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First Cruise on AQ


jr8934
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Calliope, I really appreciate your descriptions and suggestions. I have printed them out to look at again, closer to our trip. I am very glad to hear this is a scenic trip. While we enjoyed the stops on the New Orleans to Memphis trip, the river wasn't much to look at.

 

I hate to hear so much negativity about AQSC; both of our trips were not perfect, but there was much to like. I just hope they can survive financially.

 

If you have any more ideas to share, please do!

 

Laurie

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When we were on the ship last summer the crew were fine

They had a team from Apollo Group on to train the crew since all the problems after start-up with new crew

 

I know Calliope complained in the early days of AQ about the management but the people he has had issue with David Kelly & Tim Rubacky are no longer part of AQ

 

Maybe with 2 ships they have had to move the experienced crew from AQ to the AE & the new staff needs to be trained better

Not making excuses for AQ as the training should have been done before they set sail with paying guests

 

STEAMBOATS I do believe you are right that they did make some agreement to hire locals where possible

 

We did the Pittsburgh to Cincinnati route ..I did not find "small town America" to be all that exciting ..most of the towns were out of business

Just part of the way life is these days with big box stores & the economy

 

There is no comparison to Ocean cruising other than you get fed a lot & a nice bed cruising down the river is a much more relaxed (for some)

 

I am looking forward to more reviews the good the bad & indifferent

 

Lyn

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I really have no problem with Tim Rubacky. It's very interesting to read his comments on another cruise chat website about the AMERICAN QUEEN or DELTA QUEEN, and him referring to people like myself as "Steamboat foamers." I honestly do not have a Pavlovian response to the mention of AMERICAN QUEEN!

 

David Kelly was horribly rude and unprofessional. Granted that is just my opinion, but I consider it totally unacceptable behavior for any crew member towards a paying passenger. At the hospitality room in the St. Louis Hilton where passengers had to meet before being bussed to the boat one hundred miles away in Hannibal, Missouri, there was no food of any type for hungry passengers to notch on. Some type of complex carbohydrate and protein would have been helpful for those traveling all day to get to the hotel plus a two hour bus ride upriver still to come. I recounted to him that in similar situations The Delta Queen Steamboat Co. would have a small buffet with lite sandwiches and fruit punch. His curt response said in an extremely condescending tone, "This isn't The Delta Queen Steamboat Company!" Well, duh, they would have had something to eat, I thought. The next day my comment that having the fire and lifeboat muster right at the time the dining room closed for lunch and passengers would not be finished eating was met with even greater distain. Certainly it could have been held a half hour before lunch or a half hour later. I'm sorry, if he treats passengers with valid suggestions as I was handled, how would he make a waiter or dish washer in the kitchen feel? I can understand why staff was walking!

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I'm sorry, if he treats passengers with valid suggestions as I was handled, how would he make a waiter or dish washer in the kitchen feel? I can understand why staff was walking!

He is no longer with AQSC so not sure how the latest post on crew leaving can be attributed to him ???

he has been gone for some time now

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He is no longer with AQSC so not sure how the latest post on crew leaving can be attributed to him ???

he has been gone for some time now

 

I heard a rumor, and I emphasize rumor albeit from a very reliable source, that he is back again. Perhaps he's on the AMERICAN EMPRESS. Are you sure that he still is not with the company?

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I heard a rumor, and I emphasize rumor albeit from a very reliable source, that he is back again. Perhaps he's on the AMERICAN EMPRESS. Are you sure that he still is not with the company?

 

I heard he was on Paul Gauguin so who knows

 

Guess you could ask AQ

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I guess that I'll find out next month, and in the mean time I won't be losing any sleep over it. If he is on the PAUL GAUGUIN there is still hope for the AMERICAN QUEEN!

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