the Mississippi & the Gulf Coast Aboard the American-Flagged, 138-Guest Yorktown

Transcription

1 R t r e a s u r e s of the Mississippi & the Gulf Coast Aboard the American-Flagged, 138-Guest Yorktown November 30 December 11, 2012 with audubon study leader Dr. Douglas Meffert Featuring Onboard Jazz Performances No Single Supplement

2 The stately Houmas House Dear Audubon Member and Friend, The Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast have seen the canoes of Native Americans, the flotilla of French and Spanish explorers, and the flatboats of settlers. Yet to most travelers today, this is undiscovered territory. Now we invite you to join us on a cruise to explore both waterways. This region is home to some of the most fascinating bird species in America, and you will have the opportunity to view many of them throughout our voyage. We stop in one of the South s oldest cities, Natchez, Mississippi, home to the St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge and a designated Important Bird Area. In Louisiana, we tour Oakley Plantation House in the Audubon Memorial State Park, where John James Audubon briefly resided and painted over thirty pictures. While sailing the coast of Florida s panhandle, we will have the opportunity to visit Project Greenshores, an ecosystem restoration effort that is working to repair coastal habitats in the area. Finally, as we cruise along the Mississippi River, we stop at Dauphin Island Park to walk the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail. Joining us on this voyage will be Vice President and Executive Director of Louisiana for the National Audubon Society, Dr. Douglas Meffert, who will enhance our appreciation of this region s unique environment with lectures and discussions. Civil War expert James Robertson will also be lecturing on the history of the region, and we will be treated to onboard concerts from the talented jazz trio Gary Chalmers, Tim Camp, and Joe Ercole. For this idyllic voyage we have the ideal vessel. Yorktown is an American ship, staffed by American crew and officers. It accommodates 138 passengers in 69 exterior cabins. With its large sun deck, comfortable lounge, and spacious dining room, Yorktown offers its guests the finest small-ship experience. This fall, join us aboard Yorktown for a leisurely voyage along America s remarkable Gulf Coast and Mississippi River. Sincerely, Sandy Pinto Director of Licensing and Travel R Cover: Oak Alley Plantation, Louisiana ONBOARD JAZZ PERFORMANCES The area that we will be exploring on this voyage is the birthplace of jazz. To celebrate this uniquely American expression, we are pleased to have with us talented musicians who will not only perform, but will also delve into the history and the roots of the Deep South s musical tradition. Gary Chalmers, a seasoned percussionist, has performed with a large number of musical groups. In recent years, he has evolved into an on-call session drummer for various musical projects of Bill Messenger including Teaching Company recordings and live performances at Chautauqua with The Bill Messenger Quartet. Joe Ercole composes and produces, working with music legends such as Bill Withers, Stanley Turrentine, John Sebastian, and Christina Aguilera. Tim Camp, or Slim Man, sang with Motown Records as a songwriter. J.D. Considine of Rolling Stone has described the Slim Man style as a near perfect example of how jazz and soul can be combined as pop. AUDUBON STUDY LEADER Dr. Douglas Meffert is a Vice President and Executive Director of Louisiana for the National Audubon Society. Audubon s Louisiana team focuses on large scale coastal and gulf restoration as part of the Mississippi River Delta Restoration initiative and the protection of many globally significant Important Bird Areas. Doug has a long history in Louisiana, most recently as Director of Project Development and Associate Professor at Tulane University s Payson Center for International Development, and as the Executive Director of River Sphere, an initiative to develop a new campus for the university oriented to water resources and renewable energy. Doug has also taught courses on the natural history of the Mississippi River and Disaster Recovery. Doug received a Loeb Fellowship at Harvard s Graduate School of Design and is a faculty associate at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge, MA. He holds MBA and Bachelor of Engineering degrees from Tulane, and a Ph.D. in environmental science and engineering from UCLA. James Robertson, Alumni Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus at Virginia Tech, has received every major award possible in the field of Civil War History. Professor Robertson s lectures will reflect on the enduring importance of the Civil War in our national consciousness. For reservations or information, please call us at (800)

3 Itinerary Arkansas Helena Mississippi River Vicksburg MEMPHIS Mississippi USA Tennessee Alabama Natchez Florida Louisiana Houmas Mobile Pensacola House St. Francisville Baton NEW ORLEANS Horn Island Rouge Ship Island Gulf of Mexico Oak Alley Plantation Friday, November 30, 2012 MEMPHIS, Tennessee EMBARK Fly to Memphis and embark Yorktown. (D) Saturday, December 1 HELENA, Arkansas Call at the quaint port town of Helena and explore the elegant Pillow-Thompson House, one of several homes in Helena designed by architect George Barber. Tour the Delta Cultural Center to learn about the history of Southern Blues and hear disc jockey Sunshine Sonny Payne, whose nationally syndicated radio show King Biscuit Time is the longest running broadcast in the country. (B, L, D) Sunday, December 2 VICKSBURG, Mississippi As Yorktown continues along the Mississippi, we explore historic Vicksburg. Its position on a bend in the Mississippi River made Vicksburg a bustling trade port Brown Pelicans and a prime target during the Civil War. Tour the Vicksburg National Military Park and see the USS Cairo, the first of the City class ironclad gunboats from the Civil War. (B, L, D) Monday, December 3 NATCHEZ Natchez is one of the oldest cities on the Mississippi River. Visit some of Natchez s magnificent buildings and explore the town s fascinating history. Alternatively, explore the St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Located on the Mississippi River flyway, the site protects essential habitat on 25,000 acres and is designated a refuge by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society. (B, L, D) Tuesday, December 4 BATON ROUGE ST. FRANCISVILLE BATON ROUGE, Louisiana Visit tranquil St. Francisville, set on a hill overlooking the Mississippi River. Follow in the footsteps of John James Audubon as we tour the lush grounds of Oakley House, the site where he took a post as art instructor to the wealthy land owner s daughter in The buildings and grounds have been carefully restored to the Federal Period, and two trails offer access to the surrounding 100-acre forest. Return to Baton Rouge for a tour of the Old State Capitol Museum. (B, L, D) Great Egret Wednesday, December 5 HOUMAS HOUSE Built in the early 1800s, the large Greek Revival mansion of the Houmas House Plantation and Gardens is surrounded by lush acres of gardens, ponds, and a majestic live oak alley. During the late autumn when we will be visiting, the gardens are blanketed with the colors of the harvest season. Stroll through these exquisite grounds and tour the restored mansion. (B, L, D) Thursday, December 6 LAURA PLANTATION OAK ALLEY PLANTATION The only plantation that retains its original slave cabins, the Laura Plantation was where Alcée Fortier recorded the tales of Br er Rabbit in the 1870s. Explore the homes of the owners and the slaves, as well as the lovely grounds. Continue to Oak Alley Plantation, with its breathtaking onequarter-mile canopy of live oaks that lead from the Mississippi to the entrance of the elaborate Greek Revival mansion. (B, L, D) Friday, December 7 SHIP ISLAND and HORN ISLAND, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Mississippi Considered the jewel of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, Horn Island is a 13-mile-long isle with lagoons that attract over 280 bird species as well as pine and palmetto forests. Ship Island is the most historic of these barrier islands. (B, L, D) Saturday, December 8 PENSACOLA, Florida Pensacola is a beautiful Deep South city with a rich historic past. Visit the 19 th -century buildings of Historic Pensacola For reservations or information, please call us at (800)

4 Village and the Naval Aviation Museum. Alternatively, tour Project Greenshores, an ecosystem restoration effort covering 30 acres of oyster, salt marsh, and seagrass habitat along the urban waterfront of Pensacola. (B, L, D) Sunday, December 9 MOBILE, Alabama Yorktown docks in the graceful city of Mobile. Tour historic landmarks and sites, including Fort Condé, the Condé- Charlotte Museum, and Dauphin Island Park. Protected under the national system of Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries, the Park is a featured site of the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail and includes multiple ecosystems stretching throughout 164 acres with boardwalks, raised walkways, observation platforms, and neatlymaintained trails. (B, L, D) Monday, December 10 NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana Spend the day on a walking tour of New Orleans French Quarter, or Vieux Carré, the 80-block area that is the geographical and spiritual heart of the city. You will also have free time to explore what some call the most unique city in America. Overnight aboard ship. (B, L, D) Summer Tanager Audubon State Historic Site, Oakley House, St. Francisville Tuesday, December 11 NEW ORLEANS DISEMBARK Disembark in the morning for return flights. (B) Sunset over the Mississippi in Natchez Monmouth Plantation, Natchez Program Inclusions 11-night cruise aboard the 138-guest Yorktown Complete program of tours and excursions Welcome and farewell cocktail receptions aboard ship All meals aboard ship, including house wine, beer, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner Concerts from accompanying jazz trio performed aboard ship Enrichment program of lectures and discussions by onboard study leaders Professional Travel Dynamics International tour staff Complete pre-departure materials Port and embarkation taxes Gratuities to guides and drivers NOT INCLUDED: Airfare; transfers; luggage and trip cancellation insurance; alcoholic beverages other than wine and beer with lunch and dinner; personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, faxes, and service; and gratuities to shipboard personnel AIRFARE: Airfare is not included in the Cruise and Land Rates. Please contact your preferred airline, travel agent, or the Travel Dynamics International air desk operated by Valerie Wilson Travel, Inc. (VWTI) for airfare information and to reserve flights. Consultants are available Monday Friday from 9:00 am 5:30 pm (EST) toll-free at Please have your tour name, code (12621), and dates handy for reference.

5 Yorktown The Yorktown is the perfect vessel for relaxed and convivial exploration of America s great coastal waterways. Built in Florida in 1988 specifically for coastal cruising and certified by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Yorktown flies the American flag and is staffed by friendly and experienced American officers and crew. At 257 feet long and 43 feet wide with a draft of 8 feet, the Yorktown is able to maneuver in secluded waterways and visit small ports that are inaccessible to larger vessels. And Yorktown s American registry makes it possible to operate domestic itineraries unavailable to foreign-flag ships. In addition to a large sun deck, the Yorktown boasts a spacious lounge for social gatherings and lectures as well as quiet space for private conversation. The ship s cuisine, served in a dining room large enough to accommodate all guests at once, emphasizes American regional culinary traditions and specialties. Both the lounge and dining room are surrounded by large picture windows that afford unobstructed views of the passing scenery. Accommodating 138 guests in 69 exterior cabins, the Yorktown enjoys an atmosphere of warm and relaxed informality that endears it to repeat and new guests alike. Deck plan SUN DECK L47 L45 L43 L48 L46 L44 P75 P73 P76 P74 PROMENADE DECK LOUNGE DECK MAIN DECK L41 L39 L37 L35 L33 L31 L29 L27 L42 P71 P69 P67 P65 P63 P61 P72 P70 P68 P66 P64 P62 L40 L38 L36 L34 L32 L30 DINING ROOM S79 S77 S80 S78 P59 P57 P55 P53 P51 P49 P60 P58 P56 P54 P52 P50 OBSERVATION LOUNGE cruise & land rates PER PERSON, DOUBLE OCCUPANCY category description rate E Outside cabins with two lower beds, two portholes, and private bathroom. Cabins M11-M17 D Outside cabins with two lower beds, two windows, and private bathroom. Cabins L43-L48 C Outside cabins with two lower beds, two windows, and private bathroom. Cabins P49-P76 B Outside cabins with two lower beds, two picture windows, and private bathroom. Cabins M18-M26 A Outside cabins with two lower beds, two picture windows, and private bathroom. Cabins L29-L42 Outside cabins with two lower beds that can convert to a queen bed, two picture windows, AA and private bathroom. Cabins L27, L28, P59*, P60. *P59 s two lower beds cannot be converted. S Superior outside cabins with walk-out balcony, queen bed, and private bathroom. Cabins S77-S80 L28 M25M23 M21M19 M17M15 M11 M24M22 M20M18 M16M14 M12 M26 NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT $4,995 $5,795 $6,495 $7,195 $7,895 $8,595 $8,995 Cabins face outside and feature attractive amenities Forward Lounge Dining Room The spacious lounge, ideal for reading and relaxing A limited number of cabins in Categories C-A have been set aside for single occupancy at NO SUPPLEMENT. Once these cabins are filled, cabins for single occupancy may be available at the applicable supplement. Superior cabins include a walk-out balcony

6 Registration NAUD Please make deposit checks payable to: Travel Dynamics International and mail with this form to: Audubon Nature Odysseys 225 Varick Street, 7 th Floor New York, NY Telephone: (800) travel@audubon.org Enclosed is my check or credit card no. for $ ($750 per person) as a deposit to hold place(s) on Treasures of the Mississippi and the Gulf Coast. I understand that final payment is due ninety (90) days prior to departure and is payable by check only. o AmEx o Discover o Visa o MasterCard No. Exp. 3- or 4-Digit Security Code Please select cabin category in order of preference: S AA A B C D E o Twin Beds o Double Bed o Single Occupancy o Share (cannot be guaranteed) Our trips are designed for Audubon members. If you are not a member, please send the National Audubon Society a separate check for the special introductory rate of $20. Please tell us how interested you are in birding: o Very Interested o Interested o Not Interested Dr./Mr./Mrs./Ms. First Last Dr./Mr./Mrs./Ms. First Last Address City / State / Zip Telephone (day) (evening) Each participant must sign below: I/We have read the General Information section and agree to its terms. Signature Date Signature Date

7 General Information Payment Schedule: A deposit of $750 per person is required to reserve your space on the tour. For your convenience, you may charge your deposit to your American Express, Visa, Discover, or MasterCard. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. Credit cards are not accepted for final payment. However, personal checks are accepted for both deposits and final payment. Cancellations & Refunds: All cancellations are subject to a $300 per person fee. Cancellations received days prior to departure will be assessed a penalty equal to 50% of the total program cost per person. Cancellations received within 60 days of departure are subject to 100% cancellation penalties. Insurance: We strongly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance, which is available for coverage of expenses in conjunction with cancellation due to illness or accident. Baggage insurance is also recommended. In the event that you must cancel your participation in a travel program, trip cancellation insurance may be the only source of reimbursement. Itinerary: The itinerary, accommodations, and arrangements are subject to change at the discretion of Travel Dynamics International. Responsibility: Please read carefully the following terms and conditions, which constitute the sole, legally enforceable agreements between the passenger and Travel Dynamics International and the tour s sponsoring organization. The passenger is also advised to review his/her separate ticket passage contract with the vessel s owner/operator, which will constitute the sole, legally enforceable terms of carriage for this tour and is available on request from Travel Dynamics International. Travel Dynamics International and the tour s sponsoring organization act solely as agents for the passenger with respect to all transportation, hotel and other tour arrangements. In that capacity, we exercise all reasonable care possible to ensure the passenger s safety and satisfaction, but, we neither assume nor bear any responsibility or liability for any injury, death, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity arising in connection with the services of any ship, airplane, train, automobile, motor coach, carriage or other conveyance, or the actions of any third-party, involved in carrying the passenger or in affecting these tours. We are not responsible for damages, additional expenses, or any other losses due to cancellation, delay or other changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, civil disturbances, acts or threats of terrorism, travel warnings or bans, termination or suspension of war risks or other carrier insurance, quarantine, acts of God or other causes beyond our control. All such losses must be borne by the passenger, and tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated. In the event of cancellation, delay or rescheduling mandated by any of the aforesaid causes beyond our control, the passenger shall have the option of accepting in lieu of the original tour such rescheduled tour or other substituted tour(s) as may be offered by us, or else, receiving a refund of as much of such advance tour expenditures as we are able to recover on the passenger s behalf from carriers, third-party tour vendors, etc., but, we shall not have any obligation or liability to the passenger beyond the foregoing. We reserve the right to make alterations to the tour s itinerary and to substitute hotels, ships, or lecturers if this is required. We reserve the right to cancel, delay, or reschedule any tour prior to departure, and, so long as this is not due to any of the aforesaid causes beyond our control, the passenger shall be entitled to a full refund of all monies paid to that point if he/she so desires. No refund shall be made for any unused portion of any tour. By forwarding their deposit(s), the passenger certifies that he/she and/ or their dependents, minors or others covered thereby do not have any mental, physical or other condition of disability that could create a hazard for them or other passengers. We reserve the right to decline to accept or to decline to retain any person as a member of any tour should such person s health, condition or actions adversely affect or threaten the welfare or safety of other passengers or impede the tour. Baggage or valuables brought on the tour shall be transported, handled or stored at the passenger s risk entirely, and, we shall bear no liability or responsibility for any damage or other loss thereto. Passenger tickets are not transferable and are not subject to alteration by the passenger. No suit shall be maintainable against the carrier, or vessel, for any losses, accidents, damages to person, property, personal injury (including death or other types of bodily injury) of the passengers, unless written notice of the claim, with full particulars, is delivered to the carrier or its agents at its office at the port of sailing or at the port of termination within six months from the day when such incident occurred. In no event shall any such suit or any claim against the carrier or vessel for any losses, accidents, damages to person, property, personal injury (including death or other types of bodily injury) of the passenger be maintainable unless such suit is commenced within one year from the day when the incident causing such losses, accidents, damages to person, property, personal injury (including death or other types of bodily injury) of the passenger occurs, notwithstanding any provision of law of any state or country to the contrary. Resolution of any disputes arising hereunder shall be brought within the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, pursuant to the applicable general maritime law, and applying the applicable general maritime law and Federal maritime statutes. Rates: Tour costs are based upon current airfares, tariffs, and currency values. While we do everything possible to maintain the listed prices, they are subject to change. Fuel Supplement: Travel Dynamics International reserves the right to charge a fuel supplement, without prior notice, if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $85 per barrel. This supplement may be charged even if the cruise fare has been paid in full. Ship s Registry: USA CST # TDI

8 Audubon Nature Odysseys 225 Varick Street, 7 th Floor New York, NY PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Travel Dynamics Int l Featuring Onboard Jazz performances No Single Supplement NAUD New Orleans famed French Quarter For further information about this travel program, please contact Audubon Nature Odysseys 225 Varick Street, 7 th Floor, New York, NY or call (800) or travel@audubon.org Laura Plantation, Louisiana