Newport Mansions?

We will be on the Grand in Oct. We will have to tender.(maybe all ships tender in Newport, I dont know) I was wondering if it is possible to do 4 or 5 mansions between 8 & 5? Has anyone ever done that many or how many have you done? When I talked to the man from the Preservation society, he said we could only do 2 maybe 3. Does anyone have any other ideas on this?

Thanks

Dawn Princess Alaska

This is one time when you might do better on the ship tour? the tour should go off relatively early and they may get "priority entrance"???? Have been to Newport but not via ship so not sure how many homes they see etc. on the tour

Host Caroline

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The ship tour only sees 2 mansions for $59 in 3 1/2 hrs. versus the 5 mansion ticket for $32. Then if we would be able to do another tour to see another mansion in the afternoon that would be another $42. That would be $101 to see 3 mansions. I always do ship tours and thought this would be one time when we could easily go on our own. Now I am totally confused.

Dawn Princess Alaska

Four or five could be tough, especially given your limited time due to tendering.

One option is to walk along Bellevue Avenue to see many mansions from the outside, and select two to tour on your own. You can do this on your own, or there is a walking tour offered by the Newport Preservation Society.

Lisa63

Looking forward to Maasdam Canada/New England 2004

You could comfortably do 3 tours, I know, I work for them!! If you do, I suggest The Breakers, THe Elms and Marble House. The latter two are audio tours, you listen to a tape, while The Breakers is guided. You are tendered into downtown Newport and could easily catch a trolley or cab to get there. If I can be of any more help, just let me know!! Have a blast. The Grand and the QM2 are in the harbor today - what a sight!!! Too bad it's raining.

We would like to see at least one of the mansions, but two of the members of our group have limited mobility (one walks with a cane and the other has knee problems). If we can only do one mansion, would you suggest the Breakers?

Thanks, Kathy

Yes, The Breakers is the most popular, and has an elevator if needed.

Thanks. Now that I know there is an elevator, I think we'll plan on that one.

Kathy

You could comfortably do 3 tours, I know, I work for them!! If you do, I suggest The Breakers, THe Elms and Marble House. The latter two are audio tours, you listen to a tape, while The Breakers is guided. You are tendered into downtown Newport and could easily catch a trolley or cab to get there. If I can be of any more help, just let me know!! Have a blast. The Grand and the QM2 are in the harbor today - what a sight!!! Too bad it's raining.

I am still drying out.. We were on the Grand.. I have some nice pics of the QM2.

we grabbed the trolly.. 5.00 pass for all day.. any trolly.. and we went to the Astors.. Great fun.. as the guides there all are re enacting as the Astors.. a lot of fun from this acting troupe.

They sell mansion tours.. at the visitor centers.. short walk left of the pier.. past the gap.. and the trolly driver even dropped us off at the pier on return so we did not have to walk back and get even wetter.

The Astor tour lasted about 30 minutes and they let you take photos.. but not video.. even though some old crank decided he was going to do what he wanted.. they did chastize him in the old Astor tradition.. very well done :)

The breakers tour was a little longer.. but I think one could easily get 5 in.

Stop by the Newport Creamery for an Aweful Aweful as well.. Awefully Big .. Awefully Good :)

Enjoy

I felt so bad for all of you that were in Newport on Saturday. It was one of the wettest days we've ever had!! Glad you got to go to Astor's mansion, although we don't own that one, LOL... Hope you make it back to Newport someday. It was a beautiful sight, seeing the Grand and the QM2.

I will be on the Grand 10/3 and I have a question about the menu? Do they have the split crab legs on the menu?

My hubby is dying to have them again and I told him he might be disapppointed.

Thanks,

Any other insights would also be welcome.

I will be on the Grand 10/3 and I have a question about the menu? Do they have the split crab legs on the menu?

My hubby is dying to have them again and I told him he might be disapppointed.

Thanks,

Any other insights would also be welcome.

It was not on the painted deserts menu as well. I do not know about the Sabbatini's or the other one.

So mr hubby may have to get them on one of the port visits :))

Enjoy

We were on the Regal 9-11 sailing we tendered in I think all the ships tender. We walked from the dock area and strolled by all the mansions, I had reserved tickets ahead of time at the Breakers, it was beautiful. They do a guided tour we were there about an hour and another 1/2 hour walking the grounds. When we left there was a very long queue waiting to get in. If you have to wait it might be very hard to get 5 mansions done in one day. I feel it is a easy city to get around and you don't need to take the ships tour you can also take the trolley around.

Did the Breakers - loved that mansion.

Ship tours do get priority at the mansions. We did that once and moved ahead of quite a few people waiting to get into one of the mansions. Some of the waits can be up to an hour.

We will be disembarking from the Sea Princess on October 15, 2005. It appears as if the trolley ceases operations for the season the previous weekend or on Columbus Day. My first concern is getting from the pier to the mansions which I presume I can do by taxi without problem. My second concern is getting from mansion to mansion. I have no idea as to the distance between them or the walking conditions (sidewalks, walkways or nothing). Often the distance between estates can be fairly significant. Hiring a taxi to move from mansion to mansion is impractical. For instance, if I wanted to walk between The Breakers, The Elms and Marblehouse, what is the approximate walking distance? My third concern is hiring a taxi, if necessary, to return to the pier. Is it difficult to get a taxi for the return trip?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Here’s an MSN map of Newport: http://*****.com/bzdga for Bellevue Ave. Hit ZOOM IN twice (PLUS sign on left of map). If you have time to tour 3 mansions, I’m not sure; but take a taxi to Marble House, the furthest mansion away (click SOUTH 3Xs on the map); then walk to the Breakers (click NORTH then EAST on the map); then walk to the Elms (click NORTH 2Xs on the map), located at the corner of Dixon and Bellevue. There is a legend at the bottom of the map in tenths of a mile.

Depending on the age and condition of your legs, and time left before the last tender, you could walk back.

Go north (on the map) until Memorial Blvd (Rte 138A), turn left (west on the map) and follow 138A back to the tender pick up (corner of 138A and Long Wharf Mall). The map legend is still in tenths of a mile.

I’m sure you could call for a taxi at the Elms; there are sidewalks.

Enjoy your visit to Newport.

If you only have time for one mansion, do the Breakers.

SBtS

Here's to swimmin' with bowlegged women.......

-- Cpt Quint of The Orca, Amity, USA

Many thanks SailBad!!! That is precisely the information I was looking for.