SeaView editor David Simpson is on a mission to explore the Great Rivers of America. This time he discovers what the Hudson River has to offer while on board the American Constitution.
USA 158 England 2. That was the guest count on board American Constitution as we set sail from New York to cruise the Hudson River.
Now one thing Americans love is the Royal Family, and as the Queen’s funeral had taken place only a few days earlier my wife a I were a very popular attraction.
Americans for some reason really like Brits which is why travelling with American Cruise Lines is always a treat. A lot of them that we spoke to had been glued to their TV screens as the real life Crown drama unfolded.
This was our third cruise with ACL, so what is it that keeps persuading us to go back for more?
On top of the friendliness on board – and that includes all of the crew – the food is fantastic, the cabins are huge, the beds are oh-so-comfortable and life is conducted at a leisurely pace.
We walked in the footssteps of some of America’s greatest generals at the The West Point Military Academy
Because there are so few on board and the ACL ships are both spacious and compact at the same time, you are never far away from where you want to be, and you never literally bump into people.
Our current mission is to sail as many American rivers as we can. With the Mississippi , Columbia and Snake rivers under our belt, we had originally planned to cruise the East Coast inland passage from Jacksonville to Charleston this time around.
But because of the Covid outbreak we had been forced to rearrange so many times that we decided to keep the travelling simple and just fly to New York, cruise the Hudson and fly home again.
Everything went without a hitch. Our flights with Virgin Atlantic were excellent as usual and once onboard American Constitution we couldn’t have been happier.
After a sumptuous welcome lunch, we were greeted by floor to ceiling windows in our AAC grade stateroom that provided the perfect panorama of the approaching Fall as we glided up the river at a genteel pace.
There was not an abundance of sightseeing hotspots but as usual ACL managed to keep us engaged with a variety of tours.
For us, as avid American history buffs, visiting the West Point Military Academy, just 50 miles north of New York, was the big attraction of the cruise. Since 1802 it has produced a long line of presidents and generals, among them Dwight D Eisenhower, George Patton, Ulysses S Grant, Jefferson Davis and Robert E Lee to name a few.
Today, 4,000 of the brightest young minds prepare to defend their country, and despite our being British, the two-hour tour, in brilliant sunshine, walking in the footsteps of some of the greatest names in history, somehow left us soaking up the patriotism that courses through the veins of Americans.
Other great names in US history surface as you sail into the Gilded Age of the 19th century, recently portrayed in the TV series of the same name, passing the Millionaires’ Row temples of ubridled luxury.A visit to the Cornelius Vanderbilt mansion on the Hyde Park stretch of river left us reeling from its grotesque demonstration of wealth, while next door neighbour Ogden Mills and his fabulously rich wife preferred to create a comfortable residence more in keeping with a British stately home. And beyond that, the home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt was less showy, more lived-in and had a working farm.
We sailed to the very steps of the Statue of Liberty before turning to face the stunning New York skyline. And the conclusion of our journey was to pay our respects to the victims of 9/11
The grand finale of the cruise came as we arrived in New York and sailed up to the doorstep of the Statue of Liberty. We had cruised into the big Apple several times before but it it is always awe-inspiring moment.
As was the final episode of our voyage … our first visit to the World Trade Centre Ground Zero memorial. We had dined at the Windows of the World atop the North Tower in 1992 and it is impossible to express the true sorrow of slowly moving around the two huge pools sitting in the footprint of the mighty towers.
Around them, engraved in the parapets, are the names of the 2,977 victims of September 11, including 343 of the city’s firefighters. This heartbreaking fact was new to me.
It was a sad conclusion to what was in every other respect a journey to savour.
As for the Constitution experience, it was hard to fault. The cuisine from beginning to end was five star, all created by a chef just 26 years of age and served by young crew members who could not have been more attentive. One of the highlights of each day was the 5.30 cocktail get-together ahead of dinner when everyone could chill out over wine and canapes.
And at the end of our busy day, sleep was no problem on wonderfully comfortable beds in our well appointed stateroom.
The American Constitution was hard to fault, and our stateroom was a comfortable retreat at the end of a busy day
Small ship cruising with ACL is perfect for those of a senior disposition, like us, who don’t wish to party but enjoy good company, good food and a good, but not tiring, adventure.
It may not be cheap for Britons, and the American were surprised we had crossed the Atlantic simply for a one-week cruise. But for us it is the perfect product, and we are already looking forward to our fourth cruise. It’s worth going the extra mile.
In 2022 American Cruise Lines has enjoyed a record-breaking year for awards from well-known travel magazines, major national news outlets and cruise industry publications. They include: USA Today’s 2022 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best River Cruise Line, Best Boutique Cruise Line and Best River Ship for both American Song and American Heritage; Condé Nast Traveler’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Small Ships and Best River Ships; Travel & Leisure’s 2022 World’s Best Award naming American as one of the 10 Best River Cruise Lines in the world; and US News & World Report’s Top 10 Mississippi River Cruises for 2022-2023.
Travel facts
- Flights: Virgin Atlantic Heathrow to New York from £779 return
- Cruise: 7-night Hudson River Fall Foliage cruise from $6,565 per person