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Frommer s Cruises Ports of Call 2008 From U S
Canadian Home Ports to the Caribbean Alaska Hawaii
More Frommer s Complete Heidi Sarna Digital Instant
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Author(s): Heidi Sarna, Matt Hannafin
ISBN(s): 9780470137352, 0470137355
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 Cruises
& Ports of Call
From U.S. & Canadian Home
Ports to the Caribbean,
Alaska, Hawaii & More

2008
by Heidi Sarna & Matt Hannafin

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 Cruises
& Ports of Call
From U.S. & Canadian Home
Ports to the Caribbean,
Alaska, Hawaii & More

2008
by Heidi Sarna & Matt Hannafin

Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:

“Amazingly easy to use. Very portable, very complete.”
—Booklist

“Detailed, accurate, and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”

—Glamour Magazine

“Strategies for getting the best price, including when to book. Ship ratings, cabin eval-
uation.”
—Newark Star Ledger

“. . . is one of the most thorough, easy-to-navigate references that has stats, reviews
and realties of both ships and ports.”
—Pittsburgh Post Gazette
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5 4 3 2 1
 Contents
List of Maps viii

Cruising 2008: Big Boats, Big Business 1

The Best of Cruising 5

1 Our Favorite Mainstream Ships . . . . . .5 8 Best Beaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
2 Best Luxury Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 9 Best Small-Ship Adventure Cruises . . .11
3 The Most Romantic Cruises . . . . . . . .6 10 Best History & Learning Cruises . . . .11
4 Best Cruises for Families with Kids . . .7 11 Best Cruises for Sports Nuts &
5 Best Cruises for Pure Relaxation . . . . .8 Gym Rats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
6 Best Dining Experiences . . . . . . . . . . .9 12 Best Ships for Spa-Goers . . . . . . . . .13
7 Best Cruises for the Party Set . . . . . .10 13 Best Shopping Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Part 1: Planning, Booking & Preparing for Your Cruise

1 Choosing Your Ideal Cruise 19
1 Homeland Cruise Regions in Brief . . .19 Getting Married on Board
2 Itineraries: The Long & or in Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
the Short of It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 6 Cruises for Gay Men & Lesbians . . . .33
3 Different Boats for Different Folks . . .24 7 Active Travel & Adventure Cruises . . .34
Ship Size Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . .26 8 Cruises for the Young & Old . . . . . . .35
4 Cruises for Families . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 9 Cruises for People with Disabilities
Family Cruising Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 & Health Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
5 Cruises for Honeymooners & Onboard Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . .37
Anniversary Couples . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

2 Booking Your Cruise & Getting the Best Price 38

1 The Caribbean: A Bargain Average Cost of Onboard Extras . . . .46
Hunter’s Dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 5 Agents & the Web: Finding
2 The Prices in This Guide . . . . . . . . . .39 the Best Deals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
3 The Cost: What’s Included & Be Savvy & Beware of Scams . . . . . .48
What’s Not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 6 Recommended Agencies
Price Comparisons: Discounted & Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Rates vs. Brochure Rates . . . . . . . . .40 7 Choosing Your Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . .51
4 Money-Saving Strategies . . . . . . . . .45 Model Cabin Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . .53
iv CONTENTS

Reading a Ship’s Deck Plan . . . . . . .54 10 Booking Pre- & Post-Cruise

8 Booking Your Air Travel . . . . . . . . . . .56 Hotel Stays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
9 Prebooking Your Dinner Table & 11 Cancellations & Insurance . . . . . . . .58
Arranging Special Diets . . . . . . . . . .57 12 Putting Down a Deposit &
Reviewing Tickets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

3 Things to Know Before You Go 62

1 Passports & Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 4 Packing for the Different
2 Money Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Cruise Climates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
3 Keeping in Touch While at Sea . . . . .64 5 Tipping, Customs & Other
End-of-Cruise Concerns . . . . . . . . . .70

4 The Cruise Experience 73

1 Checking In, Boarding & Settling 4 Keeping Fit: Gyms, Spas & Sports . . .81
into Your Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 5 Programs for Kids & Teens . . . . . . . .84
A Brief History of Cruising . . . . . . . .74 6 Onboard Dining Options . . . . . . . . . .84
2 Exploring the Ports of Call: 7 Onboard Entertainment . . . . . . . . . .89
Shore Excursions vs. Going It
8 Shopping Opportunities
on Your Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
on Ship & Shore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
3 A Typical Day at Sea: Onboard
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Part 2: The Cruise Lines & Their Ships

5 The Ratings & How to Read Them 95
1 Cruise Line Categories . . . . . . . . . . .95 3 Evaluating & Comparing
2 Reading the Reviews the Listed Cruise Prices . . . . . . . . . . .97
& Ratings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Ships at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

6 The Mainstream Lines 110

1 Mini-Review: Azamara Cruises . . . .111 8 MSC Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
2 Carnival Cruise Lines . . . . . . . . . . .112 9 Norwegian Cruise Line . . . . . . . . . .199
3 Celebrity Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 Why NCL Owns Hawaii . . . . . . . . .201
4 Costa Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 10 Oceania Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
5 Disney Cruise Line . . . . . . . . . . . . .158 11 Princess Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
6 Holland America Line . . . . . . . . . . .167 Still the Love Boat . . . . . . . . . . . . .227
7 Imperial Majesty Cruise Line . . . . . .187 12 Royal Caribbean International . . . . .245
 CONTENTS v

7 The Ultraluxury Lines 269

1 Crystal Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270 4 Seabourn Cruise Line . . . . . . . . . . .300
2 Cunard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281 5 SeaDream Yacht Club . . . . . . . . . . .307
Preview: Queen Victoria . . . . . . . . .287 6 Silversea Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .315
3 Regent Seven Seas Cruises . . . . . . .291

8 Small Ships, Sailing Ships & Adventure Cruises 323

1 Mini-Review: American Canadian 7 Majestic America Line . . . . . . . . . . .359
Caribbean Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .326 8 Mini-Review: RiverBarge
2 American Cruise Lines . . . . . . . . . .327 Excursions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .369
3 Mini-Review: American 9 Mini-Review: Sea Cloud Cruises . . .370
Safari Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .334 10 Star Clippers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372
4 Cruise West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335 11 Windjammer Barefoot Cruises . . . .379
5 Lindblad Expeditions . . . . . . . . . . .345 12 Windstar Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .390
6 The Maine Windjammers . . . . . . . .349

Part 3: The Ports

9 The Ports of Embarkation 403
Choosing a Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . .404 10 Montréal, Québec . . . . . . . . . . . . . .454
1 Anchorage, Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . .404 11 New Orleans, Louisiana . . . . . . . . .459
2 Baltimore, Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . .409 12 New York City, New York . . . . . . . .465
3 Boston, Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . .414 New York’s Best Pizza . . . . . . . . . .474
4 Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach, 13 Norfolk, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .475
Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .420 14 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . . . . . . .480
5 Charleston, South Carolina . . . . . . .427 15 San Diego, California . . . . . . . . . . .486
6 Fort Lauderdale, Florida . . . . . . . . .432 16 San Francisco, California . . . . . . . . .494
7 Galveston, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .436 17 Seattle, Washington . . . . . . . . . . . .501
8 Los Angeles, California . . . . . . . . . .440 18 Tampa, Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .506
9 Miami, Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .448 19 Vancouver, British Columbia . . . . . .511

10 The Caribbean, The Bahamas & the Panama Canal 517

1 The Cruise Lines’ Private Islands . . .518 6 Belize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .539
2 Antigua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524 7 British Virgin Islands: Tortola &
3 Aruba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .527 Virgin Gorda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .542
4 The Bahamas: Nassau & Freeport . . .531 A Slice of Paradise:
Jost Van Dyke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .544
5 Barbados . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .537
vi CONTENTS

8 Cozumel & the Yucatán Peninsula . . .546 18 The Panama Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . .582
9 Curaçao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .555 19 Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .585
10 Dominica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .558 San Juan as a Port
11 Grand Cayman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .561 of Embarkation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .586
12 Grand Turk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .563 Walking Tour: Old San Juan . . . . . .587
13 Grenada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .566 Puerto Rico Golf Excursions . . . . . .592
14 Jamaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .568 20 St. Barts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592
Montego Bay Golf Excursions . . . . .572 21 St. Kitts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .594
15 Key West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .573 22 St. Lucia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .596
16 Martinique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .577 23 St. Martin/Sint Maarten . . . . . . . . .599
Martinique Golf Excursions . . . . . . .580 24 U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Thomas &
St. John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .603
17 Nevis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .580

11 Alaska & British Columbia 609

1 Cruising Alaska’s Natural 3 Icy Strait Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .619
Wonders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .610 4 Juneau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .620
Glaciers: An Intro to the Ice . . . . . .614 5 Ketchikan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .624
Cruisetours—’Cause All Alaska 6 Sitka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .626
Ain’t on Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .616
7 Skagway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .630
2 Haines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .617
8 Victoria, British Columbia . . . . . . . .633

12 The Mexican Riviera & Baja 636

1 Acapulco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .636 3 Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo . . . . . . . . . . . . .643
2 Cabo San Lucas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .639 4 Mazatlán . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .645
Small-Ship Cruises in Baja’s Mazatlán Golf Excursions . . . . . . . .647
Sea of Cortez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .641 5 Puerto Vallarta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .648

13 Bermuda 652
1 Hamilton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .654 3 Royal Naval Dockyard . . . . . . . . . . .657
2 St. George’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .656

14 Hawaii 658
1 Oahu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .660 3 Maui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .666
If You’re Embarking in Honolulu . . .662 4 The Big Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .669
2 Kauai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .664
 CONTENTS vii

15 New England & Eastern Canada 674

1 Bar Harbor, Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . .676 3 Newport, Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . .682
2 Halifax, Nova Scotia . . . . . . . . . . . .678 4 Québec City, Québec . . . . . . . . . . .685
The Small Ports of New England 5 Saint John, New Brunswick . . . . . . .687
& Eastern Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . .680

16 U.S. River Cruise Routes 690

1 The California Wine Country . . . . . .690 3 The Hudson River, Erie Canal
2 The Columbia & Snake Rivers, & Great Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .695
Pacific Northwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692 4 The Mississippi River System . . . . . .697

Index 702
 List of Maps

Downtown Anchorage 405 Tampa 507

Baltimore 411 Vancouver 513
Boston 415 The Gulf of Mexico & the
Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach 421 Caribbean 520
Charleston 429 Aruba 529
Fort Lauderdale 433 Nassau 533
Galveston 437 Cozumel & the Yucatán Ports 549
Los Angeles 441 Key West 575
Miami 449 Old San Juan Walking Tour 589
Montréal 455 The U.S. & British Virgin Islands 605
New Orleans: The French Quarter 461 Alaska 612
New York City 466 Sitka 627
Norfolk 477 Victoria 635
Philadelphia 482 The Mexican Riviera 637
San Diego 487 Bermuda 653
San Francisco 495 The Hawaiian Islands 659
Seattle 503 New England & Eastern Canada 675
About the Authors
Heidi Sarna is a freelance writer who has sailed the oceans blue for more than a decade, often
with her young twin sons and lucky husband in tow. Coauthor of Frommer’s European Cruises
& Ports of Call and a contributor to several other guidebooks, she also writes regular travel
columns for Frommers.com. She’s written for many magazines, newspapers, and websites,
including Forbes Traveler, the International Herald Tribune, Condé Nast Traveler, Gourmet,
Parenting, Brides, Modern Bride, the Boston Herald, and Travel Weekly.
Matt Hannafin is a freelance writer, editor, and musician based in Portland, Oregon. Coauthor
of Frommer’s European Cruises & Ports of Call, he also contributes to dozens of books, newspa-
pers, magazines, and websites, including Frommers.com, Gourmet, Modern Bride, the Boston
Herald, Travel Weekly, Porthole, and Avid Cruiser. In 2007 he was a major contributor to the
book 1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die, writing nearly a quarter of the
entries. His editing clients include U.N. agencies, book publishers, and major consultancy
firms, and his musical activities range from teaching Persian classical percussion to perform-
ances of contemporary free improvisation.

Acknowledgments
A select group of travel writers and experts contributed to this book. Mike Driscoll, editor of
the probing industry newsletter Cruise Week, provided insights into current booking trends.
Merchant Marine officer and travel writer Ben Lyons wrote our new review of American Cruise
Lines and helped out on a few other lines too. Our editor, Naomi Kraus, kept our Orlando
coverage up to date. Big thanks go out to Frommer’s authors Lesley Abravanel, Mary Herczog,
Marie Morris, Bill Goodwin, Matthew Poole, Mary K. Tilghman, Leslie Brokaw, Lauren
McCutcheon, and Mark Hiss, who helped out with our ports of embarkation coverage. We
also appreciate the efforts Felisa Mahabal and Steamship Historical Society of America direc-
tor Steve Swanson put into updating our Caribbean coverage. For their work in previous editions
of this book, big thanks go to writer/biologist Dr. Christina Colon, SeaTrade Cruise Review
U.S. editor Anne Kalosh, cruise expert Art Sbarsky, travel journalist Marilyn Green, ship
authority and author Ted Scull, writer/travelers Ken Lindley and Darlene Simidian, and
passenger ship expert Alan Zamchick.
Lastly, Matt would like to thank his wife, Rebecca, who thinks writing about cruises is a
really strange way to make a living (or at least part of one). Ain’t that the truth. Heidi thanks
her best shipmates, twin sons Kavi and Tejas, for being such good sailors at the ripe old age of
five (15 cruises and counting), and salutes hubby Arun for going along with the crazy cruising
life all these years.
An Invitation to the Reader
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and
more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information
with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommenda-
tion, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s Cruises & Ports of Call 2008
Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

An Additional Note
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially
true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making
your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the expe-
riences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you
to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wal-
lets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

Other Great Guides for Your Trip:

Frommer’s USA
Frommer’s Caribbean Ports of Call
Frommer’s Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call
Frommer’s Caribbean
Frommer’s Mexico
Frommer’s Canada
Frommer’s Hawaii
Frommer’s Bermuda

Frommers.com
Now that you have this guidebook to help you plan a great trip, visit our website at www.
frommers.com for additional travel information on more than 3,600 destinations. We update
features regularly to give you instant access to the most current trip-planning information avail-
able. At Frommers.com, you’ll find scoops on the best airfares, lodging rates, and car rental bar-
gains. You can even book your travel online through our reliable travel booking partners. Other
popular features include:
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 Cruising 2008: Big Boats,
Big Business
Iunlikely
f you’ve picked up this book, it’s
we have to talk you into a
them into repeat customers. We’ll be
honest, though. It’s not this stuff that
cruise—that idea’s probably already in grabs us—not the three-story theaters or
your head. And anyway, it’s not our job to sushi bars, not the rock-climbing walls or
try to talk you into anything. We know the hot rock massages or the surfing sim-
some people just love traveling by ship ulators, either. It’s simply being at sea on
and others just hate it. We also know that a ship. It’s the teak decks, white steel rail-
some people just assume they’d hate it, ings, thick mooring lines, and that distant
without having the full story. rumble of the engines way down in the
Because, y’know, it’s a pretty big story, hull. It’s the feeling that you’ve unteth-
and new chapters are being added every ered yourself from the world, as you stand
year. Time was, the cruise biz was a pretty on deck at night, lean over the rail, and
homogenous cow, attracting mostly older watch the waves break around your ship’s
folks plus a smattering of honeymooners bow as it heads to the next port of call.
and party-makers. They’re all still there, The sea: It’s a powerful thing.
but today so is everyone else: young fam-
ilies, young professionals, young couples CRUISING TODAY: NEW SHIPS,
in Harley shirts, baggy-jeans teens, mid- MORE PAX
dle-aged gym rats, multigenerational Between 2000 and 2007, the major lines
family groups, Democrats, Republicans, launched some 80 new cruise ships, and
Rastafarians, and a corps of Canadians, that’s not even counting foreign and
Brits, and other “others” to help us all get small-ship cruise lines. Fortunately for
along. the industry, they’ve been able to per-
In a certain sense, it’s an old-fashioned suade more and more passengers (or
kind of vacation, a shout back to the old “pax” in agent-speak) to come aboard to
European Grand Tours, with travelers fill all those ships: Just over 3.6 million
hitting a region’s high points in quick North Americans took a cruise in 1990.
succession—bam, bam, bam—then get- By 2005 that number was up to nearly 10
ting back aboard ship to socialize with million and in 2007 it was expected to
people who were strangers until circum- top 10.6 million, with many cruising
stance pushed them together. In another from the growing number of home ports
sense, though, cruising is a thoroughly around the country.
modern Millie, where the newest ships The industry keeps on building new
are packed with every possible widget to ships, though not quite at the pace of a
win over prospective travelers and turn few years back. Six major new vessels
2 C R U I S I N G 2 0 0 8 : B I G B OAT S, B I G B U S I N E S S

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launched in 2007: Carnival’s Freedom, a standard outside cabin. Now click over
NCL’s Norwegian Gem, Princess’s Emer- to your favorite travel agency’s website
ald Princess, Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of and you’ll probably see that same cruise
the Seas, Cunard’s Queen Victoria, and going for $699. What gives?
Costa’s Costa Serena. Additionally, the Just like new-car prices, cruise line
year saw the introduction of three slightly brochure prices are notoriously inflated—
older, refurbished ships—Princess’s Royal in fact, some lines are talking about drop-
Princess and Azamara’s Journey and Quest, ping them from brochures altogether. In
all three midsize vessels originally built the meantime, you should basically just
for Renaissance Cruises. ignore brochure rates. Everything, and we
At press time, 2008 was shaping up to mean everything, is discounted. Other
be a five-megaship year, with the new guidebooks and articles print those
86,000-ton, 2,044-passenger Eurodam inflated brochure prices anyway, leaving
scheduled for HAL; the 118,000-ton, it up to you to take a guess at what the
2,850-passenger Solstice scheduled for real price may be. We don’t. Instead,
Celebrity; the 160,000-ton, 3,634-pas- we’ve partnered with the agency Just
senger Independence of the Seas coming for Cruisin’ Plus to provide you with the
Royal Caribbean; the 112,000-ton, actual prices consumers were paying for
3,006-passenger Splendor coming for cruises aboard all the ships reviewed in
Carnival; and the 133,500-ton, 3,300- this book. Each review shows you approx-
passenger Fantasia and 89,000-ton, imately how much you can expect to pay
2,550-passenger Poesia on deck for MSC. for an inside cabin (one without win-
With bookings up and the need to fill dows), an outside cabin (with windows or
more new ships decreasing, the ridicu- a balcony), and a small suite, and in chap-
lously low prices we were seeing just a few ter 2 we provide a chart that shows how
years ago have leveled off. You still won’t these prices compare with the published
pay brochure rates (see below), but $400 brochure rates, and with those of all the
weeklong cruises are nowhere near as other ships in the book.
commonplace as they were.
AND NOW, COMING TO
THE REAL SCOOP ON A PORT NEAR YOU . . .
CRUISE PRICES For the past 6 years, the big trend in the
Cruise pricing is really . . . well, dumb. cruise world is putting ships where people
Beyond the fuzzy math that often makes can get to them. It seems like an obvious
the new ships the cheapest to book, you idea, but for decades the cruise lines only
also have the problem of brochure prices. nibbled around its edges, homeporting
Check out Brochure X, which lists a most of their ships in Miami, Fort Laud-
weeklong sailing at $1,900 per person for erdale, Los Angeles, and a few other
 C R U I S I N G 2 0 0 8 : B I G B OAT S, B I G B U S I N E S S 3

cities, and forcing people to fly to a port won’t. It’s all a matter of personality. Your
before their vacation could get underway. dream ship is probably out there, some-
Today, ships are sailing regularly from where—you just need to figure out what
more than two dozen U.S. and Cana- you want. If those huge Vegas-style float-
dian home ports, so unless you live in ing resorts you see advertised on TV
North Dakota, there’s a good chance you aren’t your cup of tea, there are also quiet,
can drive to your ship—saving yourself refined ships where you’re left to do your
both time and money. While you’re doing own thing, with outstanding service staff
that, you may just want to stick around standing by in case you need anything,
and see the sights, ’cause some of those anything at all. Other ships are more like
port cities are pretty interesting, whether intimate B&Bs, where the vibe is casual,
you’re sailing to the Caribbean from the cabins are cozy, and the focus is all on
New York, Charleston, Galveston, or history, culture, and the outdoors. A few
New Orleans; to Alaska from Seattle, San are honest-to-God sailing ships that offer
Francisco, or Vancouver; to Bermuda nostalgic adventure.
from Baltimore, Boston, or Philly; to the Chances are there’s a ship out there
Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles or with your name on it, and as your cruise
San Diego; to Hawaii from Ensenada or matchmakers, we’re here to help you
right from Honolulu; or to New England wade through the different options and
from Norfolk or Montreal. When you experiences and meet the cruise of your
add in small ships sailing from places dreams. To do this, we’ve divided the
such as Portland, Oregon; Warren, Rhode cruise lines into three main categories—
Island; and Memphis, Tennessee, you mainstream lines (chapter 6), ultralux-
realize there’s a whole lot of country out ury lines (chapter 7), and small ships,
there to explore. In chapter 9, “The Ports sailing ships, and adventure cruises
of Embarkation,” we discuss the high (chapter 8)—and developed a rating sys-
points of all the major cruise home ports, tem that judges them only against other
giving you the lowdown on what to see if ships in the same category: megaship
you’re going to be there only for a day or against megaship, luxe against luxe, small
two pre- or post-cruise. Chapters 10 ship against small ship.
through 16 give you the scoop on all the
major ports of call in all the so-called SAFETY AT SEA: MORE
“homeland cruising” regions, with info SECURITY, FEWER GERMS
on sights and attractions to see on your For better or worse, we’re currently living
own as well as recommendations for the in a security-obsessed world. People have
best shore excursions. to show ID to get into office buildings,
and take off their shoes to go through air-
FINDING A SHIP IS EASY, port X-rays, so you’d better believe secu-
BUT WILL YOU CLICK? rity measures are in place on cruise ships,
Comparing cruise ships and lines is like too.
scanning an online dating site: “Attractive All the major cruise lines have their
young cruise ship with nice body and own dedicated onboard security forces
good personality seeks friend for dating, who monitor people coming aboard (pas-
possible relationship.” The ship looks sengers, crew, delivery people, and con-
good, but we all know how photos can tractors) and keep an eye out during the
lie. Ditto for the descriptions. cruise, and we’re not just talking the kind
Just like in dating, there are ships that of rent-a-cops you see at your local con-
you’ll get along with and ships that you venience store. Some lines have even
4 C R U I S I N G 2 0 0 8 : B I G B OAT S, B I G B U S I N E S S

hired Gurkhas, the famed Nepalese that causes nausea, vomiting, and diar-
fighters, as onboard security personnel rhea. An extremely common bug that hits
and ex–Navy SEALs as top-level security some 23 million Americans a year
consultants, and have trained deck offi- (mostly on land), it’s also extremely con-
cers in how to react to takeover attempts. tagious. According to the Centers for
Other security measures are also in place, Disease Control (CDC), people infected
but the cruise lines prefer to keep them with norovirus can pass the bug on from
under their hats. the moment they begin feeling ill to
On a day-to-day basis, passengers will between 3 days and 2 weeks after they
mostly notice ship security when board- recover—meaning the cruise ship out-
ing, both initially and at the ports of call. breaks that seem to occur on a regular
Most cruise lines photograph passengers basis are probably the result of contagious
digitally at embarkation and then match passengers bringing the infection aboard,
their pictures to their faces every time rather than of unsanitary practices on the
they get back aboard thereafter. Digital ships themselves. Face it, cruise ships are
pass-cards also allow them to tell instantly a lot like kindergarten: When one kid
who’s aboard at any given time. Other shows up sick, everybody gets sick.
security processes include screening and In any case, don’t worry too much. It’s
X-raying of all hand-carried and checked no fun to have your vacation spoiled by
bags, the use of sniffer dogs in port, and illness, but norovirus causes no long-term
maintenance of a security zone around health effects for most people. Persons
cruise ships while they’re in port. Back- unable to replace liquids quickly
office changes include a rule that ships enough—generally the very young, the
must submit a complete list of passengers elderly, and people with weakened
and crew to the Coast Guard 96 hours immune systems—may become dehy-
before arriving at a U.S. port. Interna- drated and require special medical atten-
tionally, regulations issued by the Inter- tion, but that’s about the worst of it.
national Maritime Organization (IMO) More good news: Outbreaks have been
in 2004 require all ports around the on the downswing since they were first
world to operate within a consistent reported. Cruise lines are keeping a close
framework to address security issues. eye on boarding passengers for signs of
Many of these systems were already in illness, and have further stepped up their
place at most cruise lines and ports, so already vigilant sanitation routines to
passengers generally don’t notice much reduce the chance of transmission. A
difference. Exception: It may take you small outbreak on one of our cruises in
longer to get through the check-in 2006 was contained immediately after
process in the terminal. the first sick passengers were identified,
The other major cruise safety issue that and did not spread any further among
occasionally hits the news is norovirus passengers and crew.
(aka Norwalk-like virus), a stomach bug
 The Best of Cruising
P eople are always asking us about our favorite ships, and we always say, “Well, what
do you like to do when you’re not on a ship?” In this section we’ve broken out differ-
ent kinds of cruises, interests, and destinations to help you find one that best matches
what you’re looking for. You’ll find complete information on each pick in part 2, “The
Cruise Lines & Their Ships,” and part 3, “The Ports.”

1 Our Favorite Mainstream Ships

Mainstream ships are the big boys of the too, with a selection that’s light-years
industry, carrying the most passengers ahead of the competition.
and providing the most diverse cruise • Royal Caribbean’s Radiance class:
experiences to suit many different tastes, The most elegant vessels Royal
from party-hearty to arty-farty. Caribbean has produced to date,
• Celebrity’s Millennium class and Radiance, Brilliance, Serenade, and
Century class: Millennium, Infinity, Jewel of the Seas combine a sleek,
Summit, and Constellation offer el- seagoing exterior; a nautically themed
egant decor, incredible spas, great interior; and acres of windows.
service, edgy art collections, and the • Princess’s Diamond class and Coral
best alternative restaurants at sea. class: Princess’s huge but cozy Dia-
Class, charm, personality—what’s not mond and Sapphire Princess are its
to like? Celebrity’s older Century-class most beautiful ships to date, combin-
ships (Century, Galaxy, and Mercury) ing gorgeous exterior lines with
aren’t too far behind, either. See p. 143 wood-heavy, old-world lounges and a
and 147. great covered promenade that lets
• NCL’s Jewel, Pearl, and Jade: NCL’s you stand right in the ship’s prow.
best ships yet, this nearly identical The smaller Coral Princess and Island
trio combines an incredible number Princess are big winners, too, with
of dining choices, great entertain- similar decor and a smaller size that
ment, an always-casual vibe, and lets them traverse the Panama Canal.
decor that’s just plain fun. They have See p. 236 and 240.
the best beer-and-whiskey bars at sea,

2 Best Luxury Cruises

Here’s the very best for the cruiser who’s suites, over-the-top service, and
used to traveling deluxe and who doesn’t niceties that include complimentary
mind paying for the privilege. These ships free-flowing champagne. See p. 315.
have the best cuisine, accommodations, • Crystal Symphony and Serenity:
and service at sea. Carrying 940 to 1,080 passengers,
• Silversea Shadow, Whisper, and these are the best midsize ships out
Wind: Silversea is the best of the there, big enough to offer lots of
highbrow small-ship luxury lines, dining, entertainment, and fitness
with its exquisite cuisine, roomy options, and small enough to bathe
passengers in luxury. See p. 270.
6 THE BEST OF CRUISING

• SeaDream Yacht Club SeaDream I • Cunard Queen Mary 2: QM2 has

and II: What’s not to love? These her very own niche in the luxe mar-
cool 110-passenger yachts are elegant ket—and in the cruise market as a
but casual, and carry along jet skis, whole, for that matter. While too
mountain bikes, and kayaks for enormous to offer the kind of inti-
jaunts around such ports as St. Barts mate luxury you’ll get with Silversea,
and Jost Van Dyke. See p. 307. Seabourn, and SeaDream, she is able
• Regent Seven Seas Navigator and to give you a pretty close idea of what
Voyager: Not only are cabins aboard life aboard the great old ocean liners
these midsize 490- and 700-passen- was like, and that’s pretty luxe all by
ger, all-suite ships roomy, but their itself. See p. 281.
huge bathrooms are fabulous. To top
it off, food and service on both are
among the very best at sea. See p. 291.

3 The Most Romantic Cruises

Of course, all cruises are pretty romantic lining the teak decks, champagne
when you consider the props they have to flowing freely, and toys like MP3
work with: the undulating sea all around, players and high-powered binoculars
moonlit nights on deck, cozy dining and at your fingertips, these 110-passen-
cocktailing, cozy cabins. Here are the best ger playboy yachts spell romance for
lines for getting you in the mood. the spoiled sailing set. See p. 307.
• Star Clippers: With the wind in your • Windstar Cruises: Windstar’s tall-
hair and sails fluttering overhead, the masted Wind Surf and Wind Spirit
top decks of the tall-masted Royal offer a truly unique cruise experience,
Clipper and Star Clipper provide a giving passengers the delicious illu-
most romantic setting. Below decks, sion of adventure and the ever-pleas-
the comfy cabins, lounge, and dining ant reality of great cuisine, service,
room make these ships the most com- and itineraries. See p. 390.
fortable adventure on the sea. See • Sea Cloud Cruises: Really, when it
p. 372. comes right down to it, what setting
• Cunard: Like real royalty, Queen is more movie-star romantic than a
Mary 2 was born with certain duties zillionaire’s sailing yacht? That’s what
attendant to her station, and one of you get with Sea Cloud, once owned
the biggest of those duties is to by Edward F. Hutton and Marjorie
embody the romance of transatlantic Merriweather Post, with some cabins
travel and bring it into the new cen- retaining their original grandeur. See
tury. Take a stroll around that prom- p. 370.
enade deck, dine in that fabulous • Windjammer Barefoot Cruises:
dining room, and thrill to be out in They may not be everybody’s idea of
the middle of the ocean on nearly a romantic, but if you and your signifi-
billion dollars’ worth of Atlantic cant other have always dreamed of
thoroughbred. See p. 281. chucking it all and taking off on a
• SeaDream Yacht Club SeaDream I Harley, these are the ships for you:
and II: With comfy Balinese daybeds rum-swigging, T-shirt-wearing, ultra-
free, and quirky as hell. See p. 379.
 B E S T C R U I S E S F O R FA M I L I E S W I T H K I D S 7

4 Best Cruises for Families with Kids

The kids are boss, or so you’d think the also a great family choice, and even
way cruise lines are catering to families the line’s older ships have impressively
these days. All the lines included here roomy kids’ facilities. See p. 245.
offer supervised activities for three to five • Carnival Cruise Lines: While Carni-
age groups between ages 2 or 3 and 17, val’s let-the-good-times-roll attitude
plus well-stocked playrooms, group appeals to adults, the line also does a
and/or private babysitting, wading pools, particularly fine job with kids. Several
kids’ menus, and cabins that can accom- hundred per cruise is pretty normal,
modate three to five. See “Cruises for with as many as 800 to 1,000 on
Families,” in chapter 1, and the cruise Christmas and New Year’s cruises.
line reviews in chapters 6 through 8 for You’ll find the biggest and brightest
more info. playrooms in the fleet on the Con-
• Disney Cruise Line: This family quest-class vessels, with computer sta-
magnet offers the most sophisticated, tions, a climbing maze, a video wall
flexible, and well-thought-out kids’ showing movies and cartoons, arts
program in the cruise world, bar and crafts, and oodles of toys and
none. Huge play areas, family- games, plus great water slides out on
friendly cabins (the majority have the main pool deck. Carnival’s Des-
two bathrooms—a sink and toilet in tiny- and Spirit-class ships are pretty
one and a shower/tub combo and a great, too. See p. 112.
sink in the other), baby nursery, and • Princess Cruises: The Grand-, Dia-
the ubiquitous Mickey all spell mond-, and Coral-class ships each
success. Plus, the 3- and 4-night have a spacious children’s playroom, a
Bahamas cruises aboard the Disney sizable piece of fenced-in outside
Wonder are marketed in tandem with deck for toddlers, and another for
stays at Walt Disney World, so you older kids, with a wading pool. Teen
can have your ocean voyage and your centers have computers, video games,
Cinderella Castle too. See p. 158. and a sound system, and the ones on
• Royal Caribbean: The huge Voy- the Grand-class ships even have teen
ager-class ships are truly theme parks hot tubs and private sunbathing
at sea, with features such as onboard decks. See p. 225.
rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, • Norwegian Cruise Line: The kids’
in-line skate rinks, miniature golf, facilities on Norwegian Dawn, Star,
burger-joint diners, and Disney- and Spirit are fantastic, with a huge,
esque Main Streets running down brightly colored crafts/play area, a TV
their centers, with parades and other corner full of beanbag chairs, an
entertainment throughout the day. enormous ball-jump/play-gym, a
The new Freedom and Liberty of the teen center, and a huge outdoor
Seas go them one better, adding a top- play/pool area. Parents will appreciate
deck water park and surfing simu- the many restaurant options on
lator. All this is in addition to bigger- board, while kids can dine in tiny
than-normal kids’ playrooms, teen chairs at a kid-size buffet of their
centers, wading pools, and video own. Norwegian Jewel, Pearl, Jade,
game rooms, plus regulation-size bas- and Pride of America have good
ketball, paddle ball, and volleyball indoor playrooms, but their tiny out-
courts. The Radiance-class ships are door play areas are a disappointment.
See p. 199.
8 THE BEST OF CRUISING

• Cunard: Though you’d hardly expect so young. There’s even a special daily
it from such a seriously prestigious children’s teatime that’s perfect as an
line, the QM2 has a great program early dinner, and the children’s pro-
and facilities for kids, starting at age 1. gramming is free of charge until mid-
Aside from Disney, no other line night daily.
offers such extensive care for children

5 Best Cruises for Pure Relaxation

Sometimes it’s all about doing absolutely lolling around in ornate steam rooms,
nothing, but some ships are better at let- mud baths, and hydrotherapy pools;
ting you do nothing (in style and com- and then letting your limbs tingle in
fort) than others. gorgeous solariums, Celebrity’s Mil-
• SeaDream Yacht Club: SeaDream’s lennium-class ships are tops. After-
two intimate, 110-passenger yachts ward, have a long, relaxed dinner at
deliver an upscale yet very casual the ships’ amazing alternative restau-
experience without regimentation. rants, then decide what kind of pillow
Cabin beds are fitted with fine Frette you want: The line’s “ConciergeClass”
linens, but the best snooze on board suites feature a whole menu of differ-
is to be had in one of the 18 queen- ent varieties, plus tension-absorbing
size, Bali-style sun beds that line each mattresses and comfy duvets. See
vessel’s top deck. Each features an p. 136.
extrathick mattress, teak bed tables, • American Safari Cruises: Every
and sea views, and is ensconced in its October and November, luxury
own raised, semipartitioned “bed- small-ship line American Safari offers
room.” Reading lights are provided at a series of 3- and 4-night California
night, and some guests just end up Wine Country cruises aboard its 22-
sleeping out here. See p. 307. passenger yacht Safari Spirit. Days
• Oceania Cruises: Aboard Oceania’s are spent on private tours of various
midsize, classically styled ships, the vineyards and estates, with wine tast-
dress code is “country club casual” at ings, art tours, gourmet lunches, and
all times; you can show up for dinner even a massage by a local therapist
whenever you like; activities and included in the rates. In the late after-
entertainment are small scale and noon you can take out a kayak and
personal; itineraries visit many quiet, explore the rivers on your own, then
refined ports; and the cabin beds are come back and soak in the top-deck
some of the best at sea. For the ulti- hot tub. See p. 334.
mate experience, you can rent a pri- • Star Clippers: You won’t find better
vate on-deck cabana with retractable ships for the Caribbean, really, than
shade roof, plush daybed built for Star Clippers’ two tall-masted mod-
two, and a dedicated attendant to ern clipper ships, with acres of sail
bring food and drink, spritz you with shining in the sun and you down
cold water, and order up massages. below them in a deck chair, listening
Step aboard, take a deep breath, and to sailors working the winches, head-
relax. See p. 219. ing for the next small yachting port.
• Celebrity Cruises: If your idea of No megaship bustle here. See p. 372.
relaxation involves regular massages;
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The Project Gutenberg eBook of
Bashful Fifteen
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Title: Bashful Fifteen

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BASHFUL FIFTEEN

BY

L. T. MEADE
AUTHOR OF "OUT OF THE FASHION," "A SWEET GIRL
GRADUATE,"
"THE MEDICINE LADY," "POLLY, A NEW-FASHIONED
GIRL," "A WORLD OF GIRLS," ETC.
 NEW YORK
CASSELL PUBLISHING COMPANY
104 & 106 Fourth Avenue

Copyright, 1892, by

CASSELL PUBLISHING COMPANY.

All rights reserved.

THE MERSHON COMPANY PRESS,

RAHWAY, N. J.
 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I. Curiosity, 1
II. The New Girl, 10
III. Ribbons and Roses, 24
IV. The Queen of the School, 35
V. Breaking in a Wild Colt, 52
VI. Captivity, 62
VII. Who is to Provide the Needful? 73
VIII. The "Janet May Stall," 82
IX. Taking Sides, 98
X. Checkmate, 106
XI. A Wild Irish Princess, 114
XII. Lady Kathleen, 128
XIII. Pearson's Book of Essays, 147
XIV. "I'm Big, and I'm Desperate," 158
XV. Bridget O'Hara's Stall, 177
XVI. Still in the Wood, 193
XVII. Persian Cats, 200
XVIII. An Irish Welcome, 215
XIX. "Bruin, my Dog," 221
XX. The Squire and His Guests, 232
XXI. The Holy Well, 244
XXII. Wild Hawk, 260
XXIII. Under a Spell, 275
XXIV. Norah to the Rescue, 289
XXV. Her Majesty the Witch, 294
 XXVI. A Terrible Night, 303
XXVII. "Speak Out," 310
XXVIII. What the O'Haras Said to One Another, 318
XXIX. The Child of His Heart, 323

BASHFUL FIFTEEN.
 CHAPTER I.
CURIOSITY.

The school stood on the side of a hill, which faced downward to the
sea. Its aspect was south, and it was sheltered from the east and
west winds by a thick plantation of young trees, which looked green
and fresh in the spring, and were beginning already to afford a
delightful shade in hot weather.
A fashionable watering-place called Eastcliff was situated about a
mile from Mulberry Court, the old-fashioned house, with the old-
world gardens, where the schoolgirls lived. There were about fifty of
them in all, and they had to confess that although Mulberry Court
was undoubtedly school, yet those who lived in the house and
played in the gardens, and had merry games and races on the
seashore, enjoyed a specially good time which they would be glad to
think of by and by.
The period at which this story begins was the middle of the summer
term. There were no half-term holidays at the Court, but somehow
the influence of holiday time had already got into the air. The young
girls had tired themselves out with play, and the older ones lay about
in hammocks, or strolled in twos or threes up and down the wide
gravel walk which separated the house from the gardens.
The ages of these fifty girls ranged from seventeen to five, but from
seventeen down to five on this special hot summer's evening one
topic of conversation might have been heard on every tongue.
What would the new girl be like? Was she rich or poor, handsome or
ugly, tall or short, dark or fair? Why did she come in the middle of
the term, and why did Mrs. Freeman, and Miss Delicia, and Miss
Patience make such a fuss about her?
Other new girls had arrived, and only the faintest rumors had got
out about them beforehand.
A couple of maids had been seen carrying a new trunk upstairs, or
old Piper had been discovered crawling down the avenue with his
shaky cab, and shakier horse, and then the new girl had appeared at
tea-time and been formally introduced, and if she were shy had got
over it as best she could, and had soon discovered her place in class,
and there was an end of the matter.
But this new girl was not following out any of the old precedents.
She was coming at mid-term, which in itself was rather exceptional.
Mrs. Freeman and Miss Patience had driven away in a very smart
carriage with a pair of horses to meet her.
Miss Delicia was fussing in and out of the house, and picking fresh
strawberries, and nodding to the girls she happened to meet with a
kind of suppressed delight.
What could it all mean? It really was most exciting.
The smaller girls chatted volubly about the matter, and little Violet
Temple, aged ten, and of course one of the small girls, so far forgot
herself as to run up to Dorothy Collingwood, clasp her hand
affectionately round the tall girl's arm, and whisper in her
impetuous, eager way:
"I'm almost certain, Dolly, that she's to sleep in a room by herself,
for I saw the Blue Room being got ready. I peeped in as we were
going down to dinner, and I noticed such jolly new furniture—pale
blue, and all to match. Oh, what is it, Olive? Now you've pinched my
arm."
"Run back to your companions this minute, miss," said Olive Moore.
"You're getting to be a perfect tittle-tattle, Violet. There, I'm not
angry, child, but you must learn not to talk about everything you
see."
Violet frowned all over her fair, small face, but Olive Moore, a sixth-
form girl, was too powerful an individual to be lightly disregarded.
She shrugged her shoulders therefore, and walked sulkily away.
"Why did you speak so sharply to her, Olive?" exclaimed Dorothy.
"After all, her curiosity is but natural—I must even own that I share
it myself."
"So do I, Dorothy, if it comes to that, but Violet must be made to
know her place. She is one of those little encroachers without
respect of persons, who can become absolute nuisances if they are
encouraged. But there, we have said enough about her. Ruth and
Janet are going to sit in 'The Lookout' for a little; they want to
discuss the subject of the Fancy Fair. Shall we come and join them?"
Dorothy turned with her companion; they walked along the wide
gravel sweep, then entered a narrow path which wound gradually
up-hill. They soon reached a rural tower, which was called by the
girls "The Lookout," mounted some steep steps, and found
themselves standing on a little platform, where two other girls were
waiting to receive them.
Ruth Bury was short and dark, but Janet May, her companion, was
extremely slim and fair. She would have been a pretty girl but for the
somewhat disagreeable expression of her face.
"Here you are," exclaimed the two pairs of lips eagerly.
"Sit down, Dorothy," cried Ruth, "we have kept your favorite
armchair vacant for you. Now, then, to discuss the Fancy Fair in all
its bearings. Is it not kind of Mrs. Freeman to consent to our having
it? She says it is quite an unusual thing for girls like us to do, but in
the cause of that poor little baby, and because we wish the Fancy
Fair to be our break-up treat, she consents. The only stipulation she
makes is that we arrange the whole programme without troubling
her."
"Yes," continued Janet, "she met me half an hour ago, and told me
to let you know, Dorothy, and you, Olive, and any other girls who
happen to be specially interested, that we are to form our
programme, and then ask her to give us an audience. She will look
herself into all our plans, and tell us which can and cannot be carried
into effect. The only other thing she stipulates is that we do not
neglect our studies, and that we leave room in the happy day's
proceedings for the distribution of the prizes."
While Janet was speaking, Dorothy, who had refused to seat herself
in the armchair assigned to her, and whose clear, bright blue eyes
were roving eagerly all over the beautiful summer landscape,
exclaimed in an eager voice:
"After all, what does the Fancy Fair signify—I mean—oh, don't be
shocked, girls—I mean, what does it signify compared to a real living
present interest? While we are discussing what is to take place in six
weeks' time, Mrs. Freeman and Miss Patience are driving up the
avenue with somebody else. Girls, the new inmate of Mulberry Court
has begun to put in an appearance on the scene."
"Oh, let me look; do let me look!" cried Ruth, while Olive and Janet
both pressed eagerly forward.
From where they stood they obtained a very distinct although
somewhat bird's-eye view of the winding avenue and quickly
approaching carriage. Mrs. Freeman's tall and familiar figure was too
well known to be worthy, in that supreme moment, of even a
passing comment. Miss Patience looked as angular and as like
herself as ever; but a girl, who sat facing the two ladies—a girl who
wore a large shady hat, and whose light dress and gay ribbons
fluttered in the summer breeze—upon this girl the eyes of the four
watchers in the "Lookout" tower were fixed with devouring curiosity.
"Well, I never!" exclaimed Dorothy, after a pause. "I don't suppose
Mrs. Freeman will allow that style of wardrobe long. See, girls, do
see, how her long blue ribbons stream in the breeze; and her hat! it
is absolutely covered with roses—I'm convinced they are roses. Oh,
what would I not give for an opera glass to enable me to take a
nearer view. Whoever that young person is, she intends to take the
shine out of us. Why, she is dressed as if she had just come from a
garden party."
"I don't believe she's a new schoolgirl at all," cried Ruth; "she's just
a visitor come to stay for a day or two with Mrs. Freeman. No
schoolgirl that ever breathed would dare to present such a young
lady, grown-up appearance. There, girls, don't let's waste any more
time over her; let's turn our attention to the much more important
matter of the Fancy Fair."
Notwithstanding these various criticisms, the carriage with its
occupants calmly pursued its way, and was presently lost to view in
the courtyard at the side of the house.
"Now, do let us be sensible," said Janet, turning to her companions.
"We have seen all that there is to be seen. However hard we guess
we cannot solve the mystery. Either a new companion is coming
among us, who, I have no doubt, will be as commonplace as
commonplace can be, or Mrs. Freeman is receiving a young lady
visitor. Supper will decide the point, and as that is not half an hour
away I suppose we can exist for the present without worrying our
brains any further."
"Dear Janey, you always were the soul of sense," remarked Dorothy,
in a somewhat languid voice. "For my part I pity those poor little
mites, Violet and the rest of them. I know they are just as curious
with regard to the issue of events as we are, and yet I can see them
at this moment, with my mental vision, being driven like sheep into
the fold. They'll be in bed, poor mites, when we are satisfying our
curiosity."
"You have a perfect mania for those children, Dorothy," exclaimed
Olive. "I call it an impertinence on their parts to worry themselves
about sixth-form girls. What's the matter, Janet? Why that
contraction of your angel brow?"
"I want us to utilize our opportunities," said Janet. "We have a few
minutes all to ourselves to discuss the Fancy Fair, and we fritter it
away on that tiresome new girl."
"Well, let's settle to business now," said Ruth; "I'm sure I'm more
than willing. Who has got a pencil and paper?"
Dorothy pulled an envelope out of her pocket. Olive searched into
the recesses of hers to hunt up a lead pencil, and Janet continued to
speak in her tranquil, round tones.
"The first thing to do is to appoint a committee," she began.
"O Janey," exclaimed two of the other girls in a breath, "a committee
does sound so absurdly formal."
"Never mind, it is the correct thing to do. In a matter of this kind we
are nothing if we are not businesslike. Now, who is coming to
interrupt us?"
Steps—several steps—were heard clattering up the stone stairs of
the little tower, and two or three girls of the middle school, with
roughly tossed heads and excited faces, burst upon the seclusion of
the four sixth-form girls.
"O Dolly," they exclaimed, running up to their favorite, "she has
come—we have seen her! She is very tall, and—and——"
"Do let me speak, Marion," exclaimed little Violet Temple, coloring all
over her round face in her excitement and interest. "You know I got
the first glimpse of her. I did, you know I did. I was hiding under the
laurel arch, and I saw her quite close. It's awfully unfair of anyone
else to tell, isn't it, Dolly?"
"Of course it is, Violet," replied Miss Collingwood in her good-natured
way. "But what a naughty imp you were to hide under the laurel
arch. The wonder is you did not get right in the way of the horses'
hoofs."
"Much I cared for that when I had a chance of seeing her," remarked
Violet. "I did get a splendid peep. She's awfully tall, and she was
splendidly dressed; and O Dolly! O Ruthie! O Janey! she's just
lovely!"
"I wish you'd go away, child!" said Janet in a decidedly cross tone.
"What are all you small girls doing out and about at this hour? Surely
it's time for you to be in bed. What can Miss Marshall be about not
to have fetched you before now?"
"Cross-patch!" murmured Violet, turning her back on Janet. "Come,
Marion; come, Pauline, we won't tell her any more. We'll tell you,
Dolly, of course, but we won't tell Janet. Come, Marion, let's go."
The children disappeared in as frantic haste to be off as they were a
few minutes ago to arrive.
"Now, let's go on," said Janet, in her calm tones. "Let us try and
settle something before the supper bell rings. We must have a
committee, that goes without saying. Suppose we four girls form it."
"What about Evelyn?" inquired Dorothy.
When she said this a quick change flitted over Janet's face. She bit
her lips, and, after a very brief pause, said in a voice of would-be
indifference:
"I don't suppose that Evelyn Percival is to rule the school. She is
away at present, and we can't wait on her will and pleasure. Let's
form our committee, and do without her."
"It's a distinct insult," began Dolly. "I disapprove—I disapprove."
"And so do I"—"And I"—cried both Ruth and Olive.
"Well," said Janet, "if you insist on spoiling everything, girls, you
must. You know what Evelyn is."
"Only the head girl of the school," remarked Dolly in a soft tone.
"But of course a person of not the smallest consequence. Well,
Janet, what next?"
"As I was saying," began Janet——
A loud booming sound filled the air.
Ruth clapped her hands.
"Hurrah! Hurrah! Supper!" she cried. "Your committee must keep,
Janet. Now for the satisfaction of rampant, raging curiosity. Dolly,
will you race me to the house?"
 CHAPTER II.
THE NEW GIRL.

Although the booming sound of the great gong filled the air, the
supper to which the head girls of the school were now going was a
very simple affair. It consisted of milk placed in great jugs at
intervals down the long table, of fruit both cooked and uncooked,
and large plates of bread and butter.
Such as it was, however, supper was a much-prized institution of
Mulberry Court; only the fifth-form and sixth-form girls were allowed
to partake of it. To sit up to supper, therefore, was a distinction
intensely envied by the lower school. The plain fare sounded to them
like honey and ambrosia. They were never tired of speculating as to
what went on in the dining room on these occasions, and the idea of
sitting up to supper was with some of the girls a more stimulating
reason for being promoted to the fifth form than any other which
could be offered.
On this special night in the mid-term the girls who were
ignominiously obliged to retire to their bedrooms felt a sorer sense
of being left out than ever.
As Dorothy and her companions walked through the wide, cool
entrance hall, and turned down the stone passage which led to the
supper room, they were quite conscious of the fact that some of the
naughtiest and most adventurous imps of the lower school were
hovering round, hanging over banisters or hiding behind doors. A
suppressed giggle of laughter proceeded so plainly from the back of
one of the doors, that Dorothy could not resist stretching back her
hand as she passed, and giving a playful tap on the panels with her
knuckles. The suppressed laughter became dangerously audible
when she did this, so in mercy she was forced to take no further
notice.
The girls entered the wide, long dining hall and immediately took
their places at the table.
Mrs. Freeman always presided at the head of the board, Miss
Patience invariably sat at the foot, Miss Delicia wandered about
restlessly, helping the girls to milk and fruit, patting her favorites on
their backs, bending down to inquire tenderly how this girl's
headache was, and if another had come off conqueror in her tennis
match. No girl in the school minded or feared Miss Delicia in the
least. Unlike her two sisters, who were tall and thin, she was a little
body with a round face, rosy cheeks, hair very much crimped, and
eyes a good deal creased with constant laughter. No one had ever
seen Miss Delicia the least bit cross or the least bit annoyed with
anyone. She was invariably known to weep with the sorrowful, and
laugh with the gay—she was a great coddler and physicker—thought
petting far better than punishment, and play much more necessary
for young girls than lessons.
In consequence she was popular, with that mild sort of popularity
which is bestowed upon the people who are all patience and have no
faculty for inspiring fear.
Mrs. Freeman could be austere as well as kind, and Mrs. Freeman
was ten times more loved than Miss Delicia.
The girls took their places at the table—grace was said, and the
meal began.
A sense of disappointment was over them all, for the new girl upon
whom their present thoughts were centered had not put in an
appearance—nothing was said about her—Mrs. Freeman looked as
tranquil as usual, Miss Patience as white and anxious, Miss Delicia as
good-natured and downy.
Dorothy was beginning to whisper to her companion that all their
excitement was safe to end in smoke, when the door at the farther
end of the dining hall was softly pushed open, and a head of
luxuriant nut-brown curling hair was popped in. Two roguish dark
blue eyes looked down the long room—they greeted with an eager
sort of delighted welcome each fresh girl face, and then the entire
person of a tall, showily dressed girl entered.
"My dear Bridget!" exclaimed Mrs. Freeman, so surprised by the
unexpected apparition that she was actually obliged to rise from her
seat and come forward.
"Oh, my dear, ought you not to be asleep?" exclaimed Miss Patience
in thin, anxious tones from the other end of the board, while Miss
Delicia ran up to the girl and took one of her dimpled white hands in
hers.
"I did not feel tired, Mrs. Freeman," replied the newcomer in an
eager, irrepressible sort of voice. "You put me into my room and told
me to go to bed, but I didn't want to go to bed. I have had my
supper, thank you, so I don't want any more, but I have been dying
with curiosity to see the girls. Are these they? Are these my
schoolfellows? I never saw a schoolfellow before. They all look pretty
much like other people. How do you do, each and all of you? I'm
Bridget O'Hara. May I sit near you, Mrs. Freeman?"
"Sit there, Miss O'Hara, please," said Mrs. Freeman. She tried to
suppress a smile, which was difficult. "Girls," she said, addressing
the fifth and sixth forms, "girls, this young lady is your new
schoolfellow—her name is Bridget O'Hara. I meant to introduce her
to you formally to-morrow, but she has taken the matter into her
own hands. I am glad you are not tired, Miss O'Hara, for you have
had a very long journey."
"Oh, my!" exclaimed Miss O'Hara, "that's nothing. Goodness gracious
me! what would you think of thirty or forty miles on an Irish jaunting
car, all in one day, Mrs. Freeman? That's the sort of thing to make
the back ache. Bump, bump, you go. You catch on to the sides of
the car for bare life, and as likely as not you're pitched out into a
bog two or three times before you get home. Papa and I have often
taken our thirty to forty miles' jaunt a day. I can tell you, I have
been stiff after those rides. Did you ever ride on a jaunting car, Mrs.
Freeman?"
"No, my dear," replied the head mistress, in a rather icy voice, "I
have never had the pleasure of visiting Ireland."
"Well, it's a very fine sort of place, as free and easy as you please;
lots of fishing in the lakes and in the rivers. I'm very fond of my gun,
too. Can you handle a gun, Mrs. Freeman? It kicks rather, if you
can't manage it."
An audible titter was heard down the table, and Mrs. Freeman
turned somewhat red.
"Will you have some fruit?" she said coldly, laying a restraining hand
as she spoke on the girl's beflowered and embroidered dress.
"No fruit, thank you. Oh, what a lovely ring you have on! It's a ruby,
isn't it? My poor mother—she died when I was only three—had some
splendid rubies—they are to be mine when I am grown up. Papa is
keeping them for me in the County Bank. You always keep your
valuables in the Bank in Ireland, you know—that's on account of the
Land Leaguers."
"I think, my dear, we won't talk quite so much," said Mrs. Freeman.
"At most of our meals German is the only language spoken. Supper,
of course, is an exception. Why, what is the matter. Miss O'Hara?"
"Good gracious me!" exclaimed Bridget O'Hara, "am I to be dumb
during breakfast, dinner, and tea? I don't know a word of German.
Why, I'll die if I can't chatter. It's a way we have in Ireland. We must
talk."
"Patience," said Mrs. Freeman, from her end of the supper table, "I
think we have all finished. Will you say grace?"
There was a movement of chairs, and a general rising.
Miss Patience asked for a blessing on the meal just partaken of in a
clear, emphatic voice, and the group of girls began to file out of the
room.
"May I go with the others?" asked Miss O'Hara.
"Yes, certainly. Let me introduce you to someone in particular. Janet
May, come here, my dear."
Janet turned at the sound of her name, and came quickly up to her
mistress. She looked slight, pale, and almost insignificant beside the
full, blooming, luxuriously made girl, who, resting one hand in a
nonchalant manner on the back of her chair, was looking full at her
with laughing bright eyes.
"Janet," said Mrs. Freeman, "will you oblige me by showing Miss
O'Hara the schoolrooms and common rooms, and introducing her to
one or two of her companions? Go, my dear," she continued, "but
remember, Bridget, whether you are tired or not, I shall expect you
to go to bed to-night at nine o'clock. It is half-past eight now, so you
have half an hour to get acquainted with your schoolfellows."
"My! what a minute!" said Miss Bridget, tossing back her abundant
hair, and slipping one firm, dimpled hand inside Janet's arm. "Well,
come on, darling," she continued, giving that young lady an
affectionate squeeze. "Let's make the most of our precious time. I'm
dying to know you all—I think you look so sweet. Who's that love of
a girl in gray, who sat next you at supper? She had golden hair, and
blue eyes—not like mine, of course, but well enough for English
eyes. What's her name, dear?"
"I think you must mean Dorothy Collingwood," said Janet in her
clear, cold English voice. "May I ask if you have ever been at school
before, Miss O'Hara?"
"Oh, good gracious me! don't call me Miss O'Hara. I'm Biddy to my
friends—Biddy O'Hara, at your service—great fun, too, I can tell you.
You ask my father what he thinks of me. Poor old gentleman, I
expect he's crying like anything this minute without his Biddy to
coddle him. He said I wanted polishing, and so he sent me here. I
have never been in England before, and I don't at all know if I will
like it. By the way, what's your name? I didn't quite catch it."
"Janet May. This is the schoolroom where the sixth form girls do
their lessons. We have a desk each, of course. That room inside
there is for the fifth form. I wonder which you will belong to? How
old are you?"
"Now, how old would you think? Just you give a guess. Let me stand
in front of you, so that you can take a squint at me. Now, then—oh,
I say, stop a minute, I see some more girls coming in. Come along,
girls, and help Miss May to guess my age. Now, then, now then, I
wonder who'll be right? How you do all stare! I feel uncommonly as
if I'd like to dance the Irish jig!"
Dorothy, Ruth, and Olive had now come into the schoolroom, and
had taken their places by Janet's side. She gave them a quick look,
in which considerable aversion to the newcomer was plainly visible,
then turned her head and gazed languidly out of the window.
Bridget O'Hara bestowed upon the four girls who stood before her a
lightning glance of quizzical inquiry. She was a tall, fully developed
girl, and no one could doubt her claim to beauty who looked at her
even for a moment.
Her eyes were of that peculiar, very dark, very deep blue, which
seems to be an Irish girl's special gift. Her eyelashes were thick and
black, her complexion a fresh white and pink, her chestnut hair grew
in thick, curly abundance all over her well-shaped head. Her
beautifully cut lips wore a petulant but charming expression. There
was a provocative, almost teasing, self-confidence about her, which
to certain minds only added to her queer fascination.
"Now, how old am I?" she asked, stamping her arched foot. "Don't
be shy, any of you. Begin at the eldest, and guess right away. Now
then, Miss Collingwood—you see, I know your name—the age of
your humble servant, if you please."
Dorothy could not restrain her laughter.
"How can I possibly tell you, Miss O'Hara?" she replied. "You are a
tall girl. Perhaps you are seventeen, although you look more."
"Oh! hurrah, hurrah, hurrah! What will my dear dad say when I tell
him that? Biddy O'Hara seventeen! Don't I wish I were! Oh, the
lovely balls I'd be going to if those were my years! Now, another
guess. It's your turn now—you, little brown one there—I haven't
caught your name, darling. Is it Anne or Mary? Most girls are called
either Anne or Mary."
"My name is Ruth," replied the girl so addressed, "and I can't guess
ages. Come, Olive, let us find our French lessons and go."
"Oh, I declare, the little dear is huffed about something! Well, then,
I'll tell. I'll be fifteen in exactly a month from now! What do you say
to that? I'm well grown, am I not, Janet?"
"Did you speak?" asked Miss May in her coldest tones.
"Yes, darling, I did. Shall we go into the common room now? I'm
dying to see it."
"I'm afraid I have no more time to show you any of the house this
evening," answered Janet. "The common room is very much the
shape of this one, only without the desks. I have some of my studies
to look over, so I must wish you good-evening."
Bridget O'Hara's clear blue eyes were opened a little, wider apart.
For the first time there was a faint hesitation in her manner.
"But Mrs. Freeman said——" she began.
"That I was to take you round and introduce you to a few
companions," continued Janet hastily. "Miss Collingwood, Miss
O'Hara—Miss Moore, Miss O'Hara—Miss Bury, Miss O'Hara. Now I
have done my duty. If you like to see the common room for yourself,
you can go straight through this folding door, turn to your left, see a
large room directly facing you; go into it, and you will find yourself in
the common room. Now, good-night."
Janet turned away, and a moment later reached the door of the
schoolroom, where she was joined by Olive and Ruth. "Come," she
said to them, and the three girls disappeared, only too glad to vent
their feelings in the passage outside the schoolroom. Dorothy
Collingwood lingered behind her companions. "Never mind," she said
to Biddy, "it is rude of Janet to leave you, but she is sometimes a
little erratic in her movements. It is a way our Janey has, and of
course no one is silly enough to mind her."
"You don't suppose I mind her?" exclaimed Bridget. "Rudeness
always shows ill-breeding, but it is still more ill-bred to notice it—at
least, that's what papa says. She spoke rather as if she did not like
me, which is quite incomprehensible, for everybody loves me at
home."
There was a plaintive note in the girl's voice, a wistful expression in
her eyes, which went straight to Dorothy's kind heart.
"People will like you here too," she said. "I am certain you are very
good-natured; come and let me show you some of our snug little
arrangements in the common room, and then I think it will be time
for bed."
"Oh, never mind about bed—I'm not the least sleepy."
"But Mrs. Freeman wants you to go to bed early to-night."
"Poor old dear! But wanting Biddy O'Hara to do a thing, and making
her do it, are two very different matters. I'll go to bed when I'm tired
—papa never expected me to go earlier at home. I declare I feel
quite cheerful again now that I have got to know you, Dorothy.
Janet is not at all to my taste, but you are. What a pretty name you
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