ACCL - Hudson Champlain Revolutionary Trail Cruise - August 2009

[Love Cruises]

Are there any other cruise critic members other than us who are taking this cruise in August from Warren, RI to Burlington, VT? If so, would love to have a Meet and Greet.

[Love Cruises]

Would love to have other Cruise Critic members on this trip! Anyone else considering it?

[MaduroJim]

Hi,

 

My wife and I are actually considering it. We've never sailed on ACCL and were a bit concerned about how tiny the cabins are.

 

I notice you've sailed extensively - and you seem to like ACCL...could you share a bit about what you like about them?

 

The itinerary is really appealing, but to put it in perspective, my wife's favorite ship is the Symphony...

[LHT28]

Hi,

The itinerary is really appealing, but to put it in perspective, my wife's favorite ship is the Symphony...

 

ACCL is the bottom end of the scale from Crystal

 

The cabins are very small

someone took a photo of the cabin on the top deck in this review..give you an idea of room size

http://smallshipcruises.com/cruisereport/cruisereportgrandemariner.shtml

beds are very small steel cots

no door on bathroom

If you do decide to book go with a cabin on the top deck the mains deck the cabins are so noisy that unless you wear earplugs or sleep very soundly you will be sleep deprived

The good things:

the ships get to smaller ports

the food is very good basic cooking ( not Crystal class)

BYOB

 

 

Lyn

[MaduroJim]

Thanks for the link - it's helpful.

 

We've been looking at some alternatives to the big ships, and the ACCL itineraries look great, but I think we'll keep looking. I wasn't expecting luxury amenities on such a small ship, but it looks a bit rustic for us. ;)

 

Thanks again for the info!

[LHT28]

Thanks for the link - it's helpful.

 

We've been looking at some alternatives to the big ships, and the ACCL itineraries look great, but I think we'll keep looking. I wasn't expecting luxury amenities on such a small ship, but it looks a bit rustic for us. ;)

 

Thanks again for the info!

 

You may want to look at "American cruise lines" http://www.americancruiselines.com/ Cruisewest or "Pearl seas cruises" http://www.pearlseascruises.com/ (still under construction) a bit more $$ but probably worth it

[culebra]

ACL is usually TWICE as much as ACCL and they cannot offer the same itinerary's since they can't transit the Erie Canal and go from Chicago to the Mississippi or other inland waterways. Also, they cannot go through the Champlain Canal either. ACCL has just re-fit the Grande Caribe and it is ALL NEW inside for 2009!

[LHT28]

. ACCL has just re-fit the Grande Caribe and it is ALL NEW inside for 2009!

What did they do?

What changes did they make?

They never put pictures of the cabins on the website or their brochures....wonder why?

[culebra]

Can't answer all of your questions, but if you call the number listed, as I did, I'm sure the company can.

[silvercruiser]

Largest cabins are only 100 sq. ft. Towels are what you'd buy by the bundle at Home Depot to wash your truck. Shower is made by pulling a curtain around you so the rest of the bathroom doesn't get wet. No lock on the door and no door to the bathroom, just the curtain.

Price for our Lake Michigan cruise in '07 was $300pp a day. Way way too expensive for such rustic ship.

Fellow passengers were mostly from retirement homes, a pleasant group but not well travelled. None had ever been on a 'real' cruise ship but just know that 'they're just awful.'

[LHT28]

Largest cabins are only 100 sq. ft. Towels are what you'd buy by the bundle at Home Depot to wash your truck. Shower is made by pulling a curtain around you so the rest of the bathroom doesn't get wet. No lock on the door and no door to the bathroom, just the curtain.

Price for our Lake Michigan cruise in '07 was $300pp a day. Way way too expensive for such rustic ship.

Fellow passengers were mostly from retirement homes, a pleasant group but not well travelled. None had ever been on a 'real' cruise ship but just know that 'they're just awful.'

 

I am glad I am not the only one who felt ripped off by ACCL

[Love Cruises]

Anyone else going on this trip? We just go off the NIAGARA PRINCE on June 13th after their Chicago, IL to New Orleans, LA cruise. It was fantastic!

 

Can't wait to get back on the ship on August 30th!

[Karanja]

Anyone else going on this trip? We just go off the NIAGARA PRINCE on June 13th after their Chicago, IL to New Orleans, LA cruise. It was fantastic!

 

Can't wait to get back on the ship on August 30th!

 

++++

Lucky, you! I attempted to make that trip Chicago-NOLA a few years back. Heavy rains caused the authorities to close the waterway we were on heading across Illinois and we had to disembark in Havana, IL and be bused to St. Louis, spend the night and return home after just 24 hoiurs. What a disappointment as the itinerary is ingenious - Chicago River, then all sorts of connecting waterways to the Miss R, then Ohio R, Tenn R, Tenn-Tombigbee Waterway, Mobile River and Bay and Intracoastal Waterway to NOLA.

 

The NP is the lowest slung of the lot and can go where no others venture. We passed under a RR Bridge as Amtrak's Southwest Chief thundered across lowering the span to within about three inches of the top deck. The pilot house had been lowered, the deck railing collapsed and all the deck chairs removed. Low Bridge on the Erie Canal - so to speak.

 

So what itinerary do you do August 30th?

[Love Cruises]

When you attempted to do the trip was that on ACCLs NIAGARA PRINCE?

 

On August 30th we leave from Warren, RI go to Newport, RI then on to NYC , up the Hudson River to Bear Mountain, West Point, Kingston, Troy then canals to Lake Champlain landing up in Burlington, VT. Then the cruiseline buses you back to Warren, RI. We love this because we won't have to fly. We will drive our car to Rhode Island and leave it for free in the shipyard.

 

Next year we also reserved with them 2 back-to-back cruises from New Orleans, LA to Knoxville, TN and Knoxville, TN to Nashville, TN using different waterways than the trip we did this year. We didn't book the third segment of this trip Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL since it repeats the same itinerary we just took. It should be a alot of fun!

 

Maybe, someday we will meet you on an ACCL cruise.

[Karanja]

When you attempted to do the trip was that on ACCLs NIAGARA PRINCE?

 

On August 30th we leave from Warren, RI go to Newport, RI then on to NYC , up the Hudson River to Bear Mountain, West Point, Kingston, Troy then canals to Lake Champlain landing up in Burlington, VT. Then the cruiseline buses you back to Warren, RI. We love this because we won't have to fly. We will drive our car to Rhode Island and leave it for free in the shipyard.

 

Next year we also reserved with them 2 back-to-back cruises from New Orleans, LA to Knoxville, TN and Knoxville, TN to Nashville, TN using different waterways than the trip we did this year. We didn't book the third segment of this trip Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL since it repeats the same itinerary we just took. It should be a alot of fun!

 

Maybe, someday we will meet you on an ACCL cruise.

 

+++++

 

Love Cruises

Sorry for the much delayed reply but we were away 3-7 July. Yes, the vessel was the Niagara Prince and the captain and first mate were husband and wife. Now what other line has that winning combo?

 

Your itinerary has a diffferent twist entering Lake Champlain. Luther Blount's very first test cruise went that way - in 1966?

Ted

[groom66]

We signed up for the cruise from Chicago to Warren, RI, June 27 - July 12, 2010.

 

Has anyone sailed this route?

 

Thanks!

 

Sheila & Bob Hale

Austin, TX

[Love Cruises]

We signed up for the cruise from Chicago to Warren, RI, June 27 - July 12, 2010.

 

Has anyone sailed this route?

 

Thanks!

 

Sheila & Bob Hale

Austin, TX

Yes, we sailed this route 2 years ago and it was absolutely wonderful. Going through all those locks was quite an experience! We did the trip on the Grande Mariner. We liked it so much that we just might do the same trip again in the future.

 

Make sure you take advantage of ACCLs shore excursions... they are not expensive at all (the cruiseline makes no money on them). There is usually just 1 scheduled for each stop ... mostly city/town highlights. You just can't pass them up because of their price. As you can see from our signature we really enjoy this cruiseline having cruised on 5 trips with them already with 1 scheduled for September and 3 more planned in 2010.

 

Will this be your first time on ACCL?

[groom66]

[quote name=

 

Will this be your first time on ACCL?[/quote]

 

yes, this will be our first ACCL. But we have cruised extensively: river cruises in Russia, China & Egypt; Windjammers & Norwegian in the Carribean; HAL across the North Pacific; Princess across the North Atlantic; Star Clipper in French Polynesia.

 

we are all about the itinerary -- we can enjoy luxury, or roughing it.

 

thanks in advance for any more tips!

 

Sheila & Bob Hale

Austin, TX

[Stacky]

We also have cruised very extensively - on all types of ships. We sailed with ACCL on the Grand Caribe to Nova Scotia in 2003. On November 7, 2009 we will be sailing on her again in the same cabin on the top deck through the inland waterways from Providence to Jacksonville, FL. We will fly from Philadelphia on 11/6 and stay overnight at Johnson & Wales where ACCL will pick us up on Saturday morning with a quick stop at a liquor store for BYOB. We stayed there on our last trip and were very satisfied with the accomodations. Saw where you sailed the Windjammers in the Caribbean - we loved the Mandalay - also were on the Legacy and the Polynesia. What a shame the way it all ended with the hurricane. The weather channel had a special on last week about the sinking of the Phantom - we often wonder how many of the crew we knew since we sailed with them more than 6 times. ACCL is not the party type boat that the Windjammers were - but then again - we're not as young as we used to be. Slow and easy with good meals and a relaxed atmosphere sounds much better. I'm sure you will enjoy it if you choose to try it.

[CTLeeA]

We also have cruised very extensively - on all types of ships. We sailed with ACCL on the Grand Caribe to Nova Scotia in 2003. On November 7, 2009 we will be sailing on her again in the same cabin on the top deck through the inland waterways from Providence to Jacksonville, FL. We will fly from Philadelphia on 11/6 and stay overnight at Johnson & Wales where ACCL will pick us up on Saturday morning with a quick stop at a liquor store for BYOB. We stayed there on our last trip and were very satisfied with the accomodations. Saw where you sailed the Windjammers in the Caribbean - we loved the Mandalay - also were on the Legacy and the Polynesia. What a shame the way it all ended with the hurricane. The weather channel had a special on last week about the sinking of the Phantom - we often wonder how many of the crew we knew since we sailed with them more than 6 times. ACCL is not the party type boat that the Windjammers were - but then again - we're not as young as we used to be. Slow and easy with good meals and a relaxed atmosphere sounds much better. I'm sure you will enjoy it if you choose to try it.

 

 

 

Hi--giving some thought to the New England Islands on ACCL...did they provide transfers for you to Green Airport?

[Stacky]

We're flying into Providence, RI for our Inland Waterways trip in November - not sure of name of the airport. Johnson & Wales are picking us up at the airport for a small fee and then on Saturday ACCL are picking us up at the hotel - again for a small fee. Last time we drove to the hotel and left our car there since the cruise was a round trip - but since we're going from Rhode Island to Florida we opted for the flights.

[groom66]

anyone who has sailed on the Prince -- what arrangements are made for washing a few things? I don't want to have to pack & store 15 days worth of underware!

[walkingmom]

Just searching the CC message boards for ACCL for my parents. They are booked for the April 2010 cruise from New Orleans to Knoxville and love river cruising. They are not CC members (yet) and would like you to contact them so they can personally ask you about the cruiseline and upcoming trip. They are Jim & Betty and their address is retnavjim at juno . com

 

Thanks in advance for helping them enjoy their trip even more.

[Love Cruises]

Just searching the CC message boards for ACCL for my parents. They are booked for the April 2010 cruise from New Orleans to Knoxville and love river cruising. They are not CC members (yet) and would like you to contact them so they can personally ask you about the cruiseline and upcoming trip. They are Jim & Betty and their address is retnavjim at juno . com

 

Thanks in advance for helping them enjoy their trip even more.

Hi walkingmom ...

 

Thanks for the message. I will definitely contact your parents over the weekend about the NIAGARA PRINCE cruise. It will be great meeting them!!!!

[Love Cruises]

anyone who has sailed on the Prince -- what arrangements are made for washing a few things? I don't want to have to pack & store 15 days worth of underware!

The Cruise Director will find out for you where there is a close laundromat. Although, some marinas where you dock have a laundromat for the public to use also.