American Queen Voyages shuts down, cancels all future cruises

Table Of Content

• AQV-American Queen Voyages cancels Great Lakes cruises, sells Ocean Navigator and Voyager ships
• Viking Octantis is the first cruise ship to arrive in Duluth (Minnesota USA)
• Learn About Credit Cards
• Explore Nepal's Mystical Wonders with Our Tailored Nepal Tour Packages!
• The Best Cruise Lines
• American Queen Voyages Cruise Reviews

There were passenger team events like trivia or name that tune, cocktail and bourbon tastings, afternoon movies in the theater, a cooking show presented by the Charboneau and Brennan, bourbon lectures and tastings by Veach, and destination talks prior to each port call. Still, there is something immensely appealing about traveling the rivers on slow-moving, flat-bottom boats with traditional Victorian gingerbread trim. AQV's itineraries for season 2024 provide a diverse collection of experiences with an emphasis on "encounter-driven travel" along the waterways of North America. First, it's important to acknowledge that paddlewheel vessels are less fuel efficient than boats that operate with more modern engines. Part of the charm of American Queen is the paddlewheel itself, so some allowances are made by default.

AQV-American Queen Voyages cancels Great Lakes cruises, sells Ocean Navigator and Voyager ships

Here Are All The Ships in American Queen Voyages Fleet - Cruise Industry News

Here Are All The Ships in American Queen Voyages Fleet.

Posted: Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The tour also stopped in Hodgenville to visit the Lincoln Museum, which occupies a prime location on the town square. Charboneau has added some of her Southern specialties like shrimp and grits, deep-fried frog legs, and her biscuits while tweaking traditional favorites like lobster and duck. Her goal is to introduce regional specialties whenever possible on the various itineraries, and to add customer favorites throughout the fleet. Tucked into a space adjacent to the grand staircase is a baby grand piano that’s used for impromptu singalongs, and where the ship’s musicians get together for informal jazz performances. When I asked about the line's demographics, a representative from American Queen Voyages told me that the company is actively looking to expand its customer reach. One of our last nights at dinner, about halfway through, we noticed broken glass on the table.

Viking Octantis is the first cruise ship to arrive in Duluth (Minnesota USA)

The American Countess is the newest boat among the fleet operated by American Queen Voyages, and the itinerary shows just how great an experience an all-American river cruise can be. A traditional sternwheeler cruise along the meandering Ohio and Mississippi Rivers offers a glimpse into the era when the Mississippi River was the western frontier of the United States. The small towns that sprung up along the rivers were far removed from the urban cities of the east, and the great rivers were the main means of transportation. American Queen riverboat was built in the USA and christened in Nashville TN by Godmother Phyllis Dale (owner of Phyllis Dale Travel Agency, Winter Springs Florida).

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These places are where guests gather for shows, games, lectures, and enrichment talks. Riverlorians and Lakelorians are always talking about the history of the waterways you’re sailing on. In the evenings, the river ships offer broadway style shows in theaters and dancing in lounges, while the lake, ocean, and expedition ships feature enlightening talks, hosted games, or piano players. Take a step back in time on the flagship, the American Queen, and retire to the Victorian era Ladies’ Parlor or Gentleman’s Card Room. American Queen Voyages has seven ships in its fleet — four of these ships are riverboats, two are coastal vessels and one is purpose-built for expeditions.

At American Queen, historical riverboats have been transformed into full-service, all-inclusive cruise ships capable of sailing the Mississippi, Columbia and Snake rivers, as well as excursions in the Great Lakes. The traditional routes are on the roster also, including sailings to Alaska, Costa Rica, the Gulf of Mexico and New England. This genuine USA cruise company employs resident experts who narrate the history of all towns visited along the itinerary routes. Onboard bicycles are also at hand, allowing passengers to enjoy biking along the river and through ports the riverboats call at. Just like the classic USA riverboats from the late 1800s which used to sail on the country's largest rivers (like Mississippi, Ohio, Snake, Columbia), the American Queen steamboat has a huge paddlewheel. The impressive paddle wheel is driven by a hydraulic motor powered by a steam plant.

Pullmantur, which was partly owned by Royal Caribbean Group (the parent company of Royal Caribbean), was the first cruise company to collapse during the pandemic, just three months after cruise ships stopped sailing in 2020. Cruise director Emma Harper teamed with assistant cruise directors Nick McCarthy and Michael Nicholas to present passengers with varied entertainment every day. Another show features country favorites, and yet another, “Just Go to the Movies,” showcases big screen favorites. The vessel is acknowledged to be the world's largest steamboat ever built. The ship is 6-decks high and built as a Mississippi riverboat replica vessel for the Delta Queen Steamboat Company (currently non-operational USA cruise line). Before relaunching in April 2012, the ship received a USD 6,5 million renovation to make the Victorian decor.

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With an early evening flight back from Chicago we chose to sign up for a similar coach tour at the end and it really filled the time. Stops along the way included a walk through Millennium Park and the chance to take photos of the famous skyline and Wrigley Field baseball stadium. The price included a transfer to the airport and it was well worth it to save sitting around for hours. This is a cruise where you don't need to fret about having a final nightcap and ending up with a huge bill at the end. We were impressed with the all-inclusive nature of the sailing, which makes it good value for money. Previously called Victory 1, the ship first launched in 2001 and was fully refurbished in 2019.

American Queen Voyages Cruise Reviews

Gateway Arch National Park and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, known as the Old Cathedral, are just steps away from the riverboat docking point. Again, the fleet of buses awaited us at the pier and whisked us to the sights we chose to visit in St. Louis. My husband chose to hop off at the Arch, to watch the award-winning film of its construction and walk around Gateway Park. I rode on through the city, to enjoy the beauty of the celebrated mosaics at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The floor plan of the Countess clusters public spaces – theater, guest services desk, a small shop, and the curving staircase – around the boat’s main bar on Deck 1. Called the Grand Lobby, this is where passengers can spontaneously gather for cocktails and conversation, where trivia games and contests are held, and where musicians play dance music after dinner.

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Neither did our room service breakfast order, despite our having put the menu card outside our door well before the deadline the previous night. We didn't pursue the ironing board further and instead simply wore rumpled clothes to dinner, but a call to the front desk about the breakfast meant food showed up at our door within 20 minutes. The day I boarded, I couldn't help but notice that the back of the boat was looking kind of dingy. I saw quite a bit of dirt and grime around the paddlewheel area, with the red paint on the wheel itself looking faded. That night, while I was outside watching the stars as we sailed, I noticed the outer decks were overrun by an alarming number of spiders and their webs.

American Queen Paddlewheelers Sold to American Cruise Lines - The Maritime Executive

American Queen Paddlewheelers Sold to American Cruise Lines.

Posted: Tue, 02 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

There is a small bar as well, where guests may enjoy a view of the turning paddlewheels while the boat is underway. By design, this USA-based river cruise ship is classified as "paddle-wheeler" (paddle-wheel boat). The vessel is similar to the fleet mate American Empress, and the famous American Cruise Lines ships Queen of the Mississippi/American Heritage and Queen of the West/American West. Due to the COVID pandemic, AQSC suspended its entire fleet's passenger shipping operations (all riverboats) canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 14, 2020, through May 2021. American Queen passengers tend to be mature, and many have already experienced Mississippi River cruising in the past, as well as ocean cruises. Add in the fact that the boat is more lace-and-doily than neon-and-glitter and not geared in any way toward families, and its older demographic becomes clear.

Onboard activities are more education-based than entertainment-based, spanning lectures and hands-on science "experiments" that helped explain everything from geologic history in Alaska to how mammals handle swimming in cold water. Even some of the evening entertainment is educational in nature—for instance, trivia night with Alaska-based questions or bar talks with the expedition staff about their global adventures. For more traditional entertainment, a pianist hosted singalongs in the lounge each night. As a small expedition ship, there aren't very many "typical" cruise amenities.

American Queen (fleet's most famous ship) docks there regularly - at the city attraction Beale Street Landing. In April 2014, a second boat (American Empress) joined the fleet after a major refurbishment. The vessel formerly sailed under the name "Empress of the North" - another famous American steamboat.

However, due to Mississippi's unseasonably high water levels, the launch was postponed for 6 weeks (to August 13th/christening ceremony). The Maiden Voyage was on August 14th, with prices starting from USD 1500 pp (double-occupancy Interior Suite rates). Despite our best efforts, demand for overnight cruises has not recovered following the pandemic, and AQV has become financially unsustainable. Other noteworthy stops in Paducah include the National Quilt Museum and, depending on the day and time of year, the Saturday Farmers Market. Silent Brigade Distillery, the Lloyd Tilghman house, Paducah Railroad Museum, and the River Discovery Center are other options along the bus route.