Don’t hold your breath, it appears that the entry of Viking into the US market is on hold for now: http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/14286-viking-delays-mississippi-entry.html
No reason is given, but could it be regulatory rather than economical?
Just a question; could a River Cruiser similar to the Longships belonging to Viking make a “Grand Tour” of the US (or at least a good part of it)from New Orleans to Chicago, Detroit, New York and back again via the Intra-coastal Waterway?
Is that technically possible, or are there any part of this route not passable by such vessels? (Or similar but somewhat smaller version)
The biggest restriction that I know of is in Chicago. 17’ Air Draft under the Du Sable Bridge @ Michigan Avenue. I helped build a couple boats with elevating wheel houses designed specifically to allow uninterrupted steaming from NOLA to some port up in the lakes. I don’t know what the airdraft of the Viking Longships is.
[QUOTE=ombugge;190428]Don’t hold your breath, it appears that the entry of Viking into the US market is on hold for now:
No reason is given, but could it be regulatory rather than economical?[/QUOTE]
I think purely economical…my take is that they discovered the cost to build and operate they new US vessels of their’s to be far higher than they first estimated. I do not believe there is any major regulatory hurdle standing in their way since the government does allow foreign ownership of US flagged vessels in the Jones Act trades (vis. Gulfmark) provided it is hidden behind a US owned entity.
[QUOTE=c.captain;190440]I think purely economical…my take is that they discovered the cost to build and operate they new US vessels of their’s to be far higher than they first estimated. I do not believe there is any major regulatory hurdle standing in their way since the government does allow foreign ownership of US flagged vessels in the Jones Act trades (vis. Gulfmark) provided it is hidden behind a US owned entity.[/QUOTE]
You’d think a company with the resources Viking has available would have crunched the numbers and got their ducks in a row before making such a huge announcement. I wonder if something else spooked them.
[QUOTE=Lee Shore;190444]You’d think a company with the resources Viking has available would have crunched the numbers and got their ducks in a row before making such a huge announcement. I wonder if something else spooked them.[/QUOTE]
well, if this only a postponement as opposed to cancellation, then nothing lost
seems very unlikely they’d have been able to have even one vessel ready by 2017 as it is.
[QUOTE=c.captain;190446]well, if this only a postponement as opposed to cancellation, then nothing lost
seems very unlikely they’d have been able to have even one vessel ready by 2017 as it is.[/QUOTE]
We will know if it is going to be reality sometime after this November, me think.
As for the ability to complete even one vessel in 2017 it is hard to know. I’m assuming that design and much of the machinery will be sourced abroad, but does anyone know if any “call for tender”, or even pre-qualification of shipyards have been commenced?
As to their knowledge of the US and their ability to do their homework, I think this speaks for itself: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Cruises
The founder, Torstein Hagen has many years experience working in the Cruise industry in USA, as has many of the people around him. I would think they haven’t been able to build up a river and cruise company going on 100 ships and working worldwide without having knowledge of the requirements in the many countries they operate.
The proposed 300 Pax capacity may indicate that the US vessels will have more decks then the Longships with only 190 Pax, thus be limited in the rivers they can serve.
[QUOTE=JayNola;190438]The biggest restriction that I know of is in Chicago. 17’ Air Draft under the Du Sable Bridge @ Michigan Avenue. I helped build a couple boats with elevating wheel houses designed specifically to allow uninterrupted steaming from NOLA to some port up in the lakes. I don’t know what the airdraft of the Viking Longships is.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the info. I also do not know the airdraft of the longships, but it was obviously too much, at least to get under this bridge: https://gcaptain.com/two-officers-killed-after-viking-river-cruises-hits-bridge-in-germany/
As for a grand tour of eastern USA, that was just a stray thought on my part, not a plan of Viking.
If anybody would contemplate such a venture the vessels would obviously have to be design to be able pass under that bridge.
It would also have to be some comfortable vessels, if anybody should want to cover the whole trip “in one sitting”.
Some kind of “hop-on/hop-off” would be more likely to succeed, where you can pick the stretches and places that interest you most. Although I read that several pax had stayed on board the first of the Viking Ocean Cruises vessel, the Viking Star, since she was delivered in April this year and was still there when she visited here in Aalesund for the second time recently.
Does ACL or ACCL still do the “Great Loop” over the course of a season? I know they have before.
It appears that the Great Loop is a fairly popular thing for private cruising, but whether there are any commercial cruises on this route is not easy to find: lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/landfallnav/InlandWaterwaysCatalog.pdf
The limitation that applies does not seams to be too restrictive, but the info does not include LOA:
HEIGHT CLEARANCES FOR GREAT LOOP RIVERS
All clearances are from normal pool depth or mean high water.
Depths are normal pool depth or mean low water
Chicago River, downtown route 17 ft.
Calumet Sag Sanitation Canal 19 ft.
Erie Canal from Albany to Oswego 20 ft.
Western half of Erie Canal 15 ft.
Lake Champlain Route & Richelieu River 17 ft.
Rideau Waterway 22 ft.
Trent-Severn Waterway 22 ft.
MAXIMUM DRAFT LIMITS
Draft limits are the sill height from the bottom of the lock sill to the
pool water depth of the water level above or below the lock.
Rideau Waterway 5 ft.
Trent-Severn Waterway 6 ft.
MAXIMUM BEAM WIDTHS
The second half of the Erie Canal has low bridges so taller boats
need to take the Oswego Canal at the halfway point. Check the
bridge clearances and your minimum air draft.
Lock 45, Trent-Severn Waterway 23 ft.
Marine Railway at Big Chute,
Trent-Severn Waterway 24 ft.
ACCL (now Blount Small Ship Adventures) still does Great Lakes cruises, Erie Canal, and cruises the east coast. I read that they are trying to get back to Belize next year for the first time in a few winters. I also read that they are looking hard at Cuba. They no longer do an actual Great Loop.
it appears that the Norwegians are coming to Seattle to take advantage of a whole new market opportunity…expedition cruising
By MarEx 2016-09-29
Hurtigruten opened its new U.S. headquarters in Seattle, Washington on September 29. The opening of the offices comes at a time when Hurtigruten is significantly growing its presence within the competitive adventure and expedition travel space in the U.S. market.
In addition to administrative offices, the new headquarters will also have a consumer travel center where the public can learn about Hurtigruten voyages to destinations including Norway, Antarctica, Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, South America and Europe, book trips, attend events and learn more about exploration travel.
“Adventure and expedition travel are the fastest growing segments in the travel industry today and the U.S. is one of the largest source markets for this particular segment,” says Gordon Dirker, Managing Director of Hurtigruten North America.
“After we reentered the U.S. market in partnership with an external sales and marketing company nearly four years ago, we have grown our business to a level that justifies the opening of our very own U.S. headquarters in Seattle. Fully staffed by a team of expert sales and marketing professionals we continue to be aggressively focused on growing our sales in the largest of all explorer cruising markets. These are very exciting times for our company.”
Hurtigruten has 20 employees in the Seattle office and 10 others working throughout the rest of the U.S. In addition, the company works with about 60 percent of U.S. travel agencies including brands like Liberty Travel, Signature Travel, AAA clubs across the U.S. and most major consortia.
The line currently has expeditions that include Canada, specifically Newfoundland. “Our flagship operations/home offices will remain in Oslo, Norway, but we do hope to offer new itineraries with departures that will be more convenient for U.S. travelers,” says Dirker.
“This is a tremendous milestone for the company as we continue to expand our U.S. operations,” says Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten. “The demand is growing within the expedition travel segment and the building of a world-class office and consumer-centric facility comes at a perfect time for our continued growth in the U.S.”
Earlier this year, Hurtigruten announced the construction of two new state-of-the-art vessels, which will be designed and customized specifically for adventure-rich expedition voyages in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, as well as along the Norwegian coastline. The new ships, being built in partnership with Rolls-Royce will be equipped with advanced environmentally-friendly technology to reduce emissions.
“Our new ships will reduce the fuel consumption by approximately 20 percent,” says Dirker. “For the first time, fully electric propulsion on a passenger ship will be possible. This technology, in combination with the construction of the hull and effective use of electricity on board, will reduce the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20 percent. This amounts to more than 3,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.”
Hurtigruten’s expedition voyages sail to the most remote of destinations, including Antarctica, Greenland, Arctic Canada, and the Arctic’s Spitsbergen, as well as year-round along Norway’s coast. The company’s fleet of 14 intimate ships each carry 100 to 646 guests.
of course what I want to know is if this move includes any plans to develop a US flagged operation? if it does, is it to build new or to buy out one of the established companies? With Lindblad going public recently, they obviously see a financial opportunity here now to take advantage of
I think that they might be building from what I gathered talking to one of their competitors that operate the Delta Queen… it seems like its going to heat up with Inland Marine doing their cruise thing as well…
[QUOTE=c.captain;190951]it appears that the Norwegians are coming to Seattle to take advantage of a whole new market opportunity…expedition cruising
of course what I want to know is if this move includes any plans to develop a US flagged operation? if it does, is it to build new or to buy out one of the established companies? With Lindblad going public recently, they obviously see a financial opportunity here now to take advantage of[/QUOTE]
It’s a sales office, nothing to do with owning or operating ships and no immediate plans for any cruises in US waters, except calls at US ports as part of the re-positioning from the Northern to the Southern hemisphere, usually at this time of the year.
Hurtigruten isn’t purely a Cruise ship operator. They operate the daily service along the Norwegian coast, from Bergen to Kirkenes v.v. The round trip takes 11 days, calling at 34 ports each way.
This they have done for over 120 years, summer and winter come hell or high waters, carrying passengers, freight and cars, as they still do.
This is still a vital part of the infrastructure along the coast, but it has become more and more a Cruise for Norwegians as well as foreigners from all around the world who come for the adventure of travelling beyond the Arctic Circle, to see the Midnight Sun, or the Northern Light depending on season.
The newer ships have cruise ship like facilities, but no entertainment and no casino. Most tourists come simply to see the spectacular nature and experience travelling on a working ship. Some return time after time to experience the trip in different seasons and weather conditions. Christmas & New Year is a busy time, although in the dead of winter, with near total darkness on the northernmost part of the voyage.(71 degr. North) The ships usually stop for a night wherever they are for Christmas & New Years Eve and Hurtigruten put on a sumptuous meal for their guests. Many, both Norwegians and foreigners, have made it their tradition to spend the Christmas holiday on Hurtigruten.
Hurtigruten also have one ship that does Expedition cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic + that one of the coastal vessels will be going south for this years Antarctic summer season.
2 new ships (+ 2 options) are coming. These will be for the Expedition cruises, but will still be equipped to carry out the the coastal service.
Here is a link to a website with more info on the coastal and polar services: http://www.cruisenorway.com/hurtigruten-norwegian-coastal-expeditions/
PS> I am not responsible for inaccuracies and spelling mistakes in this article, like this on: “Optional whore excursions”. (I assume it is a spelling mistake)
As for Lindblad; their largest ship the NG Explorer is a former Hurtigruten coastal steamer.
First view from the interior of Hurtigruten’s new Polar Expedition vessels, to be named Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen: http://www.smp.no/naeringsliv/2016/10/19/Se-de-første-skissene-av-de-nye-skipene-til-Hurtigruten-13664437.ece?cx_front_click=baseline_test&cx_front_click_place=2&cx_front_click_articles=1
These may be seen in Alaskan and Canadian Arctic/North West Passage in the future, but their main area of operation will be Antarctica and Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland and possibly the Russian part of the Arctic/Northern Sea route.
Reviving this thread.
European River Cruise anyone??:
https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=8650
Any development on the river cruise front in the US??
Have Viking Cruises actually entered the scene as mentioned at the start of this thread??
I think Viking cancelled plans for American river tours.
Columbia River tours might work and perhaps on some other Rivers. I don’t think it would work out on the Mississippi River system. It’s just not nice enough to draw repeat business.
As I recall, Viking’s proposed prices for the Mississippi trips were quite expensive compared to ocean cruise ships, about the same cost as European river cruises. I know people who have taken the Viking river tours in Eastern Europe. They were impressed and thought it was well worth the cost.
Personally, I’d prefer smaller vessels.
I was going to say the same thing - While the Mississippi has a sort of Hucklberry Finn romanticism going for it, well, it’s just not something I think may people would drop a few thousand bucks on and spend a couple of weeks going up the Mighty Miss to the Great Lakes? The Columbia is a much better option!
Its nice for a bit. Then you get to Umatilla and Hanford.
“If you’ll look out the port side, you will see the Port of Morrow and its scenic vegetable packing plant, followed by underground-yet-still-visible nerve gas depot, as we round the bend we’ll be treated to one of the most extensive nuclear waste clean-up projects ever undertaken in the history of man. Thank you for choosing Columbia River Cruises.”
Other than a few Indian houses with wrecked cars parked in front, a nerve gas depot, and a nuclear wasteland with some old buildings dating back to WW2 there really isn’t much to see other than the inside walls of a few locks. Lots of wind and really boring rocks.