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"Astronauts on the Mississippi" Cruises from New Orleans
Astronauts on the Mississippi
New Orleans, La. — Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper and Wally Schirra will take passengers aboard the grand American Queen on a space walk down memory lane during two New Orleans and Riverboat Adventure Week Vacations in August 2004.
Delta Queen Steamboat Company, Inc., (DQSC) a Delaware North Company, and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation have put together two exciting "Astronauts on the Mississippi" vacations that pair a stay in New Orleans with a riverboat cruise and chance to meet and hear from three of the original Mercury Seven astronauts. The Mercury 7 crew will be joined by comedian Bill Dana, probably most famous for his Ed Sullivan appearances as Jose Jimenez, the reluctant spaceman who became known as the "Eighth Mercury Astronaut." A portion of the proceeds from these cruises will benefit the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
Guests can choose from two vacations celebrating both river and space travel:
- August 20–27, 2004 includes 3 nights in New Orleans followed by a 4-night cruise featuring a day of Steamboatin' on the river, with stops in historic Natchez, Miss., and Baton Rouge, La.
- August 23–30, 2004 includes 4 nights in New Orleans followed by a 3-night cruise with stops at Oak Alley and Laura Plantations in Vacherie, La. and Baton Rouge.
As part of this vacation package, passengers will take a guided tour of NASA's Stennis Space Center, located a short distance from New Orleans on the Louisiana/Mississippi border, and be greeted by these legendary pioneers. Stennis is responsible for NASA's rocket propulsion testing and plays a key role in NASA's earth science applications program.
About the Astronauts:
Scott Carpenter, one of the original seven Mercury astronauts in 1959, flew the second American orbital flight in a Mercury capsule in 1962. He piloted his Aurora 7 spacecraft through three revolutions of the earth, and later spent 390 days living and working on the ocean floor for SEALAB. He has the unique distinction of being the only human being to penetrate both inner and outer space, for which he holds the title Astronaut/Aquanaut.
Gordon Cooper piloted his Faith 7 capsule on the sixth and final Project Mercury mission in 1963. Cooper tested the Mercury craft to its limits on a dramatic 22-orbit, 34-hour flight. He also commanded an eight-day trip aboard Gemini 5 in 1965, during which he overcame many problems to complete a successful mission.
Wally Schirra is the only astronaut to fly in all three of the nation's pioneering space programs. Schirra flew on the fifth Project Mercury flight, and he commanded Gemini 6 in 1965, the first space rendezvous mission, and Apollo 7 in 1968, the first manned flight in the Apollo program.
DQSC President Rick Abramson said that, much like space travel today, paddlewheel steamboats were the transportation innovation of their day. "When Nicholas Roosevelt set out from Pittsburgh, Penn., in 1811 with his 'Steamboat New Orleans' a revolution in commerce, travel, exploration and discovery was born. This very first steamboat trip from Pittsburgh to New Orleans — a three-month journey nearly two centuries ago — launched the Steamboat era, the period in history that gave us Daniel Boone, Davy Crocket, Mark Twain and many other American heroes and explorers.
"Much like the promise and glory of the current space program, steamboats provided a tool for the development of the nation, the enrichment of mankind, and the romance and legend of its time," Abramson said. Delta Queen parent Delaware North Companies operates on behalf of NASA the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the Astronaut Hall of Fame in Titusville, FL.
Launched in April 2004, DQSC's deluxe New Orleans land-cruise package, "New Orleans & Riverboat Adventure Week," combines the most famous sights, tastes and attractions of New Orleans with a luxury riverboat experience aboard the grand American Queen. These 7-night vacations couple a three- or four-night riverboat cruise with a package featuring the Crescent City's finest hotels, restaurants and attractions. This is the only riverboat adventure that comes with a free New Orleans vacation, and is offered at a savings of $300 per person as an introductory offer. The package starts at $995 per person, and is capacity controlled.
To book a cruise, contact your travel agent. For more information or a free deluxe color brochure, call 1-800-543-1949 or visit our website at www.deltaqueen.com.
About the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation is a 501 (c)(3), non-profit organization established in 1984 by the six surviving members of America's original Mercury astronauts. Its goal is to aid the United States in retaining its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships to college students pursuing these degrees. ASF funds seventeen $10,000 scholarships annually and has awarded almost $2 million to 182 students nationwide. More than forty Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttle astronauts have since joined in this education endeavor.
About Delaware North Steamboat Company
A Delaware North Company, DQSC offers overnight cruises year-round on the Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland and Tennessee rivers aboard the nation's only authentic steam-powered paddle wheelers featuring overnight accommodations. DQSC offers trips beginning and ending in New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Mobile, Ala. The Delta Queen also travels from Mobile, Ala., to New Orleans, and to Galveston, Texas, on the Intracoastal Waterway.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Karen Hales, khales@deltaqueen.com, 504-585-0619
Lucette Brehm, lbrehm@deltaqueen.com, 504-585-0617
Linn LeBlanc, LinnLeblanc@AstronautScholarship.org, 321-455-7011
Reservations: 800-543-1949