Showboat - 2011

sanddunerider · March 01, 2011, 09:23:10 AM

Well called to get my birthday reservations for later this month. I fell off my chair when the lady informed me they WERE NOT doing the b-day cruises this year!

Junior have you or anybody else close by heard about that. I am checking website now for some kind of verfication.

thanks, SDR

mhguy77 · March 01, 2011, 09:51:01 AM

Well, there were a few of us going up for my Bday in April but looks like that fell through.
In all honesty they need those promotions to get me back on. It is expensive to ride on the boat and its hard for me to
justify the cost with the Holiday Inn like dinner they serve. Its not bad food but there is nothing that knocks me out and makes me want to return. I think the boat is great for first, second, third timers but I have been on the boat several times. Even the new show doesn't spark my interest enough to warrant $25 per hour entertainment.

sanddunerider · March 08, 2011, 05:48:28 PM

mh,

you do realize that as SDC pass holders we get 1/2 off showboat admission on the 12:00 and the 8:00 pm shows.?

which makes it very reasonable for a 2 1/2 dinner/show cruise.

And of course the show is NEW this year..

mhguy77 · March 08, 2011, 06:18:27 PM

I know that but in all honesty I was looking forward to the free-bee birthday cruise.
I am sad they took that away.

sanddunerider · March 08, 2011, 07:03:43 PM

WELL YEA!!! Me too!

I would like to see the free b-day dinners for season pass holders! wouldnt that be another neat benefit!

I will still pay for the show, especially since it is all new show and menu this year..

I still think 25 or 26 bucks for a 2 1/2 show is a great price.

Zephon · March 09, 2011, 03:57:18 PM

For those of you planning a trip to the area in the next few weeks, we found out today that the opening date for the Showboat has been pushed back to March 25th, providing nothing else comes up to delay it further. This has been a Public Service Announcement.

sanddunerider · March 09, 2011, 05:18:16 PM

yes thats right zephon, they backed it up a couple of weeks ago.

Not sure why, but originally they were to coincide opening with SDC.

they changed the website about the same time.

Zephon · March 09, 2011, 10:29:23 PM

The reason is it's taking a bit longer to make repairs after it ran aground last December. Even though the boat didn't take on water, i.e. no split in the hull, it was damaged and they had to replace a huge section of the it..something like 6' or 8' by 16' is what I heard. The process was very time-consuming and expensive. They had to build a big chamber, sink it under the showboat, lift it up to the hull, pump all the water out of it so that it sucked up to the hull and sealed, cut the bad section out of the hull and replace it, welding it inside and out. They're working with half inch plate steel and it has to line up perfectly as they weld it, on top of the fact that the section of steel weighs well over a ton, maybe two. The Coast Guard and Corp of Engineers are keeping a very close eye on what they're doing, like standing over the workers every minute.

Before the accident, they already had planned to do a pretty good remodel of the interior and they went ahead and did that. So...they had their hands full with all that work. It's amazing that they're even going to be ready only a week later than originally planned.

sanddunerider · March 10, 2011, 07:49:59 AM

WOW! thanks zephon,

I had not heard anything about the hull repair. That would be quite a project. I am sure the Corps are right there watching.. LOL. (in the way). But they do to make it is safe. Which of course it ill be.

I am real anxious to see the interio remodel. The ole boat needed a serious redo on the inside!

thanks for the update.