Backing out from the Inner Harbor amid paddleboats and water taxis, the 49-passenger American Eagle looks more like a yacht than a cruise ship. But this summer in Baltimore, cruise ships will come in all shapes and sizes.
The new American Eagle, built on the Eastern Shore in Salisbury, is making one of the 21 cruises scheduled out of Baltimore this year. And other ships leaving from Philadelphia and New York will make it easy for area residents to cruise to Canada, Bermuda, the Bahamas and other destinations without the hassle of flying to their port of departure.
This year's sailings from Baltimore will be more than double the number last year, and passengers will have choices ranging from the intimate American Eagle to the 800-passenger Crown Dynasty. Here's a look at the cruise season's close-to-home options:
The way they were
If you want a cruise experience that suggests the grand elegance of ocean liners from the past, try the SS Rembrandt, which docks in Baltimore in July.
Didion World Cruises, a Washing- ton-based travel agency, has chartered the Premier Cruise Line ship for two-, three-, six-, seven- and eight-night itineraries to Canada, New England, the Bahamas and weekend cruises to "nowhere."
The Rembrandt was built in 1959 for trans-Atlantic crossings and globe-circling voyages. For the last 40 years, the ship's charming decor has remained largely unchanged.
While you won't find seven-story atria, decks of balcony cabins or numerous restaurants onboard, you will find wood paneling throughout and broad, wrap-around teak promenade decks. You can play shuffleboard beneath the distinctive silhouettes of the Rembrandt's funnels, and enjoy a cocktail in the elegant, two-story Ritz lounge.
The Rembrandt will also be cruising out of New York to Montreal in June, August and September.
The Eagle has landed
For those who want more casual surroundings, the 49-passenger American Eagle may be the ticket.
The ship will be based in Baltimore for a series of seven-night Chesapeake Bay cruises until mid-June before sailing to Haddam, Conn., for New England trips this summer.
The American Eagle's itineraries focus on the history and culture of destinations. There is an on-board lecture program, and, because the ship is small, passengers and crew get to know each other well within days.
American Eagle's size also allows it to slip into harbors normally off-limits to cruise ships, including the Intracoastal Waterway and the Okeechobee Waterway bisecting Florida.
