Captain’s
newsletter
741 Boston Post Road., Suite 200, Guilford, CT 06437 • 1-888-323-4741
September 2014
THE GOLD RUSH-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT OF SKAGWAY
The Klondike Gold Rush began in August of 1896 when Keish “Skookum Jim” Mason, a Tagish Indian, discovered this precious metal in a tributary of the Klondike River. As word spread, people dropped everything to journey into the unfamiliar wilderness of southeast Alaska. From 1896 to 1898 miners barged into the tent town of Skagway to commence the 600-mile trek to the goldfields.
A downtown area emerged to provide the local miners with necessary supplies, legal services and communications. Hurriedlyconstructed wooden buildings went up to house those businesses. With their gear in tow, ambitious prospectors stepped onto the head of the White Pass Trail where it intersects with Skagway. Without any other means to do so, they lugged their supplies for hundreds
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ON HOLIDAY CRUISES
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741 Boston Post Rd., Suite 200 Guilford, CT 06437
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Customer #
1057
PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #222 DEEP RIVER, CT
FABRICATING OUR NEWEST PADDLEWHEELER Departing on September 12, 2015, this trip will lead you down the Mississippi River during the height of northern fall foliage to experience jazz, Graceland, barbecue, and the complete history of the Louisiana Purchase, American Civil War and the beginning of the Lewis and Clark expedition. We are thrilled to introduce this new riverboat and look forward to seeing you soon. Keep your eyes peeled for more exciting updates!
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Recently the pilot house was skillfully hoisted onto the top
Fitted with an authentic paddlewheel in Victorian riverboat fashion, it will travel the Mississippi River to port cities such as New Orleans, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul and St. Louis. American Cruise Lines is also offering a brand new itinerary which will only be held once during the 2015 cruise season. On this Grand Heartland cruise you will travel even further than Huck Finn’s illustrious journey along
the Mississippi on this 2 week cruise through 10 states.
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Crews are hard at work at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland preparing American Cruise Lines’ newest paddlewheel riverboat to cruise the Mississippi River in the spring of 2015. With the steelwork and much of the outfitting already complete, it was launched into the Wicomico River this June. The ship was nudged into the East Outfitting Basin by tugboats where the construction of the upper decks and final outfitting will be completed.
deck by a large crane and was welded to the rest of the boat. It was built separately with modern navigation and electrical systems already in place. The next step of the process will be installing the miles of electrical cables which will power the lights, phones, TVs and other appliances. Once finished, the new riverboat will carry 150 passengers and will feature more private balcony staterooms with floor to ceiling sliding glass doors than any other ship in the fleet.
FLORIDA
PASSENGER PROFILE
GEORGE AND NANCY PRATT - TARPON SPRINGS, FL Every sailing has been a memorable experience for them. To keep a record of all the interesting sights they see and pieces of information they learn, Nancy creates a photo journalistic book of every American Cruise Lines trip they take, which they share with friends and family. Nancy’s book has even compelled people to call and book a cruise through our Eagle Society referral program! (See page 6 for more details.) The camaraderie on the ships is another great aspect of the American Cruise Lines sailings that keeps the Pratts coming back. In fact, on their last cruise in Alaska, the Pratts made friends with a family with whom they are sailing next year aboard the Queen of the Mississippi. Like all our valued members of the Eagle Society, we greatly look forward to welcoming them aboard once again.
Eagle Society members George and Nancy Pratt love to experience the outdoors and learn about American history. In fact, most of their trips are focused around those themes. On a schooner traveling off the coast of Maine, they realized the New England coastline would be a great place to explore. George taught navigation at a United States Power Squadron location and was intrigued by the way a cruise ship would navigate around the New England Islands. So in the summer of 2007 onboard the American Spirit, the Pratts sailed with American Cruise Lines to these islands and fell in love with small ship cruising.
The Pratts requested to print a list of those they would like to specially thank for making their cruising experience with American Cruise Lines extraordinary:
An adventurous and animated couple, they have vacationed to the Grand Canyon and the national parks of Utah as well as internationally but now prefer the service of American Cruise Lines. They have been on eight cruises with us and have enjoyed the attention we put into focusing the cuisine, entertainment, lectures and onshore activities. A patriotic pair, the Pratts also enjoy learning about the history and culture of each destination, exclaiming, “American Cruise Lines attracts people who want to learn more about American History” and offers an entirely different perspective for people sailing within regions they are intimately familiar with.
Devon Dzicek (Sales) Captain Henry Thorpe Captain Max Taber Mindy Callan (Hotel Manager) Chelsea Hargis (Hotel Manager) Sam Ladley (Lecturer) Tom Stanley (Lecturer) Mike Link and Kate Crowley (Lecturers) Captain Don Johnson
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HOW THE MUSIC WORLD TUNED INTO NEW ORLEANS JAZZ New Orleans jazz music first emerged onto the scene in the early 1900s as a combination of ragtime, blues, spirituals, marches and the popular music of Tin Pan Alley. Jazz struggled to make its way into the music industry and surprisingly was mainly recorded only outside of New Orleans in Chicago, Los Angeles and Richmond, Indiana. The jazz of New Orleans fought its way into the music industry and was eventually adopted into mainstream music during the World War II era. As is typical with the rise of new genres of music, jazz developed from experimentation. The musician most associated with these first jazz experiments was Charles “Buddy” Bolden who played the cornet in the Bolden Band. His band, as well as Jack Laine’s Reliance Band and many others, moved away from traditional sheet music to incorporating improvised bits throughout the performance, adding a flare that jazz is now famous for. During the roarings 20s, a "jazz age" developed as a result of migration to the cities, growing affluence and increased interest in entertainment. As this genre became more popular, steamboat trips along the Mississippi River featured dance excursions onboard. Riverboat bands such as the Sam Morgan Jazz Band, Oscar Celestin’s Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra and Ed Allen’s Gold Whispering Band
performed for audiences as the boat steamed along. As jazz music continued to expand its reach, its musicians and composers grew as well. In particular, Jelly Roll Morton, who played the piano to a New Orleans Rhythm Kings recording, is recognized as one of the best composers of early jazz. He finetuned the New Orleans style of jazz to include intricate ensemble parts with improvised solos. Louis Armstrong followed shortly after by gracing the world with his characteristic tone on the cornet and his mastery of scat singing.
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Although both Morton and Armstrong became quite famous, most New Orleans jazz musicians were unknown to the world outside of the Big Easy until the 1940s. When the United States entered World War II, jazz rose in popularity because musicians were sent overseas to entertain the troops and concerts were organized to raise money for the war. With the upbeat rhythm of jazz keeping America’s spirit up during war times, it was clear that jazz had secured its place not only in history but in the future of the music world.
EXPLORE THE GLORIOUS RIVERS AND WATERWAYS OF AMERICA American Cruise Lines’ 2015 Spring Cruise Collection features a selection of cruises handpicked to showcase the beautiful 2015 spring season.
2015 SPRING CRUISE COLLECTION Historic South & Golden Isles onboard the Independence March 28, 2015 • April 4, 2015 • April 11, 2015 Civil War Theme Cruise on March 21, 2015 Lower Mississippi River onboard the Queen of the Mississippi February 28, 2015 • March 14, 2015 • March 28, 2015 Music Theme Cruise on April 11, 2015 Great Rivers of Florida onboard the American Glory March 21, 2015 • March 28, 2015 • April 4, 2015 Puget Sound & San Juan Islands onboard the American Spirit March 28, 2015 • April 4, 2015 • May 2, 2015 Food & Wine Theme Cruise on April 11, 2015 Historic South & Golden Isles onboard the American Star April 4, 2015 • April 11, 2015 • April 18, 2015 Columbia & Snake Rivers onboard the Queen of the West April 11, 2015 • April 18, 2015 • April 25, 2015 Lewis & Clark Theme Cruise on April 4, 2015 To begin planning your 2015 spring cruise getaway, call a cruise specialist at 1-888-323-4741. “Once again, my favorite ship provided relaxation, good food, new ventures, friendly passengers, beautiful views and a most accommodating crew.” Doris F. from Plymouth, MI “I truly enjoyed being on the Queen of the Mississippi. It is a beautiful boat—decorated tastefully and has all the amenities to provide a comfortable atmosphere for all guests.” Ida Lou C. from Georgetown, TX “I always feel at home on all of the ships. This was my fifth cruise with you. A great way to relax and see things at the same time.” Kathleen F. from East Hampton, NY
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Continued from page 1 of miles to remote sites where they would stake a claim.
In addition to the preservation of the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, present day Skagway holds onto its past in many other ways. Broadway, the town’s main street, is lined with historic shops, wooden sidewalks, locals in period costumes and restored buildings. Tours in town offer an opportunity to learn the art of gold panning and then test those skills. Most of these tours even affirm to guests that “gold is guaranteed.” Visitors continue to venture here to experience the Gold Rush.
The sudden influx of people to southeast Alaska and the opportunity to capitalize on the lack of transportation enticed new business ventures. Journalist and museum art curator, Erastus Brainerd, and the Seattle Chamber of Commerce coordinated a publicity campaign to make Seattle the primary American port to points in Alaska. His campaign was a success as Seattle still holds this position today as a primary American port to the last frontier.
Learn about the Gold Rush firsthand as you travel with American Cruise Lines to Skagway onboard the American Spirit, our 100 guest cruise ship. On our Southeast Alaska cruise we visit Skagway, Glacier Bay, Petersburg, Juneau and more.
Although the terrain was very steep, engineers found a way to construct a rail line from Skagway to the Summit of White Pass. The project was completed in the summer of 1899 with a train track that rose from sea level at Skagway to 2,885 feet at the summit in a mere 21 miles. To this day it still takes passengers along the same track for breathtaking views of mountains, glaciers, gorges and waterfalls.
For more details on how to create your own Alaskan adventure, contact a cruise specialist today at 1-888-323-4741.
JOIN THE EAGLE SOCIETY
As a past passenger, we would like to invite you to join our loyalty program, the Eagle Society. As an Eagle Society member, you receive special discounts, access to exclusive cruises, complimentary shore tours, perks through our referral program and more! Through our referral program we offer a $500 courtesy savings per stateroom for every friend Eagle Society members refer that reserves a cruise with us. Additionally, if cruising together, the referral will be automatically upgraded to Eagle Society status
on their first cruise so they can enjoy the benefits of membership together.
HOW TO JOIN:
Go to www.americancruiselines.com/eagle to sign up or email us at eaglesociety@americancruiselines.com.
Th e E ag l e S o c i e t y ™ of American Cruise Lines
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GUEST SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT Sam Ladley is a renowned New England maritime historian with more than 20 years of experience lecturing professionally aboard cruises and for various historical societies and school systems. Ladley specializes in the history of colonial settlement, Native American history, whaling, coastal and island communities and more.
Q: Which cruise do you enjoy the most? A: I’ve got to say, I’m partial to the cruise that stops at my house! For the past few years that has been the Maine Coast but when I started lecturing on boats I was living on the Hudson River near West Point Academy. Lecturing at the Hudson River Museum was my favorite at that time. I also enjoy visiting Newport and Nantucket for the cool, August sea breeze. So I guess I can’t quite pick one particular place as my favorite! Q: How do you prepare for the onboard guest lectures? A: I have many hours of prepared lectures I give at schools or formal presentations but I don’t use those on the boats. The best part of giving talks on the boat is you can point right out the window! It’s a teacher’s dream! You are talking about lobster boats, summer cottages or lighthouses as you are gently passing by them. I also love the fact that passengers are here to learn but also to be entertained. That makes them a great audience for the fun historical facts and real life stories I present about the towns we visit. I also try to plan walking trips and give port talks for each stop on the cruise.
Q: Are you a New England native? A: (laughs) I grew up on the coast of Maine, onshore in the winter and then 25 miles offshore on an island in the summer but my parents aren’t from Maine. Mainers have a saying, “just because your cat has kittens in the oven, doesn’t make them biscuits.” It can take generations to become a New Englander. I lobstered in school though and got into sailing and the culture of the coast. I think I’ve always had one foot on a boat. Q: Have you always been intrigued by New England history? A: Absolutely. I think more so than other places, the history of New England is present and apparent. Things are slow to change in the Northeast. I’ve been a historian specializing in the coastal settlement of the Northeast for 25 years and I still am excited every time I find a new layer to the story.
Q: What do you feel is your role on American Cruise Lines sailings? A: I feel as though the lecturer is the local host. One of the things I appreciate most about the American Cruise Lines passengers is that they are curious. Small ship cruising is not just a vacation for them. It is a chance to see a new place and really learn about it. People who choose small ship cruises are looking for an authentic experience. So what a lecturer can provide is context. Background. It helps to understand a place if you have some idea of why it is the way it is and who the people are that live there. A week to ten days is a quick visit but with a guide you can absorb a great deal of information in a short period of time.
Q: What cruises have you sailed on as a guest speaker? A: I have been lecturing onboard small ships on the New England coast, Hudson River and the St. Lawrence River for over 20 years. I’ve been working for American Cruise Lines on their Hudson River, New England Islands, Maine Coast and Grand New England cruises since the 90s. The culture and history of that region constitutes a particularly interesting piece of the story of North America because of the diversity of those who originally settled there.
If you would like to explore historic New England with Sam, please call a cruise specialist at 1-888-323-4741.
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TRAVEL AWARDS American Cruise Lines is pleased to announce our company has been named North America’s Leading River Cruise Company, World’s Leading Small Ship Cruise Line and World’s Leading River Cruise Company in 2013. Referred to as “the Oscar’s of the travel industry” by the Wall Street Journal, World Travel Awards has developed into the most prestigious and comprehensive awards program in travel and tourism. Thousands of travel organizations globally are nominated and voted for pushing the boundaries of excellence and implementing ground-breaking ideas.
Featured Holiday Cruises
New Year’s on the Lower Mississippi • December 28, 2014 This holiday season treat yourself to a spectacular New Year’s cruise aboard the paddlewheeler, Queen of the Mississippi. We invite you to join us on this New Orleans round trip cruise the day before departure for a free night’s stay aboard the ship. Your pre-night’s stay also includes a complimentary dinner celebration in New Orleans at the famous Antoine’s Restaurant. This delightful cruise features holiday-themed shore excursions including a visit to Oak Alley’s Holiday Experience, in which the mansion is decorated to replicate the Creole tradition, and the annual holiday concert in the Billiard Hall of the historic J.N. Stone House.
ADDITIONAL HOLIDAY CRUISES: Christmas in the Historic South & Golden Isles • December 20, 2014 Christmas on the Lower Mississippi • December 20, 2014
EXTRA NIGHT FREE!
New Year’s in the Historic South & Golden Isles • December 28, 2014 To learn more, go to www.americancruiselines.com or call a cruise specialist at 1-888-323-4741.
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