Cruise NY Historic Hudson River

CLIPPER PRESENTS FOUR THEMES ON 8-DAY CRUISE

ALONG NEW YORK’S HISTORIC HUDSON RIVER

ST. LOUIS, March 15, 2005 — As a part of Clipper Cruise Line’s Close-To-Home Cruising® lineup, the 102-passenger, U.S.-registered Nantucket Clipper navigates eight-day cruises along New York’s historic Hudson River. Clipper’s Escape to the Hudson Valley cruise includes two days in New York City before traveling up and down the river for Kingston, Troy/Albany, and West Point. This journey focuses upon the historical, cultural, scenic, and culinary significance of life along the celebrated waterway.

“A trip along the legendary Hudson River tells a story of stark contrast and American history,” Clipper CEO David Drier said. “In New York, our guests can experience the constant action and multiple cultures in the ‘City That Never Sleeps,’ yet, after cruising up the Hudson River for just a few miles, they’ll discover the quaint villages and relaxing atmosphere that make you forget the hustle and bustle of the big city. Historians will delight in visits to the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Home and Library at Hyde Park after first tracing their family roots at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. We’ll also focus upon the Hudson River School of Painting’s impact on the nation’s development and feature the produce and wines that make this the breadbasket to the East Coast. And, there is no more stirring moment than watching the faces of passengers and crew as we cruise past the Statue of Liberty.”

On a comfortable voyage up the Hudson, Clipper’s onboard regional experts will point out the myriad wildlife, unique lighthouses, and breathtaking scenery along the way. Among the schedule of onboard lecturers Clipper has arranged for this trip are noted historian Bill Ewen and Robert Lippson, an expert on the region’s natural world. Raised in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, Ewen has a special interest in maritime history of the Northeastern United States and served as executive vice-president of the Steamship Historical Society of America. Lippson was a senior scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and served as the assistant regional director of the National Marine Fisheries Service – with a responsibility for the mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes states.

The eight-day Escape to the Hudson Valley adventure begins when passengers embark the Nantucket Clipper at Chelsea Piers. In addition to time for personal discovery during the two days in New York, sightseeing excursions available are a panoramic journey around Upper Manhattan (Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center, Harlem, and the Upper East Side) that includes a tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to view the Hudson River School of Painting collection or a Lower Manhattan exploration that features the Financial District (Wall Street, Federal Hall, Trinity Church, and Battery Park), Chelsea Market, and a ferry ride to Ellis Island.

While the ship sails up the Hudson, guests may choose to visit Kykuit, the home to John D. Rockefeller, Jr., that features a spectacular art gallery and beautiful garden or take in the regional flavor at Sprout Creek Farm (a working cheese farm) and Benmarl Vineyards (one of the country’s oldest wineries). Upon arrival in Kingston, travelers may journey to Hyde Park for the beautiful rose garden and personal mementos at FDR’s Home and Library, sample the wines at Adair Vineyards and the fresh fruits and vegetables at a local farmer’s market, or explore the city at leisure. An added extra to the Hyde Park tour is a fantastic lunch at the Culinary Institute of America, alma mater to several of the world’s greatest chefs and training grounds for many Clipper Cruise Line chefs.

The Nantucket Clipper then sails for Troy/Albany, where guests may visit the Albany Institute of History and Art (for the fantastic collection of Hudson River School artwork), explore nearby Saratoga Springs, or tour the home and studio of Thomas Cole, who is credited with founding the Hudson River School. On the return down the river, the ship will call upon West Point — with a campus tour of the military academy, an excursion to Boscobel mansion and the National Audubon Society’s Constitution Marsh, and a shuttle to Dia: Beacon Riggio Galleries (with an impressive collection of works by important artists of the 1960s and ‘70s) all scheduled. The eight-day trip concludes with a return to Chelsea Piers that includes an evening sail through New York Harbor for the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline.

Stateroom rates for Clipper’s eight-day Escape to the Hudson Valley voyage begin at $2,170 per person, double occupancy. The cruise rate includes seven nights aboard the Nantucket Clipper, all meals and special events, port charges, and the services of Clipper’s hospitality staff and carefully selected onboard experts. Six departures are scheduled on May 11, 18, and 25; June 1; September 24; and October 1, 2005; while two cruises are planned for October 19 and 26, 2006.

For reservations, travelers should contact Lighthouse Travel at 800-719-9917.