GASC brochures

Jan,

I received an email with a link to the mini brochure. Nice! Prices and itinieraries aren´t really visible but with a little marking, copying and pasteing you can see them ;-).

Carmen

Carmen;27306 wrote: Jan,

I received an email with a link to the mini brochure. Nice! Prices and itinieraries aren´t really visible but with a little marking, copying and pasteing you can see them ;-).

Carmen

Can you tell me what you think of the prices??
Jan

We are among the frequent floaters who are delighted to have the American Queen returning to the rivers and wish the new company the very best. We're totally happy with American crew and the menu sounds fantastic!!
However, we do have concerns about the pricing. Some of us don't or can't partake of the "complimentary" drinks. Many of the most loyal supporters have often visited scheduled ports and enjoyed shore excursions so no longer feel the need to repeat them. Just pointing out that these amenities add to the final cost and will keep us from booking as many trips as we would like.
Once again we wish GASC great success.

I agree with Ginnie and other posts re: pricing. The all-included packaging is a bit of a deterrent since my wife and I tend to do a mix of self-guided, and boat-hosted shore tours on our bluewater cruises, and this was also true on our one DQ trip in the 1990s. And we do not drink, so the free beverages are an added cost that we would not benefit from. Maybe a barebones dot.org charter is in order?

And I repeat an earlier suggestion: more 3 and 7-day round trips options. I think you could do well with this in Pittsburgh by promoting the boat in the DC metro area and elsewhere.

Wesley

You confirmed what I thought and expressed to the company..all tours in the states seems like a big waste to me and I would rather have seen lower pricesw.
Jan

Shore tours

Jan, shore tours are not all a waste in the states - that makes it sound like we have nothing worthwhile to see here, and that is totally false. But the issue with shore tours and the AQ is that as Ginny said, they've done the tours already and wouldn't want to repeat them, or as I have said I just don't do sponsored shore tours. Most of the towns we stop in are small and I enjoy walking in and seeing things on my own, if I even choose to leave the boat during the stop. Quite honestly I'm usually not interested in the stuff in the packaged tour or at least I don't want to spend that amount of time at the site. Back in my cruising days of the 70s and 80s, the tours were relatively simple and economical. But in later years the owners saw the profit potential and lengthened the time in port and made the shore tours more grandiose and expensive. I noted one of the tours here in Davenport: it was a bus trip over to the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, a distance of 3 miles. Admission to the pavilion is free - the tour cost $32. I think many of us are worried about cruise prices scaring potential passengers away, and we think making them as low as possible by making them 'bare bones', so to speak, would be better. We know there is no way to compete with the big Caribbean cruise lines' prices, but anything to keep it as low as possible. I might as well toss in the included hotel night idea too: I always came in and left the same day, giving myself plenty of leeway in between arrival and the boat's departure time. Today the only place I'd want to stay would be in New Orleans, and I'd stay several nights. I understand the boat's hotel will be the Westin, which is a great hotel, but I'd end up there the one night and then transfer to another one in my price range, which the Westin is not. So that 'perk' isn't one for me and if it weren't included in the fare, I think the fare could be reduced at least $100. Every little bit helps. And to be perfectly clear: I think what the GASCo. is doing overall is proof that they know the river and their passenger base and that they do listen to repeaters' suggestions. They have put together a great first year package and are to be commended for it. But since many of us have gone through a couple of bankruptcies, totally inept and uncaring owners, governmental regulations shutting down the DQ twice, etc., we are concerned that this go around with the AQ will be successful and sustained, and therefore offer our insights, feelings, observations, whatever, on ways we see to better this prospect. Whew, sorry, this turned out to be longer than a shore stop!

I completely worded my 1st statement wrong..I didnt mean a waste as you are absolutely correct..I am like you and love just to wander through towns and talk to people eat at special places I have read about and do my own research. So for ME it is a waste of money to pay for a tour I wont take is what I meant to say. Being a TA I get great rates at hotels so I would get my own hotel also, like you I prefer small more intimate (make that less expensive) hotels. Now one of the Blue Water cruise lines if you dont take the hotel gives you money back..not sure if this is the case with GASC.

Stu and I are going to France in April on a river boat and I dont do their tours either..we sleep in and wander on our own or grab a taxi..the only place we will take a tour is Normandy as I have been there before and you cant go without a guide!!

At this time I am hoping to do a group on American Queen June 21 NO to Memphis..I hope it works out as you have all intrigued me with steamboating..and another of the perks of this cruise is it is music of the 50's my era!!! Am I showing my age..LOL..I am happy to read you think the new team at GASC did a good job with the itins as I personally wouldnt know the difference..
Thanks again to you all for the great info and helping me..I cant tell you how appealing you have all made steamboating seem and I cant wait to try it..
Jan

Jan Fishbein;27388 wrote:
At this time I am hoping to do a group on American Queen June 21 NO to Memphis..I hope it works out as you have all intrigued me with steamboating..and another of the perks of this cruise is it is music of the 50's my era!!!e all made steamboating seem and I cant wait to try it..

Jan

Hi Jan,

I worked in the entertainment dept on the AQ and was aboard for 50's and 60's cruises. Fantastic times. Guest artists were a who's who of the music of those eras. The Four Aces, The Ink Spots, Danny and the Juniors, Jon Bauman (Bowser from Sha-na-na) all were among them. Also the late Bob Feller from the Cleveland Indians, Paul Peterson from The Donna Reed Show and Jon Provost, from Lassie.

In addition, the normal on board entertainment contingent made a special effort to feature music from those days. That was easy for me, because I played all that stuff when it was new. :O)

You will have, as we used to say, a BLAST!

Paul Penta

Second Look

Found my 2008 MAL brochure and made some comparisons. Considering food and fuel increases, GASC did a pretty good job in keeping costs in line. The 2008 "Early Buy" rates are approximately $100-$300 less than current ones. That included flights so all in all they pretty much equal out.
Although I would still prefer a choice about drinks, shore tours and hotel night, I do congratulate GASC for returning the American Queen to us and for putting together an experienced and committed team. They deserve our support.

I second that opinion! I for one am planning on doing my part toward that end.

New Brochures

Kitty Ruxton tells me that she hopes to have a good supply of newly printed brochures for distribution at the Howard Steamboat Museum on Saturday afternoon.

It's not too late to register for the programs and BELLE cruise. Judy Patsch will be the ""purser" at the gate on Saturday and she'll be happy to take your fare!

Thanks!