(New York, April 9, 2001)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today, at a Museum luncheon for the Northeast Chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers, that the newly built Sea Cloud II, flagship of the Metropolitan's educational travel program, sails with a full compliment of Met friends on its inaugural cruise from Lisbon to Dartmouth, May 17 to 31, 2001.
The five-star Sea Cloud II, which was christened on February 6, 2001, in Las Palmas, Spain, is being limited to a maximum of 80 passengers for these select voyages. The ship was designed in the tradition of the original Sea Cloud, constructed by E. F. Hutton for his wife Marjorie Merriweather Post but updated with all of the latest amenities. A three-masted sailing vessel, she offers luxurious cabin accommodations, a handsome lounge for conferences and lectures, a beautiful library, spa, and spacious dining room for single seating service.
Very limited space is available on the following upcoming voyages in 2001: "Sailing Viking Waters: Edinburgh to Copenhagen,"a fascinating voyage at the period of the midnight sun (June 6-20); "Treasures of the Baltic: Copenhagen to St. Petersburg," calling on Stockholm, Helsinki, and Tallin (July 26 - August 8); and "Ancient Wonders, Athens to Palermo," which sails into the Adriatic, visiting Dubrovnik and concluding with three days in Sicily (October 13 -29).
In addition, Met members may choose from two River Cruises, "Masterpieces of Northern Italy: Cremona to Venice," aboard the new River Cloud II (May 16-27), and "Art and Music of Central Europe, Amsterdam to Budapest," aboard River Cloud (August 9-25). These voyages, exclusively chartered for the Metropolitan
Museum, feature lecture series by distinguished curators and include musical performances (concert pianist Mordecai Shehori will give a series of performances on the August sailing), as well as private access to museums and major sites.
An enriched new series of land programs in Europe and Cuba rounds out the Met schedule for 2001. These innovative trips provide small groups of participants an occasion to study monuments and works of art in greater detail. One-week trips to Cuba, focusing on art and architecture, are in great demand. A fourth departure in 2001 is scheduled for November 3 to 10, 2001; other Cuba trips will be planned for February 2002. "Cambodia and Thailand," with popular Met lecturer Olivier Bernier, is offered February 4 to 20, 2002, and he will lead a trip to India, covering both the north and south, October 26 to November 13, 2002. Short land trips to Europe include "La Serenissima, A Privileged View of Venice," September 5 to 13, 2002.
Met travel programs are arranged by Academic Arrangements Abroad. For further details regarding any of these voyages, please contact Academic Arrangements Abroad at (212)514-8921 or (800)221-1944 or e-mail met@arrangementsabroad.com.
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April 9, 2001
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