ANTIBELLUM SOUTH
8-Day Cruises

The Historic Antebellum South cruise will bring you to a veritable Garden of Eden as you cruise along the Golden Isles of the Intracoastal Waterway. These small ships glide smoothly past magnificent parks and plantations to centuries-old towns clustered at water's edge with terraced landscapes and opulent gardens. The scenery, warmed by the temperate climate, unfolds before you redolent of charm and gracious living. Many coastal wildlife preserves along the waterway provide naturalists ample opportunity to view the wide variety of shore birds and waterfowl as well as moss-draped oaks, secluded inlets and sparkling bays.

There are layers of history along this fabled thoroughfare, captured in the ancient names of its rivers, the Ashepoo, Stono and Ogeechee. European colonists brought English, French and Spanish influences evident in place names and in colonial architecture. Charleston is a revelation, full of flowers and festivity. You'll be transported to centuries past to explore the crucial role the city played in both the Revolution and the Civil War, to visit the restored Historic District or a lavish 18th-century plantation. When you dock at Savannah's waterfront the whole city is at your disposal-Am erica's first planned city, set out along a grid of 21 squares. Stately homes with wrought iron railings and formal courtyards are testaments to Savannah's pride of place. And beautiful Beaufort is a small gem, where a leisurely horse and carriage ride awaits you. Here, as on Daufuskie Island, the Gullah culture of freed African -Americans flourished after the Civil War. Their distinctive language and culture survive to this day on Daufuskie, protected by the surrounding waters.

The barrier islands of Hilton Head, St. Simons, Jekyll and Amelia have all enjoyed tremendous popularity due to welcoming warmth, interesting shopping and the relaxed pace of life. All of these attractions led to regular steamboat service from the North and a cosmopolitan migration toward the end of the 19th-century, when titans of commerce and wealthy socialites began building 'cottages' for their hunting and fishing pursuits. These extravagant edifices are exemplified by Millionaire's Row on Jekyll Island, and the Silk Stocking District on Amelia Island. The combination of historical significance and natural loveliness assures a voyage that will enlighten and entrance you, with a unique insight into America's most elegant regIon.