Dreaming of a White-Sand Christmas? Try Yorktown

Yorktown, an expedition ship owned by Travel Dynamics International, plies the waters of the Great Lakes throughout the summer, making regular stops in Detroit so guests can visit Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. On one of those stops, company rep Dale Woods invited travel industry professionals on board to learn about its upcoming voyages. Most voyages are sold out way in advance, since the ship has only 65 cabins (up to 130 people at a time); the demand is high due to the unique itineraries the line offers.

Dale led us around the yacht-like ship, which originally was called The Yorktown Clipper (under Clipper Cruise Lines); cabins vary from 130 to 232 square feet, and unique artwork fills its halls. The itinerary that caught my eye was the upcoming Virgin Islands sailings during the holidays.

Unlike the monster-sized ships, the Yorktown visits really cool ports in both the American and British Virgin Islands, like Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Cooper and the storied Norman Islands. Legend plays a large part in the history of Norman Island with tales of pirates and treasure caves; the island's role as the inspiration for the epic "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson is perhaps the most famous legend of them all.

The Yorktown is perfect for snorkeling in the Virgin Islands - it has its own platform where divers can enter the water directly from the ship. It visits the natural, unspoiled areas of the islands where giant ships could never enter. The Christmas time cruises are particularly attractive because the weather is dry, and hurricane season is over.

The Virgin Island cruise season runs December 20 to January 24. Rates begin at $3995 per person, and include airfare. For booking and information, call 586 757 4177.

Photos courtesy of Marco Airaghi and Travel Dynamics.

Dale Woods

Dale Woods and Arlene Yearn

Virgin Islands

Yorktown

Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands

Yorktown

Yorktown

Yorktown

Yorktown