American Queen Steamboat Company/Shore Excursions Of America Announces Nomination For Prestigious Industry Award Two Consecutive Years
American Queen Steamboat Company, and its shore excursion partner, Shore Excursions of America, Inc., were recently selected by Seatrade Cruise News as a finalist in the category of “Most Innovative Shore Excursion of the Year.”
This will be the companies’ second nomination in two consecutive years. The premium excursion that is under consideration is the “On the Front Lines of the Civil War” excursion offered in Vicksburg, Mississippi to guests aboard the American Queen Steamboat.
As one of the most prestigious and respected awards in the cruise industry, the Seatrade Cruise Awards attract thousands of nominations each year. A panel of well-seasoned, highly experienced experts will be judging the finalists with final announcements made at the CLIA Germany Annual Dinner on September 9, 2015 at Seatrade Europe, located in Hamburg, Germany. The other two finalist include Abercrombie & Kent, an internationally recognized leader in luxury travel and Aloschi Brothers European Tour Operators, a leading Italian tour operator affiliated with the World’s Leading Ground Operators organization.
Shore Excursions of America announces their second consecutive nomination with great pride and gratitude. The growing American based company is honored to be nominated yet again for such an esteemed award.
Robert Buesing, co-principal of Shore Excursions of America, states, “I’m overwhelmed with pride. It is such an amazing achievement even to be nominated, especially in the company of such esteemed professional tour operators! It’s great to see the company’s hard work and dedication to product development paying off.”
Shore Excursions of America plans to continue their extensive and ongoing product development as the company continues to grow and adapt, ensuring that their shore excursion products remain cutting edge, innovative and culturally significant.
Award Submission Document:
Excursion: “On the Front Lines of the Civil War” Vessel: American Queen
Location/Port:Vicksburg,Mississippi
Offered: February – June (on Lower Mississippi American Queen Steamboat Company Cruises)
David Harris portraying his Great-Great Grandfather Private Zachary Taylor Harris
ExcursionSummary:
The year 1861 saw America divided by an imaginary line of what was deemed right and what defines freedom. The Civil War, and the bloodiest four years in America’s history, was upon the United States of America.
Guests of the American Queen can walk in the footsteps of a Civil War soldier in an exclusive excursion, “On the Front Lines of the Civil War.” The day begins with a private viewing of Here Brothers Fought. As the dramatic film fades, a uniformed Confederate soldier arrives onstage introducing himself as Zachary Taylor-Harris, a private in the Confederate Army. While Taylor- Harris addresses the crowd, he invites everyone to join him in a rebel yell˜his enthusiasm is contagious. Taylor-Harris explains more about this bloody war and prepares the troops for battle.
Guests are enlisted as they meet their regiment leaders and set off for the battlefield. They are soldiers and nurses in the Siege of Vicksburg and receive enlistment cards featuring actual people. While traveling the 16-mile Vicksburg National Military Park, the rolling hills come alive with narration from expert licensed battlefield guides. Woven among the trenches and cannons, monuments tell the story of the siege. In the National Cemetery, rows of white headstones cover the ground in honor of lost lives. A visit to the USS Cairo reveals a gunboat perfectly preserved from the Mississippi River depths.
As guests walk the battleground, Taylor-Harris joins them. War-worn and tattered, he is nearly defeated. He updates the group about the siege and how challenging the Union Army has been. Guests discover details about the siege that solidified a Union victory, realizing that they have just witnessed a turning point in history.
After returning to the steamboat, guests discover the fate of the soldier or nurse from their enlistment cards. Not all survived; some sacrificed themselves to help create a better, united country. Taylor-Harris survived the Siege of Vicksburg and became the Great-Grandfather of David Harris, the gentleman who portrays Private Taylor-Harris in this exclusive experience.
The Civil War occurred over 150 years ago, yet still hits close to home for many Americans. These are the stories of our ancestors who fought in our own backyards for a more perfect union. It’s difficult to fully grasp the struggle endured during this time in history, but for now, we can march alongside of them, “On the Front Lines of the Civil War.”
About American Queen Shore Excursions
Shore Excursions of America (SEA) operates as the exclusive Shore Excursion Department of the American Queen Steamboat Company. SEA Shore Excursion Specialists develop and operate all of the land experiences on the American Queen and American Empress Riverboats. SEA operates over 2,250 excursions per year on America’s rivers. For three years in a row, SEA has been awarded “Best Shore Excursions” by the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society. SEA’s goal when developing these exciting, cultural and educational shore experiences has been, and continues to be, focused on showcasing the people, uniqueness and charm of the small towns and roads less traveled along the banks of the Mississippi River.
(Shore Excursions of America, American Queen Steamboat Company)
