Topic starter
25/03/2007 5:51 pm
Deb and I got back yesterday evening from the inaugural DQ under MAL cruise. We had a ball, as we have come to sincerly appreciate. The weather was wonderful. Fellow dot.orgers Pat Traynor, Pat Carr, John and Carol Mullen, and Ginny and Ralph Rhynders were on board for great talks and good times as well as the most excited first time passengers we have ever seen... David Dewey and his lovely wife Linda.
In no particular order...
The Boat...
looks wonderful, god knows how many gallons of paint were applied. Deb and I have never seen her look quite this good for our March cruises. Even the hull shines, as was obvious when we rafted next to the unpainted hull of the AQ. Quite a bit of the varnished woodwork including the cabin doors has been refinished. They painted alot of the boat "just-in-time"; the deck was a little tacky and the paddlewheel got painted early Saturday morning. The only part of the exterior of the boat that looked a little sad was the deck surface of the fantail which is faded, quite old paint. And very little brass was shined. Though it was noted that the AQ's brass sparkled. The interior of the DQ looks the same except for a few missing items. I was told that the big brass double pot coffee maker was giving up the ghost and it was repalced with a capaccino machine. From the very first morning, even though the new machine was 'sposed to give regular plain coffee, it didn't. Matter of fact the crew loves the new machine, the passengers hated it and from that first morning soon urns of coffee where placed in the forward cabin lounge. Unfortunately the coffee was typically cool except very early in the morning. I was told that a new real coffee maker was going to be ordered. But the capaccino machine is staying. They also have brand new, very expensive pieces of wood on the bow ready to replace some of the more bashed in rub rails.
The Eagle...is gone. We were told it was gone for good because the eagle does not portray the image that MAL wants for the boat. The eagle currently is stored, in all places, Robin Street Wharf. The purple and white MAL sign board presently below the pilot house appears (to me) to be hastily applied and temporary. Gawd, I hope. The MAL signboard just looks sad...and tacky...
All other DQ signage is in place.
We are no longer "Steamboatin'". All items for sale and decorating the boat that had the DQSC logo or words were removed during or just after the Thanksgiving cruise last year. Now get this...all items with the word "steamboatin'" are being sold off as fast as possible at drastically reduced prices in the gift shop. The good side to that is that Deb and I made out like bandits on clothes. So in other words there is nothing left on the boat with the DQSC logo, little left with the "steamboatin'" terminology. Pens, matchbooks, stationary, even the instructions on the cabin walls explaining how to put your life vest on, are gone. The clock and barometer outside of the gift shop are gone. The "show where you live" map has been moved, basically out of sight.
Veteran crew on board. In the Orleans, Darryl is Maitre'D, Travis, Tory and Ortis were serving us. In NOLA Maurice came on board to say hi. The Riverboat Rhythm were on board with Walter, Tony, Jeff and Tom. Bob Stevens was cruise director. Bob Schad was also on board to help out. The entertainers were new: Brian Smith and Velda Jones. Lloyd was hotel manager and the chief purser was Paul Pennacchietti. Travis was the "discovery guide". Riverlorian is a verboten term. The pilot house was staffed with Captains Kenny Williams and Finley Frazier, the master being Captain Paul Thoeny. The gift shop was staffed by Pat Taylor. Herman was our cabin attendant. Michael kept us safe at night. Will Dorsey was there with his smile and attention to detail.
The boat did fine going up the quite high and rising Mississippi. The deck crew are mostly new and the stage was a little rough handled at times but the deck crew seems very eager and willing. I had a little treat as we backed out of the landing at Helena. Never seen the boat back up that distance before. She did OK considering all I've read about her handling "qualities". Also talked to Popeye Jones on the AQ for a bit, great to see a qualified veteran on her.
The cabins...and please keep in mind these are MY opinions...The new shower heads are wonderful, the towels fantastic. There were no "fluffy robes". They have installed automated Oregon Scientific clock/alarm/temperature/weather displays in all rooms. They sit on top of the dressers and are kind of fun to view, showing inside and outside temp. and humidity, the time and what the weather should be doing that day. The new mattress...are pillow top and very thick, and for me way too soft, but others told us how much they liked them. The new sheets are nice but had sorta a polyester feel to them. I'm sure they are pure cotton and I hope will soften up with washing. And here is something that I cannot fathom...the blue "soot" towels were nowhere in sight...Cabins are still turned down at night with a chocolate treat, the company changed suppliers of soap, shampoo and the like, which bothers me, we so enjoyed the old almond hand cream. The rooms also have an iron now, which made me laugh, and a magnifying makeup style mirror with swing arm hung on the wall next to the medicine cabinet. We also heard that the bunk rooms did not get the pillow top mattresses as they were too thick/high to work with the limited space. The mattresses arrived Friday afternoon before the cruise, again just in time. The little lace curtains on the windows of the upper deck cabins are gone.
Activities...we did bingo twice. We did not do sing along because new song books had not arrived. No kite flying, its gone for good, no trivia. The Captain's reception and dinner were combined into one, done the last night, which was strange. The captain's dinner no longer does second line, calliope certificates, nor was there any of the "Aurora Effect" fun. We had the picnic but was told it was temporary, they are eliminating it. I will truly miss Mike Gentry giving out the Vox Calliopus awards and the Aurora Effect silliness. Tony did do the colored light calliope concert. There was no lounge singing at night, no music at dinner, no music at the picnic. Pat Taylor, bless her heart, did late night piano in the Texas one night, marvelous. Discovery Guide talks were typically done in the Orleans, which makes no sense to me at all.
And I find this disturbing but expected...there was NO aknowledgement of frequent floater repeaters...no pins, no party, no certificate...
The food...much smaller portions, which quite frankly I'm thrilled about. Very, very little southern or "river" food, which was very disappointing. Bread pudding on only one night. The food was beautifully presented but a little too fancy for me.
The boat was basically full, alot of passengers had booked via the two-fer flyer sent out earlier. Also free airport transfers to and from the boat this year.
Another thing, the DQ is a ship, not a boat. I'm sorry, I refuse...and the AQ's exterior has been toned down a bit. All of her gold medalions on her sides have been removed and a good portion of her sides are now dark blue. She looked strange to me as we pulled up to her in Natchez.
Though a lot of the crew was new, the feeling, the aura of the crew was the same. They were the same friendly, happy family Deb and I love. I guess you can take NOLA out of the boat but you can't take NOLA out of the crew.
I hope others that were on board will post their observations, too.
Bruno and Debbie Krause
Topic starter
25/03/2007 6:10 pm
I forgot to mention the MQ. Story has it that they are investing gazillions in interior and exterior renovations:
The top deck rooms are being removed to turn the deck back into the observation deck it once was, complete with a glass roofed atrium. Now for all you scoffing at how the glass will fair with the stack soot, the boilers are 'sposedly getting filter scrubber systems to capture all soot. The engineer in me is skeptical...
The stacks will be returning to the hydraulic telescoping type.
The interior is being gutted especially at the cabin deck to make the pursers and forward cabin lounge bigger and at the observation deck where they are rearranging the galley and dining. I suspect that a lot of the inside rooms will be eliminated.
The boat will go from a capacity of 416 to something near 300.
We were told 37 million is being invested. Talk about deep pockets! And nobody expects the boat to be ready in September...
25/03/2007 6:17 pm
Hi Bruno,
Thanks a lot for your detailed review! I think there are a lot of things I will miss (kites, Southern food, ....). I hope they still let you play the calliope even if you don´t get a certificate.
The news about the MQ sound very interesting except for the hydraulic stack which I thought never worked quite well. Didn´t Capt. Buddy design the "new" stacks?
I´m eager to hear more!
Carmen
25/03/2007 10:36 pm
Bruno....I just read on another board...That entertaineers and pursers are being tiped now....I can't believe that is true...or is it?
Sandy
25/03/2007 11:16 pm
You heard partly right - I don't think the entertainers are in the tip pool, but just about everyone else is except the Captain, Pilots, maye a couple others. The Discovery Guide, Gift Shop Purser, Deck Hands, etc. are being tipped - to arrive at this wonderful pay scale, however, they all took significant pay cuts, being assured that their tips would more than make up for the lower pay.
MAL is suggesting the old tip guidelines of $15 a day, $105 for a 7 day trip. The money is to be distributed by them according to how many hours each employee works, and some other mysterious formula only MAL knows. You can tip the old way if you wish, but since we found there were more people we wanted to tip besides the usual waiters, cabin attendents, etc. our total tip cost went up about 50%.
To do the pool tips, you must go to the Purser and designate an amount to be put on your credit card or give them cash - very easy for those who don't tip at all, to just ignore the whole thing.
The other bad part, is of course, all the pooled tips are taxable income. They are also working much harder and longer hours and many are doing multiple jobs.
Basically MAL has doubled their prices, and now expect us to carry their payroll. I'm just afraid that they will lose the rest of the handful of experienced help they have left. We can only hope and pray that they will get realistic before it's too late
pat traynor
25/03/2007 11:19 pm
My understanding is that even deckhands get a percentage of the gratuity charge. However, I have also heard that they are having a hard time getting bar staff. This is no surprise since even when the union ruled, bar staff got overlooked on salary increases.
My opinion (and it is strictly my opinion) so any attacks would be directed toward me- I can understand a shared gratuity as both creating team work and almost a profit sharing type of system. If everyone works together, a better product or service is delivered. But sharing anything is hard for many people. Like the comercial on TV- one child gets to cut the sandwich in half and the other gets to chose which half. That is an attempt to be fair.
But, thanks Bruno for all the great info. Many of us will still always think steamboat and not ship. I correct people all the time on that when I explain about the boats.
However, (and I am too lazy to make a new thread)--I was talking with a friend from Europe today and she also commented on the same thing I noticed from day one-no matter who owned the boats. There really is not that much advertising outside of their already established markets. So, even if they are not recognizing their repeat passengers and there are many new people on board- where are the new people coming from? I am just curious on that.
Sandy would have heard of them because of being in the industry but admitted that she did not necessarily promote the boats. So, I really am curious if the new company's far reaching plans will also have more advertising outside the USA or even in different regions. The boats have always done a great job of creating the repeat passenger after a trip is tried. But filling the boats on a consistent basis is important.
This board does loads of advertising. Thanks Franz and Carmen!
On that note, it also sounds like impovements to the MQ may be very welcomed even if it doesn't take place in 2007.
Thanks again Bruno- great input! ! !
25/03/2007 11:43 pm
Thanks Bruno, for your detailed description of our trip -- so we don't all have to write it!
Changes are a part of life, whether we like them or not. The bottom line for me is that the DQ is still running, going up and down the rivers, and I'm grateful I can be onboard! There are many things I will miss, but I can keep those happy memories and be so glad I was there then. If they will put the rocking chairs back on the Cabin Deck bow before the hot weather, I'll be just fine. The swings were there but no chairs.
I had another happy week on the DQ with old friends, new friends, wonderful crew members -- and above all, being on the river! Looking forward to my next trip!!
Pat Carr
25/03/2007 11:50 pm
Elaine..I knew of these boats when I was a cruise consultant...They were part of our consortium (sp)....but honestly only if someone called or came into the office and asked about steamboats, did we ever recommend them..Adding 1 way air to and from 2 cities is very expensive from California.
And with very resonable rates for Mexico cruises in our backyard...
BTW...I like the idea of the new tip system....we have done this on several cruises...and it works out well.
I'm sure the bartenders are tipped 15% of the bar tab...and not included in the tip sharing.
Sandy
26/03/2007 1:06 am
Bartender tips
I was told that the 15% charged for bar drinks went into the tip pool. I think that is a sure way to increase the pool, but is paid by only those who purchase drinks. This is in addition to the $105 pp tip recommended. So, for those of us who drink, pay the recommended tips to the pool and augment the tip money to the people who provided us great service, are paying more in tips than the average "guest". Is this fair to us? I think not. I hope that it works for those who depend on the tips to make a decent living. I do not mind tipping those who make our cruise a pleasant vacation, but I think that MAL should pay everyone a decent wage and allow us to tip as we wish to those special people who make our cruise enjoyable.
26/03/2007 7:32 am
Some more questions
Thanks to all of you!
You´ve answered a couple of my questions. May I ask some more:
Is dinner still 5 course?
How about the evening shows? Any dancing in the Orleans room?
Any information about shore tours? Are there still shuttle busses?
Thanks!
Carmen
Topic starter
26/03/2007 12:21 pm
Carmen,
dinner was more of a semi 4 course, with appetizer and soup rolled into the same course. it didn't stop me from ordering both on some nights.
walt and the boys still played dance music after the 45 minute show, the best four piece band on the planet. alot of people were dancing on this cruise. the shows themselves were OK, they were NOT as good as the old Jazzou/Mike/Annie/Bob/Bob/Eric/Emily shows, not even close, again this is MY opinion. the shows were Brian and Velda only, with the band as their music. Bob Stevens was not a part of the shows except as an emcee.
shore tours are still the same, going to basically the same places. and i remember shuttles were available at each shore stop.
i also got an email asking about the afternoon music in the Texas. either walt and the band or bob stevens or both together played every day except captain's reception where walt, jeff and tom played in the forward cabin lounge. however i found the afternoon food served in the texas to be a bit strange. like the dinner entres, they were way too fancy and not big on flavor. still had the hot dogs and popcorn, thank god. and one more thing...soft drinks are now complimentary!
26/03/2007 1:35 pm
Bob Stevens did have one show that was just him with the band, and on the last show he did two songs, while Brian and Velda each did one and the band did several by themselves. There were three new shows that featured Brian and Velda, singing and dancing. These three shows are the same on all the MAL boats, just with different performers.
Topic starter
26/03/2007 2:14 pm
Pat's right, and I appologize to Bob Stevens. His first show I missed as I was a little under the weather, "too-much-Sam Adams-and-sun-itis". The last night's show we missed as Deb and I spent the time packing. I will add that Bob did a show one afternoon in the Texas, a banjo song request, that was wonderful. Bob if you're reading, thanks again for "Rockytop".
Topic starter
26/03/2007 2:29 pm
and I know I'm becoming kind of a thread hog here, but I have to add that it is 158 days until we are cruising on the old girl again, should be enough time for me to lose the 6 pounds I gained last week..even though I complained a little in earlier posts, the DQ still has it, that magic attraction.
Deb and I had an absolute ball and 158 days may be too long to wait...
26/03/2007 2:29 pm
Bruno Krause;4485 wrote: The top deck rooms are being removed to turn the deck back into the observation deck it once was, complete with a glass roofed atrium.
I suspect that a lot of the inside rooms will be eliminated.
Yeah!
My wife and I were on the MQ last September – St Paul to St Louis. First time on a riverboat, and while my wife and I had a great time, the MQ disappointed us in many ways. She came across as a tired, worn-out boat that needed a ton of TLC.
One of my biggest complaints was the observation deck because it was so disjointed. I thought how nice it would have been to have another outside deck where one could sit and watch the river go by. I picked up a copy of the MQ book in the gift shop, and was shocked to see that originally there were no cabins on the observation deck! Now to here that they are going to be removed – I think that's a great move.
We had the smallest inside cabin – one of the bunk bed rooms. Wow, was it small! Here's to hoping that they all get the ax! My suggestion would to combine those rooms with the adjoining inside cabins and make a deluxe inside cabin.
Making the forward cabin lounge would be another plus in my opinion. There were very few inside rooms to stretch out and relax. The forward cabin lounge was a dark uninviting place that was frequently too crowded.
Yes, I realize that we were experiencing the end of an era. You could tell that much of the crew were very concerned about what was going to happen to their jobs when the season ended, and because of that service was lacking slightly. And since the end was near, there was little money available for general upkeep, and it showed.
I welcome this news – these changes will give the MQ a new lease on her life. Can't wait to see the end result!
26/03/2007 10:33 pm
In one of her early years the MQ was rented out as a hotel for Superbowl. She was headed upstream on the first night and turned by tugs just before daybreak so those who looked out upon the wharf (Bienvielle St, I believe) Could have a River View in the a.m.
One woman (who apparently retired alnatural) rose early, opened her veranda door and walked out to look directly into the Pilot House of one of the two tugs.
Ah yes, life on a steamboat!
26/03/2007 11:55 pm
Living wages is sometimes the issue. For some crew members, the jobs really are the best they will have. Plus, the adventure of the job is priceless. But the economics of being a crew member are just not great even with the idea that living expenses are virtually paid and one certainly doesn't have costs like cars, gasoline, etc.
The problem with tipped income employees is the same as tipped income on land- the people who make their living that way do feel a bit like a beggar. You can try to say it is rewards for doing a great job but the way the tax system has set things up, all food service (including bar) are permitted to be paid below minimum wages because of the tipping system.
But I fully appreciate the point John about wanting to be selective and not feel like you are having to double tip for the same services.
Personally, I never regret my years of working on the boats but it played havoc with my income for years. I still earn less today than I did in 2000 before I ever heard of the steamboats.
27/03/2007 3:11 am
I missed many of the shows, as I was on deck watching them navigate in the dark and just listening to the river, the wheel, the wake. Maybe the next time that won't be so intoxicating?
S'
David D.
27/03/2007 3:37 am
Wait until you take a trip up here on the Upper Miss, where you'll have something to watch all night - the locks every 3 or 4 hours(and crowds there), the bluffs hovering over the river, the highways along the river with cars stopping to watch you glide by, a campfire on a beach, lighted towns right on the river, bridges, someone unseen yelling out "Hellooooooooo Delta Queen!, a tow passing you seemingly close enough that you could reach out and touch the barges, and on and on. You traversed a very desolate, but peaceful, section of the river once you passed Baton Rouge.
27/03/2007 6:24 am
John,
I really think it´s a good idea to get rid of those added staterooms on the Observation Deck. But I don´t think someone would book a superior inside cabin (if I have the money for a larger cabin I take an outside one). I hope there will be still some insides left for those who aren´t able to pay the fare of the outsides and who don´t spend much time in their stateroom except for sleeping. If they really try to redesign the insides turn down all the walls and make them bigger for a bathroom which is worth calling it a bathroom :-).
BTW I do like the hughe viewing windows in the Forward Cabin Lounge of the MQ. If you´re lucky you can grab a comfy chair turn it around and enjoy the beautiful view on the river.
Carmen
27/03/2007 11:06 am
Judy Patsch;4541 wrote: Wait until you take a trip up here on the Upper Miss, where you'll have something to watch all night - the locks every 3 or 4 hours(and crowds there), the bluffs hovering over the river, the highways along the river with cars stopping to watch you glide by, a campfire on a beach, lighted towns right on the river, bridges, someone unseen yelling out "Hellooooooooo Delta Queen!, a tow passing you seemingly close enough that you could reach out and touch the barges, and on and on. You traversed a very desolate, but peaceful, section of the river once you passed Baton Rouge.
So true!
One night after dinner my wife and I were outside when we noticed a campfire. A drunken voice from the campfire yelled out, "Heeeyyyyyy!". So we yelled back – "Heeeeyyyyy". A waiter popped out of the dining room, and joined us! Must have been some camp out! Another night we went by a house that flashed all of it's lights at us!
And the locks – each one had something different. One had a hug bird house, one had a nice garden – one even had a pond with a waterfall! It's also fun to talk to the people at the observation platforms – one couple brough with them huge bags of small stuffed toys to throw to the kids!
Attached is a picture from above Winnona, heading south. Minnesota is on the right, Wisconsin is on the left. This is what we saw for the first few days – nothing but bluffs and river!
John
27/03/2007 11:14 am
Also on the UMR at mile 505 during the summer months is that banner "We Love Steamboatin'" with its spotlights, torches and two crazy Florida folks and river neighbors greeting the Queens no matter what time they pass buy. If the water is too high, the banner is not at the water's edge but on a bank 50 feet above.
If you are cruising the Upper Miss. in the summer watch for us. . .we'll leave the lights on for you!
27/03/2007 11:18 am
Carmen Winkler;4544 wrote: John,
I really think it´s a good idea to get rid of those added staterooms on the Observation Deck. But I don´t think someone would book a superior inside cabin (if I have the money for a larger cabin I take an outside one). I hope there will be still some insides left for those who aren´t able to pay the fare of the outsides and who don´t spend much time in their stateroom except for sleeping. If they really try to redesign the insides turn down all the walls and make them bigger for a bathroom which is worth calling it a bathroom :-).
BTW I do like the hughe viewing windows in the Forward Cabin Lounge of the MQ. If you´re lucky you can grab a comfy chair turn it around and enjoy the beautiful view on the river.
Carmen
Funny – that's exactly why we took an inside cabin!
That idea was based on a trend I've noticed with some of the blue water ships to make the inside cabins more palatable to families. A bunk bed room plus a standard inside would make a great family stateroom. Or a perfect room for someone with accessibility needs.
Another idea for the bunk bed rooms would be to turn them into singles, or linen closets! My wife and I joked that we had to leave the room to turn around!
Agree with you on the windows in the FCL. Problem was my wife was trying to do some needlepoint, and the combination of dirty windows and dark shades made it hard for her to see. Our favorite spot was in the Upper Paddle Wheel lounge, starboard side, forward. In one of the angle window niches were two arm chairs and a table. Lot of light for my wife to work, and we could see up, down, and across the river! One day a bass boat motored by with a guy and his wife out for a little fishing. They waved to us, we waved back. I picked up my beer to salute them, they picked up their beers and saluted us back! The only problem was when they closed the UPL for a private event, we had to leave.
John
27/03/2007 11:57 am
John,
Some of the insides are triples with a pulman bed folding out the wall. Those are the ones we´re needing as we´re travelling with our daughter. Unfortunately MAL is obviously not very interested in families. The Riverbonding for Families program has been skipped (it kept the kids busy and away from the other passengers and our daughter truly enjoyed it). And kids up to 17 used to be free in a triple or quad (the later available on the AQ only). Now every third and fourth person (including kids) in a stateroom has to pay $150 per night.
Yes, those niches in the UPL are also one of my favorite spot on the MQ.
Carmen
27/03/2007 1:36 pm
John, the MQ's Sept. downbound was the trip that I took 2 passengers for kidney dialysis at Davenport. I live in Rock Island ,480UMR, and meet the boats, deliver chocolate chip cookies, and run errands for them at Davenport( or anywhere in the vicinity). John Dugger was Captain that trip and I was keeping him informed on the status of the dialysis process. We got them back with plenty of time to spare for your 1 PM departure. I was the one standing on the river side of the fencing, and also over on the lock wall at 15, directly across from the landing.
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