Cruise ship American Jazz brings luxury travel to Sacramento River
SACRAMENTO - A new cruise ship, the "American Jazz," has just completed its maiden voyage between Sacramento and the Bay Area.
CBS13 went aboard to find out why so many are choosing to cruise, right in our own backyard.
Passengers aboard the ship, including Randolph and Patti Perkins, were thrilled with their experience. "It's been gorgeous, beyond fabulous, it is really fun," said Randolph Perkins.
The ship, operated by American Cruise Lines, offers an eight-day trip between Sacramento and San Francisco, with stops in Stockton, Vallejo, and Napa. This is the first time in decades that a ship of this size has offered such cruises in the area.
According to Kodi Du Preez of American Cruise Lines, the trip went smoothly. "It was actually really smooth sailing, there were no issues that came up, everything went really, really well," she said.
The ship's captain, Andy Howes, said that the waterway is narrow and tight, but fun to run through.
"The delta is absolutely gorgeous up here," he added.
Passengers gather in the main lounge for cocktails, music, and trivia night. They also get to check out the state railroad museum and other sights in Old Sac.
Despite ticket prices starting at $6,600, passengers say that the accommodations are worth it.
"Everything is included, and you're treated like royalty," said one passenger.
"We get to go into a lot of places the big ships can't go," added another.
American Cruise Lines has three more trips planned this month, all of which are sold out. The company plans on coming back again in the fall, with Howes saying that he hopes they'll be here for years to come.
The cruise was originally supposed to begin and end in San Francisco, but they've now switched to making Sacramento their California home port. Passengers like Dave and Krista Graham, who came all the way from Kalamazoo, Michigan, to take the trip, are glad they made the choice to go cruising in their own backyard.
"It's beautiful down here," said Dave Graham. "The people here are so welcoming, it's amazing," added Krista Graham.
On Thursday, passengers will get to check out the State Railroad Museum and other sights in Old Sac.