AMA's Christmas River-Cruise Crackers

Christmas market river cruises are now big business in Europe, and there are a wide variety of ways to enjoy the festive period along the Rhine and Danube, soaking up the best of the river-cruise style as well as the ideal way to visit these Markets.

Take this little selection from AMAWaterways...

AMA's Christmas Time cruise is a 7-night sailing between Nuremberg and Budapest on 13 departure dates from the end of November throughout the festive season. The cruise takes in the world’s largest Christmas market in Nuremberg, the festively decorated stalls of the Old Kornmarkt's in the medieval city of Regensberg and the “royal” Christmas markets at the Thurn and Taxis Palace, where craftsmen can be seen making their goods. In Passau, guests enjoy an optional tour to Salzburg, the 'Sound of Music' city, with its numerous festive markets and tourist attractions, and on to Melk, to visit the magnificent baroque Benedictine Abbey.

In Vienna, guests have the opportunity to see some of the numerous Christmas markets in Austria's capital, including the 60 traditional Christmas market stalls at the Imperial Schönbrunn Palace. The cruise concludes in Budapest, festively decorated for Christmas, and an illuminations cruise past the city after a farewell dinner on board enables guests to see the city at its finest.

Departing on December 2, the Christmas Time cruise costs from £1,639pp (including a saving of £355pp), with free return UK flights, all meals, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, complimentary daily excursions, free Wi-Fi and free use of on-board bicycles. The same cruise on December 16 costs from £1,649pp, saving £504pp including free return flights from the UK.

Other 2013 Christmas Market cruises depart on November 25, 27 and 30, and December 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, 18, 21 and 28 (excluding free flights offer).

Christmas also comes early on the Danube where AMA are giving free flights with bookings for their December 23 Christmas on the Danube sailing. The cruise, from Budapest to Vilshofen, visits some of Europe’s most picturesque cities and towns at their most festive, including Vienna, Passau, Melk and Bratislava. It costs from £1,719pp (saving £506pp), including free flights, all meals (with Christmas meals and events), wine with lunch and dinner, complimentary daily tours, free Wi-Fi and free use of on-board bicycles.

Departing on December 18, take a magnificent 14-night journey through five countries along Europe’s main waterways, spend Christmas in the medieval city of Nuremberg then overnight in Amsterdam for New Year when the sky is lit up by a magnificent display of fireworks. AMA's Magnificent Europe at Christmas Time cruise costs from £2,789p (saving £974pp), and also includes free flights, all meals (with Christmas meals and events), wine with lunch and dinner, complimentary daily tours, free Wi-Fi and use of on-board bicycles.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury river-cruise experts.

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Get a Free Cairo Extension With Bales Nile Tours

For a limited time only, the specialist worldwide tours of Bales Worldwide is offering a FREE three-night Cairo extension on their superb Nostalgic Nile tour if booked by April 30. The details are as follows:

The Nostalgic Nile, from £2,095pp, with free Cairo Extension

This eight-day itinerary with Bales Worldwide includes scheduled flights with EgyptAir to Luxor, accommodation on a traditional ‘dahabiyya’ luxury sailing vessel and sightseeing encompassing Luxor, Esna, Kom Ombo, Aswan and Cairo. The trip also features English-speaking guides on board who will take care of tipping, a private air-conditioned vehicle for transfers, a sightseeing itinerary (including entrance fees) and the exclusive ‘dahabiyya’ cruise. Prices are per person based on two adults travelling on a mixed board basis. Price includes all applicable UK and overseas airport taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Prices are based on departures on Apr 27.

Three night Cairo extension

Extend your time in Egypt with 3 nights in the vibrant capital, staying at the luxurious Oberoi Mena House in a Pyramid view room. This extension includes: Transfers, 3 nights at Mena House in a Pyramid View Room, Daily Breakfast, Half-Day Guided Tour of Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza, Entrance to Solar Boat Museum at Pyramids, and a Half-Day Guided Tour of Egyptian Museum

For more info, follow this link to the Cruise Line, the UK's luxury river cruising specialists.

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Avalon's 2014 European Preview

Avalon Waterways has launched its 2014 European River Cruise Preview Brochure with a range of early booking offers as well as announcing three new Suite Ships for delivery in the spring next year.

A range of great value early booking offers are available; the earlier the booking, the better the saving.  Those booking by May 22 can save up to £1,400 per couple; by June 30, the saving is £1,200 per couple; or book by September 30 to save £600 per couple.

The new preview brochure features 10 of Avalon’s most popular itineraries on the Rhine, Danube, Main, Rhone and Dutch Waterways. The choice includes the Romantic Rhine (8 days from £1,255pp), A Taste of the Danube (8 days from £1,109pp), Capitals of Central Europe (10 days from £1,665pp), Burgundy & Provence (11 days from £1,909pp) and Balkan Discovery (10 days from £1,815pp). Ten other non-brochured 2014 cruises available to book via the website include Paris to Normandy Beaches (8 days from £1,135pp), Rhine & Moselle (13 days from £2,605pp), Grand France (16 days from £2,855pp) and Upper Rhine to the City of Music (12 days from £2,490pp).

Avalon’s flexible approach provides passengers with more of a personalised experience.  Included sightseeing with individual audio sets is available at three different levels all led by expert local guides. Leisurely sightseeing shows each destination’s highlights in a relaxed and unhurried way; traditional sightseeing explores a wide range of sights at a moderate pace and essential sightseeing shows the must-see sights, with plenty of time to explore on your own. Alternative sightseeing options are also on offer for those with different interests or for those who have visited the area before.

For bookings, follow this link to the The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury river-cruising specialists.

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CroisiEurope's River-Cruise Savings

Having introduced the new river-cruise options of family-owned CroisiEurope (see this blog from last Monday), we now have some tempting special offers to pass on for these special savings, all of which are valid until one week prior to each departure:

The Inviting Seine Valley

Save €350 per person (approximately £299) on an eight-night river cruise through the inviting Seine Valley. The cruise starts in Paris on April 13 and meanders through Vernon, Caudebec-en-Caux, Honfleur, Rouen and Les Andelys before arriving back in Paris. Prices are from €706 per person (approximately £603) based on two sharing, including eight nights in an outside cabin with all onboard meals, drinks with meals, onboard entertainment and port taxes. Plus, there is no single supplement.

The Seine Valley

Save €170 per person (approximately £145) on a five-night cruise from the Norman coast to Paris with departures on May 11 and 14. The cruise starts in Honfleur and visits the Cote Fleurie, Caudebec-en-Caux, The Abbey Trail, Rouen, Mantes La Jolie and Conflans Sainte Honorine before finishing in Paris. Prices are from €472pp (approximately £403) based on two sharing, including five nights in an outside cabin with all onboard meals, drinks with meals, onboard entertainment and port taxes. Again, there is no single supplement.

Canal Cruise from Saône-et-Loire to the Côte d’Or

Save up to €535pp (approximately £457) on a seven-night canal cruise on a hotel barge  from Saône-et-Loire to the Côte d’Or with departures on May 9 and July 22. The cruise starts in Saint Leger Sur Dheune and visits Santenay, Chagny, Chalon, Saint Jean de Losne and Petit-Ouge before finishing in Dijon. Prices are from €1,250pp (approximately £1,069) based on two sharing and include seven nights in an outside cabin with all onboard meals, drinks with meals, onboard entertainment, excursions, use of onboard bicycles and port taxes. Plus, there is a lower single supplement of just €282.50pp (approximately £241).

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury river-cruise specialists.

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Tauck's Two For 2014

Tauck has revealed the names of its two new riverboats that will debut next year, and announced that the duo will each be considerably longer than the four sister-ships currently in the company’s fleet. 

The newcomers will be MS Inspire and MS Savor,and will measure 443ft long, compared to Tauck’s existing ships which each measure 361ft. But, despite being 23% longer, the two newbuilds will only accommodate 130 guests each, or just 10% more than its current fleet (like MS Swiss Emerald, above). 

 

CEO Dan Mahar explained: “Our existing riverboats – what we’re now calling our Jewel Class vessels – already have the lowest passenger-to-ship-length ratio on Europe’s rivers. The two new riverboats – our Inspiration Class vessels – actually raise the bar even higher.

 

“When these ships launch next year they’ll each have just 130 guests aboard, whereas other major lines carry up to 190 on the same length ships. That’s an additional 46% more passengers aboard ships of the same length.  You simply can’t deliver the same relaxed, intimate atmosphere when you put nearly 50% more passengers into the same space.” 

 

Even though Tauck’s newbuilds will have far fewer guests aboard, the the company says they will nonetheless be staffed with more service personnel than any other river cruise line. Mahar added:  “Each Inspiration Class riverboat will have a Tauck Cruise Director and three Tauck Directors aboard to attend to guests’ needs and provide exemplary service. By contrast, other ships carrying more guests are often staffed by just a single cruise director.”

 

The Tauck Directors will also accompany shore excursions, according to Mahar, where they’ll divide guests into small groups of no more than 25, with each group personally guided by a local expert.  “River cruises offer incredible opportunities for authentic, in-depth explorations of each destination, so we place tremendous emphasis on ensuring our shore excursions – all of which are included in our prices – are absolutely world-class.”

 

For more info, call Tauck at 1800 468 2825, or visit www.tauck.com. In the UK, contact the leading river-cruise agent specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd, on 0800 008 6677.

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Go (Luxury) Barging On Canal Du Midi

There are many reasons and several ways to visit the historic 330-year-old Canal du Midi in Southern France, and European Waterways have some of the best options this Spring with their 6-night, all-inclusive cruises during March and April aboard a choice of three luxury hotel barges.

Life in this region of France is slow-paced and calm, as is the relaxing atmosphere aboard these barges as they glide the Canal du Midi, which is one of Europe’s longest and widest canal systems and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.The tree-lined Canal, with its attractive towpaths for walkers, joggers and bikers, runs along the sun-drenched Mediterranean shore of South-Western France before meandering inland with magnificent views of the snow-capped Pyrenees and the rolling Minervois vineyards.

Among the highlights of these Spring voyages, travellers can visit the medieval hilltop village of Minerve with spectacular views from its 12^th century Cathar fort; enjoy tours of Narbonne, with its colourful indoor market and the medieval fortified city of Carcassonne. Each itinerary will also include private tours and tastings at renowned Minervois vineyards.

Leisurely life afloat for guests - served by a professional crew of 4 - ranges from enjoying traditional French and international cuisine prepared by the talented onboard chef, accompanied by quality regional wines, alfresco lunches and soaking in on-deck spa pools, to taking some exercise on the bicyles provided, all while enjoying the mild, sunny Spring climate in this region of France.

Prices for Canal du Midi, 6-night, all-inclusive cruises aboard Anjodi in March and April start from £2,385pp (based on double occupancy), including a 10% discount, accommodation in air-conditioned, en- suite cabins, all gourmet meals on board, fine wines, open bar, daily escorted shore excursions, local transfers and the use of all barge facilities such as bicycles and spa pools.

For bookings, see www.gobarging.com, or follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury river-cruising specialists.

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Swan Hellenic Go Arty On Dutch Rivers

Join Swan Hellenic for a Dutch river cruise this summer and discover the culture and art of the iconic cities of Amsterdam, Antwerp and Rotterdam, from £2,250 per person (based on two people sharing a cabin). 

Ideal for art enthusiasts, passengers on board the "Golden Age of the Dutch Waterways" cruise can visit the world famous Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam and the house of Peter Paul Rubens, the most famous of all the Antwerp painters, as well as the Frans Hals Museum.

The voyage takes place on board luxury river vessel Royal Crown, which is reminiscent of the golden age of cruising and takes just 79 guests in elegant surroundings and the highest standards of personal service. The cruise sails from Amsterdam on July 6 and calls at Kinderdijk, Dordrecht, Antwerp (overnight), Middleburg and Rotterdam (overnight) before returning to Amsterdam for another overnight stay.

Prices includes return flights and relevant transfers, a tailor-made programme of shore excursions, talks by an eminent Guest Speaker, meals and entertainment on-board, all gratuities and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury river cruising specialists.

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The Romantic Seine With APT

Eight-Day Tour: Paris - Vernon - Giverny - Rouen - Pays d’Auge - Les Andelys - Conflans - Paris

Departs: August 2, 2013  Priced: from £2,395

The Seine has been an important waterway since Roman times, with a place at the heart of the histories of French cities such as Paris, Rouen and Le Havre. With APT River Cruises eight-day ‘The Romantic Seine’ Platinum River Cruise, guests can experience the beauty of this gently flowing river in luxury, whilst taking the opportunity to explore some of the history along the way.  

The route is new for 2013 and highlights include the opportunities to see first-hand how the gardens at Giverny inspired Monet, to be moved by the atmosphere of Rouen where Joan of Arc was martyred, to travel The Cider Route stopping at a Calvados distillery, and to absorb the beauty of the riverside town of Les Andelys with its ruins at Chateau Gaillard. Starting and finishing in the heart of Paris, this river cruise takes in some of the most beautiful sights in France.

As with all APT Platinum Cruises, guests have the ‘Freedom of Choice’ promise, allowing them to tailor the cruise to suit them and enabling all passengers to indulge their own individual sightseeing interests, at no extra cost. Passengers will also find the on-board experience is just as rewarding as the off-shore activities.   

APT has been meeting the high standards of guests for 85 years and this is reflected in the attention to detail. All passengers on ‘The Romantic Seine’ Cruise can expect luxury accommodation, delicious meals, complimentary beverages, experienced tour staff and guides, sightseeing and excursions at no additional cost.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury river-cruising specialists. 

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Mövenpick's New Nile Style

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is thrilled to announce new options for travellers wishing to explore the magical River Nile in Egypt. Adding five new Nile cruisers to its fleet - SS Misr, once the royal yacht of Egypt’s former King Farouk; the boutique luxury sail boat Mövenpick SB Feddya; and the long cruise vessel Mövenpick MS Hamees, as well as the Mövenpick MS Darakum and Mövenpick MS Sunray - the Swiss hotel company is now the largest international operator on Egypt’s River Nile, with a total of eight boats.

The SS Misr is undeniably the fleet’s flagship and is the only internationally managed steamship in Egypt. Built in the United Kingdom nearly 100 years ago, it is a ‘floating time capsule’ from the reign of King Farouk, who converted it to his private yacht in 1938 and used it especially for his birthday celebrations.

On-board facilities include a swimming pool on the sun deck with recreation and bar, reading and play rooms, a large restaurant and lounge, bar, gift shop and a clinic to add to the guests’ care and comfort.

The five new vessels all now fly the Mövenpick flag alongside the existing Mövenpick MS Royal Lotus, Mövenpick MS Royal Lily and Lake Nasser cruiser Mövenpick MS Prince Abbas, to give the company an unrivalled variety for travellers looking for that unique blend of Egyptian warmth and hospitality infused with Swiss service and heritage. 

For more on Nile river-cruising, be sure to contact The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury river-cruise experts.

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Mississippi Cruise - Epilogue

Concluding our recent - and hugely enjoyably - cruise along the Mississippi with American Cruise Lines on their new Queen of the Mississippi riverboat...

Now we're home again, it's good to look back on the 7-day trip and pick out some of our highlights from the journey, which is certainly an extremely different experience from anything else we've done cruise-wise.

Sailing down the sluggish river to the cheerful sound of the calliope is definitely one of those unique moments, while the sheer camaraderie and conviviality of the whole voyage really stands out.

The slow-paced nature of the journey was highlighted by a series of low-key, if quite charming, ports of call. Alton, Cape Girardeau and Paducah were all well worth a day's visit, but Columbus and New Madrid could easily have been combined, or missed out altogether, as they were barely a two-hour diversion.

On board, the new Queen of the Mississippi is absolutely charming, a modern reinterpretation on the classic river steamers of the past. Cabin space is excellent and the public rooms all a joy to spend time if, if lacking in the one large entertainment Saloon that boats of the past boasted.

The food was unfailingly excellent; a tad below five star but always appetising and well-presented and features like the soups and sandwiches were real stand-outs. The offering of half-portions at both lunch and dinner was also appreciated, as it's easy to over-eat in these slow, sedentary situations. The small on-deck exercise area did provide a bit of relief in this aspect, though!

The provision of free tea, coffee and snack stations in the public rooms was very notable and another highly pleasant feature. Certainly no-one went hungry and the ability to get a good-quality espresso or latte whenever required was much appreciated in these days of some cruise lines charging for small-scale incidentals (as was the free wi-fi throughout the vessel).

Service was unfailingly friendly and efficient, if lacking in a little polish with their lunch and dinner service. The young American staff are all bright and personable, but a little schooling on the proper way to serve formal meals (and not taking away unfinished plates!) would be a good idea.

The voyage was certainly a journey through small-time America, showcased at either end by the cities of St Louis and Memphis, and benefitting hugely from finishing in the Tennessee music setting. The shore excursions were all well thought out and well priced (from just $15-$65) and the provision of free shuttles at many points was definitely welcome.

And the presence of the onboard 'Riverlorian' was a master-stroke in terms of providing the necessary educational and informational content of the cruise, making the journey one of gentle learning and discovery in truly delightful surroundings.

Having never sailed with American Cruise Lines before, it was an absolute pleasure being in their company and, with so many other voyages around the country on offer - notably to Alaska and along the Snake and Columbia Rivers in the north-west - there is certainly much more to explore in future.

And I think we may well do that...

Simon Veness

 

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Along The Mississippi - Part 8

Concluding our magical journey along the Mississippi on the new Queen of America of American Cruise Lines. Final stop, Memphis...

It isn't quite our final morning on the river but we are due to sail into our final port of call at 11am today, Memphis, Tennessee, the end of our 414-mile journey from St Louis, which has been so captivating and different almost every mile of the way.

After the usual cheery breakfast in the Dining Salon, Riverlorian Jim provides an outline view of The River City and Memphis itself hoves into sight by 10am on a glorious autumn morning. Sadly, with the river level rather low, we have to moor upstream at Mud Island rather than in the heart of the city itself, so it's not quite walkable distance. But, ACL have laid on buses to take everyone into the downtown area, and we take advantage of the 15-minute ride to get our first view of the home of Elvis and BB King.

Happily, the bus drops everyone off at the main entrance to Beale St, the heart of Memphis' music district, and we are immediately wowed by the sense of history and sheer musical style of the place. Sadly, we don't have time to try any of the cafe's - and the Memphis ribs - but we do spend some time looking through the great music shops and the famous Schwab's general store, as well as a few other stores.

We get several great recommendations for live music and make a promise to return here when we have a LOT more time to spare. Just the sounds coming from the Memphis Music store are enough to whet our musical appetites and this is clearly THE place to be in the evening.

For now, we have an afternoon city tour and trip to Graceland booked, so we need to catch the bus back to the Queen at mid-day. It is our final lunch on board, but a memorable one, with a main choice of Herb Marinated Chicken Caesar Salad or a Grilled Reuben Sandwich, both of which hit the spot for us. Then it's off to Elvisville...

We weren't quite sure what we'd make of the home of one of the world's most iconic musicians. Neither of us have ever been Elvis fans and, apart from knowing something of his story, we were relatively ignorant of his Memphis roots. Which is probably why Graceland (the mansion itself, rather than the rather tacky array of attractions and gift shops around it) was such a compelling visit.

We really did gain a useful perspective on the young musician's life and, while it completely glossed over his later years, it was a compelling, as well as quite haunting, perspective. We had around two hours of the three-hour tour here but we could have done with at least another half-hour to see a bit more. Needless to say, true Elvis fans will probably need all day!

Back aboard, it was time for one last Cocktail Hour with our favourite staff, Elizabeth and Theo, pouring the drinks, and then off to dinner with a table-full of our favourite companions from the week. Tonight's speciality was Surf & Turf, with beef tenderloin and lobster tail, and it again lived up to the fairly high standards we'd come to expect of the Galley (along with another great soup course).

Happily, The Mills Brothers (or the new version, at least) were back for another encore performance in the Magnolia Lounge, and this seemed to provide an extremely fitting conclusion to the week - a touch of nostalgia and touch in fairly gentle fashion.      

Tomorrow morning we just have time for breakfast, then it's off to the airport at 8.30am for the flight home, but we will be taking some great memories with us, and a real thirst to see more of this kind of river-cruising in future.

Next up - Mississippi epilogue. 

 

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Tauck's Rhone Revels

Tauck's fabulous new 'A Taste of France' river cruise on the River Rhone celebrates and explores the rich culinary traditions of the country and offers a novel way to appreciate the local food and wine.  

The 10-day itinerary begins in 2013 and starts with a two-night hotel stay and exploration of local food culture in Paris, followed by a seven-night cruise through the Rhone Valley aboard Tauck’s exclusive MS Swiss Emerald riverboat. 

It opens with guided culinary-themed sightseeing in Paris and a two-night stay at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe. Guests will enjoy a Tauck-exclusive, hands-on introduction to French sauces with a tasting at the new Alain Ducasse culinary school, Ecole de Cuisine. They will also attend a workshop and blind tastings highlighting “The Joy of Chocolate” led by Chloe Doutre-Roussel, author of “The Chocolate Connoisseur,” and visit the former haunts of chef Julia Child and learn about contemporary Parisian life during a walking tour of the Left Bank.

Other culinary-themed experiences include:

• A market visit in Provence with local chefs, who will buy ingredients and prepare regional specialties for tasting, such as tapenade, anchoiade and stuffed tomatoes Provencale.
• A visit to Lyon’s famous market, Les Halles, with tastings of local meats and cheeses.
• A memorable Provencal evening featuring dinner, local wines and entertainment in the shadow of Pont du Gard, the incredible Roman aqueduct.
• A wine tasting in Beaujolais.
• A demonstration of French culinary techniques at a cooking school operated by a three-star Michelin chef. 

Included in the $5,390 price per person (double occupancy basis) are all sightseeing, activities and shore excursions, two nights' hotel accommodations in Paris, all gratuities, complimentary wine with onboard meals, all taxes and port charges, airport transfers and luggage handling.

The stylish Swiss Sapphire was launched in 2006 and recently enhanced with new décor and other improvements. As with Tauck’s other riverboats, she accommodates just 118 guests to ensure a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, compared to other lines that accommodate up to 160 passengers on ships of a similar size. 

For more info, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury river-cruise specialists.

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AMA's Christmas River-Cruise Offers

AMA Waterways have a wonderful selection of special-value Christmas cruises - and others - in their latest press release. See what tempts you from this fab little selection:

12th December 2012, Christmas market cruise on the Danube, saving £583pp

Experience the scents and atmosphere of Europe's best Christmas markets with a 7-night 'Christmas Time Cruise’ on the Danube between Budapest and Nuremberg, departing December 12. The cruise costs from £1,195 per person (was £1,778pp).

13th December 2012, Christmas market cruise on the Rhine, saving £655pp

AMA has a 7-night Christmas cruise from Basel to Amsterdam on luxury river cruiser, AmaCello. The cruise costs from £1,125 per person (was £1,778pp), and includes the opportunity to see and shop in some of Europe's most atmospheric Christmas markets.

 

22nd November 2012, Autumn wine themed river cruise, saving £520pp

This 7-night autumn cruise sails from Arles to Lyon on luxury river cruiser AmaDagio, cruising through legendary wine regions such as Beaujolais and Cote du Rhone. The cruise costs from £1,745pp (was £2,265pp), with accommodation in a French balcony cabin. 

1st April, 2013, Luxury river cruise through the tulips and vineyards, saving £100

Plan ahead and take a 7-night cruise along the vineyards of the Rhine and Moselle from Amsterdam round-trip, with exceptional accommodation on board luxury river cruiser AmaDolce, with a complimentary excursion to the Keukenhof Gardens to see the tulips in full bloom, before cruising to Cologne where a late evening departure allows time to visit the Cathedral, (Germany’s most visited site), and discover the city’s old quarters, take a tourist train-ride around the city or visit the tantalizing Lindt’s chocolate museum. The cruise costs £1,499pp (was £1,599pp) for all departures on April 1, 3, 10, 17 and 24 and May 1.

 

All cruises include complimentary daily tours and excursions, all meals, wine with dinner, free use of onboard bicycles, free Wi-Fi and all port taxes.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury river-cruising specialists.

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Mississippi Journey, Part 4

Continuing our journey on the Mississippi aboard the new Queen of the Mississippi of American Cruise Lines from St Louis to Memphis…

After our morning tour of Alton, Illinois, we are heading back down the river this afternoon, with the sun slowly giving way to a creeping overcast. By early evening we are passing St Louis again and get another look at the city’s smart riverfront, highlighted by the Arch that affords a high-level overview of the area.

As night falls, we are quickly picking up the rhythm of the river, a slow, steady, muddy-brown flow in the ultimate direction of New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico, part of the world’s second-largest drainage basin (after the Amazon) and the kind of unchanged scene that would have greeted Mark Twain ( or Samuel Clemens, as he was then known) during his riverboat pilot days of the 19^th century.

The majority of rivercraft (basically, everything apart from ourselves) would have looked very different to Twain, but the riverbanks are largely untouched for miles in each direction, with only the occasional industrial plant – providing the loading and unloading stations for the many barges that ply the river, pushed by the flat-fronted towboats that chug along at around 4mph – to break up the uber-rural scene.

We are not destined to reach our next port of call, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, until the early hours, so we take (another!) leisurely set dinner in the 150-seat dining room and then enjoy an evening’s talk from our Riverlorian, Jim Williams (the onboard river expert and naturalist).

It is typical of the kind of relaxed, educational style we can expect each evening and serves to underline the ‘Mississippi vibe’ that has been quickly established aboard. There is no formality aboard, with a casual dress code and ambience – jackets and ties are not required.

Each meal with our fellow passengers is an exercise in gentle, convivial conversation. With the vast majority in the 60-plus age group (and many 70 or older), this is an extremely well-travelled group, and much of the enjoyment is derived from swapping travel stories and other highly social discourse. The daily Cocktail Hour at 5.30pm is an inspired choice (all drinks are free, too), and leads seamlessly to an amiable meal, in the company of dinner companions you may just have met.

This is certainly not the all-action, multi-activity, high-tech cruise of the big ships, and it is all the better for it.

Next morning, Cape Girardeau is revealed as typical small-town America, lurking behind a solid levee wall that serves to keep the river’s more excessive moments at bay. The wall is decorated with a series of impressive paintings and it makes for an impressive arrival tableau.

The town itself features a striking 19^th century Catholic church – one of only a handful of English Gothic Revival style churches left in the US – and a modern college campus that sports the Crisp Museum, where the history of this stretch of the river was evocatively laid out. A short film presentation provided the essential story of east Missouri and the effects of the Civil War hereabouts, with the importance of the river offering a narrative thread that would run through the whole cruise.

After the two-hour bus tour, with its two stops, we were free to wander the downtown for an hour. After yesterday’s “Closed” signs in Alton, we were hoping for something more inviting, shopping-wise, today. But, apart from one antique store and a restaurant, everything here proudly proclaimed it was open ‘Tuesday-Saturday.’ Not a lot of good on a Monday, then.

By early afternoon, we were back on the river, heading for Paducah, Kentucky. This required a left turn into the Ohio River, one of the Mississippi’s two main tributaries (along with the Missouri) but the river scenery stayed the same, slow, steady rural passage of the previous day.

The afternoon offered the opportunity to tune in to the resident TV channel showing the second part National Geographic’s excellent “Mississippi River Quest” programme or indulge in Afternoon Tea in the Sky Lounge.

Dinner is followed by our first live musical entertainment of the trip, with award-winning banjo player Dan Knowles and his band, a wonderfully lively five-piece, who turned their hand to country, bluegrass and other folksy toe-tappers. It’s a great slice of musical Americana and sets us up nicely for what is promised to be one of the port highlights of the week.

Up next – Paducah, Kentucky.

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Mississippi River Cruise - Pt 3

Continuing our journey along the Mississippi aboard the new Queen of the Mississippi of American Cruise Lines from St Louis to Memphis…

 

It is quickly very obvious there is a real daily routine about our week’s cruise on this smart 150-passenger paddle-steamer. Everything starts with breakfast from 7.30-9am (or tea, coffee and pastries for early risers in the Sky Lounge for early risers).

 

Then it is time for our Cruise Director Nikki and Riverlorian Jim to give us a quick talk on the day’s events and some history about the River. At 10am there are fresh cookies to be enjoyed in the Sky Lounge (the regular availability of free snacks and drinks about the boat is quite notable) and lunch is served at 12.30pm.

 

If we’re in port, it is off on an excursion (or exploring under your own steam); if not, the morning lecture is saved for the afternoon, accompanied by afternoon tea at 3.30pm, a free cocktail hour at 5.30 and then dinner from 6.30-8pm.

 

Live musical entertainment is provided after dinner in the main Magnolia Lounge, accompanied by popcorn and, a bit later, by ice cream sundaes (because, apparently, we haven’t eaten enough during the day!).

Our first port of call after leaving St Louis, Missouri, is the town of Alton in Illinois (about 30 miles upriver). We arrive in the evening and it is possible to visit the riverside Casino for those who like a flutter. Instead, we stay aboard to enjoy a memorable dinner and get an early night ready for a 9am excursion.

 

Alton is a major stop on the former Underground Railroad that helped escaping slaves reach the northern states and, ultimately, the freedom of Canada, and our coach tour of the town is ostensibly to learn all about this history, although it actually turns out to be more of a town tour than Underground Railroad lesson.

 

We have slightly less than an hour after the tour finishes to see some of Alton on foot, as our steamboat sails again at mid-day, destined for Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Sadly, as it is a Sunday, most of Alton is closed, hence it takes about 15 minutes to complete a tour of the immediate downtown area.

It is a cute town, with some original 19th century brick-built streets and an impressive memorial to the owner of the local newspaper, a slavery abolitionist who was murdered back in the 1830s. More importantly, it was here that a certain lawyer by the name of Abraham Lincoln made a name for himself a few years later, both for his legal work but also for a series of public debates with a renowned pro-slavery politician.

 

The special statues and signage dedicated to the debates are well worth seeing, and, after a few photos and a quick look around the Casino (complete with its billion slot machines), it is time to be back aboard.

 

Next up – Cape Girardeau.

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Mississippi River Cruise, Pt 2

We’re sailing the Mississippi aboard the brand new Queen of the Mississippi of American Cruise Lines. Follow along with us as we go from St Louis to Memphis…

After finding our feet aboard this modern interpretation of a classic 19th century paddle-steamer, our first meal comes as a pleasant surprise.

There is just the one dining room aboard and it is open seating from 12.30pm for lunch and 6.30-7.30pm for dinner. And, interestingly, you get to pre-select your meals in advance (basically, so the galley doesn’t over-cater). At breakfast each day, every guest receives a form to fill in for their lunch and dinner choice from an either/or choice for starter and main course at lunch, and, in the evening, a choice of two starters (usually a soup or salad) and three main course options.

Our first lunch is impressive, with a relatively simple choice (soup or salad; sandwich or main-course salad) and lots of flavour. We are also told that if we don’t see something on the menu we like, they will be happy to accommodate most requests. In fact, given a little notice, the galley can come up with a wide variety of alternatives, including vegetarian, low sodium and kosher.

After lunch, our ship sails, leaving St Louis behind and sailing upriver to Alton in Illinois. Surprisingly, we go through two sets of locks and a canal that by-passes a rocky section of the Mississippi proper. It seems surprising to us this far down the river but our resident ‘Riverlorian’ – the onboard lecturer on all things Mississippian – tells us it is a relatively modern alteration that really helps the smooth flow of river traffic.

More importantly, it gives us chance to explore our home for the next 7 days, this new ship that may seem a bit small by the standards of past river-cruisers (which could be almost 400ft long and carry 400-plus, as opposed to our 150) but is certainly beautifully out-fitted and immensely comfortable.

This Queen is certainly more modest in terms of dimensions and amenities. In addition to the dining room, there are three separate lounges, including the main Magnolia Lounge, which is used for the daily lectures and evening entertainment, the Deck 4 conservatory Sky Lounge (below),with its outdoor patio and terrace, and the clubby Paddle Wheel Lounge.

Deck 5 is largely open air, with a large covering, with the addition of a small putting green and plenty of chairs and rocking chairs in which to sit and watch the riverbanks glide slowly by.

Each of the 4 main interior decks also have a small lounge/card/room/library type set-up, providing a nice small-scale retreat for those who just like a quiet place to read or chat.

This is certainly not the all-action, all-feature type ships we see on ocean-going routes and even some bigger river-cruise vessels, but, with a clientele that is largely 60-plus, well-travelled and keen more on listening than doing, it is superbly well-equipped for the job.

The staff aboard are all young, keen and fresh-faced, as well as immensely friendly. This isn’t the white-glove, six-star service of a Silversea, Seabourn or even a Uniworld, but they make up for it with a personable style that is enthusiastic and accommodating, very eager to please and very familiar with their river-going vessel.

The weather isn’t great so far – around 50F and overcast – but every stateroom has its own climate control system that works extremely well and the overall effect is of great travelling style.

Next – Our first stop, Alton, Illinois.

 

 

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