Small Ship Cruising Done Perfectly™
Welcome Aboard
Your Mississippi River Cruise
Memphis, TN to St. Louis, MO
Table of Contents
Welcome.....................................................3 Itinerary Overview......................................4 Getting to Memphis and Your Ship.............6 Staying in Memphis.....................................7 Boarding Your Ship.....................................8 What to Bring ............................................9 Meals & Cocktails.......................................10 General Shore Tour information..................11 General Onboard Information.....................12 Concluding Your Cruise..............................13 End of Cruise Transportation Services.........13 Port by Port Shore Tour Information...........14
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Welcome Aboard Thank you for choosing American Cruise Lines. From your reservation to your experience aboard your ship, American Cruise Lines is with you every step of the way. Your cruise specialist is always just a phone call away and will be happy to assist you with everything from celebrating a special occasion to ensuring that your stateroom is just the way you like it.
The following pages will answer many of your questions about the cruise and your onboard experience. Your cruise specialist is available and can be reached at (800) 894-8570. www.americancruiselines.com
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Marietta
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Indiana
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East Liverpool
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Ports of CallOh
St. Louis Illinois Chester
Columbus, KY
Paducah Kentucky Columbus Tennessee
Point Pleasant West Virginia
Paducah, KY
Cape Girardeau, MO Chester, IL
St. Louis, MO
Memphis
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Missouri Cape Girardeau
Memphis, TN
Mississippi
Alabama
Vicksburg Natchezare subject to change. Itineraries St. Francisville A detailed itinerary will be mailed with your boarding documents.
Baton Rouge Louisiana 4 Oak
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Getting to Memphis and Queen of the Mississippi Whether driving, flying, or taking the train, getting to the ship is easy.
Your Ship Will Be Docked At: Beale Street Landing 251 South Riverside Drive Memphis, TN 38103
Memphis International Airport is the closest airport to the ship. It is serviced by many major airlines and is only approximately 20 minutes from the ship by taxi.
Driving To Memphis
The ship is docked at Beale Street Landing located at 251 South Riverside Drive, Memphis, TN 38103. Upon arrival, you will see American Cruise Lines deckhands in bright red shirts ready to assist you. You may drop your bags off at the ship before parking so they can be brought to your stateroom in advance. Parking is available near the landing. Premier Parking Garage 110 Peabody Place Memphis, TN 38103
Flying Into Memphis: 6
Elvis’s Cadillac
(901) 527-7330
Staying in Memphis
SHIP LOCATION
If you are arriving to Memphis the night before your cruise, these hotels are located a few minutes from the ship. Please ask for the special American Cruise Lines rate. Each hotel can arrange for taxi service to Beale Street Landing.
PARKING
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Sheraton Memphis Downtown (901) 527-7300 250 North Main Street Memphis, TN 38103 Subject to change.
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Courtyard Memphis Airport (901) 396-3600 1780 Nonconnah Blvd. (800) 834-1031 Memphis, TN 38132 This hotel is located near the airport.
Madison Hotel
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(901) 334-5900 (800) 937-8461
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Westin Memphis Beale St. Hotel 170 Lt. George W. Lee Ave. Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 333-1200 (866) 446-3674
Premier Parking Garage 110 Peabody Place Memphis, TN 38103
Exit 1
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Madison Hotel 79 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38103
Beale Street Landing 251 South Riverside Drive Memphis, TN 38103
Poplar Ave 69 240
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Exit 30 from North
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Westin Memphis Beale St. Hotel
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To Memphis International Airport
Exit 30 from South
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Boarding Your Ship Boarding Time
Please plan to arrive at the ship between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. You may not be able to access your stateroom until about 11:30 a.m. The ship will leave at 1:30 p.m. or earlier if all guests have arrived.
From the moment you arrive, everything will be handled for you. American Cruise Lines deckhands wear a distinctive red shirt and will unload your luggage from your car or taxi and bring it to your stateroom aboard the ship. Please keep your boarding passes with you, as it is not necessary for you to stay with your luggage.
The Cruise Director will be awaiting your arrival at the gangway of the ship. Please present your boarding passes and photo ID at this time.
Luggage and Luggage Tags
American Cruise Lines places no restrictions on luggage. However, it is recommended that you bring as few bags as necessary. Suitcases less than 10 inches high may be stowed under your bed. You will be receiving luggage tags with your boarding pass before your cruise. If you would like additional tags, your cruise specialist will be happy to send you more. If you have cruised with us before, please remove your old luggage tags. 8
Subject to change.
What to Bring Casual resort attire is recommended both on the ship and ashore. For dinner, men’s clothing might include a sport shirt and slacks, with sport coat or sweater. Women might find a sweater and slacks, or a dress appropriate.
American Cruise Lines also recommends that you bring the following: • • • • • • • •
Comfortable resort attire Comfortable walking shoes Sunscreen Hat Light rain wear Jacket for cool evenings Camera Photo identification
Please do not hesitate to ask your Hotel Manager for any item that you may have forgotten.
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Meals and Cocktails Glasses, ice, mixers, and soft drinks are available at all times. For other liquor requests, your Hotel Manager will assist you.
American Cruise Lines offers open seating at every meal in the Dining Salon on the Main Deck. Dress is resort attire. At dinner, men often wear a sport coat and women often wear a dress. Breakfast is prepared to order at your leisure between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.
Special Diets and Medications
American Cruise Lines will cater to any special dietary needs. Please tell your cruise specialist approximately two weeks prior to your cruise so that we may plan accordingly.
Lunch is served at 12:30 p.m.
Dinner service begins at 6:30 p.m., and you are welcome to join us at any time before 7:30 p.m. American Cruise Lines provides complimentary wine and beer during lunch and dinner service. A complimentary cocktail hour with full bar is hosted each evening at 5:30 p.m. before dinner. 10
Refrigeration is available to store insulin or other medications requiring protection. Subject to change.
Shore Tours
Please note that all shore tours are subject to availability and change. Your onshore experience is as important as your onboard experience, so American Cruise Lines has taken special care to research and plan excursions at each port. With American Cruise Lines, you will experience what makes each destination a special place.
Every tour will take you to the finest local sites at each port and give you true insight to the area’s culture, heritage and history. On each excursion, you’ll be joined by local experts, historians or naturalists to further enhance your experience.
For detailed descriptions of each tour, please see pages 14-19.
For additional information about the places you will visit or alternative activities available, your Cruise Director or onboard guest speaker will be happy to help.
There are two types of shore excursions on your Memphis to St. Louis cruise:
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Featured tours are complimentary to all guests. Premium tours typically cost between $20 and $70 and can be Premium paid for onboard, near the end of your cruise. Featured
You may sign up for most tours onboard with the Cruise Director. American Cruise Lines is dedicated to making your onshore experience a true American Adventure.
Subject to change.
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General Onboard Information American Cruise Lines will work to meet your onboard needs and cater to special requests. If at any point there is an item that you would like to see provided, please let your Hotel Manager or Cruise Director know.
Emergency Messages
Emergency messages can be directed to the main office in Connecticut at (800) 894-8570. They will be relayed to the ship at the first opportunity. You are urged to provide American Cruise Lines with email addresses and cellular phone numbers, as well as an emergency contact prior to your departure date. Cell phones are generally available onboard the ship for emergency purposes.
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Tipping
Tipping is entirely at your personal discretion. Tips are generally given to the Hotel Manager near the end of the cruise. They are then divided equally among the stewards and deckhands. Tips generally average about $125 per person on a 7-night cruise. Stewards and deckhands do not expect and cannot accept tips directly. Credit cards, personal or travelers checks, and cash are accepted. If you choose to pay by credit card, please contact the Hotel Manager at least one day before the end of your cruise.
Concluding Your Cruise On most cruises, the ship will arrive in St. Louis the evening prior to the final day of the cruise. The ship docks at the 500 South Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63101. On the last day of your cruise, breakfast is served from 7:00 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. and passengers may disembark until 8:30 a.m. At the conclusion of your cruise, consider extending your stay in St. Louis with one of the tours on pages 18 and 19. Your Hotel Manager or Cruise Director will be available to assist with tour arrangements.
End of Cruise Transportation Services For passengers flying home, American Cruise Lines offers transportation from the ship in St. Louis to:
Memphis International Airport - departs the ship at 7:30 a.m. Memphis Parking Garage - departs the ship at 7:30 a.m.
For more information, prices, or reservations, please call your cruise specialist at (800) 894-8570. During the cruise, your Hotel Manager or Cruise Director will also be happy to assist you with travel arrangements.
Subject to change.
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Columbus-Belmont State Park
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Port by Port Shore Tour Information Columbus, KY
Civil War Trail & Trail of Tears National Heritage Site
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Enjoy a guided tour given by a Civil War Soldier who will lead you through the park, considered by both the North and South to be strategically significant in gaining and keeping control of the Mississippi River. While visiting this historic site, explore the museum which is the only antebellum building that survives at the park. The building was originally a farmhouse and served as a Confederate hospital during the early part of the war. Museum exhibits focus not only on Civil War History but the local natural and cultural history as well.
Columbus-Belmont State Park and Museum
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The Columbus-Belmont State Park is a National Trail of Tears Site and is located on the Civil War Heritage Trail. Explore the park’s historical museum that once served as a Confederate hospital during the Civil
Paducah Quilt Museum
War. An interpreter from the Civil War era will take you through the restored building sharing the history and stories of this fascinating museum.
Paducah, KY
Paducah City Tour
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Discover Paducah’s colorful history during a guided tour through the town’s historic district. Visit the thriving riverfront, where you will view over 50
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Overlook at Trail of Tears State Park
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life-sized murals depicting Paducah’s rich history. Conclude your tour at The National Quilt Museum. Known as “Quilt City, USA,” Paducah attracts visitors from across the globe that come to marvel at the artistry of the Museum’s collection of quilts and exhibits.
River Heritage Museum
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Hear stories of the people and events that helped shape life along the Ohio River during a guided tour of the River Heritage Museum. Housed in downtown Paducah’s oldest standing structure, the museum’s interactive exhibits tell the story of the four rivers region. Featured exhibits include a pilothouse simulator and a working lock and dam display.
Cape Girardeau, MO Trail of Tears State Park
retrace the steps of the Cherokee through a series paintings, maps, and artifacts.
Narrated City Tour & Old St. Vincent’s Church
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Join a local guide on a narrated tour through Cape Girardeau’s beautiful Old St. Vincent’s Church. The church’s English Gothic Revival architecture is both beautiful and rare, as very few churches of this
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Trail of Tears State Park commemorates the tragedy of the forced march of Cherokees through North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas to Oklahoma. The park allows you to Old St. Vincent’s Church
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style still exist in America today. After visiting Old St. Vincent’s Church, travel down the street to the Crisp Museum which features fine art exhibitions, prehistoric Native American artifacts, and interpretive regional history displays.
Chester, IL Walking Tour
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Located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, Chester is known as The City of Popeye as it is the birthplace of his creator, Elzie Segar. Founded in the early 18th century, Chester offers a combination of beautiful natural surroundings and interesting small town history. Join a local guide who will tell you about the people and places of this little corner of America.
St. Louis, MO
The Arch Experience
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No trip to St. Louis is complete without a stop at the Arch. Your tour begins with a viewing of the film 18
“Monument to the Dream” which provides an up close and personal look at how the arch was built. Following the film, continue on to the tram which will take you to the top of the Arch. Following the tram ride, there will be free time on the park grounds before returning to the ship. Please note: the tram is not handicapped accessible.
Discover St. Louis Tour
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Narrated tour will include downtown St. Louis and the riverfront, Citygarden, the historic neighborhoods of Soulard and Lafayette Square and a driving tour of Forest Park. Also enjoy a Stables Only tour at Anheuser Busch InBev Brewery if available. See the stables of the world-famous Clydesdale horses and sample free products in the hospitality room.
The St. Louis Arch
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Thank you for cruising with us! (800) 894-8570 www.americancruiselines.com
741 Boston Post Rd., Suite 200 Guilford, CT 06437 (800) 894-8570 111814