|
|
 |
Mississippi cruises are back!
by Denise Vogel on June 22, 2010 |
|
The Seattle-based line -- a major player in small ship cruising in Alaska -- says it plans two itineraries on Middle America rivers aboard the 102-passenger Spirit of America, which until now has been known as the Spirit of Glacier Bay.
"Many of our loyal customers asked us to bring the Cruise West small-ship experience to the Mississippi and other 'heartland' rivers... and we are delighted to be able to deliver an experience that will surprise and delight guests with a perspective of the South that can only be achieved by small ship," Cruise West chairman and managing director Dick West says in a statement accompanying the announcement.
Cruise West operates U.S.-flagged ships -- a requirement for vessels operating on U.S. rivers such as the Mississippi.
Cruise West president and CEO Dietmar Wertanzl notes in the statement that the Mississippi and other Middle America rivers have been under-served by the cruise industry since Majestic Cruise Line shut down.
"We are proud to be the only cruise line offering overnight cruises on these great American Rivers," he says.
The Majestic America Line, which collapsed in 2008, once operated a number of overnight cruise vessels on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers including the famed Delta Queen steamboat.
One of the two new Cruise West itineraries will focus on the "iconic South" on the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Memphis, with visits to Southern mansions, gardens, historic plantations and Civil War monuments.
The seven-night voyage includes a stop at the famed Oak Alley Plantation; picturesque Natchez, Mississippi; and Vicksburg National Military Park.
The second new itinerary, also seven nights in length, will be between Memphis and Nashville. The ship will follow the Mississippi north to Cairo, Ill., at the confluence of the Ohio River, and then cruise upriver to the Tennessee and the narrow Cumberland River.
by Gene Sloan
Add Your Comment:
Comments are monitored by Azumano and may not appear on this blog until they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting. Also, due to the volume of comments we receive, not all comments will be posted.
|
|
|
