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An old Columbia River cruising favorite will return to service
this summer for new operators on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
(image: Louisiane - rendering courtesy of French America Line.
August 2016 will
mark the debut of a bright new cruising entity on the Mississippi and Ohio River
systems with the introduction of the 150-guest riverboat LOUISIANE. Earlier this
year, newly formed New Orleans-based French America Line purchased the
2000-built Columbia River cruise vessel COLUMBIA QUEEN from the U.S. Maritime
Administration and will be bringing her to Louisiana for a complete
transformation into the French/New Orleans-themed LOUISIANE. The 218-by-66-foot
cruise ship is currently in the early stages of a multi-million dollar refit and
will be loaded onto a submersible docking platform that will be towed on a
33-day voyage from Portland, Oregon to Louisiana in mid May.)
Built in 2000 from the hull of a former casino boat by the Leevac Shipyards,
Inc. of Jennings, LA for the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, the COLUMBIA QUEEN
was completed at Cascade General, Inc., in Portland, Oregon. She operated for
Delta Queen on the Columbia, Snake and Willamette Rivers before being sold to
Great American River Journeys and later Majestic America Line, which folded in
2008, at which time the ship was laid up.
MV LOUISIANE Veranda, facing starboard. Rendering courtesy of French America
Line.
When the ship emerges in August as the LOUISIANE, she will have been given a
stem-to-stern revitalization with all new public areas and accommodation on her
four passenger decks. She will boast two open seating dining venues, the top/aft
situated, French Quarter sidewalk cafe-themed Veranda and the more formal,
crystal chandelier-festooned Orleans Room, which will offer a supper club
setting with live entertainment in the heart of the ship. The cuisine will
feature French and Creole specialties under the supervision of celebrated
executive chef Regina Charbonneau.
Other public areas aboard the LOUISIANE include the forward-situated French
Quarter Lounge (for soft jazz and soothing entertainment) and Great Rivers
Lounge (a quiet retreat for cards and conversation) as well as a Library and the
Bar Royale, adjacent to the Orleans Dining Room.
75 staterooms in seven categories will range from a pair of 267-square-foot
Richelieu Suites with panoramic window views and a veranda that opens onto the
wraparound promenade to 22 Veranda Staterooms with private balconies, 13
staterooms with French balconies and 20 Insides.
New amenities in all staterooms will include: deluxe pillow top mattresses;
luxury linens and duvets; Hermes toiletries; Vosges brand chocolates on the
pillows at turn down; Parisian macaroons at the beginning of every voyage; i-Pads
in each suite with daily programs; menus and shore excursion info; plush spa
robes; pillow menu with eight selections; complimentary 24-hour room service;
complimentary Natura brand bottled and sparkling water replenished daily;
complimentary WiFi; flat screen LCD television with satellite programming;
direct dial phones; hairdryers; individually controlled air conditioning; make
up mirrors and built-in safes.
In addition to complimentary enrichment programs, wine, beer, spirits, soft
drinks, specialty coffees, teas, sodas and bottled water, complimentary shore
excursions (premium excursions are also available for purchase), bicycles (with
helmets) are available to guests in select ports at no additional charge.
LOUISIANE rendering, courtesy of French America Line
More North American-based river and inland waterway cruise ships are expected to
be added to the French America Line fleet in the near future.
Article by - Peter Knego
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