The Group Travel Leader, Inc.
301 E. High Street
Lexington, KY 40507
859.253.0455
Mississippi River cruising to return
Cruise West is re-introducing Mississippi River cruising in March 2011.
Cruise West will rename the 102-passenger Spirit of Glacier Bay the Spirit of America and operate it on two new itineraries on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. The Mississippi River market has remained inactive since Majestic America Line’s 176-passenger Delta Queen, 436-passenger American Queen and 412-passenger Mississippi Queen ceased operations at the end of 2008.
“Many of our loyal customers asked us to bring the Cruise West small-ship experience to the Mississippi and other heartland rivers,” said Dick West, Cruise West’s chairman and managing director. “My family is extremely proud to offer guests the opportunity to sail an American-flagged ship on one of the most iconic American rivers.”
The Spirit of America, which has been operating in Alaska since 2008, is 207 feet long with four decks, including an upper sun deck and three lower decks with 51 cabins. This differs greatly from the three paddlewheelers operated by Majestic, which ranged from 285 to 418 feet.
Cruise West acquired the Spirit of America when it was named the Spirit of Nantucket and worked on the East Coast.
On the Mississippi River, the ship will sail two seven-night itineraries along the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Memphis and along the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers from Memphis to Nashville. In 2011, the Spirit of America plans to sail with eight departures with prices starting at $3,499 per person.
Majestic’s three vessels sailing the Pacific Northwest along the Columbia and Snake rivers also ceased operations in 2008, leaving Cruise West as one of the few cruise lines operating on America’s inland waterways. Cruise West continues to offer its itineraries along the Columbia and Snake rivers on the 96-passenger Spirit of ’98 and 84-passenger Spirit of Discovery.
American Safari Cruises joined Cruise West in 2009 for a nine-day river cruise from Lewiston, Idaho, to Astoria, Ore., aboard the 36-passenger Safari Explorer.
For more information, visit www.cruisewest.com.
Click here to read more Group Travel Minute articles
