Staycations on North America's Rivers and Waterways: The Mississippi
byLynn Elmhirst/
Call it “Ol’ Man River,” “The Big Muddy,” “Old Blue,” “The Gathering of Waters” or the translation of its original Ojibwe name “misi-ziibi” meaning “Great River,” the Mississippi is America's most iconic, historic and storied river route. Mark Twain painted a literary picture of life and travel along the Mississippi so powerful and enduring that, even today, a Mississippi river cruise conjures up images of gingerbread-trimmed, paddlewheel river boats.
Sailing a portion of the long, north-south river is the most popular and often the first river cruise option for staycation travelers. In part 2 of Travel Market Report's 3-part series about river cruise staycations in North America, here's what travel advisors need to know about selling more cruises close to home on Ol' Man River.
American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines(ACL)是唯一的邮轮线,拥有三种不同风格的船只,供客人在美国的河流,水道和海岸上进行选择:维多利亚时代的桨轮,稳定的沿海船只,以及第一艘和唯一的现代现代河流船这个国家。他们的所有船只都是在美国建造的,它们提供了行业中一些最大的客舱。
蕾丝桨轮和光滑的现代河船都为ACL的密西西比行程服务。虽然船的风格可能会改变,但他们都分享了ACL定义的河流灌木丛风格:全包餐饮,免费的晚间鸡尾酒会时间,预科店的住宿,酬金,享受午餐和晚餐的葡萄酒和啤酒讲座和许多包括海岸游览。
该系列的九台密西西比州行程包括有趣的主题和假期出发,并且仍然是其产品中最受欢迎的产品。鉴于密西西比州达到的巨大领土规模,ACL的行程仅探索大河的细分市场:圣路易斯,密苏里州圣路易斯和明尼苏达州圣保罗之间的密西西比州;来自孟菲斯,田纳西州和新奥尔良的密西西比州下部;以及包括俄亥俄州和田纳西河等支流的巡游。所有行程都具有珍贵的Americana体验,例如Elvis的Graceland,Ante Bellum Southern Grantations,爵士音乐和克里奥尔文化的家园,新近重新开放的St. Louis Arch的现代设计偶像等等。
密西西比州实质上是美国大陆的一分为二,使车门很容易被汽车到达许多美国人甚至加拿大旅行者,ACL经常驶过北部出发门户的边界。
Travel Advisor Tips:除了在一次旅行中驾驶和引人入胜的独特目的地的便利性外,美国邮轮公司的业务发展总监Susan Shultz-Gelino说,他们的最佳客户还有其他共同点:他beplay银行卡们是65多:他们是65多。寻找相同的欧洲河巡游的便利,例如一次打开包装和个性化的全包服务。
根据Shultz-Gelino的说法,ACL的分层佣金结构和“非常慷慨的登机预订计划”具有高的重新预订率,以及其团队政策,帮助顾问成功。
“我们也有一个伟大的代理门户网ite, where agent advisors can go for easy online booking, as well as managing their clients' cruises top-to-bottom. There are many selling and marketing tools in the agent portal designed to help agents be successful,” Shultz-Gelino said.
American Queen Steamboat company's fleet is all paddelwheelers. Photo: AQSC.
American Queen Steamboat Company
马克·吐温(Mark Twain)会在美国皇后汽船公司(AQSC)船上感到宾至如归的船只,该船只延续了姜饼修剪的传统,桨轮河船将密西西比州铺上。
The company has three boats, all paddlewheelers, with another being delivered next year. Two of the three existing vessels sail Mississippi itineraries with convenient departures from iconic American river port cities like New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, and St. Louis.
即使在带有其他桨轮的河流上,AQSC河船也脱颖而出。该线说,其美国女王是世界上最大,最豪华的河船。比足球场更长,高耸的六张甲板,并带有幻想的姜饼装饰,这艘船可能出现在19页的页面上th-century novel, but it is a marvel of modern engineering.
Sister ship, the American Duchess, is the first all-suite paddlewheeler in the U.S. Along with spacious accommodations and vaulted ceilings, guests enjoy fine dining options, beautiful decks for strolling, and premium amenities. Clients accustomed to top-end suites in other cruising destinations will be delighted to discover this ship stateside. The American Duchess' two-story Loft Suites are unique on the Mississippi, and include a full bathroom, small dining area, beautiful lounge, a queen sofa-bed and desk area, a private balcony plus an upstairs loft area with a semi-private bedroom, a full bathroom, and generous closet space.
On shore, the cruise line's popular Hop-on Hop-off service has deluxe coaches driving the itinerary's route in tandem with the boats to provide a continuous circuit of major local attractions in most ports, so guests can select the attractions they most want to see, disembark the ship at their leisure, and enjoy the local area at their own pace.
Travel Advisor Tips:The cruise line's travel agent portal gives advisors the opportunity to enhance their knowledge with a deep dive into the Mississippi's many destinations and itineraries, information and sales collateral for the ships, marketing pieces, voyage schedules, transportation and port information, as well as the bon voyage gift order form.
ACSQ提供现场或按需网络研讨会,现场检查,旅行社费率和FAM Trips。
NOTE: Part 1 of this series covered西部的蛇和哥伦比亚河。Part 3 is coming soon and will visit The Great Lakes Out to the East Coast.