Reflections of the 2005 Chairman's Cruise

Last fall, my wife, Jane, and I, along with a group of AAA Central Penn members and clients, had the great experience of the Chairman’s Cruise to eight ports of call. Our adventure began with a flight from Philadelphia to Venice, Italy, where we spent our first day and night before boarding Holland America’s Rotterdam for our cruise. The exciting stops included Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Malta and culminated in Venice where we began.

The Rotterdam is the flagship of the Holland America Line and it’s one of the most beautiful and elegant ships on which we have ever sailed. The grandeur of the ship is enhanced by the warm and friendly service of its professional and capable staff, all in keeping with the first-class service our AAA members and clients have come to expect. AAA Central Penn and Holland America join together to deliver wonderful lifetime experiences.

Our stay in Venice was dampened somewhat by rainy weather, but it wasn’t too wet for a number of our group to enjoy gondola rides. Venice, we discovered, has an interesting history. The city was built when the Huns invaded. The Italian people took to boats to escape the invaders and built their new city in a marsh and swampland area consisting of more than 100 islands. To support their structures, they had to sink wood pilings 45 feet before they hit bedrock. As a result, the floors in Venice (including those in the Doge’s Palace) are flexible so that they can move with the water and pilings without cracking.

There are 400 bridges in Venice. Perhaps you’ve heard of one of the most popular, The Bridge of Sighs. That name came from the fact that prisoners were marched across the bridge to be held in cells until their execution. It was also interesting to learn that at one time Venice was the richest city in Europe because it controlled all trade from the spice producing countries and all goods moving through Venice were taxed.

We left the rain behind in Venice and the rest of our trip was one sunny day after another with temperatures staying in the low to mid 70s. The seas were so smooth and calm we forgot we were on a ship.

Our first port of call in the Adriatic Sea was Dubrovnik, Croatia. It’s a beautiful seashore city surrounded by the original wall that was built before the birth of Christ. After Dubrovnik, we were off to our first Greek island, Santorini, where the sites we visited were both beautiful and very memorable.

On a cruise like this one, there are always special places that are highlights for each individual. For me, those places included the city of Ephesus in Turkey, Olympia in Greece, where the first Olympic games were held in 776 B.C., and the Acropolis where the Parthenon is located. The impact of visiting these historic places will remain with me for a long time.

Our last port of call, Malta, is the site of some of the oldest, prehistoric ruins and relics in the entire world. Valletta, the capital of Malta, is a 16th-century city that showcases many historic buildings from the time of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. The friendly, English-speaking citizens are very accommodating to tourists and are eager to entertain their guests. After Valletta, we returned to Venice to prepare for our flight home. Jane and I had a wonderful time meeting and entertaining fellow AAA members on the cruise. We’re appreciative and grateful for the loyalty and patronage of our AAA members.

Our Chairman’s Cruise is just one example of the fine array of top-notch cruises and tours being offered by AAA Central Penn. The quality and first-class experience of our cruise is reflected in all the cruises and tours available to you through your club. Be sure to check out the variety of opportunities available to you to make your own excellent memories.

Now it’s time to take a look at our itinerary for the 2006 Chairman’s Cruise which will be a 10-day cruise July 29 to Aug. 11 to northern Europe. We’ll fly to Copenhagen, Denmark, where we’ll spend two days. From Copenhagen we’ll cruise to the ports of Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; Visby, Sweden; Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany; Arhus, Denmark and then return to Copenhagen. We will be sailing again with Holland America, this time on the Amsterdam, sister ship to the Rotterdam.

If the past is the key to the future, this cruise will be another AAA Central Penn/Holland America first-class experience. We’d love to have you join us.

R. Mac Reeves, Chairperson
AAA Central Penn