City finalizing plans for inaugural cruise arrivals

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City holding a volunteer sign-up Thursday to help plan for cruise arrivals

BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - With the inaugural docking of American Cruise Lines in Fort Madison one week away, city and business officials are busy getting things buttoned up.

Things have changed a little since the city and cruise line inked a 20-year lease agreement for the cruise line to dock on Fort Madison's river front.

City Tourism Director Jean Peiton said now passengers on the shorter 6-hour port-of-call will have two land excursion options to choose from and the longer 8.5 hour port-of-call will have four options. The first arrival will be Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 8 a.m.

The cruise line will bring three different boats into Fort Madison 14 times this year with five in August, five in September, and four in October with the final boat docking on Oct. 16. There are back-to-back stops on Sept. 18 and 19th. Beginning next year, 30 cruise docks are planned during the cruising season

The six hour layovers arrive at 8 a.m. at the end of the pier and depart at 2 p.m., while the 8.5 hour stays arrive at 9 a.m. and depart again at 5:30 p.m.

The cruise line will charter Trailways buses to move the passengers on the excursions, but Peiton said they are also negotiating with the schools to possibly use a school bus to shuttle people around the city for drops and pickups.

"When they're coming in on the 8-2 two excursions they can pick to go on two, and then they can also do their own thing. One of those we're working on is not concrete yet, but looks like it will be finalized, is going to the prison. The Old Fort is the one they will have given to them, but don't need the bus because that's right there," she said.

"When they're here for the longer 9 to 5:30 p.m stays they'll be offered four different excursions, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. They could typically pick any of the four."

Peiton said some of the options would be historic tours that would include the depot, a park-to-park excursion in the historical district, and getting a concept visit of the prison, but not the full tour as those four would be shorter excursions.

"We're still trying to square away of some of those and trying to get access to the jailhouse and the Lutheran Church where the Betsy Ross flag hangs. Places they can get off and stretch their legs, but not stay too long."

The city, along with other entities like the Fort Madison Chamber of Commerce, is working up a grand welcome for the first docking which could include dignitaries, a band, a cannon shot and welcoming groups.

Peiton said the city's trying to build things to keep the passengers local.

"They told us on conference call they were looking at disembarking and then going to Burlington and we certainly don't want that," she said. "And we don't see that happening. That's why we're so heavy into planning."

Peiton said Fort Madison Chamber coordinator Savanna Collier is working on an agri-tour that would take passengers west of town to places like Harvestville Farms and Appleberry Orchards.

"I told the boats that would be a nice one with October because now you're out on the scenic drive with the trees turning colors," Peiton said.

"A lot of things are getting accomplished in a short amount of time. If this was Hannibal they'd be ready because they're doing it now, but here in Fort Madison we weren't quite there when they said they were coming, but we're getting there."

Peiton is holding a volunteer sign up session on Thursday starting at 10 a.m. at the Fort Madison Partners office at 614 9th Street.

Volunteers will be recruited for Community Beautification, Meet & Greets, preparation of greeting packets, passenger assistance and help with non-profits.

Volunteers would also be needed as step-on guides for some of the tours, but the cruise line would pay for those services. Peiton said she's already paid by the city for that service, so she would donate any money she makes to non-profits in town, but others could be compensated.

"We want to control the product. I don't want to offer one thing and then have someone else come in and not give the same product. We can adjust it through the season but we have to be on message with all the tours," she said.

The plan is to end the first tours on Main Street where passengers can get off and hit the shops and tour the buildings, but they need to have access to the stores.


American Cruise Lines, docking, fort madison, Mississippi River, Pen City Current, tours, Volunteers

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