New 'ship' ad

Such a deal, such a deal!

Just for grins I decided to see what other cruise lines are offering. I picked Disney. Surprise, surprise! A 14 day transatlantic cruise with stops on either side of the pond, inside room, is an exorbitant $57 per person per day. Don't believe it? Go check. Admittedly, this is probably not the rule of thumb, but anyone looking for a deal and not real picky, just wants to go on a cruise, well, what would you do? Besides, Disney has nice looking "ships", with, you know, "ears" on the stacks.

Am I missing something or are those the testimonials of people who took a trip on a boat that hasn't been built yet?

I have some friends who received their brochure in the mail and called them about a cruise. When told the price, they told ACL they were nuts.

Technicolor hulls and wheels and now...

Mike, Mike, you've been staring at steamboat photos too long! You're now officially incurable! I think that those testimonials appear on each page and only the 'ship' changes, so they are raving about one of the smaller vessels... (must be the lead paint we've been discussing, but then again this pricing must have been done while sniffing something...)

Judy Patsch;24823 wrote: Things have been pretty quiet since the announcement of the new boat to be built for Mississippi River cruising. I just got this email ad, probably many of you did too:
American Cruise Lines Small Ship Destinations
What blows my mind is the cheapest rate shown: $3995 for per person for 7 nights, that's $571 a night. I wish them well, but I sure am not in their targeted disposable income group!

I wonder what sort of trip I could buy on a Cunarder for $3995. I imagine a Queens Grill suite for an off season transatlantic crossing. That comes with a butler, a stocked bar, ability to order off menu in the dining room, enough canapes to host a party or two in your room, and the safety that flying a British flag guarantees.

Hm, either this is another company that "doesn't get it" or all of us here "don't get it."
I thought the last trip on the DQ was pricey, but yoicks!!!
OTOH, by 2012 inflation may make these prices cheap!!
S'
David D.

Has anyone else noticed the lack of any mention of authenticity for this vessel? No mention of bells, whistles, calliopes, sternwheel PROPULSION. I have commented on the ACL Facebook page several times...only to be ignored.

Although, many have told me to be patient and stated how impressed I will be by the vessel, I can't help but wonder about this.

Please don't take my comments to say I don't like the vessel. I am just wondering about a few things. If they keep mentioning the "former riverboats" which ran this waterway and referring to themselves as bringing back this dream...then isn't a nod to historical authenticity in order? Adding an air-powered whistle and calliope aren't hard at all...they are practically cost effective compared to steam. A bell? There are plenty of bells available and I am sure a beautiful authentic one could be located/donated.

If they are gonna go for the look, the sound is a natural progression.

If not...why not bring one of their shallow draft ships up here? It would seem like they would save a lot of money doing this instead of a new build. Especially since their new build is going to feature expensive add-ons like swinging stage (aka: Bow Ramp), folding smokestacks, and a decorative sternwheel to emulate the look of the authentic Mississippi River sternwheel steamboat. Blount Small Ship Expeditions are cruising these rivers already with their NIAGRA PRINCE and she has the same draft as all the current ALC vessels.

Just my observations, wonderings, and queries.

Travis

You are right on the money. I checked. Queens Grill, by the way, is the creme de la creme cabin for those of you who have yet to investigate transatlantic crossing, which includes myself. One of the suites is like 2000 square feet!!!!!!

Lexie Palmore;24832 wrote: You are right on the money. I checked. Queens Grill, by the way, is the creme de la creme cabin for those of you who have yet to investigate transatlantic crossing, which includes myself. One of the suites is like 2000 square feet!!!!!!

I was upgraded to the Holyrood Suite for a crossing once. It was a week of bliss. Any one of the three bathrooms in the two deck room were larger than the last room that I had on the DQ.

This coming January there are two possible crossings, that will most likely be heavily discounted. The R.M.S. QUEEN MARY 2 leaves New York on January 3 and arrives in Southampton on January 10. That night the QUEEN ELIZABETH sails for an eight night crossing back to New York. The sea conditions and weather are always a mystery until the crossing. This past January for the QE's maiden crossing it was hurricane force winds and 11 meter seas. Two Januaries ago, I basked on my balcony in 60 degree ambient temperatures while the Ohio Valley was blanketed with cold and snow.

Travis, the new paddlewheeler from ACL will be propelled by the paddlewheel, supported by Azipods - like on the American Queen. Also from what I've heard the boat will have a calliope (and I assume a whistle, too). And it'll have an open deck where you can walk all around the boat.

I've read that, but the side view of the new boat shows a wheel supported in a manner that would not easily take the thrust of a working wheel.
But then, what do I know??
S'
David D.

RE: Good value/Upgrades*
Hi, Steamboating colleagues:
Frank hit it on the money [No pun intended] RE: 'good value and upgrades' with many of the upscale blue water ships. The comments above from you all very perceptive and correct. We just experienced as a family similar upgrades on the recent two week cruise. It's only good business knowing that previous bookings are likely to return again and again with many extra 'bennies' tossed in: free laundry/dry cleaning, special dinners in private dining rooms with officers/company officials, wet bars and extra large baths, living areas in cabins, transfers, greeters at air terminals, automatic birthday/holiday greetings and presents etc. You don't need all of it, but it can be nice. In the end you're paying for it.

This not 'pure steamboats,' but for some reason I receive each year a most upscale grand lux book advertising a luxury 22 day 'Around the world by private jet' trip. I'll not mention the name of the lux company here. Once you paw through the heavy grade slick paper with embossing, glorious photography, list of lecturers, food, hotels etc. you see that the per person initial rate begins at a mere $62,950. Single supplement another $8,150 on top of that. All other tips, taxes, gratuities, drinks, sundries, souvenir purchases, commercial air tickets to and from airport of departure/arrival on your own. What a deal! Did I promptly send off my who's who and $2,500 per head deposit? Oh, pleeeeeze! I'm not that far from my common roots being born/bred on the muddy banks of Coal Haven Landing.

Judy hit the nail right mentioning "disposable income"/"niche marketing." Are there people out there with money to spend like this? You bet. For years there was an old saying, "It only costs a little more to go first class." Yeah, right. Well, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.