Lewis and Clark Riverboat Cruise
American Pride Cruise Review
Contributor Level:
Admiral
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 24
Helpful Votes: 1078
7 Night Columbia & Snake Rivers (Clarkston To Portland)
Sail date: October 01, 2021
Ship: American Pride
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 3 years ago
Review summary
This Lewis an Clark Riverboat Cruise was to celebrate our 50th anniversary. It was wonderful but not 4times better.Embarkation
Completed all boarding requirements at The Historic Davenport in Spokane. Done old style with clipboard and list of passengers staying there. Hotel built for in 1914 but updated with every modern connivence. Covid testing: PCR required 3 days prior by WA governor and test again at hotel. We were given self tests and asked to photograph results and show them when checking in. If you felt unable to do so, you could go to the lobby for assistance. We boarded a bus for Clarkson but waited an hour for them to realize they could get all guests on one bus rather than the two they had waiting. Not the best beginning.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
While plentiful not consistent. Breakfast, lunch and dinner open seating in dining room. No buffet but snacks available in lounges throughout the day. Plus cookie time at 10:00 & 2:00. Happy hour at 5:30. The lounges also had soft drinks, beer and wine for self serve during the day. No restrictions on bringing your own alcohol (but why when plentiful). Salads served drenched or dry. Dinner gave you a choice of salad or soup and three entrees. Half portions were available, but few low salt options. Dishwasher not working well, sent back several glasses , cups and utensils with food, lipstick or something on them
Onboard Activities
Activities minimal. Bean bag toss, putting green and BINGO. Usually organized when afternoon shore tours happening. Rocking chairs available on all the open decks fore and aft. There was an adult sized rocking “pig” that could be ridden at the whim.
Entertainment
Expected re-enactors but had historian instead. In retrospect probably a better choice. Because he answered questions. Many people had done previous research and needed clarification. He gave a presentation every day about Lewis and Clark and the importance of the next day port of call. Also information about traffic on the river. After dinner musicians but we chose that time to discuss the day with our traveling companions. Also a daily lesson for maximizing your iPhone use.
Service and Staff
It was as if they were all new. Many dining room staff this was their first week. Someone confided that the average person stayed 4-8 weeks, so frequent turnover. They tried. We were never called by name. When checking in for shore tour always referred to by stateroom number. Had to ask several times to get things fixed. Bus drivers outstanding. American Cruise Lines have their own buses that follow you on land. Have the same drivers the whole trip!
Ship Quality
Ship capacity 150 passengers. We sailed with 120 (80%). It felt strange being able to get anywhere within a few minutes. The ship goes into dry dock at the end of season and gets a $5mil makeover. It needs it. In the stairwells there was a desk with hand sanitizer, disposable masks, Kleenex and other helpful things. The lobby had the daily paper and menu. Nice areas to watch the river, locks or just relax on every deck.
Cabin / Stateroom
Nice size stateroom with small closet. Plenty of drawers in n dresser, nightstands and desk. Small but adequate balcony, but no drainage for water from balcony.
Ship tip
You well be busy all day if you take the complimentary shore tours. They are very good. The ship sometimes “docks” on a beach.
Thumbs up
1
Ports of call
In the morning we visited Cape Disappointment and in the afternoon Fort Clatsop. We had a knowledgeable ranger give us information at Fort Clatsop and did self guided tour at Cape Disappointment. Both very informative and well worth your time.
We chose to do a wine tasting at the Maryhill Winery. Delicious! Learned about other fruit grown in the area. Plus all the traffic on the river.
Actually Hood River and the Bonneville Dam and Multnomah Falls. We missed the peak salmon run but were able to see several fish at the dam through plexiglas. At the falls you could walk up to a bridge midway. The trail to the top was closed due to recent mudslides. Going through the locks at the dam was a 98 foot drop in about 30 minuets. Wonderful adventure!
We did the Reach Museum in the morning and Sacajawea state park in the afternoon. Both well worth the time.
You know you might be in trouble when the local Rotter Router is parked in front of the boat. Turns out a passenger flushed under shorts requiring 3 feet of new pipes. Left late, but beautiful trip downriver.
Disembarkation
Put luggage out the night before. Yellow tags taking bus to airport, green tags taxis, blue tag private transportation. Your luggage kept together (novel approach). Everyone told to be off the boat by 7:45AM as airport buses leave promptly at 8:00AM. They did!
Traveler Photos
