GRAND NEW ENGLAND CRUISE
2 - 20 September 2026l
After booking the cruise with ACL, I contacted my granddaughter in Massachusetts asking if I could visit either before or after it. She chose before, so I booked extra nights at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston.
Wednesday 2 September - AA1401 to Boston was scheduled to depart at 12:54pm. We waited for an incoming plane to land and disgorge passengers and were still boarding at our scheduled departure time. The time was changed to 1:14pm, but we had a maintenance issue and the door didn’t close until 1:38. Other than the delay, it was an easy flight. We landed at 6:32 EDT. After making my way through the terminal to the Uber pick up station, I booked a ride to the Four Seasons Hotel and checked into room 416.
Thursday 3 September - I went down to “Sottovento Coffee Shop” for breakfast: coffee is complimentary, but food isn’t.
It had been a long time since I had stayed at a Four Seasons Hotel, and I had forgotten how professional and well-trained the staff is. It was overcast and 65 degrees. Quite a contrast to Texas. A few minutes after 10, I Ubered to the Boston Museum of Fine Art.
Their collection is eclectic and vast, so I chose to see only certain exhibits. My goal was to see the “Monets,” and they were definitely worth the effort.
In the Jewish exhibit, I saw an illustrated “Haggadah” (holy book); I had no idea that was even a part of that culture.
Other paintings and a Degas bronze were icing on the cake.
From the museum, I Ubered to Union Oyster House where I enjoyed lunch: clam chowder, cornbread, coffee. Established in 1826, it claims to be “America’s Oldest Restaurant in Continuous Service.” The chowder was every bit as delicious as I remembered.
I walked through Fanneuil Hall, before walking back to the hotel.
The sun shone brightly, and it was a warm 73 degrees.
Friday 4 September - The temperature was 66 when I got up at 5. I Ubered to Pappare to meet my granddaughter and her partner at noon for lunch.
Afterwards we walked around the neighborhood and did a self-guided tour of the Old North Church.
After deciding that I would Uber to their house before noon tomorrow, they left to go home while I Ubered back to the hotel.
Saturday 5 September - I stopped by the front desk. Because ACL is paying for tonight, I had to check out and check in and get new keys. That done, I returned to the room. Leaving the hotel before 10am, I arrived at my granddaughter’s and her partner’s home a few minutes before 11. They gave me a tour of their home. After visiting for a while, we went to Johnson’s Drive In for lunch. We returned to their house for more visiting. Around 3 we left, and they drove me back to the hotel. What a great day I had being with them. After returning to my room, I got things ready to leave tomorrow morning.
Sunday 6 September - I locked my bag and got it ready for collection by 7:15. Breakfast was at 7am in the ‘Winthrop Room” on the 2nd floor. When I returned to my room, my bag was gone. Departure for the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum was scheduled for 9:15; we left about 15 minutes late. The temperature was 66 degrees under partly cloudy skies. After arriving at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, we saw a fifteen-minute video about his early life before walking through a chronological exhibit about his political career.
After completing that, I saw the special exhibition, “Declaring the Revolution- America’s Printed Path to Independence.” Seeing documents and books contemporaneous with the 1700s was amazing.
Departing at 12:30, we drove to the ship.
The upgrade to the Four Seasons and receiving the museum tour was money well spent. Embarking the ACL Pioneer, I went directly to 227.
I put down my things and went to the “Sky Lounge” on deck 5 for lunch. The “Mandatory Egress Drill” was at 2:00 followed by meeting the officers and a few other items. The “Sail Away Party” was on deck 5 at 2:30. It wasn't much, so I went to the cabin and finished unpacking.
The ship rocked more than I anticipated, At 4, Mark Wisner lectured on “John Glover and His Marblehead Mariners.” Happy Hour and dinner followed. At 8, I attended the “Port Preview” and “Chart Your Course” before the entertainment: Rawle Chester, a keyboardist, played music from the ‘50’s and 60’s.
Monday 7 September - Portland, ME - Labor Day - The ship was docked when I got up at 5am; the temperature was 56 degrees with a forecast high of 78. Breakfast was in the ‘Sky Lounge.” About 7:45, I returned to the cabin until the “Historical Fort Exploration Harbor Cruise” at 10:45. If I were here again, I wouldn’t book this tour. After walking a pier carpeted in bird droppings and climbing a steep metal ramp, I boarded the coach which departed on time. The driver had difficulty getting the arm to lift so we could leave the port area, and we were delayed around 10 minutes. When we arrived at the pier to board the “Elizabeth Grace,” it wasn’t there, so we waited at least 15 minutes before it arrived for boarding. Captain Zach was assisted by Olivia, the mate. I’m not certain the tour matched the description. Discover the hidden military history of Portland Harbor on this 1.5-hour boat exploration through scenic Casco Bay. As you cruise past Fort Gorges, Fort Scammel, Fort Preble, Fort Levett, and other historic sites, you’ll hear captivating stories of coastal defense, wartime strategy, and life on Maine’s island forts. With sweeping views and engaging narration, this all-boat experience offers the perfect balance of sightseeing and storytelling—no walking or disembarking required. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply seeking a relaxing and enriching way to experience the beauty of coastal Maine, this experience offers a memorable and unique perspective on Portland’s storied shoreline. The forts were there, but I heard no captivating stories and the narration wasn’t engaging. It was a nice boat trip on smooth seas under cloudless blue skies. Mate Olivia did all the talking, and there was no loud speaker aboard, so she moved from stern to bow to repeat herself. Mark Wisner, cruise lecturer, was aboard as the escort, and provided considerable information and spotted ospreys, other vessels, and other items if interest.
It was a few minutes after one when I reboarded the ship. After dashing to the ‘Sky Lounge” to order lunch, I went to my cabin to leave my coat before returning to the lounge. By the time my lunch was ready, my afternoon tour, “Portland City Exploration,” was announced. No lunch for me as we departed at 1:30. I didn’t expect much from this tour, and it met my expectations. Portland is Maine’s largest city-by-the-sea. The Old Port waterfront features working fishing wharves and converted warehouses with restaurants and shops. The Western Promenade is a public park atop a bluff, offering river and mountain views. Its surrounding district, the West End, is full of Victorian-era homes. View Longfellow’s boyhood home, sea captains’ houses and the elegant Victorian Mansion. Drive through historic neighborhoods overlooking the islands of Casco Bay in Portland Harbor. Stop at Portland Head Lighthouse in Fort Williams Park, a historic landmark and the most photographed lighthouse in America. Randy did a good job as a tour guide.
The lighthouse was erected during George Washington’s administration.
I bought blueberry gelato at a stand there.
When we boarded the coach to leave at 3:30, neither the guide nor the escort was certain how many were on the tour. Less than a mile down the road, a lady realized she had left her cellphone at a craft booth near the lighthouse. The driver found an intersection where, with the guide outside stopping traffic, she was able to turn the coach around. We returned to the lighthouse area where the lady and the escort got off the coach and retrieved her cellphone. On the road again, we circled by “Bug Light” before returning to the ship.
When I boarded at 4:30, I sat on my balcony to write my travelogue. A little after 5:30, I returned to the lounge for HH and then went to dinner. After dinner, I returned to the lounge for “Port Preview” and “Charting Your Course.”
Tuesday 8 September - Rockland, ME - (Tender Port) At 5am, the temperature was 60 degrees; the forecast high was 72. We were tied up at a commercial dock. Breakfast was in the “Sky Lounge” about 6:45. I sat on my balcony while my cabin was cleaned. Skies were partly cloudy making being outside quite pleasant. Several dockhands were untying a floating barge before moving it across the harbor. More clouds moved in and the wind picked up a little, so I went inside. By noon, it was 70 degrees with a slight northerly wind; the sun was playing hide-and-seek. My afternoon tour was scheduled to leave the ship using the tender at 1:45 and to return to the ship at 5. We rode a coach to the dock on Rockland Harbor and boarded the “Schooner Heron,” a 65-foot John Alden–designed vessel, for a relaxing 2-hour private cruise through the calm waters of Penobscot Bay under sunny skies. Owner/Captain Bonnie and 2 mates made the experience special. The captain spotted a sunfish. We saw a couple of seals, a lighthouse, and the Camden Hills during the cruise. She spoke of Rockland’s importance as a lime rock producing area; lime rocks were burned and the powder collected for use in making plaster. Rail and trucks have replaced ships for transporting this resource. At one time, ice was sawn from area lakes, packed in sawdust, and shipped as far away as India.
We returned to the harbor and tendered back to the ship. I went to dinner before attending the Port Preview and Chart Your Course.
Wednesday 9 September - Boothbay Harbor, ME - (Tender Port) The ship was anchored In Boothbay Harbor when I woke at 5am; the temperature was 53 degrees heading for a high of 64. Overcast skies wouldn’t allow for much temperature change.
After eating breakfast, I returned to the cabin. The “Boothbay Bites” tour departed the ship at 10:45. After a short tender ride, we met our tour guide, Cat.
At “Eventide,” our first stop, we sampled vinegar, olive oils, and cheeses. No tasting in the bakery portion, but I bought 2 delicious coconut macaroons.
At “Footbridge Brewery,” we enjoyed smoked pork sliders and a small glass of craft beer.
“Harbor Side 1901 Bar & Grill” offered a lobster bite and a shrimp dumpling; neither was worth photographing.
Our final stop, “Kaler’s Restaurant,” provided spicy corn and lobster chowder.
Cat gave each of us a bag containing blueberry crumble, but I have no clue as to who supplied it.
A short walk brought me to the tender waiting to depart at 1:15; I was onboard the ship shortly after 1:30. Many of the surfaces were uneven and there were some fairly steep inclines. We left Boothbay Harbor a few minutes after 2 and headed for Bangor. “The American Experience Event” was at 3. After HH, I went to dinner.
Thursday 10 September - Bangor, ME - When I woke at 5:30, the ship was docked in Bangor where the temperature was 68 degrees with the afternoon high forecast to reach 81; skies were mostly clear. I went to the “Sky Lounge” for breakfast. Returning to my cabin, I sat on my balcony. Lunch was in the “Sky Lounge.” Then I returned to my cabin until time for my “Discover Bangor” tour at 1:30. Justin was a good tour guide, and the group was congenial. Our first photo stop was the “Paul Bunyan” statue outside the arena and across from the harness racing track and state fair grounds.
At 32,000 people and Maine’s third largest city, Bangor is a center for services, especially for areas farther North. Several institutions for higher learning are located in Bangor; some are academic while others are trade. One used a 3-D printer to created a wooden ship. We spent an hour at the Cole Land Transportation Museum, jam packed with all kinds of vehicles: sleds, bikes, roller skates, automobiles, snowplows, snowmobiles, etc. Outside the museum there were military memorials with other military memorabilia displayed inside.
From there we drove to The Maine Air Museum adjacent to Bangor International Airport where we spent 30 minutes learning about Bangor’s aviation heritage. The airport has a two-mile long runway and is/was a refueling training facility for the “Air National Guard.”
A narrated drive through well-kept neighborhoods and downtown
ended with a photo stop at the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation.
After a short drive, we were at the ship by 4:20. What a wonderful way to enjoy a warm, sunny day! HH and dinner went well.
Friday 11 September- Bar Harbor, ME - When I got up about 6:15, we were still sailing towards our anchorage in Bar Harbor. The forecast was for a low of 57 and a high if 71 with sunshine. Having been here previously, I decided to just ride the tender to shore and not book any tours. We dropped anchor in Bar Harbor a few minutes before 8am. Breakfast was in the “Sky Lounge.” Seeing The Bar Harbor Inn hugging the shoreline evoked many happy memories.
I took the 9:45 tender ashore; waves and wind combined for a bumpy ride. Once ashore, I window shopped my way up the street to The Green.
Then I walked a few blocks to Abbe Museum showcasing the indigenous history and culture of the area. Most exhibitions were modern creations. (They can’t show you what they don’t have.)
Leaving the museum, I window shopped my way back toward the shore, stopping at a few stores. Lunch was at the Thirsty Whale. The lobster roll, fries, and wine were delicious.
Making my way down toward the water, I found a place to sit until taking the 12:45 tender back to the ship. Once back onboard, it was time to relax. My cabin felt warm, so I closed the drapes and adjusted the thermostat. I went to HH at 5:20. After dinner, I went to the lounge for the rundown of tomorrow’s activities.
Saturday 12 September - Bath, ME - Sailing was rough enough to wake me around 2am; I went back to sleep and got up at 4:45. The motion continued; I was glad my cabin was not on a higher deck. Bath’s forecast was for a low of 44 and a high of 72 with sunshine. This morning’s “Sky Lounge” breakfast began at 6:30. We sailed among some islands which made for a smoother ride. One of them sported a lighthouse. We sailed up the Kennebec River and docked in Bath.
I rode the coach into the downtown area and spent an hour and a half wandering around. The only interesting store was Reny’s, sort of like a variety store on steroids. After walking into a couple of other stores,
I reboarded the coach for the ride back to the ship. After leaving the coach, I made the short walk to the Maine Maritime Museum; it wasn’t much.
Top from Lighthouse
I went to “Sky Lounge” for lunch. A lady fell in the lounge and gashed her head; she received first aid but didn’t leave the ship. We sailed for Portsmouth, NH at 3, and I went to the “Sky Lounge” a few minutes later to watch the scenery. A few trees were beginning to show a little Fall color, much more than the ones farther North.
Sunday 13 September - Portsmouth, NH - 60/68 The itinerary scheduled us to dock in Portsmouth at 3am. We were still sailing when I got up at 5. I learned that the lady who fell in the lounge yesterday, received first aid, and refused to leave the ship for medical treatment was put ashore last night when we made an unscheduled stop in Portland. Today’s weather forecast called for rain all day—some of it heavy. Even with a low of 60 and a high of 68, that could be unpleasant. I decided to cancel my tour which required walking outside. Carrying an umbrella while using a cane could easily become a juggling act. After breakfast in the “Sky Lounge,” I returned to my cabin. When we docked a few minutes after 9, it was raining. This morning’s walking tour of Portsmouth was cancelled, but the guide came onboard and talked about the city. He gave an interesting synopsis of the city’s history. A huge black-tarp-covered-mound beside the ship was road salt for winter use in New Hampshire and Vermont.
At 1:30, I boarded a coach and rode the “Local Loop.” During the 20 minute ride, I saw a little of the city through the rain spattered windows. Quite a few Georgian houses graced the streets. Even though the rain was only a drizzle by mid-afternoon, it was still a dreary, overcast day. The lady who left the ship for medical treatment returned with 15 stitches in her head and lots of bruising. After HH, and dinner, I went to my cabin.
Monday 14 September - Gloucester, MA -
Today’s temperatures ranged between 67 and 72. What a pleasant day to be outside! I had an all day tour to Salem. We boarded the coach shortly after 9 with Janine, a retired history teacher, as out guide. She filled the drive from the port in Gloucester to Salem with information about the settlement of the area and—of course—the witch trials. Upon arrival in Salem, our first stop was The House of the Seven Gables, now owned by a non-profit supporting settlement housing. Richard, a local guide, escorted us through the house and shared the history of the structure and if its owners and inhabitants. Nathaniel Hawthorn, who immortalized the house in his novel, was a visitor to the house and a cousin of an early owner. The interior stairs are treacherous.
After the house tour, I skipped the self-guided tour of Hawthorn’s boyhood home which has been moved onto the property. We reboarded the coach and drove to the Visitors Center downtown. From there we walked a few blocks to Turner’s Seafood for a buffet lunch.
Returning to the Visitors Center, I paid $5 to watch an excellent documentary about the “Salem Witch Trials.” Then a group of us walked with Jeanine to the Salem Witch Trials Memorial erected in 1992 in memory of the 20 people killed as a result of the witch trials. Twenty granite benches are cantilevered from a low granite wall. Each bench contains the name, method of execution, and death date of a victim. The location of the victims’ bodies is unknown because they weren’t allowed to be buried in consecrated ground. If the accused confessed to being a witch, they were imprisoned. If they denied being a witch they were killed.
The adjacent Charter Street Cemetery contains the graves of many of Salem’s earliest citizens; one was a Mayflower passenger.
Hollingworth
Christian, wife to Richard More
After departing Salem at 3pm, we made 2 stops in Gloucester. One to see the statue of the Fisherman’s Wife and some dahlias;
the other at the Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial which listed the names of all local fishermen lost at sea.
We also drove by the "Gloucester Boulder" denoting the Pilgrims' landing.
We arrived at the ship about 4:20, and I went to HH and dinner.
Tuesday 15 September - Provincetown, MA - It was 59 degrees when I got up.
The “Town Crier” came onboard at 8:30. The “Town Crier” was inept—did not know the difference between Pilgrims and Puritans.
My one-hour trolley tour was scheduled for 9:30, and the weather was perfect—sunny and 62 degrees. After trekking across a pier carpeted in bird droppings, I climbed a steep ramp to board “The Mayflower Trolley.” Pat, the guide narrated the entire time as we drove through the town, the Province Lands, the dunes, the Cape Cod National Seashore, and back to the pier.
Everyone on the street smiled and waved. The time after Labor Day is called “Townie Summer” because most of the tourists have departed and the locals can enjoy less crowded conditions. Hotels competed with eating establishments and art galleries for dominance because tourism is their “bread and butter.” The town was clean and inviting. Choosing not to remain in town to shop, I disembarked on the pier and returned to the ship. During lunch in the “Sky Lounge,” someone spotted a whale in the distance, and I saw a spouting. The “Eagle Society” celebration in the Chesapeake Lounge” began at 2. I returned to my cabin until the Captain announced that we would enter the Cape Cod Canal at 4pm. Then I went topside to enjoy the view and to make some photos. We sailed under 3 bridges: two vehicle; one railroad. If some of the houses I saw were “Cottages at the Cape,” then my definition of “cottage” was oh so wrong.
Wednesday 16 September - Newport, RI - Something woke me a few minutes after midnight, but I went right back to sleep. When I got up at 4:40 the ship was docked in Newport, so maybe it was the docking that woke me. The temperature was 59 degrees and forecast to climb to 72. I went to the “Sky Lounge” for breakfast at 6:30 and stayed about an hour. My “Newport City Exploration” tour began at 9:45. We boarded the coach and departed the pier for a 10-mile drive along Ocean View Drive and Bellevue Avenue, the so-called “Avenue of the Mansions.” We passed by the gates of the Breakers, a seventy-room mansion and National Historic Landmark built for Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1895. Billionaires now make Newport home, at least for part of the year.
The drive continued through downtown Newport
and ended at Fort Adams, the site for our “New England Lobster Bake Lunch.”
We watched them uncover the pit containing clams, lobsters, Portuguese sausage, potatoes, and corn; seaweed, called rockweed, is gathered after high tide and placed inside the pit to add flavor. The meal was brought inside and devoured. I enjoyed a beer with mine; there was chocolate cake for dessert.
After eating, I walked the half mile or so back to the ship
and chilled until time for the lecture on "The Triangular Trade."
HH and dinner followed.
Thursday 17 September - New Bedford, MA - We were entering New Bedford when I got up at 4:45 and were soon tied up. It was a pleasant 67 degrees. As usual, I opened the ‘Sky Lounge” when I went for breakfast.
About 7:30, I returned to my cabin to get ready for my “Acushnet Harbor Cruise” scheduled to begin at 9. I enjoyed this tour of the New Bedford/Acusnet River Basin Harbor. Not only did I learn about scallop fishing, but I also learned about the whaling industry, which relocated here after storms destroyed the harbor seabed in Nantucket. Seeing and hearing about the largest hurricane barrier on the East Coast made his explanations more pertinent. We saw Palmer's Island Lighthouse, Fort Phoenix, and a working fishing fleet. Crystal Ice, which supplies all the ice used by the fishing vessels to preserve their catch, sat right on the water.
Returning to the dock about 10:30, I disembarked and walked back to the ship. After dumping things in my cabin, I made coffee intending to sit on my balcony, but it was too warm. Even though it was only 78, no breeze was stirring on my side of the ship. About 11:30, I went to the “Sky Lounge” for lunch. At 4, I went to the “Chesapeake Lounge” for ‘Boat to Table,” a presentation by a person from the “Fishing Heritage Center” and a commercial fisherman. They showed a great video about commercial fishing from New Bedford. They emphasized that New Bedford is the nation's most valuable fishing port and has been an important fishing port for over one hundred years. Over 7000 people are employed in a combination of work at sea and on shore to harvest a variety of seafood including fish, scallops, lobster, crabs, and more. They provided an overview of the local seafood industry and its inner workings including the different fisheries, types of gear used, types of seafood harvested, daily life at sea, and how the catch is offloaded, sold, processed, etc. when the boat returns to port. The dangers of commercial fishing, sustainability, and fisheries science were included. fishingheritagecenter.org After HH and dinner, I returned to my cabin.
Friday 18 September - Martha’s Vinyard, MA - 69/76 - When I got up at a quarter of five, the ship was docked in Martha’s Vineyard even though our schedule showed a 7am arrival.
My 3-hour “Views of the Vineyard” tour began at 9:15. Rock fences constructed of ballast stones surrounded many woodlands, field, houses, and even a cemetery.
The highlight of the tour was a photo stop for Aquinnah's multi-colored clay cliffs and the impressive Gay Head Lighthouse.
Our guide did an excellent narration while fielding questions. We stopped in Edgartown where all houses must be painted white or sided with cedar shingles.
Our route back to the ship took us through Oak Bluffs where many houses, remnants of a Methodist Camp Meeting Community, are multicolored Victorians complete with gingerbread.
Upon returning to the ship, I put items into my cabin before going to the “Sky Lounge” for lunch. The Captain announced that the schooner “Shenandoah,” the only topsail schooner in the world without an engine, was being decommissioned and would be saluted as she entered the breakwater. I went topside, but the schooner reefed her sails and never entered the harbor. I made photos from the deck.
Then I went to hear Mark’s talk, “A Woman has a Lot to Thank a Whale For,” about products made from whales. I made a photo of the “Shenandoah” inside the breakwater before enjoying HH and dinner.
Friday 19 September - Plymouth. MA - Didn’t sleep much after 3am because of the rocking and rolling of the ship. Got up at 4:45. The temperature was 61, and the forecast predicted a high of 62. When we entered Plymouth Harbor, the sailing smoothed.
I went to breakfast in the “Sky Lounge.” Then I returned to my cabin until time for my “Plimoth Patuxet” tour at 9.
A guide escorted us through the Patuxet section of the outdoor museum where we learned about Wampanoag culture.
A man was building a dugout boat using fire.
In another bark covered house a woman explained village life and gave details of the construction of the structure.
In a third area, a woman was cooking over an open fire and explained diet, food cultivation, and food preparation. She wore "Wampum Jewelry."
We followed our guide from this area to Plimoth, a recreation of the Pilgrims settlement in 1637 where costumed enactors explained daily life.
This morning tour was excellent, and I returned to the ship. Lunch was in the “Sky Lounge.” It was a warm, sunny day. After lunch, I left for my afternoon walking tour at 1:45. We visited the Plimoth Grist Mill, Plymouth Rock, and Mayflower II. The tour inside the mill was interesting and informative, and they were actually grinding corn. The guide talked too much and kept the group standing in one place too long (20 minutes); she was unable or unwilling to condense her spiel or to talk while walking.
Then we stopped to hear about "King Philip's War" before continuing our walk to the harbor.
Seeing Plymouth Rock was somewhat anti-climactic, but its history intrigued.
Boarding Mayflower II emphasized how arduous and dangerous that 1620 voyage was.
Our time there was short because the guide talked too much earlier in the tour. Upon returning to the ship, I stopped by the cabin before going to the “Chesapeake Lounge” for Mark’s presentation on the history of the US Flag and HH. After dinner, I returned to the cabin to pack. I didn’t need the cold weather clothing as the weather was warmer than anticipated.
Sunday 20 September - Boston to DFW - I went to the “Sky Lounge” about 5:20 for coffee. Then I returned to my cabin to finish packing my backpack before returning to the “Sky Lounge” where I had breakfast. Back in my cabin, I prepared for “Airport Security,” gathered my coat and backpack, and went to wait in the “Chesapeake Lounge” until time for my airport transfer at 8:15; we left early. AA1438 to DFW showed boarding shortly after noon. The airport transfer went well. We got off the coach at the section of “Terminal B” without American Airlines, so I walked across the garage, took the escalator to the 2nd level, and went through “Security.” By 9am, I was sitting near Gate B20. We boarded on time. I reserved my Uber on arrival to see if I liked it. We pushed back on time. When we landed at 4pmCDT, I connected with my Uber for the trip home. I didn’t like scheduling the Uber earlier and probably wouldn’t do it again.
