Newport, Rhode Island

 Newport is most famous for its mansions and sailing’s America’s Cup.       

What we did:       

She said:       

Newport, Rhode Island was the final stop of our cruise, and one of the best stops.  The town is quaint and full of Americana.  The ship was having problems with it’s tenders so we debarked rather late.  We rented a car from Enterprise, and I have to say this was a little more successful than our attempt in Bar Harbour.  The driver arrived and took us back to the rental place, and then we drove off in the car from there.  (Several other passengers were doing the same thing.)  It was a Saturday and the agency was closing at noon.  We were to take the car back and call a cab to take us back to the ship.  We arrived back at 3:00 to allow ourselves some time in the town.  We called the cab company and were told that it MIGHT be there in an hour.  Two other couples were there and one of the people was physically challenged. They were told the same thing.  It had occurred to me that we weren’t that far from town, so we decided to get a little exercise and walk.  It took us about an half an hour, and was well worth it.  Fortunately it was within walking distance.  The other couples waited for the cab and told us it took them two hours to get back.  So much for Enterprise!)         

Once we were in the car we stopped at a little local restaurant called Flo’s Clam Shack.        

We ate on the upstairs deck and it was a fun and good place for lunch.       

We then decided to visit the Mansions of Newport, and bought passes for five of the mansions for $30.00/person, thinking that we could skip through them in no time.  WRONG!!!  We started at the Breakers and it was so crowded that we just ran around the outside of the house, back to the car and went to Rosecliff.       

Rosecliff

He said:       

For me, the America’s Cup races have always been interesting to me. I was hoping to see some sailing museums or other displays relating to the races. But I also wanted to see the mansions. So, once again, we learned that one afternoon is nowhere near enough time to explore such a large and diverse area. Our idea of using a rental car was a good idea in that we could control where we went, and it did confirm a need to return to afford ourselves for a more in depth visit. And the Saturday return debacle with the rental car was a bit frustrating.       

After wasting about an hour at the Breakers before we figured we wouldn’t get through the tour in time to make it back to the ship, our tour of Rosecliff provided a taste of the extravagance those among the most privileged experienced. This mansion was used in a number of films, The Great Gatsby being the one I recognized most, and can be rented for a special occasion if one’s budget permits! The opulence is beyond description, so I won’t try to relate it in words. I did, however, find it difficult to relate to living in one of these places due primarily to their vast spaces and, to me, very cold, dark living conditions. It was very interesting to hear some of the more intimate details of day to day life for those who lived here for about 8-10 weeks a year! The costs associated with the mansions themselves, not to mention the operational costs, go way beyond my comprehension of rational spending. But seeing it all first hand was fun and we’ll definitely be back! And, fortunately, the tickets we bought had no expiration date!       

Boston Harbor; image from flickr by Willem von Bergen

Downtown Boston; image from flickr by tostie14

Boston has so much to offer – history, sports, museums, shopping and, unfortunately, some of the worst traffic I’ve ever seen – a 4 or 5 hour stop from a cruise ship requires choosing one thing to do and being satisfied with it.      

 What we did:     

She said:     

We landed in Boston, and upon debarkation, took the shuttle into the city.  We spent some time and had a quick lunch at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace.  Faneuil Marketplace is a huge conglomeration of shops and restaurants all in one place.  It has everything, but we weren’t really in a shopping mood, and Bill had never been to Boston and wanted to see the city.  I’ve been to Boston many times, but had never taken a tour to see everything.  The biggest bang for the buck and time were the trolley rides.  It took forever for the trolley to arrive and the lines were long, but we finally hopped on one and away we went.  It happened to be the same trolley company that we were on in Savannah.  The tour guide was really pretty good and if we had had more time we could have hopped on and off to see more.  Boston is a fun city to see, and a terrible city to have to drive, so the trolley is the best, and I strongly recommend it.     

He said:     

In that I’d never been here, we opted for a visit to the Faneuil Marketplace and a trolley trip around the city. The shopping wasn’t high on our priority list, so the huge marketplace was more of a time filler than anything else. We did, however, manage to find some wonderful clam chowder to sate our nourishment needs!     

The Old Town Trolley tour we took covered a little bit of everything. Had we been in town longer, with the on and off feature, we could have used it to see the historical areas associated with the revolution. It was frustrating to get so close to spots like BeaconHill, Cambridge, the Bunker Hill Monument, and the Old North Church yet not have the time to further explore and imagine the exciting history that occurred at these spots. The nearly 2 hour drive through town did, however, served to peek my interest for a future visit when we can spend a few days here.

Bar Harbor Inn and Spa

The Bar Harbor Inn is there to greet visitors arriving by boat. It provides an excellent vantage point, both indoor and out, from which one can enjoy a drink, some desert (we had both!) or a delicious full course meal.                      

Town of Bar Harbour

Mount Desert Island is home to two of the more recognized spots in New England, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.           

What we did:           

She said:           

Plan A – Bar Harbor is a beautiful little town to visit.  We were supposed to have a car from Enterprise that was to meet us at the ship when we debarked.  We had made this reservation months in advance.  We called them as soon as we debarked and were told that they didn’t have any cars.  We had planned to take the car to the far side of the island to the lobster shanties and gorge ourselves with inexpensive lobster! So……              

Plan B-  We ended up doing a walking tour on our own which was also very nice.  We had lunch at The Parkside and they had a special of twin lobster tails for about $25.00.  We also stopped at the local library and used their computer for free.  The ship computers cost a fortune, so this was a nice surprise!           

He said:          

Why is this island called Mount Desert? Its full of trees, lakes, streams, and wildlife hardly what I’d consider desert-like.          

Anyway, when cruise ships tender their passengers into the quaint little town of Bar Harbor, things get a bit crazy. People searching for their excursion, requests for maps of the restaurants and shops, and in our case, where is the Enterprise person with our car? Unfortunately, nowhere to be found and, for this trip, never to be had! So much for our foray to the south, or as locals refer to it, ”quiet side” of the island. Fortunately, we both had been here before, so, after calming down and accepting our fate, we opted for a walking tour through town and along the water followed by a nice lobster lunch (even though we knew it’d be a lot more expensive than if we could have gone with plan A).          

This turned out to be just fine as it was a rainy, overcast day. The clouds were socked in so those who opted for excursions through Acadia and up Mt. Cadillac were, I’m afraid, a bit disappointed.            

New England Cruise; image from flickr by Greg Hickman

We sailed on the Caribbean Princess with 3,100 of our nearest and dearest friends. The ports we visited were Halifax, Saint Johns, Bar Harbour, Boston, and Newport.    

What we did:    

She said:    

The first day we sailed at sea, which was wonderful because we needed some “down time” after racing around New York City.  Our veranda style room was nice as we had more living area, including a couch, and less deck area, which for this cruise was perfect!  We didn’t need to spend much time on the deck as it was fall and not all that warm.  Fall, however, is the perfect time to visit New England.  The temperatures are nice and the color is beautiful.  Also, the prices are a little better.  Getting back to the room—our first night was not so great.  The twin beds were pushed together and it was like each of us had our own canoe.  We were also sitting in the bed watching a movie on T.V. and felt and heard thumps against the headboard.  This was the result of darling little children jumping like crazy on the beds in the next room.  That may explain what happened to the beds we were sleeping on.      

The food on this cruise was good.  There were some complaints, but I thought it was definitely better than the last cruise.  The bed situation was somewhat fixed, so we were on our way.  I never did hear the kids next door again.  Life was good!    

He said:    

Finally, after The Big Apple, I can relax!! We had chosen a suite with a sitting area and smaller deck since we anticipated cooler temperatures and not much time sunning! This proved to be a wise choice, although it was nice to simply go out our slider to witness arrivals and departures from the various ports. By booking through Vacations To Go, unexpectedly, we received a complementary bottle of champagne along with a $100 ship credit, so everything was off to a great start! We opted to save the special champagne we’d purchased in NYC for another time during the cruise.    

The views leaving the Brooklyn terminal were stunning. While sipping on the champagne we watched the NYC skyline fade into the distance as we passed by the Statue of Liberty and proceeded into the Atlantic under the Verrazano Straights Bridge. The views off our port afforded peeks at Long Island and the Hampton’s, although it was difficult to see a lot of detail. Next cruise I’m bringing my binoculars and perhaps a telephoto lens for better pictures. 

Lower Manhattan; image from flickr by Lancer E

South Street Seaport is home to many shops and restaurants and offers a plethora of interesting things to do.    

Where we ate:     

She said:     

Our last evening in the Financial District was spent in a little steak house restaurant called MarkJoseph‘s.  It was recommended to us by the desk clerk at the Hampton Inn as one of the best restaurants in the area.  I had had so many mussels and seafood that steak sounded pretty good.  It was a cozy little restaurant located just under the Brooklyn Bridge, and very expensive.  I made the mistake of trying the lobster ravioli– how stupid!  When you’re in a steak place you order the steak.  Bill’s steak was wonderful.  We had a salad (ala carte) before the entrees.  I’m beginning to wonder when it started to become okay to serve WEEDS for a salad.  First of all they have no flavor and secondly they are impossible to eat!!!  and…..they charge $8.00!   

He said:   

I had seen MarkJoseph’s on a list of famous steak houses in one of the airline magazines and, since it was right behind our hotel, I was eager to try it. I can see why it made the list, everything - the food, the service, the atmosphere - was perfect! Also, it didn’t do anything to change my opinion that everything in NYC is very expensive! But I accept that eating at a famous restaurant with a well deserved reputation will not be a bargain meal. And, as Marla said, but failed to follow her own instinct, a nice juicy, medium rare filet was a welcome respite from all the seafood we’d been enjoying.

South Street Seaport; image from flickr by GothEric

Amid the Financial District is the South Street Seaport and, almost under the Brooklyn Bridge, is Pier 17 and its eclectic group of shops, restaurants and water taxi docks. The area has such a broad assortment of permanent and temporary attractions one can almost be guaranteed to find something of interest.            

What we did:         

She said:         

I loved this area of  the Financial District.  Pier 17  is such fun.  We enjoyed the evening festivities. A Middle-Eastern singing and dancing group performed on the stage in the middle of the plaza and there were street vendors selling miscellaneous things everywhere.  We decided to sit outside at the Pacific Grill and have a glass of wine. I ordered the mussel appetizer that was the KING of all mussel appetizers.  I had about 40-50 mussels in an asian sauce that was to die for.  It was only about $16.00.  If you are ever in that area you HAVE to go there (not to be too dramatic          

Afterwards we walked around the pier and saw the water falls on the Jersey side.  We enjoyed Pier 17 so much that we went back for lunch on Sunday. We decided to try a different stop and had lunch at Sequoia.  The mussels were very good there also.         

He said:      

Finally, an area not surrounded by skyscrapers and cement! The wooden pier and brick streets in this area create a much more relaxing atmosphere from the hustle and bustle from anywhere else on Manhattan, save some areas of the many parks. Just taking a stroll through the area was relaxing enough, although, after viewing all the inviting venues one could visit, choosing just one place to stop and/or shop was next to impossible. This is a welcome dilemma! Beyond all the restaurants, I was really enthralled with a small wine shop, Pasanella and Son’s. It was on one of the cobblestone streets and was voted the best local wine shop in the city! There people were very helpful and pleasant. The shop focuses on smaller vintage, boutique type wines and champagnes. We chose a delightful, and, to us, a previously unheard of Egly-Ouriet champagne to take on the cruise and enjoy as we departed.   

Staten Island Ferry; image from flickr by Furious-George

Ellis Island; image from flickr by melanzane1013

There are so many sights to see in the city its hard to know where to start. But the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island is a pretty good choice.               

What we did:              

She said:              

Okay–If you’ve never been to New York, besides the Empire State Building, you have to go on the Staten Island Ferry and visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.  They really are impressive, and such a part of our history.  Bill really wanted to do this, and it has to be the biggest bargain in New York City.  $12.00!!!!!!/person.  For $12.00 you get to ride on a boat, see the southern most part of the Manhattan,  Battery Park, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  $12.00!!!!  We opted not to get off the boat to walk around the Statue of Liberty( you couldn’t, at this time, go to the top), but decided that we would spend more time on Ellis Island.  Bill wanted to trace his ancestry from Finland.  Unfortunately, our grandparents came over long before the records started (late 1800′s) for tracing.  You can check this out on the computer, and save the $5.00 and, more importantly, the time.             

He said:             

This was a bit more like it as far as I was concerned. Yes, it was is touristy, but, after all, that’s what I am! We walked through the Financial District and Wall Street on our way to Battery Park where we caught the ferry *(but, sorry Marla, not the Staten Island Ferry) to the Statue and Ellis Island. Of course I had to pet The Bull and ogle the American flag that drapes the stock exchange. However, given the events of the last year and a half, I admit feeling a bit of anger since so many people that work here do so seemingly only to enrich themselves at Main Street’s expense!              

It was a bit of a bummer not being able to trace my grandparents heritage, but it was exciting to imagine their arrival as we wandered through the buildings of Ellis Island. Perhaps next time we visit we’ll tour the Statue as it is now open to tourists.  

*Marla:  Sorry for the confusion.  I always thought of the Staten Island Ferry in association with the statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It is just the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry operated by the National Park System operated out of Battery Park.

Spring Street, SoHo; image from flickr by Allie Caulfield

China Town, New York; image from flickr by Lutz Schramm

When exploring NYC, one needs to be prepared for lots of people, lots of traffic, lots of noise and, although everyone is in a hurry, allowing extra time to get anywhere!    

What we did:    

She said:    

We arrived to New York City early in the afternoon, and decided to walk to the SoHo district.  The SoHo area is filled with quaint unique little shops and restaurants.  It is becoming increasingly more expensive, so not quite the bargain it used to be.  We stopped for a drink and some appetizers outside  a little cafe on Spring St. called “The Blend”.  It was perfect.  We did pass up the green tea yogurt at “Pinkberry“.  It is very unusual and addictive yogurt and, like most things in NYC, very expensive!  We continued our stroll and ended up in China Town.  It was busy and crowded, and we were trying to navigate our way back to the Hampton Inn.  We ended up taking some wrong turns, but enjoyed the sights and people watching.   

He said:   

Okay, so let’s explore. The city is so massive its hard to figure out where to begin. Walking somewhere seemed to be a great way to get a sense of what it was like, so a trek to not so far away SoHo seemed like a great way to start. I have to admit, lacking a specific destination makes the walk more casual, albeit less purposeful. And for me, a rookie visitor, just taking in the endless sights and sounds was a bit overwhelming. Also, not having any familiarity with the city, everything seemed much the same. Had Marla not announced we were in SoHo and the map confirmed the same, we could have been anywhere! The wine and snacks were a welcome respite from dodging people and traffic, allowing me to relax and absorb some of the city’s magic. Despite a great map, we did, not unexpectedly from my perspective, lose our way when wandering through Chinatown on our way back to our hotel. I was glad to retreat to the quiet of our room for a glass of wine and a quick nap before heading out again!    

New York City; image from flickr by Paraflyer

A view from the water of Battery Park at the south end of Manhattan, dramatic, for what is there and, sadly, sobering for what is not – the Twin Towers.     

Where we stayed:   

She Said:   

We arrived in New York City on a Friday before our New England cruise that left on Sunday.  We Stayed in a Hampton Inn that was located near the southern tip of the island, within walking distance of the Financial District .  It was the least expensive hotel we could find, and it was still around $250.00!  It did include breakfast, but our room was the tiniest room I’ve ever been in.  It was wall to wall bed.  It was convenient, only ten miles, to the New Jersey Cruise Terminal, and I had never spent much time in that part of the Island. We hired a car service to take us from La Guardia to the Hampton Inn.  Dial 212-777-7777.  The fare was $31.00 plus tip, was very reliable and nicer than a cab.  This is a great area to explore and there is so much to see and do.   

He Said:   

This was my first trip to NYC and I was not prepared for the sticker shock that whacked squarely in my wallet at every turn. $250 for a room you have to stand on the bed to put your shirt on!? $30-$50 cab rides as reasonable transportation costs!? Give me a break!!! But, I must admit , it is an experience I want to repeat as there is so much history – and current events ocurring every day- that I can see why the allure for the Big Apple is so strong.