On the Rim of the Caribbean

Transcription

1 On the Rim of the Caribbean Colonial Georgia and the Sugar Islands Aboard Silversea s Silver Wind With Paul M. Pressly Feb 10-17, 2017

2 On the Rim of the Caribbean Colonial Georgia and the British Atlantic World In On the Rim of the Caribbean, Paul M. Pressly examines the ways in which Georgia came to share many of the characteristics of the sugar islands, how Savannah developed as a Caribbean town, the dynamics of an emerging slave market, and the role of merchant-planters as leaders in forging a highly adaptive economic culture open to innovation. Eighteenth-Century Georgia and South Carolina sat on the outer edge of a booming plantation complex that stretched across the Caribbean and drew heavily on that colorful region for much of its cultural and economic life. Georgians were mesmerized by the sugar revolution that transformed culinary habits in the Atlantic world, created the most expensive real estate in the British Empire, and provided a model for a brutal form of slave labor that served as the basis for Georgia s rice industry. Within a short time, Savannah became as much a Caribbean town as an English one in terms of sailors, trade, the shops on Bay Street, love of rum, the activities of the enslaved population, and the emerging plantations along the Savannah River. In contrast to South Carolina s enthusiasm for the American Revolution, Georgia was the last colony to embrace the cause. The connections to the British Caribbean weighed heavily. Pressly suggests that the American Revolution initiated the process of bringing the Lowcountry into the orbit of the mainland. Dr. Paul M. Pressly A native of Chattanooga, Paul received his B.A. in history from Princeton University, his D. Phil in history from the University of Oxford, and his M.P.A. from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He headed The Savannah Country Day School for over two decades, chaired national boards setting educational policy, founded a summer enrichment program for public school students, and organized a symposium on African American life in the coastal region that resulted in the publication of a book African American Life in the Georgia Lowcountry: the Gullah- Geechee and the Atlantic World. He is currently at work on a symposium and book on the environmental history of the Georgia coast. He works for the Ossabaw Island Foundation, which promotes and develops educational, scientific, and cultural programs for Ossabaw Island, third-largest barrier CONNOISSEURS island off the coast and TOURS owned by the state. INFO@CONNOISSEURSTOURS.COM

3 Dear Fellow Dames and Friends, January 28, 2016 Imagine traveling on a small luxury ship through the Caribbean s most elegant islands, and doing so in the company of an expert on historical ties between colonial Georgia and 18th century plantations of the Caribbean. The NSCDA of Georgia invites you to sail on a journey filled with good friends, warm sunny weather, historical lectures and crystal clear waters. The journey begins in San Juan (an easy non-stop flight from Atlanta or Charlotte) and continues to: Gustavia, St. Barthelemy, Guadeloupe, French West Indies Roseau, Dominica Bridgetown, Barbados Castries, St. Lucia, West Indies St. John s, Antigua and Barbuda Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands and returning back to San Juan We have selected the luxurious Silver Wind as our home for this cruise. The Silver Wind holds only 296 passengers and each stateroom is a suite, with a living room area, walkin closets, marble bathrooms and butler service for each room. All gratuities and select wines, premium spirits, specialty coffees and soft drinks are complimentary in all bars, lounges and dining rooms. Your suite s mini-bar is also stocked with your preferences and replenished by your butler upon request. Only for Connoisseurs travelers, Dr. Paul Pressly will provide stimulating insights into the connections between Georgia, South Carolina and the British Virgin Islands. In addition to enjoying all that each island has to offer, NSCDA guests will have the option of traveling on private excursions and delving deeper into the colonial history of these enchanting islands. Prices begin at $2, per person. Each stateroom will receive a $ shipboard credit. For those who wish to arrive early into San Juan we have a designed a beautiful, all inclusive overnight stay in the historic El Convento Hotel which includes dinner, breakfast and sightseeing. The word is out about this stunning journey and many Dames and their friends have already called to make reservations. Stateroom/Suite availability is still very good but prices are only guaranteed when a reservation has been made through Connoisseurs Tours. We look forward to answering your questions and assisting you with reservations. Warm regards, Kathryn Waller

4 DAY 1- FEB 10: PUERTO RICO, SAN JUAN/ EMBARKATION Until the eighteenth century, Spain ignored Puerto Rico in favor of its mainland colonies, preferring to gear its fragile economy to the production of coffee English, and Dutch merchants. Late in the nineteenth century, Sweden returned the island to France. *A selection of Silversea shore excursions as well as a NSCDA private historical tour will be available in this port. and cattle rather than sugar. As the Caribbean became a cockpit for naval warfare during the 1700s, the island became an increasingly important military outpost. The French, English, and Dutch made numerous but unsuccessful attempts to conquer the island. To guard against these incursions, the Spanish constructed the many forts and ramparts still found. During the American Revolution, Puerto Ricans fought in Florida and participated in the capture of Pensacola from the British. *A selection of Silversea shore excursions as well as a NSCDA private historical tour will be available in this port. DAY 2- FEB 11: ST. BARTHELEMY/ GUSTAVIA, A volcanic island only ten miles square and lacking fertile land, St. Barthelemy was colonized in 1763 by French mariners from Normandy and Brittany bent on privateering. Twenty-one years later, Louis XVI gave the island to Sweden in exchange for the rights to conduct trade in the largest port in Swedish waters. The island had a population of some 750 of whom 281 were enslaved people. The Swedes declared Gustavia a free port at a time when imperial restrictions limited commercial exchanges and turned the island into the center of a booming trade based on smuggling by French, DAY 3- FEB 12: DOMINICA/ROSEAU In the early 1700s, French woodcutters and small settlers pushed into this small island dominated by fiercely independent Carib Indians. The French developed small plantations for coffee. The latter soon became a majority and developed the Antillean Creole language based on French but incorporating their West African languages and some Carib. During the Seven Years War, Britain conquered the island and annexed it along with its French- and Creole speaking population. During the American Revolution, the island changed hands more than once, but was finally secured for the British when Admiral Joseph-François de Grasse, sailing from Yorktown after the Franco-American victory over Cornwallis, was defeated by Admiral George Rodney off the coast of Dominica in the greatest naval engagement of the war, the Battle of the Saintes. *A selection of Silversea shore excursions as well as a NSCDA private historical tour will be available in this port.

5 DAY 4- FEB 13: BARBADOS/BRIDGETOWN One of the first English colonies to be settled in the Caribbean, Barbados became the focal point for the development of a sugar industry that radically transformed consumption habits in the British Isles, created a new type of plantation and became the foundation for much of the commercial and imperial success of Great Britain during the eighteenth century. Considered as the brightest jewel in our crown of trade, that distinction came at a high cost. Barbados became the springboard for English colonization in the Americas and played a leading role in the settlement of Charles Town. It has been said, not unfairly, that South Carolina was the colony of a colony. *A selection of Silversea shore excursions as well as a NSCDA private historical tour will be available in this port. DAY 5- FEB 14: ST. LUCIA/ CASTRIES The French were the first European settlers on this small island in the 17th century. They did not begin the cultivation of sugar cane until the mid- 1700s. During the course of that century, the island changed ownership or was declared neutral territory a dozen times. In the Battle of St. Lucia in 1778, a French fleet under Admiral the Comte d Estaing attacked a British fleet defending the island, now under their control, in a major naval engagement. The battle ended as a stand-off. Afterwards, the admiral sailed with his force to Georgia and led a combined Franco-American army against the British in the Siege of Savannah. Although later losing control of St. Lucia to the French, the British reestablished their rule at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. *A selection of Silversea shore excursions as well as a NSCDA private historical tour will be available in this port. DAY 6- FEB 15: ANTIGUA & BARBUDA/ ST. JOHN S Located on the major sailing routes among the region s resource-rich colonies, Antigua was considered Britain s Gateway to the Caribbean. In the early 1770s, a merchant from St. John s, John Wand, partnered with Edward Telfair, one of the most influential merchants in Georgia, in building ocean-going vessels. Antigua benefited from a naval dockyard in English Harbour, which provided a strategic site for monitoring the French naval presence in the Caribbean. Lord Horatio Nelson arrived in the late eighteenth century to enforce the unpopular Navigation Acts and preserve the island s commercial shipping preeminence. *A selection of Silversea shore excursions as well as a NSCDA private historical tour will be available in this port.

6 DAY 7- FEB 16: TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS In the late 16th century, the English established a permanent plantation colony on Tortola and the surrounding islands after taking control from the Dutch. Settlers developed the islands for the sugar cane industry and invested heavily to create large plantations. In 1750, a member of a local trading firm, Alexander Wylly, migrated to Savannah and started a mercantile establishment that became the largest in the colony of Georgia. He served as speaker of the Commons House of Assembly, acquired a plantation on the Savannah River, and was a noted Loyalist during the Revolution. Although Wylly died shortly after departing the state, other Loyalists from Georgia and South Carolina immigrated to Tortola and played a major role in the economy and politics of the island. *A selection of Silversea shore excursions as well as a NSCDA private historical tour will be available in this port. DAY 8- FEB 17: SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO/ DISEMBARKATION/RETURN TO THE US We disembark our cruise in San Juan and transfer to the San Juan Airport to begin our journey home. OLD SAN JUAN PRE-CRUISE PACKAGE $ per person Arrival Airport Transfers with Meet & Greet service One night accommodation at the El Convento Hotel including all taxes and additional tariffs. Wine Reception Breakfast A Historical Tour of San Juan Transfer to the Ship

7 SILVERSEA S SILVER WIND ACCOMMODATIONS: Welcome home to the luxury cruise ship, Silver Wind. Experience al fresco dining with panoramic ocean views, warm clubby spaces for evening cocktails with friends and the plush comfort of your ocean-view suite after a day of incredible sights. Timelessly elegant yet luxuriously relaxed, Silver Cloud s sleek sister ship strikes the perfect balance of yacht-like intimacy combined with the space, amenities and diversions typically reserved for larger vessels. Warm welcomes and gracious personalized service inspire guests to call Silver Wind their home away from home - join us and discover the charms of Silver Wind. The Silver Wind holds only 296 passengers. WHAT S INCLUDED IN THIS CRUISE: Spacious suites over 85% with private verandas Personalized service nearly one crew member for every guest Butler service in every suite all guests are pampered equally Open-seating dining options dine when and with whomever you please Diversity of dining venues casual, romantic, regional delicacies, and gourmet cuisine inspired by Relais & Châteaux Beverages in-suite and throughout the ship select wines, premium spirits, specialty coffees and soft drinks, plus your own tailored mini-bar In-suite dining and 24-hour room service always complimentary, always available Sophisticated entertainment from live music to production shows Enrichment lecturer and/or destination consultant Complimentary transportation into town in most ports Gratuities always included in your fare Free WiFi throughout the ship; unlimited in select suite categories HOTEL EL CONVENTO OLD SAN JUAN With 58 hotel rooms that feature ornate handcrafted furniture, marble bathrooms, and Andalusian tile floors, Hotel El Convento offers the finest accommodations in Old San Juan. The restoration of this Spanish Colonial hotel is reflected in the architecture - from the exposed rich mahogany beams to modern comforts. Just outside the lobby you can wander the streets of colorful Old San Juan to experience the finest museums and attractions including stunning cathedrals and world-renowned historic forts. El Convento Blends a distinctive, contemporary character while conveying the spirit of the Old World.

8 SILVER WIND DECK PLANS CRUISE PRICING $ Per Suite Shipboard Credit is Included for all Connoisseurs Guests. * Descriptions of Silversea Shore excursions and private NSCDA historical excursions will be available six months prior to sailing and are in addition to the cruise fare.

9 SILVER WIND SUITE PLANS ALL SUITES FEATURE:

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11 GENERAL INFORMATION, TERMS & CONDITIONS Please read the Terms & Conditions in their entirety prior to making any payment for this tour. Any payment made towards a tour booking shall constitute a confirmation by the Guest on behalf of themselves and all other persons named on their booking that he or she has read, understood, accepted and agreed to the Terms & Conditions of this tour, the terms of which will apply to the Guest and all other persons named on their booking. DEPOSIT & FINAL PAYMENT A Deposit of 25% of the cruise fare booking per person is due to reserve a place on this tour. Deposits and payments can be paid by check or any major credit card. Final payment is due October 1, PRICE OF CRUISE & TOUR Cruise prices begin at $2, per person double occupancy depending on the cabin selected. Single fares begin at $4, Excursions in each location are in addition to the cost of the tour. Tour cost does not include items of a personal nature. The Travel Insured Group Deluxe travel insurance protection plan is strongly recommended. Please call us for more information, and for single supplement insurance prices. CONNOISSEURS TOURS PROTECTION PLAN PROVIDED BY TRAVEL INSURED Traveling is a big investment. It pays to protect yourself against unforeseen circumstances that can result in trip cancellation and additional expenses such as costs related to medical emergencies. This Travel Insured Protection Plan is specifically designed to provide you with peace of mind knowing you are protected against the financial impact of unexpected events while on your trip. Additional insurance is available to include the cost of your airfare. Please contact Connoisseurs Tours if you would like to insure the cost of your airline tickets after your have purchased your airline tickets. See below for the Schedule of Coverage: Trip Cancellation* (not applicable if $0 trip cost) Trip Cost* Trip Interruption** ($500 return air only if $0 trip cost) 150% of Trip Cost* Cancel for Work Reasons Trip Cost* Trip Delay 6 hours $750 ($150/day) Baggage/Personal Effects $1,500 Baggage Delay 24 hours $400 Accident & Sickness Medical Expense $50,000 Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation $250,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment $25,000 Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services Included *Up to the lesser of the Trip Cost paid or the limit of Coverage for which benefits are requested and the appropriate plan cost has been paid. Maximum limit of $10,000 **150% of Trip Cost paid up to a maximum of $10,000 for the unused portion of Your Trip and the transportation cost to re-join the Trip or return home. CANCELLATION CHARGES $ from the time of booking to 121 days prior to departure is non-refundable. 15% of the total cruise fare per person from 120 days to 91 days prior to departure is non-refundable. 50% of the total cruise fare from 90 to 61 days prior to departure. 75% of the total cruise fare from 60 to 31 days prior to departure. 100% of the total cruise fare from 30 to 0 days prior to departure. All cancellations must be in writing. Guests who downgrade suite categories within 120 days of the initial sailing date will incur cancellation penalties on the difference in cruise fare between the two suites. RESPONSIBILITY Connoisseurs Tours acts only as an agent for the traveler with respect to transportation, accommodations and other services offered on the tour. Connoisseurs Tours and their agents assume no responsibility or liability for any act, error or omission, or for any injury, loss, accident or delay or irregularity that may be caused by any defect in any aircraft, ship, train, bus or other carrier or through neglect or default of any subcontractor or other third party. The passage contract in use by the carriers when issued shall constitute the sole contract between the carriers and the traveler. Connoisseurs Tours and/or their agents will not be responsible for loss, injury, damages or expenses to person or property, due to illness, weather, strikes, local laws, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature or other such causes in connection with the tour for anything beyond their reasonable control. Connoisseurs Tours is not responsible for transportation or other delays or changes in the tour program beyond their control, nor any additional expenses or loss of time that may be incurred by the traveler. It may be necessary or advisable for the well-being of all travelers to alter the itinerary at any time, without notice to the travelers, and such alterations will be made without penalty to Connoisseurs Tours. Connoisseurs Tours reserves the right to decline or not to retain any person as a member of any tour or to change or withdraw a tour as circumstances demand. All rates quoted are based on tariffs in effect at the time the tour was planned and are subject to change in the event of adjustment therein. Baggage is carried at the owner s risk and baggage insurance is recommended. Connoisseurs Tours reserves the right to substitute hotels of equal or superior quality. The proposals of this section are governed by Georgia law, and final payment by the traveler to Connoisseurs Tours shall be deemed to be consent to the above provisions. VALIDITY January 28, 2015 through August 17, 2017

12 RESERVATION FORM On the Rim of the Caribbean, Feb 10-17, 2017 Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Telephone: Rooming With: Please Reserve place(s) for this tour A deposit in the amount of $25% of the cruise fare per person (plus insurance) is required for a reservation I wish to purchase single accommodations: I wish to purchase the Connoisseurs Tours Protection Plan Please contact me about airline reservations Yes, I am interested in excursions: Please contact me about insurance rates Enclosed is a deposit of $ for people Check (Checks should be made payable to Connoisseurs Tours) Credit Card: Visa Mastercard Amex Discover Card# Exp. Date: / Sec. Code: I have read and understand the Terms and Conditions of this tour. Signature: Please mail your reservation form and deposit to: Connoisseurs Tours 110 McIntosh Dr. Savannah, GA I am interested in the San Juan Pre-Cruise Package ACCOMMODATIONS PREFERENCE: OWNER S SUITE ROYAL SUITE MEDALLION SUITE VERANDA SUITE GRAND SUITE SILVER SUITE VERANDA MIDSHIP VISTA SUITE