The American Queen Steamboat Company has been on my radar for a long time. Meanwhile, I’ve checked their website many times over the years but the photos always gave me the impression that they were targeting “ the greatest generation” rather than the” baby boomers” like me. I figured if I waited long enough, I would be old enough to appreciate what they offer. I love ocean cruising. Why take a chance on the unknown?
Another key point is that there are two riverboat cruise lines in the United States with similar sounding names: American Cruise Lines and American Queen Steamboat Company. For a long time, I thought they were one and the same.
When I got serious about a Mississippi river cruise last year I studied the web sites and catalogs to pick the cruise line that would best suit me. I picked the American Queen Steamboat Company and booked the “Plantation Holiday Markets” Mississippi river cruise last December.
American Queen Steamboat Company
The American Queen Riverboat was the first one acquired by the American Queen Steamboat Company. It is said to be the largest river steamboat ever built. The ship was built in 1995 and is a six-deck recreation of a classic Mississippi riverboat, built by McDermott Shipyard for the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, her original owner.
The American Queen Steamboat Company has four riverboats: American Queen, American Countess, American Duchess and American Empress. The American Queen is by far the largest and most authentic with 222 state rooms for a capacity of 436 guests. I chose the American Queen for this cruise.
Booking The American Queen
Figuring that I would try it out and probably not return, I booked the smallest inside cabin on the ship. We flew to the starting location in Memphis where the company provides an included overnight stay in a central location. New Orleans was the end point of this cruise.
Memphis
That first night we walked to Bourbon Street where we enjoyed dinner and music at two different venues, the B.B. King’s Blues Club and the Rum Boogie Café. Since it was December, it was not packed, however, music still poured out into the brightly lit street creating a festive atmosphere
Elvis’ Graceland
The next day we took an an optional tour of Graceland which allowed me to check off one of my bucket list entries. To clarify, I am not a big Elvis fan, nevertheless, the mansion intrigued me. Surprisingly, there was much more than the mansion to see. We walked the gardens, toured the aircraft that he traveled on from show to show, and encountered “Elvis Presley’s Memphis” entertainment complex. This turned out to be an unforgettable experience featuring legendary costumes, artifacts, and personal mementos from Elvis and his family. I enjoyed it all and highly recommend it to anyone who has ever danced or sang along with an Elvis tune. Even if you are not a big fan, go for the history and the music.
The American Queen Riverboat
The next day we boarded the American Queen and spent time checking out the beautiful antiques and period furniture housed throughout the boat. It felt as though we had gone back to the days of Mark Twain.
The American Queen’s stern paddle wheel is powered by a steam plant which feeds into the pistons shown below. The pistons, in turn, move the paddle wheel.
Dining on American Queen
For dinner, we had assigned seating in the impressive dining room which soared 2 stories high. The food was very good. In the morning the buffet offered an array of enticing breakfast items. In addition, both breakfast and lunch were open seating.
The Front Porch Café provided a more casual dining experience with seating both inside and outside. Unfortunately, it was too cold in December to enjoy the outside area.
Entertainment
Three entertainers, 2 men and 1 woman, performed nightly. They were terrific. They danced, sang and performed at the highest level. Furthermore, I enjoyed it as much as some of the elaborate mega cruise ship performances I have attended, maybe even more. It was “feel good” entertainment. There was no focus on any particular musical genre but instead covered all decades. There were four major productions. On the other evenings the entertainment included a mentalist and a Mark Twain impersonator. We also had dance instructions followed by theme dance nights such as swing and country. Everyone was enthusiastic, learned the steps quickly and filled the dance floor.
Dress Code
Dress code is country-club style. No shorts, jeans, t-shirts, athletic footwear, or sandals in the dining room. The Front Porch, the included alternative dining venue has a resort casual ambiance where dressy shorts, and casual shirts may be worn in the evenings. There are no formal evenings.
The Engine Room Bar
Probably the thing that most swayed me toward the American Queen was the fact that there was a designated night club with bar and dance floor. Actually, the bar doesn’t interest me nearly as much as the dance floor.
Without a doubt, the Engine Room Bar was one of the highlights of the ship for me because a combo played dance music every night. Most uniquely, behind the combo were windows looking directly onto the huge lighted paddle wheel. It was mesmerizing to watch that big red wheel turn. The floor of the Paddle Wheel Lounge rumbled rhythmically to the force of the steam pistons below us as they propelled the paddle wheel. A steep, narrow staircase led from the lounge downstairs to the Engine Room Viewing Area.
Excursions
Excursions were available for purchase but we did not buy any because the American Queen owns brightly decorated tour buses that travel alongside the boat and are available at each docking at no additional charge. Each day they gave us a map describing where these hop-on-hop-off buses stopped along a designated route with a brief description of each stop. This allowed us to stop at as many places as we liked, in any order, and to stay as long as we liked as long as we caught the last bus back to the boat. There was no additional charge for these buses. This gave us the freedom to explore at our own pace; a truly great feature.
Age of Passengers on American Queen
I must admit that it was an older crowd but now that I am older, I felt perfectly comfortable. Because the focus was on nature and visiting historical sites, most passengers went ashore. For those who stayed on the boat during the day there was bingo, Name That Tune, River Chat, a matinee showtime, pilot house tour, dance lesson, or a movie.
Summary
The American Queen was worth the wait. I only wish I had gone sooner and I can’t wait to sail again on one of her sister ships.
In conclusion, I highly recommend the American Queen Cruise Line and the American Queen riverboat in particular for those 50 and above. This is because she can accommodate those looking for a slower pace cruise that is authentic, historical, fun and intriguing. Besides, it is completely different from anything I have sailed on before. The hop-on-hop- buses give you the freedom to tour at your own pace. On the other hand, for those younger folks looking for a more active cruise experience, I recommend a cruise ship rather than a riverboat.
I am eagerly looking forward to my scheduled cruise on the Columbia and Snake River on the American Empress in May 2001. Of course, I will only go if if there is a vaccine available and it is safe to cruise at that time. We will just have to wait and see.
