HOLIDAY LOYALTY

[HostDave]

What is loyalty? Though it can be hard to define, we know it when we see it. More importantly, we know it when we feel it. Loyalty comes in many forms. It can be our dedication to a specific restaurant, our penchant for buying a certain cologne or perfume, our continued purchase of cars by a particular manufacturer or, in our example in this blog, companies that we rely on to provide outstanding vacations.

As a consumer, our loyalty is not fickle. Once we are committed to an entity, we will return again and again. But we also expect that each time we return we will receive the same level of service, cuisine, experience and satisfaction as each prior visit or purchase. More importantly, over time we come to expect a bit more from those companies that we have showered with our patronage. We are no longer just a repeat customer. We have crossed into the land of loyalty.

At the American Queen Steamboat Company, we take that loyalty relationship very, very seriously. When we started operations, we did so knowing that we were continuing the 150-year tradition of overnight river travel on an authentic steamboat. Such an endeavor was once commonplace but was now a one-of-a-kind vacation experience.

We were grateful from the outset for the many guests who had sailed the American Queen in the past under prior operators and those who were loyal past guests of the former Delta Queen Steamboat Company, the legendary firm that inspired us to return the American Queen to service. That type of loyalty encourages loyalty in return.

That’s why we’ve just announced our Customer Loyalty Extravaganza on our 9-Day Old Fashioned Holiday December 13 departure which extends your vacation to a full 10 glorious days. We’re offering our past guests as well as those who have sailed with Delta Queen a special gift which includes a pre-cruise package featuring a two-night stay at The Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans, private dining, musical performances and city tours. Keep in mind that all our guests receive a special one-night pre-cruise deluxe hotel stay as part of every cruise, but this special two-night Ritz-Carlton package was created exclusively to show our appreciation to those who have shown us their loyalty.

Jeff Krida, our Vice Chairman and Co-Founder, enjoys working with our team to create a special pre-cruise program of luxurious and “insider” events. Jeff has spent many years in New Orleans and knows how to craft a truly unique experience. He’s also both familiar with and a big fan of “lagniappe” which is a Cajun term for offering “a little something extra and unexpected.”

The Customer Loyalty Extravaganza begins on December 12 with two nights in The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the French Quarter, enhanced by wonderful dining and private concerts by our favorite New Orleans musicians - and Jeff and our team know the great ones personally! Enjoy a "second line" parade while visiting Mardi Gras World and learning the local inside stories of Mardi Gras, right where artists are crafting next year's parade floats. Experience a tour of the great World War II museum with a private lecture by authors Toni Kiser and Lindsey Barnes who share their insightful stories of The American Animals of World War II. This special affair in New Orleans will conclude with a private pre-boarding of the American Queen and a returning guest champagne reception with the Captain.

During the voyage on the American Queen, the celebration continues with the boat decked out in her holiday Victorian finery. All guests will enjoy a traditional French Reveillon dinner and a Cajun bonfire on the levee with eggnog and caroling. The richness of Cajun, Creole, English, Spanish, French and American traditions of the season are an integral part of sailing America’s rivers and we can’t wait to share them with you on this special voyage.


Consider the special “extras” that we’ve incorporated into this vacation as an expression of our appreciation to each loyal past guest. It is thanks to all of you that the American Queen Steamboat Company is alive and well and about to enter 2014 with new itineraries (the Pacific Northwest), a new riverboat (the American Empress) and what is sure to be a new group of satisfied, happy guests. If you haven’t yet had the chance to sail with us, we encourage you to become part of our family where loyalty is cherished and rewarded around every turn.