[Franz Neumeier]

Eventually, the new price list for 2007 is online. And to be honest: 1) I'm shocked and 2) I'm wondering how they want to fill the boats this way, taking in account that they also announced that there won't be any discounts like in the past years, except a standard past-passengers discount.

Just to put it in relation to the cruise market in general:
I've choosen a DQ 7-nights cruise in April 2007, rate category 3 (one of the cheaper rate categories). In the cheapest available cabin this cruise costs $2359 per person. What you get here is a stateroom with bunkbeds, a very tiny bathroom and almost no space to store your luggage (not to speak about telephone, TV, etc. which I don't need anyway). Some of this cabins even have obscructed view to the river as they're located behind stairways.
Now compare this to a Queen Mary 2 cruise in April, 8-nights to the Caribean. For about the same price you get a deluxe balcony stateroom with 248 sq. ft., refrigerator, safe, table big enough for in-cabin dinning, robes, slippers, TV, direct call telephone, etc. And that's the list price, while you usually get great deals for much less money on cruise ships like this one.

This just as an example ... I know, running a steamboat is expensive. I'm not a romantic dreamer. But you still have to find passengers who are willing to pay the prices anyway. And that also means to look at the market and fit into pricing schemes that attracts passengers. Then, DQSC still lives from the repeat passengers ... Many of them will cut back their number of cruises and will look for alternatives. I'm really concerned.

Now, for myself, I don't think we can (and want) to afford a cruise with DQSC any more. Compared to this year's fares and having a child with us which now pays 50% compared to 0% this year when sharing the cabin with us, prices went up to incredible dimensions. I guess I will sadly say "good bye" to my beloved boats when I see them at this year's Tall Stacks ...

Please, tell me I oversaw something. Please, tell me there will still be good deals and discounts at least for selected cruises. Please, tell me that this is just an experiment and they will recognize very soon that this is not working. I don't give up hope yet.

Franz