2 cruise firms expect 77 calls to Clarkston
Mar. 19—American Cruise Lines and Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic have 77 vessel calls scheduled for the Port of Clarkston for the 2024 season that runs April 6 through December.
Seven vessels operated by the two companies are anticipated to bring upscale tourists to the region. The itineraries on the Snake and Columbia rivers originate at Portland, Ore., or Clarkston and stop in places like Astoria, Ore. and The Dalles, Ore.
American Cruise Lines serves the largest volume of passengers on the route. The prices of American Cruise Lines journeys begin at $4,220 per person for an eight-night, nine-day journey, according to the American Cruise Lines website.
"As our intimate and well-appointed riverboat makes its way along these legendary rivers, from Portland to Clarkston, be amazed by the constant shifts in landscapes," according to the website.
Options in Clarkston include a Hells Canyon boat adventure, Rivaura Winery tasting or a "flightseeing" tour."
"Nestled in a handsome valley surrounded by steep hillsides, Clarkston embellishes the shoreline along the Snake River at the river's confluence with the Clearwater River," according to the American Cruise Lines website.
Last year a total of 21,000 overnight cruise boat passengers visited the Port of Clarkston.
That number is expected to be a little lower in 2024 because one company that has frequented Clarkston, American Queen Voyages, is not scheduled for this year, Michelle Peters, president of Visit Lewis Clark Valley, said in an email.
The hope is the passengers who booked on American Queen Voyages will go on American Cruise Lines or Lindblad Expeditions, Peters said.
The American Empress was the vessel that American Queen Voyages ran in Oregon and Washington. With a capacity of 223 passengers, it was the largest vessel on the route and has docked at the Port of Clarkston since 2008, said Chris Rasmussen, executive director of the Port of Clarkston in an email.
This year, seven vessels are scheduled to call at the Port of Clarkston, Rasmussen said.
What the future holds for the American Empress and other American Queen Voyages vessels is still unfolding, according to Travel Weekly.
"(American Queen Voyages') assets are scheduled to go to auction on March 27 if a buyer does not come forward before then," according to a March 11 story on the website of Travel Weekly.
Travel Weekly attributes its story to documents that Hornblower, the parent company of American Queen Voyages, filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston.
"Speculation remains as to whether American Cruise Lines or Viking, which both operate river cruises in the U.S., might have interest in buying any of (American Queen Voyages') ships," according to the Travel Weekly story.
The story quotes American Cruise Lines CEO Charles Robertson stating the following, "We're certainly going to be interested and are going to do all we can to understand what's available out there."
If the American Queen Voyages' boats aren't purchased for overnight cruise, they might be bought for short day cruises or docked permanently at locations for hotels or restaurants, according to Travel Weekly.
The intellectual assets of American Queen Voyages, such as its mailing list, could have value too, according to an industry expert quoted in the Travel Weekly story.
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.
