Exploring New England on American Constitution

By Gerry Barker

Photos/Video by Gerry Barker

Until last week, I never knew what a “lobsterbake” was. Or, that Camden, Maine boasts the only stop sign on the entire 2,370 mile-length of US Highway 1, the longest north-south road in the United States.

We learned that, and much, much more, during our recent 11-day “New England Explorer” cruise on American Cruise Lines’ ship, American Constitution. And explore New England we did, a region steeped in lobsters, lighthouses and a region well known as the bedrock of American history. This was our third ACL cruise (previously we toured Puget Sound and the Upper Mississippi) and our first time to visit many of the ports along the Northeastern coast.

When it comes to exploring the waterways of America, American Cruise Lines owns the market (competitor American Queen Voyages ended operations in February). Family-owned and founded in 1973, what started as a single excursion boat now numbers 19 ships and counting: Two more are coming in 2025; three more in 2026.

ACL ships are small and agile, with passenger counts under 200. There were 155 guests on our cruise (capacity is 175), which made eight stops sailing round-trip from Boston. Along with the cruise, ACL offered the option a pre-cruise stay at the Boston Four Seasons, where our welcome packet was ready and waiting.

One thing to know about cruising with ACL: They take care of you from start to finish, from the modern coaches that take you place to place to the guided excursions in the ports, one of their friendly crew is always close at hand to take care of whatever need you might have. Special attention is given to guests with mobility issues, and it’s a good idea to make sure the tour you select is mobility issue-friendly.

Views of our stateroom on Deck 4

After a group breakfast at the Four Seasons, where we got to meet our fellow passengers, and a tour around Boston, we boarded Constitution just in time for lunch. Our stateroom was on deck four. Spacious, with a modern bath and balcony, our luggage was waiting for us when we got there – another nice touch versus waiting all day for it to arrive on the larger ships.

Since the ships are smaller, it doesn’t take long to learn your way around the six decks. On deck four, our room was adjacent to the Sky Lounge, with self-service snacks and beverages available 24/7. On the deck outside is the Back Porch Cafe, featuring both breakfast and lunch items. The Sky Lounge is particularly popular at 10 am and 3 pm, when a fresh batch of cookies gets delivered daily.

The main dining room is located on the first deck, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s open seating, so you’re meeting new people all the time. Like many upscale cruise lines, the guest demographics skew older – after all, they are the age group that has both the time and the money to travel. And as on our previous cruises, we came away with new friendships and promises to stay in touch.

For the first week of the cruise we’ll be skirting the coastline of Maine, with stops in Portland, Bar Harbor, Rockland, Bath and Boothbay Harbor. Then we end with visits to Gloucester, MA., Newport, RI. and a final stop at Martha’s Vineyard before returning to Boston.

At each port, guests have their choice of complimentary and premium excursions, all led by experienced local guides. The motorcoaches follow our route and are ready and waiting when the ship docks.

As is typical for New England, the weather ranged from chilly to hot, but thankfully the rain mostly stayed away and many days were picture-perfect (and my thousand-some photos are proof). Along the way, we explored the beauty of Acadia National Park, went lobstering in Camden, shopped at L.L. Bean’s giant flagship store and headquarters in Freeport, saw giant trolls at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Harbor, sailed Gloucester Bay on a 65-foot schooner (where I got to raise the sails) and had the best lobster bisque ever in Martha’s Vineyard. And oh yes — the lobsterbake.

Guests enjoy the Lobsterbake at Fort Adams

At our stop in Newport, guests assembled at Fort Adams — established July 4, 1799 — for the lobsterbake, prepared by McGrath Clambakes and Catering. We all gathered in a circle and watched as Chef McGrath removed tarps from a firepit, releasing clouds of smoke and exposing a feast of lobsters, clams, mussels, sausage, potatoes, BBQ chicken and corn. It looked amazing, and tasted just as good.

Everywhere we sailed there were the iconic New England lighthouses, each with their own story and history of guiding those who go down to the seas in ships. We even saw a whale, albeit briefly.

We were hopeful of watching July 4 fireworks docked in a harbor, but the port we were in — Gloucester — celebrated the 4th the day before, so “people could rest and have family time” on the 4th. The captain did his best to find some good viewing along the coast, and we did see fireworks, just at a distance.

If you’ve never tried small ship cruising, prepare for a more laid back experience aboard one of ACL’s ships. You won’t find casinos, swimming pools or zip lines. Instead, the focus is on providing personalized service in a relaxed setting, where you can decide how you’ll spend your days on the water.

The ship does have a fitness center, a self-serve laundry and lounges where you can read, play games or assemble puzzles. There are plenty of couches and chairs on the upper decks to enjoy the scenic views. as well as a putting green to practice your golf game.

Much of the onboard activities happen in the Chesapeake Lounge on deck 3. Here we attended lectures by Don, the onboard guest speaker, who educated us about shipwrecks, pirates and the history of the area. It’s also the site of bingo and the daily and highly popular Cocktail Hour, featuring an array of hors d’oeuvres along with the drink of your choice. Afterwards, there’s nightly entertainment. Our cruise featured Sarah and Jade, a mother-daughter singing duo and other music acts.

One guest recounted how on a previous ACL voyage, she requested a chocolate martini. Sorry — they didn’t have the chocolate liquor aboard. The next day, a staffer went to a local store and got the ingredient, and she enjoyed her favorite drink the rest of her voyage. Talk about personalized service.

You can also expect to get to know the crew as well as the passengers. The managers make it a point to circulate freely all over the ship, making themselves available for questions or just casual conversation. Several times on our cruise, the captain opened the pilot house for tours as well.

Of course, food is front and center on any cruise, and on Constitution, our meals ranked from very good to excellent. In fact, ACL’s regional chef was on our ship, along with the ship’s executive and pastry chefs. Here’s a special shout-out to Andrew, the pastry chef, for his marvelous desserts.

One thing to note: Lunch and dinner menus are limited. You make a choice from two appetizers and three entrees, although you can make special requests. You can also designate half-portions, which helps control waste.

Your cruise is all-inclusive, and includes dining, snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, entertainment, gratuities and complimentary shore excursions.

Guests are automatically enrolled in their Eagle Society loyalty program. Perks include complimentary premium shore excursions after three cruises and a complimentary cruise after 10 cruises. One person on our cruise led the pack — this was her 32nd cruise.

It’s not unusual to find many of the crew onboard are newly-hired. Amanda, the cruise director and a former DJ in Michigan, was marking her 11th day with ACL. Managers also move frequently between ships, so you could easily see someone from this ship on a future cruise.

Bottom line: If you want to experience and explore America like you’ve probably never seen it, you’ll appreciate everything ACL has to offer, including new itineraries that focus on national parks and Civil War battlefields.

And now that I know what a lobsterbake is, I want to do one at our place, except I don’t think our condo association would look kindly on me digging a firepit. That just means another cruise to Newport.

Our thanks to American Cruise Lines for hosting us on this cruise.