Field Trip Cruises

Mission Statement | Cruise Options | Curriculum Details | Interactive Activities | Logistics | FAQs

The Isles of Shoals Steamship Co.'s “Window to the Working Waterfront” Field Trips allow your students to explore Commerce, Culture, Seamanship, Marine Environment, History and Lore & Legends through an interactive cruise field trip!

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With great pride and satisfaction, we have been offering educational field trips for over 18 years. Our convenient location on the Piscataqua River Basin provides an opportunity to investigate a wealth of subjects such as history, culture, lore & legend, commerce, marine environment, and seamanship. This year‘s cruises are structured to include a variety of interactive work stations, resulting in less narration over the PA system, and more hands-on activities.

Our goal is to provide a well rounded, memorable experience in which learning outcomes are aligned with curriculum standards.

These new and exciting developments are a result of our expanded learning partnerships. We are pleased to be collaborating with a diverse group of field experts. With their support, we look forward to sharing with you our latest onboard programs for 2007. One of the organizations with which we work closely is the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation, a Portsmouth-based non-profit organization whose mission is to promote awareness and conservation of the marine environment.  Their experienced marine biologists serve as part of our educational team aboard the field trips, and also run programs from their dockside touch tank, making live tide pool animals and plants accessible to your students during their trip!

 Field Trip Cruise Descriptions

Little known, but historically crucial, the legendary Isles of Shoals, located six miles off the New Hampshire and Maine coast, are an intriguing archipelago of nine islands steeped in history of pirates, ghosts, shipwrecks and buried treasures.

Portsmouth Harbor is a unique working port with tugboats, tankers, forts, and lighthouses proudly guiding our mariners safely through its waters. Rugged fisherman and worldly traders have depended on these waters as a way of life for centuries. Before that, Native Americans called the Piscataqua River Basin and the Great Bay Wilderness one of New England's largest salt water estuaries - their home. Today the Seacoast is an amazing blend of commerce and scenic stories, which sets the stage for the perfect interactive learning experience.

Field Trip Options	Field Trip	Length	Cost per student
	Isles of Shoals, Lighthouses and Portsmouth Harbor Tour	2.5 hours	$14.00
	Portsmouth Harbor Tour	1.5 hours	$11.00

Note: If weather suggests uncomfortable cruising conditions we will cruise to the entrance of Portsmouth Harbor to view the lighthouses and the Isles of Shoals from a distance. This will allow students to experience the thrill of being on the Atlantic Ocean without providing a negative cruise experience. Unless safety is a factor, the decision to turn around will be jointly made between the captain and the teachers in charge. If we turn around at the Harbor entrance we will cruise inland towards the Great Bay Wilderness Area (same time frame).

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Interactive Field Trip Stations

Click here for more information on the activities available during your cruise.

Steamship Logs

Our complimentary Steamship Logs are available for your classroom. They are full of original news clippings on the happenings of the Isles of Shoals and Portsmouth Harbor since the mid-1800's. Articles includes the infamous Murders of Smuttynose, the Explosion of Henderson's Point (the largest man made explosion of its time) and original advertisements for the Appledore House Hotel owned and operated by the Laighton Family. Our Steamship Logs provide the opportunity for students to experience historic events in "real time" through the reporting styles of the various time periods. This is a wonderful way to stimulate interest prior to one of our cruises.

Fund Raising for Educational Experience

We don't want any students to miss out on our exciting educational experience due to limited budgets. That's why we are proud to offer our unique F.R.E.E. Program (Fund Raising for Educational Experiences). It allows students to finance 100% of their experiences with us, by selling raffle tickets good for free cruises with us. It's easy, fun and beats asking parents or struggling with school budget committees. Through this program, schools have been financing 100% of the costs of their field trip with us, including buses, for several years.

Here's how it works:
You supply raffle tickets for the students to sell at a price you determine. If each child sells 13 raffle tickets at a cost of $1 each, they have made enough money to pay their $13 cruise ticket. Keep in mind additional profit can be put towards busing.

We will supply the raffle prizes in the form of cruise tickets:
First prize- Family pack for 6 for an Isles of Shoals Tour
Second prize- Family pack of 4 for an Isles of Shoals Tour
Third prize- Family pack for 2 for an Isles of Shoals Tour.
Your raffle prizes can be collected the day of your cruise. The student who sells the most raffle tickets receives an ISSCo T-shirt or baseball cap.

Testimonials
"Thank you for providing our class with such a wonderful up close and personal experience with New Hampshire history. Our hats are off to your friendly staff and narrator."
-Mrs. B, New Hampshire- 4th Grade Teacher

"Thank you for a job well done! Our Monday aboard the Thomas Laighton was a beautiful and fun cruise, well narrated and educational."
-Norma A, parent

"Our annual field trip has become such a wonderful tradition. Our upcoming students are always looking forward to it, as it has become quite the talk of the 7th grade class."
-Miss Lemont, teacher