Name: Jim Splitstone
Email: split@prodigy.net
Age: 72
Occupation: retured
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: DeltaQueen-American
SailingDate: 1-96
Itinerary: New Oreleans-Natchez
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 70
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 70
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 18 Jan 1997
Time: 21:56:59
Remote Name: 198.83.19.111
Remote User:


Comments

Our cruise on the Mississippi suffers from comparison with the many cruises we have taken on "blue water" ships. On the positive side, the cabins were quite spacious and included a private veranda overlooking the water. As was everything else they were decorated in the old time style. Plenty of storage space and room to sit. Unfortunately the weather was too cold to do much sitting on our veranda. The show was quite good considering that the cast did not vary and seemed to consist of talents of the crew who might be doublintg in some other capacity. There were hotdogs available on deck although none of the crew seemed to be quite sure what deck they would be on on a given day. There were no shipboard activities other than kite flying.

The land tours were well handled but not very interesting consisting mostly of looking at old plantation homes. The food was very southern style and good I suppose if you like that. I didn't. There was little variety and the tabasco sauce was used on everything. Our waitress was a rather brash young girl, competant, but lacking in the skills that one finds on the big ships. The busboy was virtually non-existant. As a test one night I finished my coffee after dinner and sat there for 35 minutes with an empty cup until my wife finally took pity and called the waitress.

The crew was somewhat insular, responding to questions when asked but mostly keeping to themselves in the public rooms. No mingling with the guests. We discovered the engine room one time and the engineer on duty was quite frindly. We discovered that only 10% of the power was provided by the paddle wheel. The rest by conventional screws. The scenery became dull after awhile, perhaps because it was mid winter and the trees ware barren and the water brown.

Frankly, it was a boring trip. For those interested in the nostalgia of the old days (even if it fake) it might be enjoyable but otherwise it was a bad trip and certainly not worth the money which was more than we would have spent on a comparable week on a big ship.

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