The PSSOA is Back!

[HostDave]

October 12, 2012
By Christopher Kyte, President

Not all that long ago, I was traveling on a business trip and staying in a large hotel in an even larger city. It’s a hotel brand I had used many times so I was part of its loyalty program. Upon checking in, I was told “welcome back” by the gentleman behind the desk (even though I had never stayed in this particular hotel in my life) and I thanked him for the gesture. As a loyal guest, I had access to a few perks but, otherwise, I might as well have been any other guest staying in any other hotel in any other city in the country.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not complaining. I appreciate the fact this hotel chain makes an attempt to recognize my brand loyalty but somehow it rings hollow when staying in a hotel, or renting a car or doing any number of other things that we do in the normal course of our travels. It occurred to me that while they wanted me to feel like part of the family, it’s just not possible to do that with something as innocuous as a hotel stay. Exactly what family was I a part of? The logos on the towels were familiar but I didn’t know a soul on the staff. More importantly, I didn’t find groups of hotel guests gathering to share stories and laughter about the many times they had stayed at this particular hotel.

Some experiences engender true loyalties and do, indeed, make us feel like we are part of a family. And some simply don’t.

When we returned the American Queen to service, we found something wonderful happened. We saw that feeling of family sprout up right before our very eyes. It wasn’t just that a beloved steamboat had been given new life. It wasn’t just that some of her staff had once worked aboard her in the past when she belonged to other travel companies. It wasn’t even that some of those staff had served aboard other steamboats of the legendary Delta Queen Steamboat Company for years, either. No, that sense of family came from our guests, many of whom had sailed the American Queen before.

Unlike a hotel stay, guests on the American Queen quickly sought each other out to share their prior experiences. Before the voyage, they didn’t know one another but, within a few days, they were all part of the same family. Even the newcomers to Steamboating were drawn into the camaraderie. Though they didn’t have stories to share just yet, they were fascinated by the tales of the guests who had sailed before and who opened their hearts and welcomed them to the cozy and ever-so-friendly society of those who travel by riverboat.

There was just one thing missing: formal recognition of the group of dedicated guests who perpetuated the romance of the river during the years when no boats were sailing and who became the touchstone for all of us who were restarting American river cruising with the American Queen and the American Queen Steamboat Company.

I’m happy to say that we have rectified this one missing element of recognition and we’re doing it in what I believe to be grand style!

For many years, the Paddlewheel Steamboating Society of America hosted its honored repeat travelers from the Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen on specially arranged insider experiences ashore prior to a Steamboating cruise. Now that the American Queen has returned to service, the Paddlewheel Steamboating Society of America has been reestablished to welcome and recognize Steamboaters in special ways throughout the year. I’m truly excited to invite you to come and join us for this inaugural re-launch of the Society.

When you reserve the Old Fashioned Holidays voyage aboard the legendary American Queen, from December 14 to 21, 2012, you are invited to be our guests for the 3-day Reunion Celebration in New Orleans, from December 12 to 14, 2012. In addition to the pre-voyage program, we will have some lagniappes planned for you – that means a little something extra that was unexpected. If you are already a former member of the Paddlewheel Steamboating Society of America, you are always welcome to our Members Only and Reunion events and celebrations. If you are new to Steamboating, we welcome you as our guest to this celebration, and you will become a Member of the PSSOA upon arrival, with all future benefits, insider invitations and gifts enjoyed by PSSOA Members.

This isn’t a generic hotel loyalty program. This is Steamboating loyalty and that means even more than being a part of special events and wonderful extras. That means being part of a true family each and every time you sail. I sincerely hope you will join us for this festive holiday event as we relaunch the Paddlewheel Steamboating Society of America.

I’m happy to say that the legend is back!