Topic starter
31/10/2008 5:14 am
I don't know if anyone else saw this article, but it talks about how the Majestic America Line is shutting down over the next few weeks. They quote Joe Ueberroth,who has, I believe, the best statement in the entire article. "We flat-out got it wrong", he says. That's right Joe, you did.
River cruise operator Majestic America Line to shut down - Cruise Log - USATODAY.com
31/10/2008 1:38 pm
MAL
I listened to the conference call. They are planning on layup expenses for 2009. Reading between the lines, this would be for the DQ since it looks like they can simply hand the AQ back to MarAd.
Wesley
31/10/2008 3:51 pm
Rumor has it, and yes take this as a rumor only, that the American Queen's mortgage, originally due for payment in mid November, is now paid up through next April...Makes sense, to help grease the skids toward the sale.
The original mid-November date for a payment MAY have been the reason the American Queen's season was shortened to... wait for it... November 15th...theory was that Majestic was to scoot the last passengers off, then immediately hand the keys over to the government...
If the rumor above is true, as a taxpayer, I'm glad smarter heads prevailed.
31/10/2008 3:58 pm
The sternline telegraph has also mentioned that the AQ is to be layed up in Mobile, that select crew have been asked to stay aboard after the 15th to properly lay-up both the AQ AND the DQ.
Rumor through the telegraph suggests that the DQ will also follow the AQ to Mobile for lay-up...makes sense as there is "no place" for long term storage of the two boats in NOLA anymore.
I'm thrilled, at least the company realizes that to sell non-layed up boats is a mistake. Maybe they learned a little from the MQ debacle...