Viking on the Mississippi

[BJR52001]

The only unsafe vessel is the Delta Queen and it just got a waver.  To be honest, modern designs are going to be be far safer than old riverboat replicas 

[steamboats]

17 hours ago, BJR52001 said:

The only unsafe vessel is the Delta Queen and it just got a waver. 

 

The DQ was never unsafe. She was regarded unsafe by a mistake in a law. She finally got an exemption last year. The DQ has a stell hull but a mainly wooden superstructure. But as she´s never far from shore this is no real problem. The ship that caused the law was an ocean going vessel which burned with a loss of 90 or so (Yarmouth Castle). They made the law and banned wood but forgot about the only overnight river cruise vessel - the Delta Queen.

 

Since 1927 there never was a major fire on the Delta Queen. And the law has nothing to do with the propulsion (steam or diesel).

 

steamboats

[pontac]

On 1/14/2017 at 4:54 PM, bcorre2 said:

Viking now has a page to sign up for information

 

Thank you @bcorre2 for that. Have now signed up.

[bcorre2]

2 hours ago, pontac said:

 

Thank you @bcorre2 for that. Have now signed up.

 

Build it and they will come. 🛳️

[Roz]

I signed up too.  We'll see.....

 

Roz

[bcorre2]

Found this update: The Journal Times Dec 4, 2019. 

I've been hopeful since my post here 2015 and will signup if they come.

Bring it Viking.

Let the chatter resume.

 

Viking ships are set to dock at Burlington 30 times between July 2022 and October 2023.

 

Viking has ordered the ships that will cruise the Mississippi River, but they won’t be ready until 2022, Burlington officials have been told.

 

https://journaltimes.com/news/local/la-crosse-officials-hope-viking-cruises-boats-will-stop-there/article_f0b67e94-611c-5b6b-9a3a-449d04d649d7.html

 

https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Viking-on-course-for-2022-cruises-14889708.php

 

https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/contact/mississippi-cruises-form.html

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by bcorre2
update content

[caradara]

They have signed a contract with Hannibal, MO as well (Mark Twain sites).

 

[steamboats]

So where did they order the ships?????

 

steamboats

[bcorre2]

Steamboats,  read the links I posted.

 

Here's more:

https://www.workboat.com/news/passenger-vessels/viking-cruises-moves-ahead-with-u-s-expansion-plans/

 

http://www.chouest.com/

 

Viking first hinted at its U.S. plans in 2013.

That's when I first started following Viking.

Auf Wiedersehen

 

 

 “By 2027 our plan is to have six vessels.”

 

Known internationally for river and ocean cruises, the Swiss-based firm first announced its Mississippi River plans in 2015. Those efforts were shelved due to the federal Jones Act that requires goods and passengers be carried between American ports on vessels built and flagged in the U.S. and staffed by Americans.

Late last year Viking announced that Edison Chouest in Louisisana will build, own and lease boats made there to the company. The first boat will be built in 2021 with a second set for 2023. Each will accommodate 390 people.

The five-deck boats have been described as a “long-ship on steroids.” All staterooms will offer balcony accommodations. The aft of the vessel will feature an infinity pool while the bow will have ramps to easily land passengers. There are no inside rooms.

Edited February 7, 2020 by bcorre2
update content

[Host Jazzbeau]

Have to say I share Carrie's confusion:

 

CARRIE STIER on OCTOBER 23, 2018 5:29 PM

I am confused. One statement says “Edison Chouest is the company that’s going to be building and owning the vessel and chartering it to Viking to operate,” he said. The other says “Galliano, La.-based Edison Chouest said in a statement to WorkBoat, “We are not building a river cruise vessel at this time.”

Which is it?

 

 

[BJR52001]

Nothing has been officially announced.  No shipyard is going to confirm something a client has not.  Plus, they're a silent partner.

[bcorre2]

I for one don't pretend to believe anything that is written in these journals with this conflicting information.

It's new information and take it for what you know.

I'm excited as I've been waiting 5 years for some kind of update.

Build it and they will come.

I like the Viking Product.

I won't be on the Mississippi until they come.

Let the chatter continue.

 

[steamboats]

Thanks, @bcorre2 for the links to Workboat (I couldn´t access the first two links to the online newspapers).

 

@Host Jazzbeau Carrie is pretty deep into river cruising on the Upper Mississippi river. Anyway you can understand the statement by the shipyard “We are not building a river cruise vessel at this time.”  with an emphasis on "at this time" 😉 in that 2018 article. So it practially means nothing when they don´t start building until 2020 or 2021.

 

Anyway, it´s 2020 now... And the article states that they will be in service with the first boat in 2021... If so they should have already signed a contract with the shipyard, currently build the ship and sell the cruises for 2021... I haven´t seen any news except for "we signed a contract with city... for docking space".

 

steamboats

[bcorre2]

7 hours ago, steamboats said:

Thanks, @bcorre2 for the links to Workboat (I couldn´t access the first two links to the online newspapers).

steamboats

That's odd, all three links on my original post still work for me.

Another way to see the newer posts: Dec 2019

Go to The Journal Times and search: La Crosse Viking Cruises

Go to The Telegraph and search: Viking on course for 2022 cruises

or Goggle each of these short statements.

ACL has three new ships. Jazz, Song & Harmony with 190 guests.

Can't wait to see Vikings 400 guest ship with itinerary.

Move over ACL.

My glass remains half full for Viking on the Mississippi.

 

 

 

[steamboats]

@bcorre2 the links are working but as I´m in Germany I´m blocked (due to European data protection law).

 

I know about LaCrosse.

 

steamboats

[BJR52001]

15 hours ago, bcorre2 said:

ACL has three new ships. Jazz, Song & Harmony with 190 guests.

Can't wait to see Vikings 400 guest ship with itinerary.

Move over ACL.

My glass remains half full for Viking on the Mississippi.

 

 

 

 

As of Next year American Song and American Harmony will both be on the Columbia.  American Jazz and American Melody along with America and Queen of the Mississippi (which is ironically being shifted to basically the Ohio).  By the time Viking comes in 2022, the 5th member of the series will be in service but we don't know where it will be going.  Interesting enough, they have prioritized service levels on the Columbia above the Mississippi.  They also have a slightly different demographic.  Playing exclusively in the sub-200 passenger range.  

Viking sounds like they might be a bit different option. It seems rather than just imitating Viking River on the Mississippi, they're using the much, much larger maximum vessel size and incorporating some of what you'd expect from Viking Expeditions and Ocean.  

[steamboats]

American Queen Steamboat Company will have a third vessel by April... American Countess after the American Queen and American Duchess.

 

Including the ACL vessels this is currently much more than ever was on the Mississippi river system (after WWII).

 

steamboats

[BJR52001]

And this is just barely scratching the surface of the Mississippi, Ohio, major navigable tributaries, and GICW connected navigable rivers.  There's capacity from the traditional European-style river vessels to the Yangtze-style near ocean vessels and everywhere in between.

[bcorre2]

The newest post on CC.

Great update! We'll be coming to Dubuque.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5115/

 

https://www.marinelink.com/news/inland-river-cruising-busy-462030

 

https://www.workboat.com/news/passenger-vessels/viking-to-add-cruise-ships-to-north-american-routes/

 

 

 

Rumors about Viking expanding into U.S. rivers have long been whispered, but according to the Associated Press, plans for a dock in in Dubuque, Iowa, are underway. The news agency reports the Dubuque City Council approved a 20-year agreement to share the cost of a nearly $1.8 million dock with Viking Cruises, located near Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark on Bell Street in Dubuque, Iowa. Set on the Mississippi River, the property is ideally located and a two-minute walk from the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium.

 

😉🛳️        

 

Edited February 21, 2020 by bcorre2

[pontac]

On 2/9/2020 at 7:22 AM, steamboats said:

as I´m in Germany I´m blocked (due to European data protection law).

 

When this happens, Google 'Proxy Server' and select a Free Web Proxy Site, then copy and paste the required URL from CC onto the Proxy Server field and you are Steaming!!

[steamboats]

Seems there will be an announcement by Viking on April 7th.

 

steamboats

[steamboats]

Seems like ACL entered the battle adding three more ships until the end of 2021 ;-).

 

steamboats

[sharkster77]

3 hours ago, steamboats said:

Seems like ACL entered the battle adding three more ships until the end of 2021 ;-).

 

steamboats

I believe ACL owns their own shipyard, which would allow them to do this.

[steamboats]

18 hours ago, sharkster77 said:

I believe ACL owns their own shipyard, which would allow them to do this.

Yes, Chesapeake Shipyard is owned by the Robertson family who also owns ACL.

 

steamboats

[bcorre2]

Listed on Wikipedia Viking Cruises

Future ships

Ship                    Maiden Voyage        Builder              Planned Flag      

Viking Mississippi              2022      Edison Chouest  United States of America 

            

Offshore Service Vessels, L.L.C., doing business as Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO)

http://www.chouest.com/shipyards.html

North American Shipbuilding (NAS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of by Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO)