American Cruise Lines - Day 3 - Norfolk (Part 1)

We continue our visit to the state of Virginia today with a stop in Norfolk on this Monday morning. We arrived here at approximately 10PM Sunday night so roughly a 4 1/2 hour commute from Yorktown. I missed being able to see us pulling into port on this cruise since we'd travel during the evening after dark and arrive either late night or in the wee hours of the morning.

Today's tour options are (both $50/per person):
Naval Station & MacArthur Memorial (wheelchair accessible, scooter accessible, 2 1/2 hours, Level 1 in physical activity, cameras permitted, and restrooms available). This tour had two time slots available, 8:45AM and 1:15PM. Described as a narrated tour of Norfolk with a stop at the Naval Base and ending at the MacArthur Memorial which is within walking distance to the ship. When MacArthur Memorial is closed, we will visit St. Paul's church where you can walk the cemetery and grounds, and if there is no service being conducted within the church, you are welcome to enter the building. A note is added that we must being picture ID for Naval Station. The preceding was what Ali included in the daily schedule for today. In the tour descriptions page we got on day 1, it says nothing about St. Paul's Church possibly being substituted for MacArthur Memorial.

Virginia Beach & Botanical Gardens Exploration (wheelchair and scooter accessible, 3 hours long, a 3 for physical activity rating, cameras permitted, and bathrooms available). This tour also had two time slots, 8:45AM and 1:45PM. Described as a relaxing riding tour through the beautiful port including a stop at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Due to the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse being under renovation, you will be able to view grounds, the exterior of the lighthouse, and have free time in the gift shop. Dad had surprised me when he said he wanted to sign up for both tours today as he's not really a "go look at pretty flowers" kind of person. Hours later he changed his mind and tried to visit the office multiple times between embarkation day and this morning to tell Ali that we were canceling the afternoon session of this tour. He ended up leaving a note for her in the drop box on the door yesterday and told her about the note when we saw her in the hallway. She had no knowledge of the note but didn't have any issue with us canceling.

Dad loves military history and war museum type tours so we definitely were going for the Naval Station option. I'm not as into the topic but I highly recommend the World War II museum in New Orleans as it is really well done and arranged. Book tickets in advance and devote several hours to a full day there. Since we had initially considered booking both tours, we chose the 8:45AM Naval Station time slot. Because of the early tour time, Ali changed the breakfast times to 7AM to 9AM.

Went simple today with scrambled eggs and sausage. I did notice during the cruise that sometimes the sausage looked different so I'm guessing it was either different brands or one was pork and one was turkey. If you have religious or dietary objections, I advise asking which it is that given day. My fruit garnish looks so naked without a tiny skewer stuck through it.

After breakfast we headed to the gangway and discovered that due to the tide, we were now disembarking from deck 2. Now I see why the onboard gym doesn't have a Stairmaster, they just use the gangway.

When we got on the pier there was a small group of passengers crowded around a guide so we hung around waiting for direction. Soon this guide explained that she was there for the Botanical Garden excursion but encouraged everyone to check out the Nauticus museum and the USS Wisconsin that was our neighbor when I stepped onto the balcony this morning. We were really interested in that idea and decided to check it out when we returned from our tour. 

Ali joined us on the pier and divided everyone up into lines so she could check people in for their tours. Our group had to walk a while past the museum and up to where the bus was waiting. Outside the museum was a sign advertising their harbor tour. Dad had just been talking about wishing something like that was offered so he was even more excited about checking out the museum when we returned.

Since we were a relatively small tour group of 10, it didn't take long to get settled on the bus and ready to go. Our guide took a head count and called roll as he had to turn in a sheet with our names on it to the Naval Station when we arrived. As we started the drive and passed by Nauticus, he mentioned the museum and lamented that it was too bad we were here on a Monday when it's closed. Dad and I just looked at each other flabbergasted. It's closed on Mondays? Why would the other guide be encouraging us to check it out if it was closed today? We also were annoyed that no one on the ship bothered to point that out. Even more so when I posted the above picture to Facebook prior to our tour and later read a comment from a local to Norfolk friend who commented about how unfortunate we were there on Mondays when it's closed! I shouldn't have to look up every place these pre-arranged tours are visiting just to make sure they are really open that day! That's something the other local guide should have known, much less the cruise director.

We arrived at the Naval Station early so we had to sit on the bus waiting while they finished their own morning roll call. Our guide helped pass the time by telling a joke about a retired military man who took a job as a Wal-Mart greeter when he decided he was too bored sitting at home. The veteran was loved by all the customers and enjoyed the job. One day the boss calls him in to his office and the veteran is sure he's going to be given a promotion. The boss praises him for his work but asks what they would have said to him if he'd been coming in late everyday to his military job like he has been to Wal-Mart. The veteran's reply was "They'd say Good Morning Admiral, would you like some coffee?"

Once we were given the go ahead to head inside the visitor center style building, our guide led us off the bus and quickly ushered us through two metal detectors. Those with joint replacements and pacemakers were asked to identify themselves and be wanded by hand. Our guide jumped in to hand out little baskets to hold our purses and phones etc so they wouldn't trigger the metal detector. We filled each basket and handed them back to him. Once our bodies passed through the metal detector, he'd hand us back the basket. The basket and its contents never got scanned or checked. Neither did our picture IDs we were told we had to bring. After we were each through the metal detector, we were given the chance to use the restrooms. A few of us wandered into the gift shop just beyond the metal detectors. I stopped to chat about the game with the couple we'd talked to about it at dinner the night before and before I even had a chance to browse the shop, our guide was hurrying us all back onto the bus. Really wish I'd had the time to pick out one of those NCIS branded shirts.

Once back on the bus, we were joined by a young female Navy sailor. She now provided the commentary as we drove throughout the base seeing planes, housing, and their own shopping, restaurant, and movie theater all seen through the bus windows. Our guide did another head count but seemed convinced that we were missing someone. It was suggested that he call roll again but he said he couldn't because he had turned in the list of names when we arrived. After a bit of recounting multiple times, he declared that "we'd pick them up on the way back" and off we drove. Due to security restrictions, there is no getting off the bus to explore or get further pictures.

We learned that they transport planes down the roads within the base so they put the traffic lights down low to the ground so the plane wings can clear over them.

Above: Memorial to the lives lost on the USS Iowa.

Below: Memorial to the lives lost on the USS Cole.

We were allowed to take as many pictures through the window as we wanted until we reached a giant parking lot adjacent to the battleships and aircraft carriers lined up along the water's edge. The Navy sailor warned that as we left the parking lot and drove around to get a closer view of the ships, if anyone took pictures after that, their camera would be confiscated and this tour would be over. Thankfully everyone followed the rules. We stopped back at the visitor center long enough to drop off our sailor guide and got back on the open road. Guess our mystery tour member is lost forever to the arrival of common core math.

Expecting to be visiting now the MacArthur Memorial, our guide soon announces that we're going to St. Paul's Church next. Someone asks about the memorial and he replies "It's closed." Once at the church we head inside and meet a parishioner that the guide seems to know personally. We all pile into the pews as this parishioner gives a lecture on the history of the church. It's famous for having a cannonball from the war still lodged into an outside wall. The parishioner finishes his speech and checks in with the guide expecting us to be leaving now. The guide tells him that we've got plenty of time and to keep talking. You could tell this parishioner was put on the spot and was making up things to talk about as he went.

Eventually we were sent off to look around inside the church with the promise that we'd be soon led out to view the cannonball. Several of us took the opportunity to duck outside and find the cannonball on our own.

In case you get lost walking around the brick pathway surrounding this church, there's a sign to point out said cannonball.

I noticed a few grave plots in the cemetery had the larger headstone and then a little flat but upright stone at the bottom. Curious to know the explanation behind this. They didn't seem to have any writing on them so I don't think it was a second person's grave marker. 

As we waited in the front graveyard for everyone else, I used my phone to look up why the MacArthur Memorial was closed. I expected to find that it's closed for restoration or construction. Nope, closed simply because it's Monday!

Once back on the bus, our guide admitted that we were finished really early because he was used to having to push groups of 40 people through the metal detectors. Apparently our small group was too efficient for him.

Loved the mermaid depictions throughout the city:

Back to the ship where I worked my glutes climbing back up to deck 2 on the gangway until the passengers in front of me stopped short near the top. Okay, guess it's working glutes and core now as I was stuck mid climb until they started moving again.

We headed down to the dining room for lunch. Today's lunch service hours were also modified due to the afternoon tours, 11:30AM to 1:30PM.

I skipped the salad appetizer in favor of having the Marinated Steak Salad entrée. Is there some law that every dish has to include blue cheese on this sailing? I don't normally choose blue cheese at home but I'm pretty sure I morphed into a giant block of blue cheese by trip's end. This was a nice balance of salad and protein. 

This lunch is where we first tried to get chocolate ice cream for dessert and was told they'd run out. Our waitress Elexus offered to make up cups of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup so Dad went with that. I was pleasantly surprised to not only see mint chocolate chip ice cream as a new option this day but it was my favorite brand! I love the Turkey Hill green mint chocolate chip because it has the chocolate in flecks, not huge chunks or tiny chips that you have to stop and chew through as you're eating. In case you didn't already believe I'm a food nerd that is...

American Cruise Lines - Day 2 - Yorktown (Part 2)

We arrived back at the ship while lunch was in full swing in the dining room so I left Dad to run upstairs and dump my camera and our coats in the room.

I went with the Mixed Green Salad - an option I'd have in some form several times this cruise.

My entrée was the Barbecued Chicken Salad which seems to translate to pile some slightly seasoned cut up chicken breast on the same salad fixings, top with corn, and add a little cup of BBQ sauce on the side. I appreciate the thought of letting me test the spiciness of the sauce before dousing everything in it and the freedom to add however much as I wanted. The chicken was nice and tender.

Unfortunately I neglected to take a picture of the full page menus left on our table at lunch today and that's the only place that listed the dessert options. I believe this was some sort of bread pudding?

After lunch we returned to the cabin where I sat out on the balcony people watching until it got too warm. We had changed our mind about doing the Historic Yorktown Trolley last night when we heard that only the first ride of the day would get narration. Now Dad decides to change his mind again and head out on the trolley on his own. He has a lifetime senior pass to the National Parks system so he can get into any park for free. He stopped off at the battlefield and the Visitor Center before coming back to the ship 1-2 hours later. Unfortunately, he opted not to bring his phone on the trip or take my camera so no pictures to share here. He did report that even though the most narration he got was "and here is such and such," he felt it was worth visiting the places themselves.

While he was away, I headed down to the Chesapeake Lounge to participate in the first art class led by guest artist Mary. Each day at different times she would lead a themed art activity and today's was Abstract Art with watercolors. We each got a palette of the 3 primary colors of red, blue, and yellow along with a cup of water, brushes, and a 5x7 piece of cardstock style canvas. She gave a lesson about how to create the look of random waves of color by painting, making a path with water for the paint to follow, and blending the colors to create some dark and some softer hues. 

It was a nice communal activity and I got to meet one of the four people onboard also from my little town within Baltimore. I took a little creative license and altered the described pattern to showcase my initial underneath the colors. Mary's husband stood by helping to fetch enough cups of fresh water to float another ship but it was a little unnerving how they both alternated between helping and criticizing. Last I checked we were all adults just doing this for fun, don't need to be yelled at for not getting up to stand over Mary while she showed an example versus watching from our tables where we worked. Yes, I'm aware my artwork wasn't going to end up in the Smithsonian, I don't need it to be fixed and corrected on how I'm using too much of this color or making an area too dark. 

By the end, the little bit of paint I had mixed with water in the big part of the palette per Mary's instructions had somewhat dried and was now stuck. We were instructed when done to wipe down our mixing side of the palette and I cleaned it the best I could. Mary's husband came by to collect the palettes and reprimanded me for not having cleaned it as "I'm not the only one to be using these palettes." I explained that I did try to clean it but the rest is dried and stuck on there. He wasn't pleased but walked away. I took that to be my cue to be dismissed and took my artwork with me back to the cabin. Mary had told us that we should take them but not lose them as she wanted to do a show at the end of the week. 

Dad managed to come back to the ship just in time for the afternoon delivery of warm cookies. Shocker I know! This time there was more made but in smaller sizes. The waiter took the time to start with us who were painting so I was finally able to try a cookie.

I went back up to the room to relax while Dad headed down to the lounge for Rachel's talk on the history of tobacco. He seemed to enjoy it.

According to the schedule, tonight's cocktail hour was supposed to feature "the dynamic trio of colonial drummers who will come aboard and perform for 30 minutes." This was to take place at 5:30PM so when I first saw that listed, I thought how interesting considering we were to leave Yorktown for our next port at 5:30PM. Were they planning to swim back or float on their drums after walking the plank? Excited to see this presentation, we made a point of getting down to cocktail hour a little early with camera in hand. Soon we feel the ship's thrusters kick on and the deckhands are working to help us pull away from the dock. Everyone's enjoying their cocktails and snacks but no drummers are showing up. Finally Ali is asked about it and she reveals that they couldn't make it. 

Ahh well, I shall eat my disappointment in the form of artichoke dip and crackers:

Dinner service tonight was much better and faster.

For my appetizer I chose the Barbecue Bacon Wrapped Shrimp:

For my entrée I chose the Crab and Mushroom Penne Alfredo. Not sure the point of that crostini but it was hard as a rock and the white stuff had solidified in place.

Within these first few days, it was revealed that they'd run out of chocolate ice cream which bothered Dad to no end. He rightly pointed out how flavors like chocolate and vanilla should be what you always have in stock. It doesn't help that he'd happily eat chocolate ice cream for dinner and dessert if you let him. Instead I went with cinnamon ice cream. Definitely tasted like cinnamon but don't get too attached, it too had run out a couple days later.

After dinner we decided to skip tonight's entertainment (track singer) in favor of returning to the cabin to watch the Ravens play the Patriots on Sunday Night Football. Have to represent the hometown and it was a very fun game to watch!

American Cruise Lines - Day 2 - Yorktown (Part 1)

Since we started this cruise on November 2nd, we were on board during the fall back date of November 3rd for Daylight Savings Time. Cruise Director Ali and Hotel Manager Cheree made a point of informing everyone that the ship would also observe the time change and assured everyone that our cabin clocks would change automatically. Every once in a while, the big ships will visit a port where they stay on "ship's time" rather than changing for local time. Then it's up to you to keep track of both because the captain won't care what your taxi's clock says as they're pulling out of port at their scheduled departure time.

Even though the ACL website shows our itinerary's first stop being St. Michaels, MD, pretty much every report I found online listed our first port as Yorktown, VA. Then when we got the packet of information after booking, the daily itinerary page included said Yorktown. Sure enough, we woke up docked in Yorktown, VA this morning. We were scheduled to be here from 7:30AM until 5:30PM.

Today's ACL sponsored excursion choices (as always you were free to book your own tours or just get off and wander around) were "Colonial Williamsburg" at $55 per person with a morning or afternoon time slot or "Historic Yorktown Trolley" which was complimentary. The folder in our room contained more detailed information about each excursion choice so between that and any questions asked at the embarkation day meeting, you should be as educated as possible about which tour to choose. For the Colonial Williamsburg option, it is described as a bus ride via the Colonial Parkway to reach Williamsburg. Then a guided walking tour followed by free time to explore. Historic Yorktown Trolley would stop at the battlefields, the Visitor Center, the historic buildings and stores. The trolley ran from 9AM until 5PM. We chose both options for both of us when turning in our excursion sign up sheet believing that we'd want to also visit the battlefields after taking the 8:30AM tour of Colonial Williamsburg. The more in depth tour information sheet did have symbols indicating which excursions were wheelchair accessible, camera permitted, tour length in hours, motorized scooter permitted, a physical activity rating, and restrooms available.

We used my cell phone as our wake up alarm as needed though I admit I was up just before 2AM to make sure all our clocks changed properly. Once they did, I fell back asleep until just before 7AM. Breakfast was scheduled for today from 7:30AM to 9AM. Normally we're not big on having a full breakfast when we have a morning tour, opting instead to just grab fruit or a bagel to take with medicine and stave away any migraines from not eating. Knowing that it wouldn't be as easy to get a real meal onboard later, we made a point of heading down to the dining room by 7:30AM. There was a table set up by the entrance for passengers to help themselves of fruit, small cereal boxes, pastries, and the like.

With granola, yogurt, raisins, cottage cheese, and prunes taking up half the table, I'm not sure the warning about flushing anything but toilet paper was the reason we might have "a stinky ride to Jacksonville" as Cheree described it. I did try the fresh fruit and it was perfectly ripe and tasty.

Dad stuck with getting just a bagel and I chose scrambled eggs for some quick protein. Nice to see regular size glasses of orange juice as we can drink just as much of that as water. Not so nice to see how long it often took to get water and/or OJ delivered much less refilled.

Time for another round of plate presentation inkblot test - anyone else see an up and down fish shape in my eggs? Just like RCL's tiny stuffed tomato on every plate, we saw these little fruit skewer garnishes on most every plate. I always picture the poor soul whose job it is to stack hundreds of those for every meal. Note - if you like ketchup or hot sauce on your eggs, you have to ask for it. Only things on the table are salt/pepper, butter, and little jars of jams.

Heads up if you choose the trolley option, in our case the local guide Rebecca was only riding the very first trolley out at 9AM so none of the other ride times would be narrated. The most information you'd get is "Here is the battlefield, anyone getting off?" She was also scheduled to come on board during breakfast to hand out brochures moving from table to table according to Ali who referred to it as "table touching." We never saw this Rebecca so she either never came or showed up just before her scheduled first trolley tour at 9AM. 

Once we finished eating we headed off the ship to board the bus at the top of the road. No having to scan your card or let anyone know you're leaving the ship like you did with the big ships. There is a deckhand monitoring the gangway from the outside but he's mostly there for passengers who may need physical assistance versus stopping people to make sure they are really passengers before boarding again. There were ports during this cruise where the tides changed so quickly that they'd have to move the gangway from entering on the main 1st deck to entering on the 2nd or third deck making a much sharper incline. 

The deckhands always had a cooler full of the small water bottles and offered you to help yourself both coming and going. Much nicer than the crew standing there offering to sell you bottles of water as you wait in line to debark at ports that we're used to seeing. Yorktown had a bit of a walk to get from the ship to street level but it's all paved. There was options to use a wheelchair or in some ports, a golf cart to cover the length of the pier if you so desired. 

There is an unmanned gate to step through where the wider dock turns into a narrower slightly inclined bridge. Then a little structure (roof and columns - no duty free shops here) to walk through past the small beach before you reach the road where the bus waited. Once up at the bus, instead of turning in a ticket to the contracted guide, you gave your cabin number to Ali as a way of verifying attendance and that you should be charged for taking the tour. She would run back and make announcements for the people missing but if you still didn't show up then you were out of luck. 

The bus was pretty easy to get into with a step stool and a few steps to get up to the seats. Today's excursion key states it is wheelchair accessible, motorized scooter accessible, 4 hours in length, a 3 level in physical activity (1-4 with 4 being the highest), camera permitted, and restrooms available. That sounds high for physical activity but for the most part it was only walking between buildings and as much walking on the paved road during the free time as you chose. There were benches throughout for sitting and taking a break.

It was nice to see that there was routinely a representative from ACL in the form of a crew member or guest speaker Rachel that would accompany each tour. Today we had Rachel and she gave us some good history facts pointing out how things were back in colonial times on the roads we were traveling down. If you choose to visit Williamsburg on your own, note that there are different ticket options at different price points. Our tour tickets (which ended up being stickers showcasing a "you've paid" style bar code to put on our clothing) included the ability to go inside the various buildings and learn about the trades. We watched the re-enactors question people a few times for wandering in when it wasn't obvious to see their tickets. 

I'd been to Williamsburg as a child during a family road trip but the most I can remember is being chosen to hold the lantern during a night walk and my parents arguing about whether I should be allowed to buy one of those wooden flutes from the gift shop. One of the first things our guide pointed out once there is to remember the rule of "If it's round and brown, go around" as a mantra for watching out for horse deposits as you're walking along the road. There are a couple through streets within the historic area that cars can drive on so watch out for them too while you're crossing between the long stretches of road that are closed to car traffic.

Our first stop was to the city hall/courthouse. Do note that if you go inside these buildings, they will make you spit out any gum or food you may be in the middle of consuming into a small pot by the door. A couple tour group members got "reprimanded" for their gum but promptly complied. Plenty of treat shops, bars etc. on site so I'd suggest visiting the trade buildings before imbibing. They do try to limit the amount of people inside each of these buildings at one time so our 15-20 group size filled the space and got a private chat with the re-enactor. He told us tons of information about who could serve on the jury, where everyone sat, and the origin of terms we use today like "passing the bar." He brought up role playing through a case but our guide said we didn't have time.

Since these are historic buildings, and I believe our guide said this is one of the few that hasn't needed restoring, those few steps in front are the only means in and out. If you aren't willing to toss out that gum before going in, the stocks are ready and waiting for you.

The jury is umm out?

Our re-enactor showing how no one but the judge, jury, and lawyers could stand on that side of the railing. The accused would have to stand at the railing on the other side. When you finally finished your legal training, you were allowed to go through that gate and stand on the other side of the railing, hence "passing the bar."

Our next stop was to the weaver. This re-enactor turned out to be from Pikesville so we had a nice chat when he heard I was from Baltimore. Then he praised me for actually pronouncing the "t" in Baltimore. Sorry, my "Balmorease" way of speaking disappears when you take me out of the area. I refrained from replying "Aww thanks hon!"

We learned about how families would take in other people's children of a certain age and be taken care of like one of their own in exchange for the children working as weavers. This was the first spinning wheel made and it required the user to stand back while the silk winds onto the spindle drawing the user closer. Then to continue, they'd have to go all the way to the back again and start over.

Then came the new design with a foot pedal so the weaver can sit while they spin.

Some of us were asked to pick our favorite colors of yarn and my choice of green meant I had expensive tastes as it required both the blue and yellow dye process. When someone else finally chose red, he showed us the small jar pictured below that contains crushed up bugs. He said even to this day, anything with that dark red coloring is made partially from crushed up bugs. Makes you think twice about your favorite colorful candy doesn't it? Mmm, protein!

Once the silk thread was spun into yarn, the weaver could move on to the loom creating the large patterned pieces used for blankets etc.

Our next stop was the foundry where we learned how metal is melted down in a giant furnace or fire to then be poured into molds to make things like silverware and candleholders.

My what big bellow you have...

Then we stopped at the Governor's House where we were greeted by a beautiful black and white marble floor and walls full of armory mounted to show visitors that they were strong and able to fight.

These guns in the center are original and preserved from the Governor's collection.

Normally tours are led up the long wooden staircase to see the family's private quarters and ballroom but if you can't climb stairs, they offer chairs to sit and photo books to look through while you're waiting for the rest of your group to come back down. The tour ends at the doors leading out from the ballroom into the gardens. Going out the side entrance to the gardens puts you right back by the front of the house where you can also view the kitchen and smokehouse buildings without having to climb stairs.

Dang, even on this cruise we end up at Nassau!

After walking along the road to get closer to the main intersection by the church, our guide stopped to point out the raised platforms in front of the buildings that people used to step in and out of their carriages. She then gave us an hour of free time to do as we please and several of us went off to explore the shops and café. After wandering around a couple shops and learning that a venue called Mellow Mushroom was really just a pizza place, we learned that there are way too many things that can be emblazoned with a picture of the American flag. We started walking back up the main road toward the historic buildings and passed where our guide was chatting with some of our group. Ready to head back to the bus as our hour was almost up, we left our guide and continued walking straight up the road until we'd reached city hall again. Our guide had said we could come back to the benches and wait for our bus who could only pull up on the main road adjacent to where we started. Trouble with that is there's bench groupings all throughout! Finally we ran into one man from our group who was walking alone and the three of us figured out that we should have turned down the side street about 2 blocks from where we currently were. We turned down the very next side street until it met a regular road and was able to look down the street to our right where the bus was parked. I was sure by the time we reached the bus that everyone would be on board waiting on us but thankfully we weren't the last directionally challenged souls to return.

Ahh back to our home away from home and nothing but a "Hi, how was your tour?" from the deckhand monitoring the gangway. Still amazes me how little they seemed to check on whether you were supposed to be on the ship or not. We saw so many people wander up to the ship and chat either with the deckhand or people on their balcony asking about the ship and its itineraries that the deckhands started keeping ACL brochures in their jackets to hand out. Wonder what would have happened if any of these curious souls wanted to come in and look around? Per Eagle Society membership rules, I could have headed down and welcomed them on for a tour as my friends.