Hints to Travelers - Hamburg-American Line - 1890
The steamers of the Hamburg-American Packet Co. sail from the HAMBURG PIERS, foot of First Street, in Hoboken, adjoining the New York Ferries. The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, the New York, West Shore & Buffalo, the New York, Lake Erie & Western, the Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Companies all terminate on that side of the Hudson, in close proximity to the Hamburg Docks. Hoboken is reached from New York by the Barclay Street Ferry (down-town) or the Christopher Street Ferry (up-town), both landing at the same place in Hoboken, adjoining the Hamburg Piers.
THE EXPRESS STEAMERS leave New York Thursdays for Southampton and Hamburg.
Passengers landing at Southampton receive free railroad transportation to London or any other place in the south of England. The railroad trip from Southampton to London takes only two hours.
Through tickets are issued to Paris, which may be reached from Southampton, via Havre, in twelve hours, or via London in ten hours. Passengers are booked through to Havre without extra charge.
The Express Steamers leave Hamburg on Thursday, touching Southampton on Friday. Passengers are booked from London or Havre without extra charge. Through tickets from Paris.
THE REGULAR STEAMERS leave New York regularly once a week direct for Hamburg. Returning, the Steamers sailing from Hamburg on Sundays touch Havre on their way to New York. Departure from Havre on Tuesdays. Cabin passengers will be forwarded from Southampton or London to Havre at the Company's expense. Through tickets from Paris at reduced rates.
Steamers leaving Hamburg on Wednesday sail direct for New York.
BERTHS.
In order to secure berths favorably located, it is at all times advisable, but particularly during the spring and summer season, to apply as early as possible to the General Passenger Agents of the Hamburg Line, Messrs. C. B. RICHARD Co., 6i Broadway, New York, or 9 La Salle Street, Chicago, or to one of their numerous agents in any of the principal cities of the United States and Canada. They will send such contemplating a journey, upon application, a cabin plan of the steamer the passenger wishes to take, with the vacant berths or rooms marked, from which he can choose.
Cabin berths are not considered engaged unless secured by payment of 25 per cent. for each berth. The full amount must be paid two weeks before sailing, and if the passage money is not then paid the berths will be otherwise disposed of.
During the traveling season, passengers desiring the exclusive use of a whole room must pay two fares. The same price must be paid by an adult and one child for a whole room. At other seasons children between one and twelve years pay half-price, and infants under one year are free, except on the Express Steamers, for which special rates for children are made.
ROUND TRIP TICKETS are issued at reduced rates.
SERVANTS.
On the Express Steamers servants accompanying first cabin passengers pay second cabin fare, and receive accommodation in a second cabin stateroom ; they have, however, access to the first cabin. If passengers desire them to be berthed in first cabin, the regular fare for the berth occupied must be paid.
On the Regular Steamers servants pay $45 each way.
STEWARDS.
Trained Stewards and Stewardesses, speaking English and German, attend to the wants of passengers.
PHYSICIAN.
An experienced Physician is attached to every steamer. For medical attendance and medicines no charge is made.
BATHS.
Comfortable bath-rooms are provided in first as well as in second cabin ; the bedroom stewards will attend to the bath upon the passenger's request.
SEATS AT TABLE.
Passengers will have their seats allotted to them by the Chief Steward immediately after leaving the docks. Nurses and children will be served separately.
BOOTS AND SHOES
will be cleaned if left outside the room door.
VALUABLES.
The Company is not responsible for theft if valuables are kept in the staterooms. Money, jewelry, etc., can be handed to the Purser for safe keeping.
BAGGAGE
Passenger's baggage can be sent to the Ham burg Piers, Hoboken, N. J., two days before sailing, and will be kept in the baggage-room there until claimed by the passenger. All trunks should be marked plainly with the passenger's full name.
All baggage should be provided with a tag, giving name of passenger, number of cabin, name of steamer and whether the trunk will be wanted during the voyage or not. Tags can be obtained at C. B. RICHARD & Co.'s office.
Cabin passengers are allowed 20 cubic feet of baggage free of charge; all excess is charged for at the rate of 25 cents per cubic foot.
Passengers arriving in New York by train or boat can have their trunks checked direct to the Hamburg Pier in Hoboken by the Baggage Express Agent, who meets incoming passengers.
All articles wanted during the voyage should be put in a steamer trunk, which must not exceed 13 inches in height, so that it can go under the sofas in the staterooms.
MONEY
The safest and most convenient way of carrying money abroad to meet expenses is in the form of drafts, circular letters of credit, or of circular notes, all of which are issued in the banking department of Messrs. C. B. RICHARD & Co. for the convenience of passengers.
Circular letters of credit contain a list of banks in all the principal cities of Europe, at which one may draw from time to time as much as is needed.
Circular notes are also payable at all the principal places in Europe; they are issued in the sum of £10 sterling each, or their equivalent, according to the currency of the country where presented. Instead of endorsing the name upon presentation, holders of such notes are required to endorse them with a certain word of identification that will be given, so that in case of loss none but the party possessing such word will be able to realize upon them.
Drafts are issued on nearly ,000 places in Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Australia.
C. B. RICHARD & CO, have also constantly on hand to meet the requirements of travelers, English, German, French, Austrian, Scandinavian, Italian and Russian gold and paper money, of which passengers usually take a small amount, in order to defray first expenses.
Should travelers be in immediate need of funds, Messrs. C. B. RICHARD & Co. have arrangements whereby money may be cabled to them in any part of Europe.
PASSPORTS
are at present only needed by American travelers in Europe when visiting Berlin (Prussia), Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Spain or Portugal ; but, at the same time, a passport is useful for obtaining admission to certain museums, for obtaining letters from post-offices, and for establishing identity whenever necessary.
Passports can be procured from Washington for such as desire them within forty-eight hours. The Government charges a fee of $1.00, while notary's and other fees amount to $2.00 more.
LONDON.
The Express Steamers touch at Southampton on their way to Hamburg to land passengers and mail. Passengers are transferred at Southampton to the Hamburg-American Line's special train and forwarded to London free of charge. The trip occupies about two hours, and trains arrive at Waterloo station.
PARIS.
Paris is conveniently reached from Southampton via Dover—Calais, or Folkestone — Boulogne, in about ten hours, or via New Haven — Dieppe, where steamers cross in six hours, twice daily except Sundays ; or by Southwestern Railway Steamers, which leave Southampton every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11.45 P. M., arriving in Havre early the next morning.
Passengers can obtain through tickets to Paris, via Havre, at C. B. RICHARD & Co.'s office at reduced rates.
After landing passengers and mail in Southampton, the steamer immediately proceeds to Hamburg, which is reached in about twenty-four hours. Passengers are landed at the fine new landing place of the Hamburg-American Packet Co. Hamburg is a city of over 500,000 inhabitants, the principal commercial emporium of the continent of Europe, and one of its most beautiful towns. It is a most important railway center and has frequent and direct express trains to all parts of the interior.
IN FOREIGN PARTS.
On landing in Europe the traveler's baggage will be examined, but Custom Houses in Europe are not as difficult to pass as in America. Spirits, tobacco and cigars are the articles mainly looked for, and if any are found that have not been declared, they will be confiscated.
Second-class hotels in Europe are far better in their way than those of the same grade in America ; they are plain and simple, but excellent in their way.
Railway Traveling in Europe.
There are generally three classes of carriages on the European railways. The first-class is luxuriously furnished ; but second-class carriages are also very comfortable, especially in Germany, and this is so well understood that mixed tickets are sold for long journeys, entitling the holder to first-class in other countries and second-class in Germany. Third-class carriages are generally neat and clean, but have no cushions. This class is frequented by the general public for short journeys.
Nearly every train has compartments exclusively for ladies. In England, France and Italy smoking is forbidden, except in compartments specially designated for that purpose. In Germany and Austria smoking is allowed in all carriages save those where it is forbidden, and these are labeled "Fur Nichtraucher."
LUGGAGE
The allowance of luggage varies greatly. In England it is too pounds; in most continental countries it averages fifty pounds ; in Bavaria, Belgium. Italy, and in most parts of Switzerland there is no allowance. The charge for excessive luggage is high; all hand baggage is free.
There are no " baggage checks," though on the Continent receipts are given ; but travelers will always do well to look after their trunks, especially in crossing a frontier, when they must see to it that their luggage is examined and again put on board the train. In England no receipt is given, and passengers must pick out their property themselves at the end of their journey.
TIME - TABLES.
Of railway guides for Great Britain, "Bradshaw's " is to be recommended ; for Germany and neighboring countries, the " Reichs-Kursbuch," and " Henschel's ; " for France, " l'Indicateur Chaix ; " for Italy, " l'Indicatore ficiale," and for Switzerland, "Le Guide Privat."
