Cruising New England with Smithsonian Journeys

New England is lovely in Autumn, and the region is becoming ever more popular as a cruise destination. Smithsonian Journeys has designed two fall voyages that explore the rich seafaring history of Nantucket and the extravagance of the Gilded Age in Newport, plus the scenic coastline from Portland to Bar Harbor - the same landscapes that inspired artistic and literary figures. These weeklong voyages are timed just prior to busy fall foliage season, skipping the crowds but none of the charm.

Photo (c) Linda Garrison

Art Along the Coast of Maine, September 8 - 15
Led by study leader Stephen May, a scholar, lecturer and writer on American art and culture whose family has lived seasonally in Maine for the last 70 years, the program starts at the Portland Museum of Art, where a guided tour includes a visit to Winslow Homer’s Prouts Neck home. Homer transferred to canvas many stunning vistas from his residence, presciently remarking, “You will see, in the future I will live by my watercolors.” That same afternoon, guests embark aboard the American Glory, and cruise along the Penobscot River to Castine. As one of the oldest communities in North America, Castine’s streets are lined by Federal and Greek revival homes, including the summer homes of writer/satirist Mary McCarthy, poet Robert Lowell and novelist Elizabeth Hardwick. The next day in Bar Harbor, visit Acadia National Park, which was memorialized by artist Thomas Cole, the father of the Hudson River School, and his pupil Frederic Church, in their most famous works. Rockland’s Farnsworth Art Museum and its Wyeth Center showcase the works of America’s first family of art, i.e. patriarch N.C. Wyeth, his youngest son Andrew and grandson James. Visit the Olson House, home of Christina Olson from Andrew Wyeth’s famous painting, Christina’s World. The next morning at Monhegan Island, a small rocky atoll accessible only by boat, discover the isolation and rugged beauty that makes it a favorite haven for artists. Belfast is home to the Penobscot Marine Museum, chronicling rich seafaring history through memorabilia, vintage photos, marine paintings, and even the art of model making and scrimshaw.
http://smithsonianjourneys.org/cruises_us/090806maine.asp

Harbor Hopping in New England, September 15 - 23
Study leader Cheryl Robertson, the Richard Koopman curator of American Decorative Arts at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, CT, leads this cruise. The Rhode Island School of Design sets the stage with a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum collection of 80,000 works of art. At New Bedford, the cruise begins from this 19th-century community, once the whaling capital of the world, and Herman Melville’s inspiration for his classic, Moby Dick. An evening cruise to Nantucket transports cruisers to 18th-century timeworn cobblestone streets. Take a narrated tour highlighting the island’s early whaling history, and join a leisurely drive through the beautiful village of Siasconset, known for its rose-covered cottages. Martha’s Vineyard has evolved from a hub for merchant ships to one of the most enchanting vacation spots in New England, with gingerbread cottages and inviting shops and eateries. Visit the six towns of Historic Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, West Tisbury, Chillmark and Gay Head. Then it’s off to Newport for a visit to Chateau-Sur-Mer, remodeled by one of the fathers of American architecture, Richard Morris Hunt. Tour the landmark Gothic Revival mansion of Kingscote, known for its combination of eastern and western motifs and innovative materials such as cork tiling and glass bricks by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Newport’s Gilded Age comes to life along the “Avenue of Mansions” with tours of seaside estates Breakers, Rosecliff, Marble House, and Hammersmith Farm, the summer home of Jacquelyn Kennedy. Block Island is treasured for its nature trails, including the breathtaking Mohegan Bluffs, rising 200 feet above the ocean with dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean. Last stop Providence, for a musical welcome from the Sea Shanty singers and a day at Mystic Seaport, the acclaimed Living History Museum.
http://smithsonianjourneys.org/cruises_us/091506harbor.asp

The American Glory
The 49-passenger American Glory, was built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury in 2002. All staterooms have interior entrances, a king-size bed or two twin beds, private ensuite, and large picture windows. The ship features a spacious and attractive dining salon, sun decks and glass-enclosed lounges for enjoying the passing scenery, and a well-stocked library.

Rates for Smithsonian Journeys' New England Cruises
Each weeklong voyage starts at $3,145 per person, land only, based on double occupancy, and includes: accommodations (one hotel night prior to boarding and seven nights aboard American Glory); meals, wine and cocktails; lectures, excursions, activities, including the expertise of study leader and tour manager; transfers; baggage handling; gratuities for land guides and ship’s crew; administrative and port charges; and emergency evacuation insurance.

For reservations, visit http://www.smithsonianjourneys.org or call 1-877 EDU TOUR (1-877-338-8687).

Press Release Source: Spring, O'Brien & Co. for Smithsonian Journeys
Dateline: May 2006