to the Maine State Pier/Portland Ocean Terminal.
Boarding Process
Boarding the ship takes place between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The ship leaves promptly at 1:30 p.m. (earlier if all passengers are onboard). From the moment you arrive, the American Cruise Lines deckhands will handle everything for you. From helping you with your luggage to assisting you onboard—we will handle everything with care. There are no restrictions on luggage, but it is recommended to bring as few bags as necessary. Suitcases less than 10 inches high may be stowed under your bed.
Cruise Conclusion
On the last day of your cruise, the ship will dock at the India Point Park, 152 India Street, Providence, RI 02903. If flying home, we recommend you fly from the T.F. Green Providence Airport. Taxis are typically available at the ship and American Cruise Lines can assist with your travel arrangements. 17
For more information, please contact a Cruise Specialist at 1-888-251-2059
We look forward to having you onboard soon.
741 Boston Post Rd., Suite 200 Guilford, CT 06437
031715