A great cruise line and a great cruise. We have been on the Hudson River, Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, and now the Memphis to Nashville experience. All were A1, and all were all-American.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
ACL makes embarkation painless, no long lines, no hassles with baggage, no hassles period! Plus we had a great pre-board show at the Grand Ole Opry the night before. Everything was done right.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
There is a grill open on the rear deck for outdoor breakfast and lunch. The chef Dominic and staff were excellent. The main restaurant is also excellent, great servers, great wines and spirits, and great food. Of course, the view is great as well.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The Jazz fitness room is equivalent to that found on many of the large cruise ships, and clean too.
The on-board artist actually taught watercolor techniques and helped the guests in her class to prepare a trip diary by painting scenes from the river, ports, and the entertainment highlights. I learned how to do Asian watercolors as well.
The lectures (2) were both excellent, and educational. They were timed so we could make the best of what we were going to see at the next port.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
This cruise was an immersion in American music and its evolution from, hilbilly to bluegrass and country coupled with blues and rock and roll. All the entertainment was great and made even better by the on-board lectures on the different types of music and how they relate to each other.
Children's Programs
No kids.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
ACL has done something right here; everybody from the Captain to the room service attendants were always available, proficient, and actually happy to be on board and ready to help. A special hats off to the new Entertainment Director. He was new to his job but was loving every minute of it. He and the excursion director made a special effort for the older people and for anyone with any kind of problem.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We have traveled on other ACL ships. The Jazz is a new generation of river ships. The design and decor will set a new standard for small ships. They have done a neat thing with the prow opening up to allow the ship to nose up to the riverbank for easy shore access; it really helps people with limited mobility. Made in America too!!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin was big, and had a nice balcony. It was tastefully decorated, well equipped (good Wi-Fi), and had a large bath, also well equipped. It is a better cabin than found on most large cruise ships
Ship tip
If you are travelling single, book early as the single cabins are in high demand. Also there are good benefits for booking your next cruise while on-board.
The on-board lectures prepared us for the next port of call, and provided tips about things that weren't necessarily on the excursions. Be sure to attend those lectures.
Clarksville has a great museum and civil war fort. You can see one in the morning and another in the afternoon. There is a nice river walk for the early risers.
Dover is a small town with a small civil war fort. There is a National cemetery and the Inn where the Confederate General surrendered the fort and his army. Plus, a nice place to walk around.
As with most rivers, the trees along the riverbank limit one's view to the river, but the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland are busy rivers, so there is always something to catch your interest. A lot of water birds too.
This is a great stop, Paducah is full of interesting things to see and do. We took the city tour and the guide was excellent. He not only sold us on the city's revitalization efforts, he gave us multiple tips on where to go and what to see. DO NOT MISS to National Quilt Museum; there are works of art, well displayed. A new insight on what can be done with cloth.
We had a great city tour, stopping at everything Elvis. the Lorane Motel and Civil Rights museum is not to be missed, nor is the Rock and Roll Museum. Bring a coat there though, as they keep it cold, perhaps to keep the crowd moving.
One of the things ACL does best is to make sure the guests are taken care of. Disembarking a cruise ship can easily leave passengers with a bad memory. ACL makes it as close to painless as is possible. Thank You.
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