Need your tips for sailing smaller ships

[tgo's]

My first cruise will be a solo this November on the Mississippi Queen river boat. When taking land vacations the last several years I have traveled with a family member or friend that was interested in the same area I was. This cruise I decided to do on my own.

I have been reading several of the solo threads and it seems often that people are sailing on larger ships. The MQ at max will have about 450 passengers. Besides fewer people on board, my only concern as a solo is the age range of the passengers. This cruise is my 40th birthday gift to myself and I have been told that most of the others on board will be quite a bit older than myself.

Any advice you can give me to enjoy a solo on a smaller boat?

[Island Annie]

I was visiting some friends in Lacrosse, Wisconsin last summer, and the Mississippi Queen was scheduled to dock there for a day while in route to Minneapolis. It was to dock at Riverside park in downtown Lacrosse and was the "talk of the town" the few days prior so we decided to be there when it arrived to check it out.

 

It really was quite a site to see such an old steam engine vessel in such nice shape. She pulled in right on time with the calyapyees (sp??) playing loud as could be.

 

Since we had arrived quite early that day, we had a place to stand VERY near to the MQ. (So close that we could actually see inside to the dining room& some of the staterooms).

 

Many of the passengers were standing at the rail admiring the view of Lacrosse and I could see that it was definitely an older crowd. (60s-70s-80s). It was about 4:00pm when she pulled in and I'm assuming that many of the passengers were already dressed for dinner. Most were dressed VERY elegantly. Ladies in long sequin gowns, a couple of men in tuxs, etc. (but then it may have been their "formal" night, I'm not sure). Still they seem to be a "lively" bunch & everyone seem to be having a great time.

 

They were docked for only a few hours & saw a few get off to go explore the town. We kept our place near the MQ & waited to see her depart.

 

Once the pax were back onboard, the steam started rolling, the callyapees started playing and she headed north.

 

My guess is you might not find much "nightlife" on the MQ, and yes, it probably will be a much older crowd, butthat doesn't mean you can't have fun. I would suggest doing some research on each of your ports of call, and planning to get off, in each to go do some exploring.

 

On the upside . . . It's been my experience, that cruising on the smaller ships makes it easier to meet more people:-) Celebrating your 40th birthday . . . My guess is that your dancecard is going to be full!!

 

I hope this information will be helpful for you.

 

BoVoyage!

 

Annie

[tgo's]

Thank you Island Annie. It's great to know what an event docking on the MQ will be. I have begun gathering information - and there are a couple of excursions that have cought my interest. For several of the towns I understand "downtown" is gathered right at the river and landing so it will be easy to just venture out without a definate plan.

 

Thank you for letting me know how dressed people were for dinner. I am in the process of shopping for some dressier evening wear. I wear a uniform to work and have realized that my closet is split between casual everyday wear and dressing for church wear.

 

I am hoping my general philosophy of travel works - leave home planning to have a great time whatever happens and you will. Whatever the ages of other pasengers at least I know I have one thing in common - we all wanted to travel the Mississippi.

[Venturagirl]

A Cruise Critic member called Steamboats posts often on the River Cruises section of these boards. Although she lives in Germany, she and her husband are about your age and are avid steamboat fans. They have a website at http://www.rivers-rails.com where there is lots of info on U.S. river cruising, as well as two reviews of cruises on the Mississippi Queen. Just go to their website and click on Mississippi Queen, then look to the bottom right of that page for links to the two reviews. :)

[tgo's]

Steamboats has been a big help to me in planning my shore excursions. And I love her reviews. She has just gotten home this weekend from a cruise on the MQ and I am eager for her review.