Small Ship Cruising Done Perfectly™
Welcome Aboard
Your New England Islands Cruise Departing From and Returning to Providence, RI
Table of Contents
Welcome.....................................................3 Itinerary Overview......................................4 Getting to Providence and Your Ship...........6 Boarding Your Ship.....................................8 What to Bring.............................................9 Meals & Cocktails.......................................10 General Shore Tour Information..................11 General Onboard Information.....................12 Concluding Your Cruise..............................13 Transportation Services...............................13 Port by Port Shore Tour Details...................14
2
Welcome Aboard Thank you for choosing American Cruise Lines. From your reservation to your experience aboard your ship, American Cruise Lines is with you every step of the way. Your cruise specialist is always just a phone call away and will be happy to assist you with everything from celebrating a special occasion to ensuring that your stateroom is just the way you like it.
The following pages will answer many of your questions about the cruise and your onboard experience. Your cruise specialist is available and can be reached at (800) 894-8570. www.americancruiselines.com
3
MASSACHUSETTS
PROVIDENCE
Bristol
RHODE ISLAND
N
Fall River New Bedford
Newport Block Island
Cape Cod
Nantucket Martha’s Vineyard
Ports of Call Providence, RI
Block Island, RI
Nantucket Island, MA
Bristol, RI
New Bedford, MA
Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Newport, RI
Fall River, MA
Itineraries are subject to change. A detailed itinerary will be mailed with your boarding documents. 4
Nantucket Harbor
5
Getting to Providence and Your Ship Whether driving, flying, or taking the train, getting to the ship is easy. ay
.
East Providence
Parking India Point Park
Pro
India St.
ce
To Airport
en
vid r
rbo
Ha
6
Exit 3
St
Directions to City Parking from the Ship:
Exit 2
in
We highly recommend dropping off your luggage at the ship before parking. Upon arrival, you will see American Cruise Lines deckhands in bright red shirts ready to assist you. After dropping off your luggage, there is parking available at City Parking.
Gano St.
Downtown Providence
ta
Exit 21
Driving to the Ship:
City Parking 197 Fountain Street Providence, RI 02903
Br oa dw
Hilton Hotel
un Fo
Your Ship Will Be Docked At: India Point Park 152 India Street Providence, RI 02903
To Get to Ship:
Going Northbound I-195: use exit 2, India St. Going Southbound 1-195: use exit 3, Gano St.
From the Ship: Take India Street to Gano St. and take a left to merge onto I-195 W. Merge onto US-6 W (95 N/Point St.) You’ll then take Exit 21 and keep right to move from Franklin to Broadway St. The parking lot entrance will be to the right at 10 Broadway St., across from the Hilton Providence Hotel. The lot has a
Subject to change.
booth with a large “CITY PARKING� company sign.
Downtown Hotels
Once parked, please proceed across the street to the Hilton Providence Hotel Lobby to meet the hotel shuttle to the ship.
Wyndham Garden Providence 220 India Street Providence, RI 02903
A parking pass must be purchased in advance from American Cruise Lines by calling 1-800-894-8570.
(Parking is available with American Cruise Lines rate for the duration of your cruise. The Wyndham offers a complimentary shuttle to the ship.)
Taking the Train to Providence Amtrak provides regular train service to the downtown Providence Train Station. The station is approximately 10 minutes from India Point Park by taxi.
Hotels If you are arriving the night before your cruise, the hotels listed are within a few minutes of the ship. Ask for the special American Cruise Lines rate. Each hotel can arrange for taxi service to India Point Park.
Hilton Providence 21 Atwells Avenue Providence, RI 02903
(401) 272-5577
(401) 831-3900 (800) 445-8667
(The Hilton offers a complimentary shuttle to the ship.)
Marriott Providence 1 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
(401) 272-2400 (866) 807-2171
(The Marriott offers a complimentary shuttle to the ship.)
Airport Hotel Crowne Plaza 801 Greenwich Ave. Warwick, RI 02886
(401) 732-6000
Subject to change.
7
Boarding Your Ship
Boarding Time
Please plan to arrive at the ship between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. You may not be able to access your stateroom until about 11:30 a.m. The ship will leave at 1:30 p.m. or earlier if all guests have arrived.
From the moment you arrive, everything will be handled for you. American Cruise Lines deckhands wear a distinctive red shirt and will unload your luggage from your car or taxi and bring it to your stateroom aboard the ship. Please keep your boarding passes with you, as it is not necessary for you to stay with your luggage. The Cruise Director will be awaiting your arrival at the gangway of the ship. Please present your boarding passes and photo ID at this time.
Luggage and Luggage Tags
American Cruise Lines places no restrictions on luggage. However, it is recommended that you bring as few bags as necessary. Suitcases less than 10 inches high may be stowed under your bed. You will be receiving luggage tags with your boarding pass before your cruise. If you would like additional tags, your cruise specialist will be happy to send you more. If you have cruised with us before, please remove your old luggage tags. 8
Subject to change.
What to Bring Casual resort attire is recommended both on the ship and ashore. For dinner, men’s clothing might include a sport shirt and slacks, with sport coat or sweater. Women might find a sweater and slacks, or a dress appropriate.
American Cruise Lines also recommends that 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 onboard for any item that you may have forgotten.
Brant Point Lighthouse, Nantucket
9
Meals and Cocktails American Cruise Lines offers open seating at every meal in the Dining Salon on the Main Deck. Dress is resort attire. At dinner, men often wear a sport coat and women often wear a dress. Breakfast is prepared to order at your leisure between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Lunch is served at 12:30 p.m.
Dinner service begins at 6:30 p.m., and you are welcome to join us at any time before 7:30 p.m. American Cruise Lines provides complimentary wine and beer during lunch and dinner service. A complimentary cocktail hour with full bar is hosted each evening at 5:30 p.m. before dinner. 10
Glasses, ice, mixers, and soft drinks are available at all times. For other liquor requests, your Hotel Manager will assist you.
Special Diets and Medications
American Cruise Lines will work to cater to any dietary needs. Please tell your cruise specialist approximately two weeks prior to your cruise so that we may plan accordingly. Refrigeration is available to store insulin or other medications requiring protection.
Shore Tours
Please note that all shore tours are subject to availability and change. 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.
For detailed descriptions of each tour, please see pages 14-19.
For additional information about the places you will visit or alternative activities available, your Cruise Director or onboard guest speaker will be happy to help.
There are two types of shore excursions on your Grand New England cruise:
F
P
Featured tours are complimentary to all guests. Premium tours typically cost between $20 and $70 and can be Premium paid for onboard, near the end of your cruise. Featured
You may sign up for most tours onboard with the Cruise Director. American Cruise Lines is dedicated to making your onshore experience a true American Adventure.
Subject to change.
11
General Onboard Information American Cruise Lines will work to meet your onboard needs and cater to special requests. If at any point there is an item that you would like to see provided, please let your Hotel Manager or Cruise Director know and American Cruise Lines will work to meet your needs.
Emergency Messages
Emergency messages can be directed to the main office in Connecticut at (800) 894-8570. They will be relayed to the ship at the first opportunity. You are urged to provide American Cruise Lines with email addresses and cellular phone numbers, as well as an emergency contact prior to your departure date. Cell
phones are generally available onboard the ship for emergency purposes.
Tipping
Tipping is entirely at your personal discretion. Tips are generally given to the Hotel Manager near the end of the cruise. They are then divided equally among the stewards and deckhands. Tips generally average about $125 per person on a 7-night cruise. Stewards and deckhands do not expect and cannot accept tips directly. Credit cards, personal or travelers checks, and cash are accepted. If you choose to pay by credit card, please contact the Hotel Manager at least one day before the end of your cruise.
Martha’s Vineyard
12
Subject to change.
Concluding Your Cruise On most cruises, the ship will arrive in Providence the evening prior to the final day of the cruise. The ship docks India Point Park, 152 India Street, Providence, RI 02903. On the last day of your cruise, breakfast is served from 7:00 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. and passengers may disembark until 8:30 a.m.
Transportation Services American Cruise Lines offers the following transportation for passengers flying home: From the ship to:
T. F. Green (Providence) Airport窶電eparts the ship at 8:30 a.m.
For more information, prices, or for other transportation that may be available, please call your cruise specialist at (800) 894-8570. During your cruise, the hotel manager will also be happy to assist you with travel arrangements.
13
Port by Port Shore Tour Information New Bedford, MA Whaling Museum
P
In the mid-nineteenth century, New Bedford was the whaling capital of the world and became the inspiration behind Herman Melville’s classic American novel, MobyDick, in 1841. Today, New Bedford is still known as “The Whaling City,” with an authentic seaport village, large fishing fleet and working waterfront. The New Bedford Whaling Museum houses the world’s largest collection of whaling artifacts, including a ship model so large you can climb aboard!
Acushnet Harbor Cruise
P
Take a relaxing 50-minute cruise around the historical New Bedford / Fairhaven harbor. Highlights include the Palmer’s Island Lighthouse, Fort Phoenix (the largest hurricane barrier on the East Coast), a working fishing fleet, Coast Guard cutters, and plenty of whaling history. 14
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Nantucket Island, MA Island Tour
P
For nearly 100 years, Nantucket Island was one of the premier whaling ports in the world. In 1869, Nantucket’s last whaling ship left its shores never to return to her home port. Recreational boating was on the rise, bringing summer visitors from the mainland to the island, but it wasn’t until 1880 when Nantucket was discovered as the ideal destination for summer vacationing. Join a narrated bus tour of this enchanting island. Take a step back in time as you are captivated by the island’s history, whaling stories, 17th century architecture, and beautiful villages and seaside cottages.
M artha’s Vineyard, MA Island Tour
P
On a narrated bus tour of the island, experience a 19th century seaport village when you visit historic Nantucket house
15
Edgartown, with its magnificent examples of Greek Revival homes built by whaling captains. Delight in Oak Bluffs’ gingerbread-style cottages. Discover West Tisbury, straight out of a Currier & Ives print, and Vineyard Haven’s beautiful harbor. Included is a 1-hour stop in Edgartown, where you can stroll through the village and enjoy its famous rosecovered cottages.
Block Island, RI Island Tour
P
First sighted in 1524 by Giovanni da Verrazzano, Block Island was charted in 1614 by the Dutch explorer Adrian Block, who named it for himself. Today the island is famous for its miles of free public beaches, sparkling clear waters, dramatic bluffs, and preserved open spaces. It was named by the Nature Conservancy as one of “The Last Great Places” in the Western Hemisphere. On a famous Block Island taxi tour, a local guide will
16
Harbor on Martha’s Vineyard
take you to scenic sites on the island. A highlight of the tour is a visit to the Southeast Lighthouse, which stands boldly above the colorful Mohegan Bluffs. These clay cliffs rise 200 feet above the Atlantic and stretch nearly 3 miles, offering spectacular ocean views.
Newport, RI
Tour of the Town and the Breakers Mansion
P
Take a narrated bus tour of historic and famous Newport. With the brilliant Atlantic Ocean on one side and some of the country’s most impressive properties on the other, this celebrated trail is an unforgettable one. You will drive along the 10-mile, spectacular Ocean View Drive, Bellevue Ave—“Avenue of the Mansions” and the Tennis Hall of Fame. The highlight of the tour will surely be the stop at the Breakers, a seventyroom mansion and National Historic Landmark built for Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1895. North Light on Block Island
17
Bristol, RI
Herreshoff Marine Museum & America’s Cup Hall of Fame
F
Boat building and related industries have played a major role in the life of Bristol since the early 17th century. In 1878, the Herreshoff brothers formed the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, building fast gunboats and torpedo boats for the government. However, the company became most noteworthy during the “Golden Age of Yachting” for building the world’s finest yachts. Today you can visit this historic site at the Herreshoff Marine Museum and the adjacent America’s Cup Hall of Fame, which honors the individuals of the 150year competition and the most distinguished of all international sporting trophies. Here you will have a docent introduction and orientation followed by a self-guided tour. 18
Newport Harbor
Blithewold Mansion, Gardens, & Arboretum
P
As one of the finest garden estates in New England, your exploration of Blithewold will include diverse gardens, specimen trees, and a 45-room English-style manor house, all of which chronicles the rich social lives of one family over a span of 80 years. In 1895, Augustus Van Wickle and his wife, Bessie Pardee Van Wickle, built a large, Queen Anne style mansion, and moved in during the summer of 1896. Experience breathtaking views of Narragansett Bay and see the mansion decorated with original furnishings just as it was when the family lived there.
Downtown Bristol Shuttle
P
Bristol is known as the most patriotic town in America. Host to the oldest continuous Fourth of July celebration in the nation, Bristol has celebrated its independence since 1785 with a parade that rivals any other. Motor Coach service is available in the afternoon from the Herreshoff Marine Museum to the Visitor’s Center in downtown Bristol. Stroll this patriotic town and discover its many interesting shops and museums.
Reliance, Herreshoff designed America’s Cup defender built in Bristol
19
Thank you for cruising with us! (800) 894-8570 www.americancruiselines.com
741 Boston Post Rd., Suite 200 Guilford, CT 06437 (800) 894-8570 140618