American Tour

Our American tour has begun in Richmond, Virginia. Here, more than 100 kilometres inland along the winding James River, we welcome thousands of visitors every day who are eager to come aboard and explore the ship. Our berth is truly beautiful: on one side lies the city, with its distinctive Victorian wooden houses, and on the other a rugged natural landscape of creeks, ponds and dense forests.

As beautiful as it is, it is also incredibly hot here. On Friday, temperatures climbed above 100°F (around 36–37°C). Combined with humidity levels of approximately 80 percent, this created challenging conditions. The heat was so intense that several visitors became unwell while on deck. Fortunately, the military personnel standing watch on a nearby pontoon quickly came to the rescue with a stretcher, water and ice.

After a heavy evening thunderstorm, temperatures finally dropped a little. The day then concluded with a spectacular drone show and fireworks display. America is a land of superlatives, and this was without a doubt the largest fireworks display I have ever seen. Truly impressive.

Everyone has been incredibly friendly and helpful. We have received a very warm welcome and feel genuinely at home here. It has been a wonderful start to our American tour.