Deilmann Cruises Named “Best River Cruise”
at Porthole Once Again
Deilmann Cruises won the Readers’ Choice
award once again for Best River Cruise in the readers’ poll
conducted by Porthole Cruise magazine. The Deilmann ranking
is in the December issue of Porthole Cruise magazine.
Following the successful introduction of
special interest cruises this year, Deilmann will offer music,
golf, gardens and cycling cruise programs on its river ships
again in 2006 and will introduce new hiking theme cruises.
The line is increasing classical music cruises on its river
ships from one to four in 2006—three aboard the 204-passenger
Mozart sailing the Danube, April 2–9, October 1-8 and
October 8-15; and the fourth on the 100-passenger Cėzanne,
September 2-9, sailing the Seine from Paris to Rouen and visiting
Versailles, Giverny and Honfleur. Programs will feature performances
onboard and ashore.
All the information on the ships, sailing
itineraries, cruise-tours, special interest cruises and the
brochures are online at deilmann-cruises.com.
INTRA Publishes New 2006 River Cruises
Brochure
Great rivers of the world from the Rhine
and Danube in Europe, the Volga and Neva in Russia, Yangtze
in China, the Nile in Egypt and the St. Lawrence in Canada are
all subjects of INTRAV packages included in the comprehensive
2006 Worldwide River Cruises brochure. All sightseeing and shore
excursions are included in most of the packages. To obtain the
brochure or for more information, visit www.intrav.com.
American West Steamboat Company Announces
New River & Roses Cruise Package
A new River and Roses cruise package is available
on select American West Steamboat Company seven-night spring
2006 cruises along the Columbia, Snake and Willamette Rivers.
These elegant sternwheeler cruises depart from Portland, Oregon
include all shore tours, fine dining and live entertainment.
The River and Roses Cruise package is available on six departures
of the Queen of the West and the Empress of the North
in March and April and can be combined with cruise savings of
up to 25 percent.
The package includes: one-night hotel
stay in Portland, Ore. (pre or post cruise); $25 per person
gift certificate for dinner at select Portland restaurants;
$50 per person shipboard credit; a free Portland City Tour;
an in-stateroom Northwest Wine Basket; souvenir luggage tags
for two; and an AWSC DVD featuring both river and Alaska cruises.
The combined value of all package elements is over $350. For
details, please visit www.AmericanWestSteamboat.com.
The Queens Return In April 2006
After a brief lay-up in early 2006, the steamboats
will be back
on the rivers: The legendary Delta Queen®
will sail on April 21,
the magnificent Mississippi Queen®
on April 23, and the grand
American Queen® on May 30. And if
you book By December 31, 2005, you will receive fares of up
to 35 percent off. Visit www.deltaqueen.com
for a look at the newly
revised Steamboatin'® sailing schedule and
Advance Purchase Program saving.
Intrav Introduces Brand-New Catalog Featuring
Worldwide River Cruises
To present the fantastic array of adventures
planned along waterways throughout the globe, the deluxe-tour
operator INTRAV has unveiled its brand-new Worldwide River Cruises
by INTRAV catalog. This marks the first time that INTRAV has
focused its popular river-cruise itineraries into a specific
catalog and features each of the 22 adventures aboard 11 different
vessels scheduled in 2006 by the company and its subsidiary,
Clipper Cruise Line. “We’ve chosen to create this new river-specific
catalog to refocus upon these celebrated itineraries and introduce
a host of new adventures to the discerning traveler,” CEO David
Drier said. “Through input from our travel agent partners,
we’ve designed this piece to make the process of booking a river-themed
journey even easier for them and their clients. With a larger
size, full-color photos, and detailed information on each of
our worldwide trips, our new catalog is now a one-stop shop
for agents to send their best clients to any of the wonderful
destinations we’ll visit in 2006.”
The Worldwide River Cruises by INTRAV catalog
details opportunities in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.
Among the historic waterways will be the Danube, Douro, Main,
Mosel, Neva, Rhine, and Volga rivers in Europe; the Nile River
in Egypt; the Yangtze River in China; and the Hudson and St.
Lawrence rivers, as well as San Francisco Bay, in North America.
Some travelers have not yet experienced the
ease and relaxation of riverboat travel because of the lack
of deluxe accommodations on many waterways. Launching in 2006,
the Sound of Music (which presents spacious public areas,
flat screen televisions in each cabin, Internet access, a 1,200-square
foot spa, and wine with dinner) and Amadeus Princess
(featuring sliding glass exterior windows, Internet access,
spacious public areas, a fitness center, pool, walking track,
and putting green) will exceed the expectations of even the
most discriminating traveler. The deluxe Kazan is quite
simply the finest ship cruising the Russian waterways, with
a private marble bath and separate shower in each stateroom,
in-room satellite television, spacious accommodations, and lower
twin beds that may be converted into queens. The Sound of Music
and Amadeus Princess are exclusively available in North America
through INTRAV.
For reservations, call INTRAV toll free at
(800) 456-8100. Copies of catalogs and brochures are available
from travel agents or by contacting INTRAV at 11969 Westline
Industrial Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63146-3220, by e-mail
at info@intrav.com , and online at www.intrav.com.
Deilmann Expands Special Interest Programs
On 2006 European River Sailings
Following the successful introduction of
special interest cruises this year, Peter Deilmann will again
offer music, golf, gardens and cycling cruise packages in 2006
and add new hiking cruise tours. Two music cruises on river
ships are scheduled, the first aboard the Mozart on the
Danube, April 2–9, will pay tribute to the composer's 250th
birthday, and the second on the Cezanne on the Seine,
Sept. 2-9, will sail from Paris to Rouen visiting Versailles,
Giverny and Honfleur.
Six escorted garden cruise tours sailing
the Seine, Danube, Dutch-Belgian Canals, Rhine and Rhône will
take place in April, June, July and September. Six golf cruise
itineraries are planned on four rivers on the Princesse de
Provence, Cezanne, Heidelberg and Mozart with departures
between May and September.
Deilmann is offering cycling cruise packages
on three of these ships and the Dresden, rather than the Heidelberg.
There are 15 departures with cycling programs from April 30
to Sept. 17. The new hiking theme cruises will feature the Princesse
de Provence on Rhône sailings roundtrip from Lyon with three
departures in May, June and October.
The cruise line will offer a full complement
of 14 cruise tours with more than 50 departures in 2006 on its
nine European river ships between April and October. The line
is introducing fully escorted tours for the first time with
itineraries that spotlight Holland's commemoration of the 400th
anniversary of Rembrandt’s death and two others exploring the
regions of Bohemia and Normandy.
New independent cruise tours include a Cézanne
Centenary itinerary in France marking the 100th anniversary
of the artist’s birth and another one that operates from Saxony
to Copenhagen. “Discovery Add-ons,” a new concept from Deilmann
in independent cruise tours, will add a dimension of flexibility
and convenience to tour options allowing travelers to select
from a choice of destinations at the beginning and end of a
cruise, instead of just one.
Among perennial favorites, the cruise line
will offer “European Capitals” with extensions to Prague and
Munich aboard the five-star MV Mozart, which will celebrate
its namesake’s 250th birthday all year long; the “Romance of
France”, highlighting the south of France; and the “Elbe Explorer”,
with longer stays in Prague and Berlin on Elbe River cruises.
Deilmann is holding prices in 2006 on most
of its ships and making only small increases (up to five percent)
on four vessels. Seven of the nine river vessels in the Deilmann
fleet are five-star with the Mozart offering the largest cabins
at 203 sq. ft. of any river ship in the world while the Heidelberg,
built in 2004, has cabins measuring 190 sq ft.
Arrangements Deilmann makes for travelers
include pre- and post-cruise city packages, reduced rate shore
excursion packages, air transportation, meet-and-greet service
and transfers between airports and ships. The 2006 Great Rivers
of Europe brochures are available by calling Deilmann at 800-348-8287
or by e-mail at pdcmail@deilmann-cruises.com. Online,
see www.deilmann-cruises.com.
CroisiEurope To Build Vessel For
Ocean Cruises
French river cruise company CroisiEurope which offers combined
river and coastal cruises is planning to build a new shallow
draft cruiseship for ocean cruising. The 200-passenger ship,
named Marco Polo, will be constructed at Meuse &
Sambre Chantier Naval yard in Namur, Belgium for delivery in
2007, which CroisiEurope intends to operate along the Croatian
coast. Costing some €6.5m Marco Polo will chart a weekly
itinerary from April to November 2007 leaving every Thursday
from Dubrovnik. Ports of call will be Mijet, Korcula, Sibenik,
Trogir, Split, Vis, Hvar and Kotor. A winter season is planned
in the Red Sea.
CroisiEurope has been offering eight day ‘river and sea
cruises’ in the Iberian peninsular this year using 180-passenger
Belle de Cadix, launched at the beginning of 2005. Sailing along
the Guadalquivir and Guadiana rivers whose mouths are linked
by the sheltered Cadiz Bay, the ship proceeds down the Guadalquivir
from Seville to Cadiz, then along the coast of Cadiz Bay before
returning via the Guadiana to the Algarve. A short six day option
cruises along the Guadalquivir river plus a coastline passage
up to Sanlucar de Barrameda before returning back to Cordoba
via the river. -- Seatrade Insider
DUXBURY,
MA – French Country Waterways has launched the Adrienne,
a luxurious, new all-suite barge that made her maiden voyage
September 18 in the Upper Loire Valley, gateway to the châteaux
country. The 12-passenger vessel is opulently decorated
in 18th-century country French style with custom-made furniture
adorned with intricate woodcarving and rich fabrics. Six
suites have a lavishly carved king-size bed, armoire and bathroom
of granite and marble. For the first time FCW guests can
choose an all-suite barge in every cruise region.
The Adrienne
sails on leisurely six-night canal cruises between Châtillon-sur-Loire
and Nemours in the Upper Loire on Sundays from April 2 to October
29, 2006. All-inclusive cruise rates of $3,995 to $4,795
per person, double occupancy, are guaranteed when a deposit
is made.
In converting a cargo barge to a luxury hotel barge that is
90% new construction, the extensive changes included cutting
the hull in two, removing parts of the bow and stern, and building
a new mid-section using heavier steel and less ballast to provide
more headroom on both decks and unusually large suites for a
12-passenger canal barge. Elegant, comfortable and spacious,
the vessel has paneled walls and provincial furniture of French
maple in contrasting antique glazed finishes, toile draperies
and crimson carpeting in the salon, dining room and suites.
The lounge, which has a well-stocked bar and library of books,
games and music, opens onto a partially canopied sundeck.
The salon has
comfortable golden sofas with crimson pillows, upholstered chairs
with carved trim, and an antique gold mirror and sconces above
the burled-maple paneled bar. In the dining room
the graceful curves of Louis XV-style tables, chairs and buffets
are the setting for meals served with crystal and faience dishes
from the renowned Gien factory in the Loire. Four-course
dinners blending classic French cooking techniques and the trend
towards lighter, healthier dishes are accompanied by Grand Cru
and Premier Cru wines from Burgundy and other French regions.
The suites,
decorated in ecru, caramel and crimson colors, feature ornately
carved motifs on the armoire, kingsize-bed, doors and bathroom
vanity. They are also equipped with a desk, individual
air-conditioning and heating controls, extra pillows, fresh
flowers, heated towel bar, hair dryer and 110- and 220-volt
electrical outlets.
The Adrienne’s
route on the Canal de Briare, Canal du Loing and Canal Latéral
à la Loire includes two unique barging experiences: cruising
over the River Loire on the world's longest canal bridge, the
Briare Aqueduct designed by Gustave Eiffel; and mooring in Rogny-les-Sept-Ecluses
below a huge seven-lock staircase used from 1642 to 1887.
Daily excursions
take in Fontainebleau, the splendid Renaissance château of French
kings; La Bussière, a lakeside château with formal gardens designed
by Le Nôtre; the famous faience factory in Gien; wine tasting
in Sancerre; a walking tour of the flower-decked Montargis old
town; and a horse-drawn carriage ride around the medieval walled
town of Château-Landon. During free time passengers can
relax on the sundeck and walk or bicycle along canal towpaths.
Hot-air ballooning is an option.
A festive dinner
is held at the Michelin-starred Les Templiers in Les Bézards,
once occupied by the Knights Templars and now a posh country
inn. The chef personally selects the Menu Gourmand
served with the finest wines from the Loire Valley and other
areas of France.
Mark Bostin,
captain of the Adrienne, is the fleet’s
senior captain with 15 years of FCW experience. The barge
has a passenger to crew ratio of 2:1. French Country Waterways
owns and operates its entire fleet and is committed to setting
the standard in personal service, quality and safety for luxury
barge cruising. Its barges in Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace-Lorraine
and the Upper Loire Valley are available for individual bookings
and for charter.
Cruise rates
cover accommodations, all meals, one dinner ashore at the most
celebrated restaurant on each cruise route, estate-bottled wines
at lunch and dinner, open bar, all tours and excursions, bicycles,
services of the English- and French-speaking crew and escorted
transfers between Paris and the barge. Smoking is not
permitted inside the barges.
Information,
brochures and reservations are available at French Country Waterways,
(800) 222-1236 in the U.S. and Canada and (781) 934-2454 in
MA; web site www.fcwl.com.
# # #
RIVERBARGE EXCURSION LINES’ R/B RIVER EXPLORER
WILL CONTINUE
ITS SCHEDULED ROUTES TO NEW ORLEANS AND TEXAS
GULF COAST
NEW ORLEANS, October 5, 2005 –RiverBarge
Excursion Lines, Inc. has reported that the R/B River Explorer
will continue its journeys to New Orleans and the Texas Gulf
Coast in late 2005, early 2006. During Hurricane Katrina, the
198-guest R/B River Explorer was visiting Cape Girardeau, Mo.,
en route to St. Louis and will be exploring the Ohio, Cumberland
and Upper Mississippi Rivers throughout the fall, before making
its way to New Orleans at the beginning of December. From New
Orleans, the barge will operate its scheduled Delta South and
Cajuns and Creoles excursions with its winter and spring itineraries.
The company has also reported that areas
where the R/B River Explorer makes its destination landings
along the Texas Gulf Coast – including Galveston and Port Isabel
– were spared from Hurricane Rita. It will continue its popular
Route of Jean Lafitte adventures, a favorite for bird watchers,
from Jan. 16 through Feb. 26, 2006, before returning to New
Orleans late February.
RiverBarge Excursions’ reservations, sales
& marketing departments, which are temporarily located in
Houston, Tex., will return to New Orleans very soon. For further
information and reservations, call a travel professional or
1-888-GO BARGE, (1-888-462-2743) or visit the web site at www.riverbarge.com.
-RiverBarge Excursion Lines: See America…
Differently!-
RiverBarge Excursion Lines, Inc.,
owner and operator of the 198-guest R/B River Explorer, the
only hotel barge traveling America’s inland waterways, offers
four to ten-day excursions to six regions of the country’s rivers,
including the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, the Cumberland
River Valley, the Tennessee River, the Atchafalaya River Basin,
the Ohio River Valley, the Illinois River and along the inland
Texas-Louisiana Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Offering a complete
vacation experience, each Barging Through America® excursion
allows guests to experience the heritage and culture of nearby
towns that celebrate their past, live in the present and have
their eye on the future. Travelers can also enjoy a relaxed,
family atmosphere, home style cooking, regional entertainment,
shore activities and all- inclusive pricing.
###
Lou Hammond & Associates
39 E 51st St, New York, NY 10022
t: 212-308-8880 f: 212-891-0200
www.louhammond.com
French Country Waterways Launches
Luxury Barge 'Adrienne'
French Country Waterways has launched the Adrienne,
a luxurious, new all-suite barge that made her maiden voyage
September 18 in the Upper Loire Valley, gateway to the châteaux
country. The 12-passenger vessel is opulently decorated in 18th-century
country French style with custom-made furniture adorned with
intricate woodcarving and rich fabrics. Six suites have a lavishly
carved king-size bed, armoire and bathroom of granite and marble.
For the first time FCW guests can choose an all-suite barge
in every cruise region.
The Adrienne sails on leisurely six-night canal cruises between
Châtillon-sur-Loire and Nemours in the Upper Loire on
Sundays from April 2 to October 29, 2006.
'American Queen' Embarks on a New Voyage in Wake of
Hurricane
For the first time in its history, the American Queen,
one of the three authentic steamboats of the Delta Queen Steamboat
Company, embarked through the Gulf of Mexico, on a journey to
begin a charter operation. The American Queen has been chartered
by a private energy company. The American Queen charter operation
will be used to support the efforts to rebuild the Gulf Coast.
Bruce Nierenberg, President of the Delta Queen Steamboat Company
praised its parent company's relief efforts. "From even
before the hurricane hit the Gulf Coast area, Delaware North
was mobilizing to help New Orleans, a city where it had approximately
1,000 employees. So far the company has donated in excess of
half a million dollars to the relief effort. This charter allows
us to keep the American Queen and her crew actively deployed
until it returns to service in May of 2006.
The Delta Queen Steamboat Company, owned by Delaware North Companies,
a global leader in hospitality, was located in New Orleans until
the devastation of
Hurricane Katrina forced it to indefinitely relocate its operations
to the
corporate headquarters of its parent company in New York. A
separate marine,
technical and hotel operation office is located temporarily
in Memphis.
Delta Queen's other two steamboats, the National Historic Landmark
Delta Queen, and the magnificent Mississippi Queen, are presently
operating their regularly scheduled Fall Foliage cruises on
the Upper Mississippi, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers through
November.
The Delta Queen will resume her scheduled service next
spring on April 21,
2006from Baton Rouge. The Mississippi Queen will resume
her service on April 23, 2006 from Memphis; and the American
Queen will return to regular service on May 31, 2006, with her
first cruise departing from Baton Rouge.
All three boats of the DQSC are expected to continue to be used
via private and
government charters in the Gulf Coast region in support of the
hurricane relief
effort during the remaining winter period December 2005 through
March 2006.
'R/B River Explorer' To Continue
New Orleans/Texas Gulf Coast Routes
RiverBarge Excursion Lines, Inc. has reported that the R/B
River Explorer will continue its journeys to New Orleans
and the Texas Gulf Coast in late 2005 and early 2006. During
Hurricane Katrina, the 198-guest R/B River Explorer was visiting
Cape Girardeau, Mo., en route to St. Louis and will be exploring
the Ohio, Cumberland and Upper Mississippi Rivers throughout
the fall, before making its way to New Orleans at the beginning
of December. From New Orleans, the barge will operate its scheduled
Delta South and Cajuns and Creoles excursions with its winter
and spring itineraries.
The company has also reported that areas where the R/B River
Explorer makes its destination landings along the Texas Gulf
Coast including Galveston and Port Isabel were spared from Hurricane
Rita. It will continue its popular Route of Jean Lafitte adventures,
a favorite for bird watchers, from January 16 through February
26, 2006, before returning to New Orleans late February.
RiverBarge Excursions' reservations, sales & marketing departments,
which are temporarily located in Houston, Texas will return
to New Orleans very soon.
Delta Queen Cancels ‘American Queen’ Fall/Winter
Cruises
As a result of the devastating effect of
Hurricane Katrina on the greater New Orleans area, officials
of Delta Queen Steamboat Company today announced the cancellation
of the fall and winter cruise schedule of its steamboat American
Queen. The cancellation applies to all three- and four-night
cruises from September 17, 2005, until March 5, 2006. The ship
will begin sailing again on March 6, 2006. Passengers booked
on the affected cruises can receive an automatic refund or choose
to rebook the trip with various incentives.
Delta Queen President Bruce Nierenberg expressed
gratitude for the outpouring of empathy from passengers and
associates throughout the country, and offered assurances that
all passengers would be accommodated through rebooking or the
refund process. "All of us at Delta Queen appreciate your
support and understanding during this difficult period. If you
need to call us, please be patient as we expect the phone lines
to be very busy during this transition and rebooking period.
But we promise we will continue working until every guest is
taken care of," he said.
Refund Procedure
All American Queen passengers booked on cancelled
cruises will receive full refunds for deposits and other payments.
There is no need for consumers or travel agents to contact the
company or their travel agents to initiate the refund process.
The refunds will go out automatically within the next 60 days.
Refunds for bookings made through Delta Queen travel agents
will be processed through the travel agent; refunds for all
groups will be processed through the travel agent who coordinated
the group departure.
In lieu of refunds, passengers can change
their trips to any scheduled 2006 cruise. There is a $100-per-person
onboard credit being offered to those who choose this option.
In addition, the 2005 rates will apply to the new voyage, as
will the current advance purchase discounts available for 2006
voyages. To take advantage of this offer, call 800-543-1949.
Delta Queen is currently working with various
government authorities to make the American Queen available
in the overall relief efforts for the Gulf Coast region, especially
greater New Orleans. As well, with the help of its parent, Delaware
North Companies, it has established a foundation for the benefit
of associates who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. Passengers
or travel agents wishing to convert all or part of their refunds
to a contribution to this effort should e-mail their names and
phone numbers to DQSC1@dncinc.com. A company representative
will call to process the donation. Individuals may also call
Delta Queen at 800-543-1949, but it is not necessary.
Delta Queen Steamboat Company Revises
Late Fall/Winter Cruises
Due to Hurricane Katrina and the resulting
impact on the Greater New Orleans area, it will be impossible
for the Delta Queen Steamboat Company to operate its regularly
scheduled fall and winter cruises on our authentic steamboats,
the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen. Most of
these cruises were scheduled to begin or end in New Orleans.
Mid- to late-November schedules out of New Orleans for these
two boats have been changed to an alternate location, which
will be Memphis in most cases.
In addition the company is working with government
authorities to make not only the American Queen, but the Delta
Queen and the Mississippi Queen available from December through
February in the overall relief efforts for the Gulf Coast region,
especially New Orleans.
Delta Queen Changes
Late Fall Schedules Changed on Three Delta
Queen Cruises
Delta Queen 12-night cruise (#744) Nov. 3-15
changed to Pittsburgh to Memphis itinerary;
Delta Queen 6-night cruise (#745) Nov. 15-21,
chartered to AAA will have a revised Memphis round trip itinerary;
Delta Queen 7-night Thanksgiving cruise (#746)
Nov. 21-28 will also change its itinerary to Memphis round trip.
Delta Queen Winter Cruises Cancelled
All Delta Queen departures beginning with
November 28, 2005 through December 28, 2005 are cancelled.
The Delta Queen will resume sailings in 2006 with the March
3rd departure.
Mississippi Queen Changes
Late Fall Schedules Changed on Four Mississippi
Queen 7-Night Cruises
Mississippi Queen (#843) Nov. 7-14 changed
to St. Louis to Chattanooga itinerary;
Mississippi Queen (#844) Nov. 14-21 will
now be a Chattanooga to Nashville itinerary;
Mississippi Queen (#845) Nov. 21-28 revised
to Nashville to Memphis itinerary;
Mississippi Queen (#846) Nov. 28-Dec. 5 will
now be a Memphis round trip cruise.
Mississippi Queen Winter Cruises Cancelled
All Mississippi Queen departures beginning
with December 5, 2005 through February 26, 2006 are cancelled.
The Mississippi Queen will resume sailings in 2006 with the
March 4th departure.
All Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen passengers
on cancelled cruises will automatically receive full refunds
for deposits and payments received, either directly or through
travel agency partners, within 60 days. In lieu of refunds,
passengers on cancelled cruises also have the option of rebooking
their cruise on a 2006 sailing on any of our three steamboats.
Passengers choosing this option may purchase a 2006 cruise of
their choice at the 2005 rate, receive any current advance purchase
special offer shown in our 2006 brochure, and will also receive
a $100 per person onboard credit.
Delta Queen Reservations will assist in air
travel changes to accommodate new arrival and departure cities
on the above Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen. Details of
these revised itineraries can be found on the company website
at www.deltaqueen.com
.
Victoria Cruises Partners With Concepts
By Staib, Ltd.
Victoria Cruises, the premier innovator and
pioneer on China’s magnificent Yangtze River, has hired Concepts
By Staib, Ltd. to expand its menus with more Western-style specialties
to further appeal to the palate of its Western clientele. The
revamped menus featuring savory appetizers, salads, entrees,
sauces and desserts will be introduced in the 2006 sailing season.
Currently, Victoria’s dining menus feature
authentic Chinese cuisine with a mix of popular Western dishes
served buffet-style for breakfast and lunch and banquet-style
for dinner. Concepts by Staib was charged with presenting a
series of Western dishes that would complement the existing
Chinese food as well as training the Victoria Cruises’ food
and beverage staff in successfully implementing the recipes.
“With the upgrading of our fleet’s physical product and enhancing
our shore excursions over the past few years, we knew expanding
our menu of excellent cuisine to include more Western-style
selections was the next natural step to advancing our overall
cruise offerings and remaining competitive,” said Benson Wu,
vice president of Victoria Cruises. “After much research, we
contracted Concepts By Staib, Ltd. to revamp our menus and train
our chefs because of the company’s superior reputation and global
experience in addition to Walter Staib’s credentials, enthusiasm
and mastery of the kitchen,” Wu added.
The new dining specialties that cruisers
in 2006 will be able to enjoy will be taken from a selection
of dishes that include: Tomato & Basil Salad, Chicken Tenderloin-Wrapped
Shrimp, Herb Roasted Chicken, Beef Goulash, Beef Medallions
with Asparagus & Hollandaise Sauce, Seafood Newburg, Roast
Duck with Honey Glaze, Medallions of Pork Dijonnaise, Pesto
Pasta, Fish du Jour with Dill Sauce, Roast Beef with Herbed
Crepes, Ravioli Marinara, Stuffed Cabbage, Apple Cake, Sticky
Buns, Pecan Pie and Chocolate Mousse Cake, among many other
choices.
Introducing the new menus required intensive
training of the chefs onboard Victoria Cruises’ vessels. The
chefs are extremely well-trained with excellent skills and solid
culinary experience but the majority of them haven’t had the
opportunity to learn the basics of Western cuisine. To address
this, internationally-acclaimed chef Walter Staib and Paul Bauer,
his lead project manager, traveled to China earlier in the year
to assess existing on-board cooking equipment (Western kitchens
are set-up very differently from traditional Chinese kitchens),
the availability of products and supplies, and the skill sets
of the chefs.
With the assistance of translators, drawings
and hand signals to overcome the language barrier, Staib conveyed
the necessary skills and recipes, and Victoria Cruises’ six
executive chefs and young, ambitious culinary teams took profuse
notes and learned quickly how to prepare Western dishes (beyond
the actual recipes, this included European-style butchering
techniques and presentation). Additionally, Associate Corporate
Pastry Chef Stephen Leffew spent a month with the chefs to improve
the quality of breads, pastries, desserts and afternoon tea
accompaniments.
Selected recipes were compiled in manuals
that will be translated into Chinese so all the chefs can follow
the directions.
Riverbarge’s ‘River Explorer’ Cleared
Of Hurricane Katrina’s Path
New Orleans-headquartered RiverBarge Excursion
Lines, Inc. has reported that its R/B River Explorer was in
Cape Girardeau, Missouri on a scheduled destination landing
visit when Hurricane Katrina bared down on the Gulf Coast.
It will continue its journeys exploring the Ohio, Cumberland
and Upper Mississippi Rivers as planned each fall.
Due to the mandatory evacuation of the New
Orleans area, the company’s reservations, sales & marketing
and operations departments have been temporarily re-located
to Houston, Tex., where officials are arranging housing for
its employees. For further information and reservations, call
a travel professional or 1-888-GO BARGE, (1-888-462-2743) or
visit the web site at www.riverbarge.com
.
Victoria Cruises Expects Bookings On Yangtze
For Sept/Dec 2005 Up At Least 50%
Victoria Cruises expects that bookings between
September and December 2005 will be up at least 50 percent over
the same period last year (based on current reservations on
file although not all bookings are finalized). “We attribute
such impressive projections to a continued interest in traveling
to China and positive editorial coverage of the Three Gorges
Dam project as well as our high-quality, five-star rated product,
upgraded fleet and overall exceptional travel experience,” said
Benson Wu, vice president of Victoria Cruises.
In 2004, Victoria Cruises launched a new
generation of state-of-the-art sailing vessels with premier
and classic ships. Premier ships (the Victoria Katarina,
Victoria Empress, Victoria Prince, Victoria Queen and Victoria
Star) are new or newly-rebuilt ships featuring enhanced
facilities such as private balconies in every cabin, more spacious
public areas, and a higher level of comfort, sophistication
and décor throughout the ships. In the Classic ship category
is the Victoria Rose (rebuilt in 2001). Although smaller than
the other ships in the fleet, the Victoria Rose maintains the
same high-quality standards of the company’s other vessels.
In April 2006, Victoria Cruises will welcome the Victoria Anna,
the largest ship in the company’s fleet boasting the highest
passenger capacity and the most suites of all vessels on the
Yangtze.
