American Cruise Line
American Star Cruise Review
Linda Androlia
sunstonetours@aol.com
Itinerary:
Maine Coast and Harbors
Sailing Date: July, 2008
Age: 50
Occupation: travel agent
Number of Cruises: zillions
Maine Coast and Harbors -
July 2008
I had never been to Maine and was really excited to try this
itinerary.
We flew into Bangor a day
early, the ship sails out around lunchtime so many
passengers come in a day early. Bangor’s cruise landing is
set alongside a beautiful riverside park, very walk able
from downtown. The locals come down for a stroll and dream
that they could also sail away on the ship.
The Charles Inn: There are a number of hotels by the
airport that are suggested by the cruise line but we wanted
to be in downtown Bangor so we could walk around and see the
sights. We stayed at the Charles Inn, built in 1891 and the
only hotel in downtown Bangor. It was quaint and we had a
nice quiet room. It was very comfortable and as it could
still use some more updating it was big on location location
location. We enjoyed walking around downtown and at night
going to a free movie in the park.
We were up bright and early
and walked to the ship with our rolling luggage. I would
suggest calling a taxi for about $5.00, or let them take
your luggage and you can walk. There at the riverside park,
stewards from the cruise line help you with your luggage.
The American Star is beautiful bright white with red white
and blue funnels. Boarding begins at nine in the morning and
as soon as all the passengers are on they sail away.
The American Star We walked up the ramp to the ship
and there was our daughter. She walked us to our to our
cabin where our luggage was already waiting. She is working
on the ship for two months to make some money before
returning to college. It was such fun to see her in her cute
uniform. During the summer months most of the crew are
energetic college age kids.
Our cabin ... roomy.Our cabin was large for a small
ship at 220 square feet. We had a desk and a chair with a
large window that opened, as well as a single chair and
coffee table and a king size bed. We had more than adequate
drawer and closet space and a nice sized bathroom. There was
a TV but we never turned it on. Each cabin has an Emergency
Button since there are no telephones in the room. We had a
small balcony with two chairs and a small table. We were
overlooking the riverside park and was fun watching the new
passengers come on the ship.
Lunch was our first order of business once we unpacked. The
dinning room has all windows with tables for six or eight.
There is no assigned anything, it is fun to sit with new
people and meet everyone. Our waitress for our first meal
was our daughter, which made it even more special. Our first
meal with lobster bisque started off the lobster craze,
which continues at almost every meal for the whole week.
Between the Maine Lobster and Maine Blueberries, one quickly
learns to love this destination.
Our First Port – our first day
I normally love to be outside for the sail away, but lunch
was calling. The horn blew and off we were, people at the
Riverside Park waving us goodbye. Talk about small town
quaint, this was it.
Fort KnoxIn a few hours our Captain pulled up to a small
dock in Bucksport. Quite a sleepy little village, which was
once a prosperous shipbuilding town. Within a few minutes
with the deck hands running here and there with ropes to tie
up the ship, the ramp came down and off we went. Some
walking into town with its main street, art deco movie
theater and a number of cute stores. The rest of us boarded
a small bus to cross the Penobscot River to visit Fort Knox.
Quite an interesting excursion as we were taken around the
Fort by a National Parks Guide who explained the history and
unique architecture of the fort. The fort was well equipped
to defend the Penobscot Valley during the Civil War. But as
history unfolds not a shot was ever fired in anger from the
fort.
Returning to the ship it was a beautiful view down the
river. We could see our ship in the distance, our home away
from home for the next week.
The ship's lounge: The
first evening I felt like I was on a beautiful floating B &
B. Entering the lounge for evening cocktails, which is the
norm every night. The lounge is like a comfortable living
room with overstuffed sofas in cream and blues. During this
hour hors d’oeuvres are passed around by the cute young
college age crewmembers. The hotel manger tends bar and all
drinks are complimentary. The conversations are lively as we
all meander down one flight of stars to the dinning room.
A typical dinner offering: Dinner on the first night
was prime rib, fresh fish or a vegetarian selection along
with complimentary wines. The table is set with a California
merlot and a chilled bottle of Italian white wine, and if
more is desired, just ask. Wine is available at lunch too,
but it’s not put on the tables unless requested. Bread in a
basket is offered at every lunch and dinner and I think the
rolls were different each time. We heard from my daughter
that we were lucky as we had the best chef and I would
agree. I am a very picky eater and I never had a single
complaint, nor did I hear any others. Food was a 10 for
sure.
I love the fact that the ship stays in port most evenings
and you can get off the ship and take a walk after dinner.
The first night a few of us took off with the ships lecturer
John to see the local graveyard. What fun that was with
dates going back to the 1700’s. It started to mist and a
light fog was rolling in, I thought for sure we were in a
movie.
We returned to the ship where we had a lecture on the
history of Maine and a short talk on the places we were yet
to visit in our week on Maine Coast and Harbors.
Our on board lecturer for this cruise was John Meffert. He
was spectacular. He not only was a wealth of information he
was entertaining. No one snoozes during his talks. He has a
long list of education and experience with historical
organizations. In the future I would go out of my way to
join any cruise his is on.
At 9 pm the crew comes out with root beer floats and ice
cream sundaes. What fun, most people tried one or the other,
as the week went on fewer and fewer gave in to the second
dessert in a few hours after dinner. A group of us opened a
1,000-piece puzzle and schmoozed for a few minutes before
calling it a day.
And the days after…
The ship usually sailed in the early morning and after
breakfast we found ourselves in Bar Harbor. We were tied up
at the pubic dock among fishing boats, sailing ships,
lobster traps and a few huge yachts. We were to be here for
about 24 hours, which gave us the opportunity to explore. We
were the only cruise ship in port, yet it was still a very
busy little town. Set up for tourists with shops and
restaurants. I looked forward to other days when we would be
in less populated areas of the coasts. In the morning we
took a waking map that the ship gave us and explored the
town on our own. After lunch we decided on an excursion to
Acadia National Park (in my 1,000 places to visit before you
die book). It was a lovely afternoon with a little mist and
sweeping views from the top of Cadillac Mountain with our
ship a speck in the distance on the Bar Harbor waterfront.
Going up to the park we were entertained by our guide who
educated us on what we were passing. Bar Harbor has quite a
history with a devastating fire in 1947, which destroyed a
good portion of the town and surrounding areas.
Linda experiencing lobster harvestingEvery day on the
American Star had a unique twist to it. Each town we visited
had it own unique charm and character. We learned that the
tides and the weather in Maine play an integral part in our
schedule. A storm was brewing so our Captain announced we
would leave Bar Harbor a few hours early and arrive in our
next port Rockland much earlier than expected. At this point
we were passing through hundreds of colored buoys we would
later learn were lobster pots, each color belonging to
different fisherman. We learned no one touches other than
their own buoys and that the traps had to be checked every
day or two as the lobsters are cannibals.
Past Lobster Festival poster: Lobster was a fun part
of this whole cruise. From lobster bisque, lobster ice
cream, lobster cakes, lobster on the shell, out of the
shell, to live lobsters on the dock watching the fisherman
unload their morning catch. We met Captain Jack who offered
to take a few people at a time on his little boat to check
his traps. My husband jumped at the chance and had a great
experience. The big males you throw back, the females with
eggs you throw back, the small ones goes back, and many
times the traps are brought up and they are empty. By the
end of the week we would be a walking encyclopedia on
lobster as food and lobster as an industry.
Our next port Rockland was wonderful. More of what I
pictured coastal Maine to look like with old quaint
buildings downtown. Dairy Queen was the hot spot and the
crew on their hour off during the day head right over
there. Tours were offered as well as one of the crew
members walked us over to the local museum, which I
thoroughly enjoyed. A visit to the Farnsworth Art Museum is
a must. Three generations of Wyth’s, Maine’s most famous
artists hang in a lovely complex of buildings.
Returning to the American Star: Our next port was
Camden, just up the bay, we anchored off Camden, one of the
coast’s most attractive towns, the center mostly constructed
of handsome brick following a fire in 1892. It was the first
time we had seen traffic backed up since U.S. Route 1 passes
through town at a snail’s pace. But it made no difference as
we checked out the art, craft and clothing shops along Main
Street. The quality was good, and the prices seemed high.
Camden is known for Belted Galloway cattle. They are
nicknamed Oreo cows because they have black fronts and rears
and a white middle, they look just like a double Oreo
cookie.
Castine was the most enchanting with its quiet,
non-commercial setting of beautiful historic summer homes in
traditional New England styles -- federal, colonial, Queen
Anne, Victorian and combination thereof with the additions
of a porch or a turret or a row of dormer windows. Castine
does not have a dock large enough for our small ship so we
had to anchor in the bay and tender in. We again were at the
public dock with all the fishing and sailing boats.
Fisherman going here and there sailing out or bringing in
their catch. We felt like locals walking along the docks.
We walked around town with Jim Stone from the Castine
Historical Society and marveled at the unique architecture.
We were told John Travolta has a summer home overlooking the
bay where our ship was docked. Castine was at one time the
second wealthiest community in the US based on trade of
whale oil. As with all the ports we were provided
information, maps. Usually the night prior a thumbnail
sketch on the history and community life in the town we were
to visit the next day.
Belfast is built on a sloping hill and beautiful as we
sailed in leaving the infamous Maine fog out at sea. A
member of the Chamber of Commerce came on the ship during
breakfast and provided a wealth of knowledge about the
historic village as she called it. A shore excursion took
us out to the Penobscot Marine Museum. One quickly discovers
why the Belfast area was selected in 1997 as American’s
premier destination by travel writers. Walking street after
street in this town is a joy.
We sailed overnight and arrived back in Bangor mid day. Many
went out on walking tours of the town, as they hadn’t
explored before they came on the ship. Some went to the
casino and some to the winery. We used this time to hang out
on the top deck, get some sun, a few games of ping-pong and
some reading done. A relaxing afternoon after our many days
of exploring so many lovely nooks and crannies of Maine’s
coast.
The fantastic crew: Our last night on the ship had us
exchanging numbers and addresses. Many of the passengers had
sailed on American Cruise Line before. Others had been on
other small ships and for some this was their first sailing.
Ages ranged from 19 – 85, the majority being retired or like
us in our 60’s and not quite retired yet. With such a small
ship everyone makes friends. The crew is for the most part
young college age kids with great attitudes and always a big
smile. They work really hard and hours that only college age
kids could keep. The passenger gratuities is their salary
and of course very important to them.
We thoroughly enjoyed our week on the American Star. Sailing
from one small town to another allowed us to feel the
differences in personality and prosperity. We learned what
made the towns historically grow from fishing, farming,
mining, paper mills, ship building and when their fortunes
changed how the locals were able to cope and find other
sources to sustain their economy. Tourism and the summer
population bring Maine alive with its history and beautiful
coastline. We truly loved this trip.
Linda Androlia
