Tag: Cruise

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Blogging Driving Geography History Military Travel Weather

My American Splendor Cruise – Part 5

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. My journey continues in Savannah Tennessee and the adjacent area to the west on the other side of the Tennessee River.

On Saturday October 03RD 2026 our ship docked at Wayne Jerrolds River Park – a relatively small 10-acre municipal park. It was the only port-of-call where we were docked alongside another cruise ship. In fact – it was another American Cruise Lines cruise ship – the American Symphony. In fact – it’s my next cruise ship next July !

(My ship is on the left, and my next ship is on the right.)

It was a chilly, gloomy, and drizzly South Tennessee morning, but that wouldn’t stop the shore excursions from moving forth.

In the morning I was on 1 of 2 full luxury coach buses for a trip 10 miles away to the Shiloh National Military Park. That’s where the Battle Of Shiloh – also known as the Battle Of Pittsburg Landing – was fought between Union and Confederate soldiers on April 06TH and 07TH 1862. Our first stop on our tour was Pittsburg Landing on the west bank of the Tennessee River. Much of our tour was on the bus; although, we were able to get off the bus, walk around, and stretch our legs twice.

Our guide on the bus tour narrated the entire way through from start to finish (pick-up to drop-off at the port), and he was an expert on the U.S. Civil War. He clearly had a passion for sharing the war with others. He served as a National Park Service Ranger for over 40 years, and he just recently retired a few years ago. He likes to stay busy in retirement.

It was a lot of information to take in over the course of over 2½ hours. I would have preferred a third stop to get off the bus and stretch our legs, as well as slightly longer stays at the two stops where we did get off the bus.

While the morning shore excursion was a slight disappointment – the afternoon shore excursion was a surprise gem – once we figured out where we were going.

In the couple of months leading-up to this cruise a “Savannah Air & Transportation Museum” shore excursion intrigued me. There was a nice description of what to expect on the 2-hour trip, and I was interested so I signed-up for it. No matter how much I searched online on Google and on social media – I could not find any references at all to this museum. I was beginning to think that this museum did not actually exist, and that #ACL mixed-up Savannah Tennessee with Savannah Georgia. I told that to a few of my fellow passengers who also had that shore excursion booked. This destination was definitely a mystery to us.

Even on the bus ride over there on that Saturday afternoon – we drove and drove and drove. Were we driving to Memphis ?

No. After almost 16 miles we finally turned off U.S. 64 and made a right-turn onto Airport Road. We arrived at Robert Sibley Airport (#SZY). The Air & Transportation Museum is owned and operated by Byron Conaway. Byron is a lifelong aviation enthusiast, a former Manager at Savannah-Hardin County Airport, and a 2025 inductee into the Tennessee Aviation Hall Of Fame. It is a family and friends run museum located in and in front of a hangar right along the flightline. There is a lot to see there – vintage aircraft, antique cars, and other 20TH Century memorabilia. They even serve free homemade ice cream.

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll share photos of some interesting items from our past that were on display at the museum, and next #TravelThursday I’ll write about Grand Rivers Kentucky. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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1970s Blogging Driving Geography History Music Radio Travel

My American Splendor Cruise – Part 4

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. My journey continues in “The Shoals” – which I wrote about in a previous edition a couple of months ago. That’s the northwestern corner of Alabama along the Tennessee River centered around Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. Just as Huntsville and northeastern Alabama is “The Space Capital Of America” – Muscle Shoals and northwestern Alabama is “The Hit Recording Capital Of The World”.

I booked a premium shore excursion for the morning. Most of the shore excursions via American Cruise Lines are included as part of the cost of the cruise. Some cost extra money – particularly those that are exclusive and limited to a small group of people with transportation provided by a local tour company.

On Friday October 02ND 2026 I was with a small group of 7 music fans on an exclusive tour of three legendary music studios – courtesy of Mavis’s Movin’ & Groovin’ Tour Bus. Let me just state this right now for the record. It was one of the greatest shore excursions I’ve ever been on in my 35-year history of cruising.

I didn’t quite know what to expect, but as a hit music chart nerd of the past 50 years – growing up with Top 40 music in the 1970s – thinking that I would be part of the industry as an adult – this was an absolute bucket list tour. This was fully-narrated – mostly from our tour guide – a seasoned music industry insider who worked with the band Alabama. He led the tour from the time we got in the mini-van until 3½ hours later when we all thanked him immensely for guiding us through 75 years of U.S. music history – originating from various studios in “The Shoals”.

Our first stop was FAME Recording Studios on Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals. Over 5,000 tracks have been recorded there over the past 65 years from some of the greatest music artists that ever lived (and still live today). We heard some of them via Spotify and Bluetooth speakers as well as the true stories behind them. I touched actual musical equipment that was utilized in many great hits on the radio.

Our next stop was Muscle Shoals Sound Studio at 3614 Jackson Highway (also an informal name for the studio) in Sheffield. This was my favorite of the 3 stops, and we had a different tour guide – a docent who worked there. It serves as a museum with multiple scheduled guided tours during the daytime (5 days a week – Tuesdays to Saturdays), and as a still active recording studio during the nighttime and on Sundays and Mondays. Over 3,000 tracks have been recorded there over the past 57 years. Most music artists recorded there back in the 1970s so that they could work with The Swampers. Yeah – those Swampers mentioned in the classic song “Sweet Home Alabama”.

Our final stop was Cypress Moon Studios on the banks of the Tennessee River just down the hill from downtown Sheffield. It served as the next home for the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio from 1978 until 2005 when The Swampers retired. Over 4,000 tracks were recorded there during that era.

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll write about some of the greatest hits you’ve definitely heard on the radio featuring The Swampers, and next #TravelThursday I’ll write about Savannah Tennessee. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Food Geography Travel

My American Splendor Cruise – Part 2

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. My journey continues from the Hotel Indigo in downtown Chattanooga to the American Splendor cruise ship on the Tennessee River about a half-mile away. The American Cruise Lines (#ACL) owned and operated luxury coach buses picked us up in 3 groups to take us to Ross’s Landing (on the river). I was in the middle group (2).

I walked on the American Splendor cruise ship just after 12 Noon on Wednesday September 30TH 2026. I was 1 of 176 passengers on the ship. I thought about heading straight to my stateroom on Deck 3 port side, but instead I headed straight ahead to the restaurant right there on Deck 1. I wanted my first river cruise meal (lunch) immediately !

A lady eventually joined me for lunch who was on her 25TH #ACL cruise. We talked about many of them, and she gave me advice since it was my inaugural #ACL cruise. A couple from 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth Texas eventually joined us, and I chatted with them about my family who lives caddy-corner from them in the vast DFW Metroplex – 30 miles northeast of Dallas Texas. I’d encounter (and sit and chat with) that couple a few more times that same day.

After lunch I headed to my stateroom, and I was impressed. It met my expectations. My single balcony cabin was everything I expected it to be. I especially appreciated the modern digital Honeywell thermostat that controlled the temperature and fan. I’ve never had one of those in a cruise ship stateroom before. It’s the little things that matter.

We pulled away from the dock several minutes early, and we headed downstream on the Tennessee River towards the Central Time Zone and northern Alabama.

After dinner (which started at 5:30 PM) I headed back to my stateroom, went out on my balcony, and enjoyed the sights, sounds, and smells of the Tennessee River. We went through our first of 6 locks at Nickajack Dam. I watched most of the operation as we slowed down, pulled-in, stopped, attached ourselves to the walls of the lock, and dropped down about 39 feet from the higher lake level to the lower lake level. It was quite impressive to watch how it all worked from three decks up. It was my first such experience ever. Gravity is amazing !

Fun Facts: Out of the 176 passengers I was – believe it or not – not the youngest of them all. I saw a few women who were definitely younger than me – perhaps in their 40s (maybe even 30s). But the other 170 or so were definitely in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and even 90s. That’s my type of crowd ! I live in a 55+ neighborhood where I’m one of the youngest residents. I serve with the Sebring Historical Society where I’m one of the youngest volunteers. I attend Highlands Community Church where I represent the youngest one-quarter of the congregation. I’m in my element onboard the American Splendor cruise ship !

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll write about our entertainer on that first night, and next #TravelThursday I’ll write about our first port-of-call in Decatur Alabama including my shore excursion to the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

Categories
Blogging Driving Geography Internet Music Travel

My American Splendor Cruise – Part 1

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. For 6 weeks – I wrote about “The Bluegrass State” (June 25TH), “The Hoosier State” (July 02ND), “The Buckeye State” (July 09TH), “The Mountain State” (July 16TH), “The Keystone State” (July 23RD), and “My Ohio River Cruise” (July 30TH) – that was unfortunately cancelled.

So I rebooked a replacement cruise, and for the next 10 weeks I wrote about “My Replacement Cruise” (August 06TH), “The Volunteer State” (August 13TH), “The Yellowhammer State” (August 20TH), “The Bluegrass State” (August 27TH), “The Scenic City” (September 03RD), “The River City & The Rocket City” (September 10TH), “The Renaissance City” (September 17TH), “Catfish Capital Of The World” (September 24TH), “Village Between The Lakes” (October 01ST), and finally “Music City U.S.A.” (October 08TH).

And of course last week I revealed that I had returned back home from Nashville and that replacement cruise. A few of you close to me knew that I was away, but most of you found out last #TravelThursday – after the fact. For those of you on Social Media (which is all of you, since you’re reading this blog) – you never ever want to announce to the whole world that you’re away on vacation. Wait until after you’ve returned, and then reveal it to the masses, and then of course tell us all about it, or as much as you wish to share. That’s what I plan to do starting with this edition and probably continuing every Thursday through the end of the year.

So let’s get started. My journey began at 6:50 AM on Tuesday September 29TH 2026 when I began my drive to my favorite airport – Sarasota-Bradenton (#SRQ). Of course my patience was tested early on in my journey leaving Avon Park on Florida State Road 64. I was trapped behind a slow truck carrying a giant boat on a trailer (from U.S. 27 to U.S. 17). How ironic since I’d be enjoying a cruise on a giant boat in a little over 24 hours. After the truck / boat combo pulled off – a school bus making multiple stops to pick-up Hardee County kids took its place – followed by a small fuel truck. Of course I was tailgated by multiple different vehicles while being trapped behind all three slower-moving vehicles.

Finding a parking space in the main long-term lot at #SRQ was easy. Check-in was a breeze (as always), and I was inside the terminal sitting at my gate a little over 15 minutes after shutting off my car in the parking lot. As always – #SRQ was catering to their most common demographics by playing the greatest radio hits of the 1970s loudly over their sound system. As usual – I was lip-syncing and subtly dancing in my chair.

The Delta flights from #SRQ to #ATL, and from #ATL to #CHA were uneventful. They each took off and landed early. The baggage carousel in Chattanooga gets started with the sound of a choo-choo train approaching. It took a while for my Uber to arrive. I didn’t order it until after I retrieved my luggage. I should’ve ordered it as I was walking off the plane. The Uber ride along I-75, I-24, and U.S. 27 was somewhat terrifying, but I arrived safely and securely at the pre-cruise hotel within 25 minutes.

Fun Facts: That was only my 2ND time ever using Uber. My first time was 8½ years ago after a previous (Disney) cruise out of Miami with my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces.

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll write about my hotel and dinner in downtown Chattanooga, and next #TravelThursday I’ll finally board the American Splendor cruise ship on the Tennessee River. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp