Newbies to River Cruising

[RonJoan]

We are Ron & Joan from So. California. While we have cruised extensively on Holland-America this, will be our first river cruise. We have booked the eastbound trip of American Empress from Portland to Clarkston sailing on May 18. Are there any others on this Forum also sailing on that trip?

 

We welcome any suggestions for Newbies on these river cruises.

 

Ron & Joan

[LHT28]

Relax & just go with the flow

They are very unlike Ocean cruises

 

 

Lyn

[RonJoan]

LHT 28,

 

Thank you for the advice. We are wondering about dinner dress-up? We know that tuxedos or suits are not required and that they "suggest" sportcoats for men. But in actual paractice once aboard ship, How informal do the guests actually dress for dinner? Does anyone wear jeans, for example?

 

RonJoan

Edited January 26, 2014 by RonJoan

[LHT28]

LHT 28,

 

Thank you for the advice. We are wondering about dinner dress-up? We know that tuxedos or suits are not required and that they "suggest" sportcoats for men. But in actual paractice once aboard ship, How informal do the guests actually dress for dinner? Does anyone wear jeans, for example?

 

RonJoan

 

We did AQ in the summer some jackets were seen but most wore a nice shirt & dress pants some did wear jeans to dinner

 

It is very casual IMO

[RonJoan]

We did AQ in the summer some jackets were seen but most wore a nice shirt & dress pants some did wear jeans to dinner

 

It is very casual IMO

 

Thank you for the tips! This trip will be a new experience for us. We're traveling to meet the ship by AMTRAK and will try to jam all the clothes into two standard airplane carry-on bags to eliminate checked bags and simplify things.

 

RonJoan

[LHT28]

Thank you for the tips! This trip will be a new experience for us. We're traveling to meet the ship by AMTRAK and will try to jam all the clothes into two standard airplane carry-on bags to eliminate checked bags and simplify things.

 

RonJoan

 

It should work

We did just carry -on for our flights

I even had 3 pr of shoes ;)

 

Enjoy

 

Lyn

[hondorner]

We also cruised on AQ for 18 days in a row with just carry-ons. I wash small clothes in the sink, and there is a stacked washer and dryer on deck 4 near the elevator. I sometimes like to wear a sports coat; I often wear it rather than packing it if we are flying. I generally don't take jeans, unless the weather is cold, because they take up too much room. I have a couple of pairs of nylon zip-on, zip-off pants that work during the day, and take a couple of pairs of dressy trousers for dinner, along with some collared shirts. I did see one gentleman with jeans, tee-shirts and sneakers at dinner, but I feel certain that was "Sunday go to Meetin'" dress at his home. No one paid any attention.

[LHT28]

I am not sure if there is a laundry room on AE but we also used the the on AQ but we were only on the ship for a week so not much washing needed doing ;)

 

Lyn

[steamboats]

So far, the American Empress does not have a guest laundry (didn´t have as Empress of the North).

 

steamboats

[RonJoan]

Thank you so much for the comments and suggestions.

 

RonJoan

[Tricia724]

We are Ron & Joan from So. California. While we have cruised extensively on Holland-America this, will be our first river cruise. We have booked the eastbound trip of American Empress from Portland to Clarkston sailing on May 18. Are there any others on this Forum also sailing on that trip?

 

We welcome any suggestions for Newbies on these river cruises.

 

Ron & Joan

 

We're not on your cruise, Ron & Joan, but I just booked the westbound trip on the Empress sailing on June 8. We're first-timers, too, as far as the river cruises go, so would appreciate your comments about the experience and any tips you can offer when you return. Sailing the big steamboats has always appealed to me, and we're finally going to see what it's like.

 

Pat

[Calliope]

The AMERICAN EMPRESS is not a steamboat. She is powered solely by diesel machinery. There are only a handful of paddlewheel steamboats carrying passengers for hire in America today. The AMERICAN QUEEN is the only paddlewheel steamboat carrying overnight passengers. The NATCHEZ, BELLE OF LOUISVILLE, CHAUTAUQUA BELLE, and MINNE HA HA are the lone others and offer short day and night time excursions.

Edited March 4, 2014 by Calliope

[Tricia724]

Thanks for the information, Calliope. Very interesting. See what a newbie I am? Ship propulsion is not one of my fields of knowledge, that's for sure. I just get on them and let someone else figure how to get me where I'm going.

 

I'm sure we'll enjoy seeing the Snake and Columbia Rivers on the Empress and who knows, perhaps later on we'll try the Queen. My original idea was to book the Queen and do the traditional southern route on the Mississippi, but my traveling companion is much more enthused about the western route, so we compromised....we're doing it his way!

[Calliope]

I'm sure that the AMERICAN EMPRESS will be a wonderful cruise and hopefully you'll want to come back to America's rivers on a real steamboat! When you do though, take my advice, and travel on the Upper Mississippi River or Ohio River. The scenery is so much more beautiful than the Lower Mississippi. The Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers are lovely too. The Lower Miss. is lined by levees and the river is always muddy; there just is not as much to look at down yonder.

[Tricia724]

I'm sure that the AMERICAN EMPRESS will be a wonderful cruise and hopefully you'll want to come back to America's rivers on a real steamboat! When you do though, take my advice, and travel on the Upper Mississippi River or Ohio River. The scenery is so much more beautiful than the Lower Mississippi. The Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers are lovely too. The Lower Miss. is lined by levees and the river is always muddy; there just is not as much to look at down yonder.

 

That's just what my guy said about not wanting to go south on the Mississippi....that it's muddy and he's seen it! Well, I've seen the river, too, but never cruised on it. So I think it's highly likely that if we ever do another river cruise it will probably be the St. Louis/Minneapolis trip.

 

Funny thing is that we live about 45 minutes from Pittsburgh and are close to West Virginia, so everyone thinks that going from Pittsburgh is a logical thing to do. But we've seen a lot of the Ohio River in the PA-WV area and have spent enough time in Marietta and Wheeling, so the Pittsburgh/Cincinnati leg would not be much of an adventure for us. I do agree with you that the Ohio is a beautiful river, and even the day cruises are lovely, particularly in the fall.

 

We are just happy being on the water, whether it's a river, lake, sea, or ocean. Having some great scenery or wildlife viewing is icing on the cake.

[RonJoan]

We're not on your cruise, Ron & Joan, but I just booked the westbound trip on the Empress sailing on June 8. We're first-timers, too, as far as the river cruises go, so would appreciate your comments about the experience and any tips you can offer when you return. Sailing the big steamboats has always appealed to me, and we're finally going to see what it's like.

 

Pat

 

Pat,

 

I'm sure we will all enjoy the Empress. I noticed on one of your later posts that you live near Pittsburg. Is it near Latrobe? I was born in Latrobe some 78 years ago but my parents brought me to California at the age of 12.

 

RonJoan

[Tricia724]

Pat,

 

I noticed on one of your later posts that you live near Pittsburg. Is it near Latrobe? I was born in Latrobe some 78 years ago but my parents brought me to California at the age of 12.

 

Small world, huh? Everyone in Western PA knows Latrobe since it's Arnold Palmer's home town. Latrobe is roughly 20-25 miles east of Pittsburgh, and we're about 50 miles west, so not too far. I've been to Latrobe. Nice small town. You're probably a lot better off in CA this winter, though. Lots of snow here.

 

At least now, as I look out my window at the white stuff on the ground, I have a nice river cruise to anticipate. Just paid off everything the other day, so we're ready to go.

[RonJoan]

Small world, huh? Everyone in Western PA knows Latrobe since it's Arnold Palmer's home town. Latrobe is roughly 20-25 miles east of Pittsburgh, and we're about 50 miles west, so not too far. I've been to Latrobe. Nice small town. You're probably a lot better off in CA this winter, though. Lots of snow here.

 

At least now, as I look out my window at the white stuff on the ground, I have a nice river cruise to anticipate. Just paid off everything the other day, so we're ready to go.

 

Thanks for the reply. On one of my rare visits to Latrobe a few years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Arnold Palmer at the Latrobe Country Club. A very pleasant fellow!

 

RonJoan

[jimlssi]

We are west bound on the Empress on May 11. I just checked with a CSR who told me that a self serv washer/dryer was not on the Empress. At this late date into the first season, I don't see much chance of them installing one.

Jim