Topic starter
01/04/2010 7:14 pm
Hard to believe it was nineteen years ago today that I was on the Diamond Lady as we prepared for our first public cruise. The Diamond Lady and President both officially started their casino careers that day.
Vanna White (from Wheel of Fortune) was a special guest along with one of the stars of "Dallas", I can never remember his name, on that first cruise. We were a little behind schedule and they had to get off early to catch a plane. We made a special stop at Onieda street in Davenport so they could get off the boat and I got to hold Vanna's hand. That was memorable for me.
Things sure have changed since then, and not for the better, but those were good times.
01/04/2010 8:43 pm
I can imagine what a difference it is to see where the business went to. The river is a totally different place now. The gamblin boats are dockside, the overnight boats are gone...and steamboating is gasping it's last breaths. But, isn't it great to see at least one of the "LADY" boats is still running? Who'da thunk it? Granted the DIAMOND LADY is all but a gonner...like the MISSISSIPPPI QUEEN...but, one of them is alive and running!
01/04/2010 9:07 pm
How true, guys. Fred Way was recounting a conversation in one of his books (can't remember which one -- maybe"Saga of the DELTA QUEEN"). In this conversation, someone was saying to Capt. Fred that steamboat travel was dead (this was in the 40's or 50's). Fred said, "No, I think people will always come back to the steamboats for rest and relaxing travel", or something to that effect. It lasted another 60 years after the made that proclamation, which I think proved him right.
Let's hope we're not really seeing the last gasp of the steamboats, that people will come to their senses and rediscover what a great experience it is and always has been, to cruise the river in a leisurely manner, with good friends, good food and good times.
01/04/2010 10:38 pm
April 1, 1991
I guess it was appropriate that they started the riverboat gambling on April Fools Day... the casino companies sure sold everyone up the river once they got their foot in the door. At least we had the PRESIDENT here for 10 years, and had the DIAMOND LADY and CASINO ROCK ISLAND actually running trips for a couple of years...
01/04/2010 10:40 pm
Cap,
I am hoping the same thing...but for a Career River person, you have to admit, it doesn't look too good for overnight steamboats anymore! I see what is happening out there with both the boats and the river fan groups and it is scary how it is falling apart at the seams!
02/04/2010 12:01 am
April 1, 1978
The day I began my steamboatin' career when I stepped aboard the Mississippi Queen in New Orleans. I was nobody's fool. Loved every minute of my 28+ year association with the steamboats.
02/04/2010 11:58 am
I was about a year ahead of you Jazzou but you you stayed 20 years longer....I wish I had.
03/04/2010 7:22 pm
Bernie Goldstein said that Vanna and her b/f, who was in a limo shadowing the DL, were "bugging"(having a dispute), and that was why she wanted to get off the boat after only thirty minutes and well-before the cruise ended.
"Cost me a thousand dollars a minute," Mr. G. confided.
The DIAMOND LADY was a very special gamlin' boat-- I got the same good feeling on her as I did on the DELTA QUEEN.
March 28th was my 18th year on the casino boats-- DIAMOND LADY, EMERALD LADY, PLAYERS RB CASINO, GRAND VICTORIA I, and the GV2 for the past 14 years.