Our last cruise of the season is coming up on Saturday, October 3rd. There is something satisfying in reflecting on what's been a busy year. Lots of things have been accomplished, lots of new friends have been made, and lots of people have been touched by the wonder that surrounds the JOHN W BROWN. It's exciting to be preparing for the cruise and a little sad that it's the last trip of the year.
It takes a lot of dedicated people to keep the JOHN W BROWN afloat. An all day cruise takes a lot of preparation. Crew members come into Baltimore from all over the country. Here are some of the ways the ship is prepared for sailing.
We have been working with Bear Brothers Catering for a long time now. They are used to the unusual circumstances of working on a WWII era ship.
The Manhattan Dolls, The Ultimate Abbot & Costello Tribute Show and the Calliope Barbershop Quartet all spend the day entertaining guests and crew alike. All of them are up before the sun to drive down to board the ship before guests arrive.
There are sights to be seen on each cruise. We start each one with the National Anthem as we sail past Fort McHenry. We pass our friend the NS Savannah at Pier 13. You can get a good look at Fort Carroll and the hundreds of birds that roost there. And the Baltimore Harbor Light marks the mouth of the Magothy River.
There are sights that are unique to each cruise. There will always be other ships of all sorts that sail by. Not everything passes us by water either. Bird lovers will delight in having Osprey fly overhead while they are fishing.
During each cruise our on-board Navy Armed Guard unit will lead a memorial service and a wreath-laying ceremony to remember all veterans who served.
You know something's up after lunch when the gunners take their place in the gun tubs. The air show is a highlight of the day for sure. There isn't a bad seat in the house. If you are up on the Flying Bridge the planes will actually pass by below you. I don't know of another place that the planes will be coming right at you.
A day on the BROWN is all about fun. Spending time with family and friends, old & new. Oh, and ice cream. There's ice cream on the way back to port.
Everybody celebrates a day on the Bay. Come out for a great day!
Saturday 9/19/15 is the last day to book the cruise for October 3rd. Not only do we have to have passenger totals in to the caterers, but we also need to have names into the Port Authority. ***Huge reminder... when ordering tickets, please don't order multiple tickets in one persons name. We must supply the name of every passenger to the secured Cruise Terminal/Port Authority. On Saturday morning, as crew, entertainers, caterers and passengers arrive, all names must be checked by the guards at the gate, so it's important that tickets are in each persons name. Help our staff by making sure this is done (otherwise, there will be follow up phone calls and emails by our staff, to ensure that we have the needed names for the security check) and come enjoy a day with us while we step back in time. Buy tickets here.
Project Liberty Ship, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all volunteer organization engaged in the preservation and operation of the historic ship JOHN W. BROWN as a living memorial museum. Gifts to Project Liberty Ship are tax deductible.
