The Great Lakes Cruise 2014

Transcription

1 Diamond Bridge The Great Lakes Cruise 2014 CHICAGO TO MONTREAL AUGUST 2014 BOOKING/ENQUIRIES

2 about your holiday... THE YORKTOWN Your twelve day cruise aboard the Yorktown will take in four of the five Great Lakes of North America: Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, in addition to never to be forgotten trips to Niagara Falls and the Agawa Canyon. The Yorktown is the perfect vessel for relaxed and convivial exploration of America's great coastal waterways. Renovated in 2009, the Yorktown was built in Florida in 1988 specifically for coastal cruising. Certified by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Yorktown flies the American flag and is staffed by friendly and experienced American officers and crew. 257 feet long, 43 feet wide, with a draft of 8 feet, the Yorktown is able to manoeuvre in secluded waterways and visit small ports that are inaccessible to larger vessels. In addition to a large sun deck, the Yorktown boasts a spacious lounge for social gatherings and lectures as well as quiet space for private conversation. Both the lounge and dining room are surrounded by large picture windows that afford unobstructed views of the passing scenery. The ship's cuisine, served in a dining room large enough to accommodate all guests at once, emphasizes American regional culinary traditions and specialties. Accommodating 138 guests in 69 exterior cabins, the Yorktown enjoys an atmosphere of warm and relaxed informality that endears it to repeat and new guests alike. Clockwise: Dining room, Lounge & The Falls at Niagara

3 BOOKING/ENQUIRIES what s included Complete programme of tours & excursions Duplicate Bridge Sessions every evening after dinner. Full amenities aboard The Yorktown Welcome Cocktail Reception All meals aboard ship Complimentary wine with lunch and dinner Educational programme of lectures Port & Embarkation taxes Gratuities to guides & drivers Farewell Cocktail Reception what s not included Airfare Visa and Passport fees (if applicable) Transfers Luggage & Trip cancellation insurance Soft Drinks Alcoholic Beverages (other than specified above) Personal expenses (laundry, telephone calls, etc) Gratuities to ship board personnel tariffs Cabin grade based on twin occupancy. Cabin Price pp E 4264 D 4939 C 5683 B 6358 A 7034 AA 7710 S 8385 Cabin grade based on single occupancy. NB: prices below include a single supplement of 875, and are only availabe in the 3 grades show below Cabin Price pp C 6558 B 7233 A 7909 NB. Most group members will need to spend a night in a Chicago hotel prior to the cruise due to flight schedules. Diamond Bridge staff will be happy to arrange your flights, as well as hotel stays in both Chicago and Montreal if you want (or need) to extend your stay. Categories E D C B A AA S Typical Cabin Grade A Please note that The Yorktown DOES NOT have an elevator.

4 itinerary... One 18 August CHICAGO Board the Yorktown in the USA's third largest city - Chicago. Unpack, relax and ponder the unusual ports of call ahead and all the exciting excursions that the ship has planned for its guests. Pre-dinner join fellow Diamond Bridge group members and hosts Mike & Carole for a "Welcome Aboard" cocktail party. Two 19 August SAUGATUCK Arrive in Saugatuck, nestled off the shores of Lake Michigan and Kalamazoo Lake. Originally a lumber town, Saugatuck eventually became known for its fruit production, especially its peaches. In the early 1900s Saugatuck was a prime summer destination for Chicago urbanites. Today, it is known for its historic buildings and churches, unique shops, and many art galleries, several of which you will have the opportunity to visit. The tumbling hills of Michigan s scenic Northwest are blanketed with maple and spruce. From lovely Charlevoix, explore the old port town of Harbor Springs, with its panoramic views of the bay. 20 August CHARLEVOIX Three Four MACKINAC ISLAND 21 August Arrive in beautiful Mackinac Island, a Victorian-era haven where cars are forbidden and bicycles share the road with horse-drawn carriages. Explore this idyllic island and see the ancient limestone formations that were considered sacred by the Straits Indians; the impressive Fort Mackinac, built atop a high cliff by the British in 1780; and the landmark Victorian Grand Hotel. Also enjoy free time to stroll along streets lined with ginger-bread-trimmed buildings and browse in the charming shops.

5 BOOKING/ENQUIRIES August SAULT STE. MARIE Five Enter the scenic waterways of the North Channel, which lead to Sault Ste. Marie. Our full-day tour by train travels inland through the magnificent scenery of the Agawa Canyon. Six ALPENA PRESQUE ISLE 23 August Arrive in Thunder Bay to call at the lovely town of Alpena, home to an outstanding maritime museum with displays on Great Lakes maritime history. There is also the opportunity to travel north to the small peninsula of Presque Isle, an untouched place of great beauty with two historic lighthouses. Pristine forests, numerous inland lakes and 72 miles of Lake Huron shoreline on the central flyway make Presque Isle a birder s paradise. 24 August DETROIT Seven LAKE HURON Sail through Lake Huron and Lake St.Clair to Detroit. Take in a tour of the Henry Ford Museum, a National Historic Landmark: the property houses a vast array of famous homes, machinery, exhibits, and Americana.

6 BOOKING/ENQUIRIES Spend the day enjoying the lectures aboard and amenities of Yorktown as we sail to Port Weller. If at all possible we shall add in an extra session of bridge between lunch and dinner. Nine 26 August PORT WELLER/WELLAND CANAL NIAGARA FALLS 25 August LAKE ERIE Eight Arrive this morning at Port Weller, from where Yorktown begins the dramatic passage from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario via the Welland Canal. A series of seven locks designed as a continuous flight of stairs lowers Yorktown 324 feet over a distance of 27 miles. From the decks of the ship witness the mechanics of this engineering marvel, which took over 100 years to complete. Stay on board for the entire transit or disembark for an excursion to Niagara Falls, one of North America s most spectacular natural wonders, where you ll see both the American Falls and Horseshoe (Canadian) Falls. Ten KINGSTON 27 August Located at a strategic location, the junction of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Kingston was founded in the 17th Century by the French as a fur-trading settlement, becoming later an important British military post. Today, Kingston is one of Canada s most charming and best preserved cities, justly known for its many historic 19th-Century buildings. Our exploration of the city will include its major landmarks, such as the Fort Henry National Historic Site, built in 1832; the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, whose exhibits highlight the maritime history of the Great Lakes, and the Bellevue House, with its beautiful gardens. You will also have time to enjoy and explore beautiful Kingston on your own.

7 ...itinerary Eleven 28 August ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY Navigate the St. Lawrence Seaway, a system of lakes, canals, and locks that provide a deepwater passage from Lake Ontario to the St. Lawrence River and a fascinating glimpse of North America s heartland. Twelve 29 August MONTREAL Our final day aboard The Yorktown culminates in disembarkation in Canada s largest city - Montreal. From here either be driven to the airport for your return flight home or transfer to a hotel so that you can experience more of what Montreal, often referred to as Canada's Cultural Capital, has to offer.

8 The Great Lakes Cruise Out of this World! For all bookings & enquiries please contact: Diamond Bridge Cresta House 32 Victoria Street Altrincham Cheshire WA14 1ET Tel: Visit our Web site: The Great Lakes of North America as seen from Space