Topic starter
15/09/2010 4:06 am
Just heard over the sternline telegraph that apparently Cruise West is "restructuring". Operations are shutting down and at least one boat has been sold to a Danish company.
Cruise West Cancels World Cruise, Still Silent on Restructuring Plan - Cruise Westhttp://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=408 3"> http://http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4083
15/09/2010 1:12 pm
Roger,
Thanks for posting. I just became aware of this situation last night about the time you posted it. It saddens me to think so many of our steamboatin' friends went out there for jobs and once again are in the unemployment lines. From experience I can tell you, this is not a good place to be in this economy!
I truly hope they can restructure and keep some of their great employees. We don't need to lose another American-Flagged line!
Travis
15/09/2010 1:57 pm
I just tried to click on the link, and my computer tells me it can't find the page.....
15/09/2010 2:09 pm
Cap,
It is working on my browser just fine...here is another link to Cruise West's site....
Cruise West Continues Restructuring Efforts
and another related news story
Mystery solved: Cruise West ship sold to Danish investors - USATODAY.com
and yet another
The Canadian Press: Seattle-based Cruise West: 65 layoffs, world cruise halted, company says it's restructuring
Travis
15/09/2010 7:03 pm
Restructuring huh? Sounds like someone at Cruise West went to the Sam Zell School for Obfuscation.
15/09/2010 9:18 pm
Was M.A.L. a restructuring???
Was M.A.L. a restructuring too? Or just first degree murder by corporate greed and incompetence?
16/09/2010 1:16 am
Was it Cruise West that wanted to start a small ship cruise up the Mississippi River?
16/09/2010 4:26 pm
Judy Patsch;23134 wrote: Was M.A.L. a restructuring too? Or just first degree murder by corporate greed and incompetence?
Exactly a case of what Mark Twain said: (something like this): "It aint wahat a man don't know that hurts him near as much as what he does know that just ain't so". Couple that with closed- mind arrogance and you're restructured into the financial grave for sure.
Topic starter
21/09/2010 7:16 pm
Just saw on another website that Cruise West has ceased all operations as of September 18, 2010. A sad day for the US Merchant Marine as yet another US-flag company fails. Where is their bailout??
21/09/2010 9:27 pm
Roger,
On their website they outline what was to be their last day on the 18th of September. We need to keep their crew in our prayers. Many of their crew were our fellow crew on the DELTA QUEEN and other boats. They are fortunate, as they found a place to work after our boats stopped running. Some of us are still looking for something almost 3 years later.
Travis
22/09/2010 5:09 am
Chris, American Cruise Lines (ACL) is building a new paddlewheeler cruise ship for the Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland River business. Just yesterday the yofficially announced the ship and its itineraries - see: American Cruise Lines Press Room
I think this is very exciting news, and from what I've heard they will even have a calliope! The new paddlewheeler which doesn't have a name yet, is due for 2012.
Franz
22/09/2010 12:00 pm
Interesting about speed
Franz Neumeier;23205 wrote: Chris, American Cruise Lines (ACL) is building a new paddlewheeler cruise ship for the Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland River business. Just yesterday the yofficially announced the ship and its itineraries - see: American Cruise Lines Press Room
I think this is very exciting news, and from what I've heard they will even have a calliope! The new paddlewheeler which doesn't have a name yet, is due for 2012.
Franz
Twice in that release they mention speed - that it will have a faster speed than the DQ boats, and that with its remarkable speed it will be able to do new itineraries.
22/09/2010 12:08 pm
Also, did you see that the ship with have a stage AND bow ramp?!?! I can't wait to see that!!!
22/09/2010 1:13 pm
Franz,
Who is their source for a calliope? I haven't heard anything about it. My guess would be Jonathan King, since he is local to them. They really need to contact Dave Morecraft about one too!
Travis
22/09/2010 1:15 pm
Phillip,
I saw that...I hope it is a confusion situation! If not, she could have a rather unusual appearance!
Travis
05/10/2010 2:24 pm
Cruise West ends its tenure in small ship cruising
You probably have heard but Cruise West announced on September 17 that they would cease operations the next day. It was a sad day for those of us who love small ship cruising. I had booked a passenger on the Mississippi cruise from Memphis to Nashville as it was one part of the rivers he had not yet done. They were using the former Nantucket Clipper which then changed to the Yorktown Clipper (renamed by CW). It is sad for the ports who had looked forward to welcoming passengers again and it is sad for me and for my long standing passengers who have loved cruising on the rivers. There are some other options but I would still love someone to bring back the AQ, sooner than later! I was disappointed that American Cruise Lines chose to build a new vessel rather than bring her back to life. It was yet another sad day in river cruising, but another example of a company looking at grander and bigger options and ignoring the small, intimate places and vessels we already have.
05/10/2010 3:13 pm
Charlene,
I feel the same way about the AQ situation. Now that MARAD has lowered her asking price to $15m, it seems foolish to build a new vessel when an existing vessel is there and potentially cheaper than a new-build.
Like Dale always says on here...."what do I know?"
Travis
06/10/2010 11:28 pm
Travis Vasconcelos;23332 wrote: Charlene,
I feel the same way about the AQ situation. Now that MARAD has lowered her asking price to $15m, it seems foolish to build a new vessel when an existing vessel is there and potentially cheaper than a new-build.
Like Dale always says on here...."what do I know?"
Travis
Trav,
I thought the same thing too, about both the AQ and why they didn't buy the Empress instead of her smaller sister, the Queen of the West. Upon further investigation, I think I understand that they are doing.
ACL's brand features a small scale, intimate cruising ambiance (think DQ). My beloved American Queen is anything but a small scale experience. She is big, bold and beautiful and would require a total remaking of how they do business. The Empress is also, by their standards, a big boat.
From what I can surmise by looking at the renderings, the new boat (God I hope they don't call it a ship) is about DQ size and scope. Perhaps as time goes on and they get their feet wet in brown water, they would consider firing up the American Queen, but for now a new riverboat on the Mississippi is what we are looking at.
I remember a lot of sentiment on the board about the "Good old days" on the DQ, when things were not as structured - especially in the entertainment department. At the moment, the QOTW does not even feature on board entertainment. It's all step on acts. Perhaps this does not bode well for those of us who happily hummed and strummed our way down the river. So, I don't expect any frantic calls for my services. My future on the river will probably continue to consist of looking on from the banks. But at this point, an overnight riverboat sailing again is a huge step forward.
As Mick Jagger sings, "You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes. You just might find. You get what you need."
take care, buddy
Paul