From Jerry Bloom

Cruising the New England Islands on the Small Ship American Eagle

Cruise Line: American Cruise Lines
Cruise Ship: American Eagle
Cruise Destination: New England Islands
Guest Contributor: Jerry H. Bloom

When you decide to go cruising, you’re faced with a long list of decisions to make before you even think of packing that suitcase.
Here are a few of the choices you have to consider:
·         Do you want to go on a mega-ship with thousands of fellow cruisers, or opt for a small ship where you can get to know other passengers?
·         Do you like to dress-up in your formal wear, or do you want to relax in a casual environment?
·         Is formal dining with an endless menu a requirement, or are you satisfied with fewer dishes - and calories?
·         Are the standard ports that the big-guys sail to your cup of tea, or do you want to hang out with the yachters?
Launched in 2000 by the Chesapeake Ship Building Company of Salisbury, Maryland, the American Eagle is 170 feet long with a beam of 40 feet. It has four decks with thirty-one large staterooms, so you’ll only have to share space with forty-nine passengers when the ship is full. (The week we sailed, August 5, 2000, forty-two passengers were onboard.)
All staterooms have private bath, picture windows that slide open, a six-drawer bureau for storage, a two-seater sofa, coffee table, and a desk and chair. Only the 300 series Staterooms on the Promenade Deck had in-room television sets.
American Eagle’s shipboard amenities are:
·         Open Sports Deck on Deck Four.
·         Outside verandas with chairs and lounges aft on Decks Three and Two and forward on Deck Two.
·         A small library with TV and VCR aft on Lounge Deck Two.
·         A picture window enclosed main lounge forward on Deck Two filled with comfortable chairs and sofas, a self-service bar containing complementary liquor, wine, and soft drinks, satellite TV, and an electronic piano.
·         A picture window enclosed dining Salon for single-seating dining on Deck One.
·         Elevator for the mobility impaired operating between Decks One and Two.
Embarkation for the American Eagle’s New England Islands Cruise is in Haddam, Connecticut on the Connecticut River. There is plenty of free parking on American Cruise Line’s property, as this is also home port to their other two ships that do daily lunch and dinner cruises. The Godspeed Opera House, a famous landmark and theatre staging Broadway Shows is located across the river from the American Eagle’s dock.
We began our seven-day cruise by motoring down the Connecticut River along with a flotilla of pleasure boats. The river empties into Long Island Sound where we headed east to overnight at Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. Each of these New England Islands has its own charm and way of looking at those of us from the mainland.
I talked to one boater on Block Island who told me he arrives at the beginning of the summer, ties his cabin cruiser next to the dock, and lives onboard until the season ends in September. Other boaters were docked six-deep alongside of him at the pier, becoming part of the local community until it was time for them to return to the real world.
The American Eagle’s Captain did an amazing job docking his 170′ ship to the pier. He had just a few feet separating his prow and stern from the other craft permanently attached to the dock like barnacles on a piling. Walking on the pier, we watched several of the boaters cooking their dinner on portable barbecue stoves set on the ground. It was a lot nicer returning to the American Eagleto dine on a meal prepared by the onboard Chefs and served by the ship’s staff in the Dining Salon.
The food served on board, with a few exceptions, was equal in quality and preparation to that found in a small family-run restaurant ashore. A typical breakfast offered fresh melon slices, freshly baked muffins and rolls, assorted hot and cold cereals, an omelette, pancakes, bacon, sausage, ham, assorted juices, and hot coffee or tea.
Lunch include a cup of soup or salad, a sandwich or quiche, and dessert.
An actual Dinner started with a Penne Pesto appetizer, choice of entrees Stuffed Trout or Seared Duck Breast with assorted vegetables and starch, and a slice of apple pie or ice cream for dessert.
At 8 p.m. each evening, a member of the service staff would bring ice cream sundaes or root beer floats to those passengers in the main lounge that wanted a pick-me-up. Since the American Eagle was usually in port by noon or earlier every day, it was very easy for passengers to dine ashore at the local restaurants.

Cruising the New England Islands on the Small Ship American Eagle

After cruising the New England Islands, the American Eagle headed for the mainland to visit the fishing port of New Bedford, Massachusetts: touristy Newport, Rhode Island; and Victorian New Bedford, Connecticut. In New Bedford, some of the passengers opted for a bus tour to Mystic Seaport before meeting the ship back in its homeport of Haddam, Connecticut. Disembarkation was on Saturday after breakfast. We drove our car to the dock and the deckhands put our baggage in the trunk - no hassles, no customs, no airport to deal with.
Pats
Some of the highlights we enjoyed about the week’s cruise:
·         Visiting the ports in New England that the mega-ships never enter.
·         Ethnic lunch in a Portuguese Restaurant in New Bedford.
·         Fresh Maine Lobsters served onboard for during dinner in New Bedford.
·         Visiting with a local artist in Martha’s Vineyard.
·         Touring Block Island and its working lighthouse that was moved back from the eroding cliff it was originally built on.
·         A delicious crab roll sandwich in Newport, Rhode Island.
·         Casual atmosphere with friendly fellow passengers.
·         Freshly baked cookies in the morning.
·         Evening complementary cocktail hour and hors d’oeuvres.
Pans
Some of the low-lights about the week’s cruise:
·         American Eagle rolls severely in swells.
·         Food preparation was uneven. The chefs had a heavy hand with the salt shaker.
If you’re prone to mal-de-mer make sure you take your wristbands, Dramamine, or a patch if you cruise to the New England Islands. Motion sickness isn’t a problem if you cruise on calmer waters. The American Eagle offers weekly cruises on the Hudson River from Haddam, Connecticut; the Chesapeake Bay from Baltimore, Maryland; and on the Inland Waterway south to winter in Fort Myers, Florida.
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