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American Queen

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Specifications of American Queen

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American Queen Review

Review of american queen.

The 1995-built/2024- scrapped cruise ship American Queen was initially operated by Delta Queen Steamboat Company (now defunct ) and until 2024 by AQSC/AQV/American Queen Voyages) .

The 436-passenger riverboat is similar to fleetmate American Empress , and also to ACL-American Cruise Lines vessels Queen of the Mississippi/now American Heritage and Queen of the West/now American West .

The American Queen vessel (MMSI 366950740) was the largest steamboat ever built in the world. Before relaunching in April 2012, the ship received a USD 6,5 million renovation to make the Victorian decor. Cabins got new LCDTVs and bedding. A top-deck bar (River Grill) was also added. Today, the steamboat feels much more like a historic boutique hotel than a riverboat.

American Queen's voyages were on the Upper and Lower Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers with 5- to 14-day itineraries leaving from homeports New Orleans , St Louis MO , Minneapolis-St Paul MN , Memphis TN , Cincinnati OH .

The previous shipowner was Hornblower Group Inc (via Hornblower Cruises and Events).

Following the bankruptcy of Hornblower Group in 2024 (February), American Queen Voyages was placed for sale. Hornblower was sold to Strategic Value Partners and announced reorganization plans, focusing on its other subsidiaries.

In a Texas-held auction in March 2024, ACL/American Cruise Lines became the highest bidder and purchased four riverboats - American Queen (US$2,15M), American Duchess (US$0,2M), American Empress (US$1,6M), American Countess (US$1,6M) plus other AQV assets.

Following the acquisition, in May 2024, ACL announced that American Countess, American Duchess and American Queen would be scrapped. American Queen ship's AIS last transmitted on May 21st (at 18:08 UTC) showing the 29-year-old riverboat at the MARS (Modern American Recycling Service Inc's yard) in Houma Louisiana.

American Queen Steamboat Company cruise deals

Operated with all-inclusive cruise packages, American Queen cruise tour deals are inclusive of:

• all shore excursions (“Steamcoach Tours” by luxury motorcoaches)
• 1-night pre-cruise hotel package
• soft drinks and bottled water (offered throughout the voyage)
• wines and beers (offered at dinner only)
• 24-hour room service (menu has the standard for breakfasts fare, plus sandwiches, burgers, macaroni & cheese, fresh salmon, desserts)
• Wi-Fi Internet
• Pilot House tour (of the ship's Navigation Bridge).
• Smoking inside the cabin and on the balcony is forbidden. The only smoking-allowed area on the ship is the sun deck.

"Commodore Services" is the company's set of exclusive services reserved for American Duchess cruise passengers booking categories LFS-Loft and OS-Owner suites. The list of bonus perks (price-inclusive / complimentary privileges) includes:

• gifts (upon arrival) - fruit basket and a bottle of wine
• suite tour (upon arrival)
• priority boarding and dining arrangements
• reserved balcony seating in "The Auditorium" (boat's theatre/show lounge), with a personal escort to the reserved seats
• private reception party with the ship's Captain and Senior Officers
• personal River Butler
• unpacking, hanging the clothes in the closet, packing, laundry, pressing service, shoeshine (conditioning)
• in-cabin dining - Afternoon Tea service, Breakfast and Dinner service (on the suite's balcony, upon request), pre-dinner canapes, post-dinner sweets).

Photos of American Queen

American Queen ship related cruise news

American Queen Steamboat Company (American Queen Voyages/AQV) ceased operations

On February 20, 2024, (at 5 pm Indiana time/12:00 UTC) American Queen Steamboat Company LLC (which operates under the travel brand American...

AQV-American Queen Voyages cancels February sailings due to operational concerns

AQV-American Queen Voyages has announced the cancellation of several sailings scheduled for February. The decision stems from an unforeseen...

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

American Queen Voyages (AQV) has unveiled its plans to shift its focus to river cruises, implementing a series of changes and updates that will...

American Queen Voyages/AQV is the first cruise line with fleetwide SpaceX Starlink Internet

AQV-American Queen Voyages announced SpaceX Starlink upgrades to its entire fleet of 7, including the award-winning lines Rivers, Lakes & Oceans...

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

A Viking Ocean's cruise ship will be the first to arrive and use the brand new customs facility at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center today...

American Queen Voyages marks the return of its final Lakes & Oceans ship, Ocean Navigator

AQV-American Queen Voyages marked the return of Ocean Navigator, the final Lakes & Oceans ship to be added back to the fleet, as she welcomed her...

American Queen Voyages 2024 season's new routes & itineraries

AQV-American Queen Voyages released its 2024 season, marking the furthest in advance a cruise season has opened for reservations in the 10-year...

American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) rebranded American Queen Voyages (AQV)

AQSC-American Queen Steamboat Company, which is part of Hornblower Group, is now the new brand merging AQSC and VCL-Victory Cruise Lines - American...

AQSC-American Queen Steamboat Company's flagship American Queen returns to service

AQSC-American Queen Steamboat Company announced that its American Queen ship had welcomed her first revenue guests in 18 months on Monday, August 9...

AQSC-American Queen Steamboat Company and VCL-Victory Cruise Lines release 2023 season

In response to demand for the 2022 cruise season, AQSC-American Queen Steamboat Company and VCL-Victory Cruise Lines, Hornblower Family Companies...

•   show more news

Other Scrapped Cruise Ships cruise ships

• American Countess
• American Duchess
• American Glory
• Amusement World
• Black Watch
• Carnival Ecstasy
• Carnival Fantasy
• Carnival Fascination
• Carnival Imagination
• Carnival Inspiration
• Carnival Sensation
• Carnival Tropicale
• CMV Columbus
• CMV Magellan
• CMV Marco Polo
• Costa Concordia
• Costa neoRomantica
• Costa Victoria
• Golden Iris
• Grand Celebration
• Leisure World
• Marella Celebration
• Marella Dream
• MS Titanic 2
• mv Discovery
• Ocean Diamond
• Orient Queen
• Pacific Jewel
• Pride of Burgundy ferry
• Pride of Canterbury ferry
• Pride of Kent ferry
• Pullmantur Horizon
• Pullmantur Monarch
• Pullmantur Sovereign
• Saga Pearl II
• Salamis Filoxenia
• SeaDream Innovation
• SuperStar Aquarius
• SuperStar Gemini
• SuperStar Libra
• Thomson Spirit

American Queen Wiki

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). As flag-state , the USA flag requires all officers, crew and hotel staff on the vessel to be American (US citizens).

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 . They all feature a huge, stern-mounted paddle wheel.

American Queen became second in 2012's Great Steamboat Race. The first prize was for the steamboat Belle of Cincinnati. 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).

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. It is a feature component of the vessel's main propulsion system. The impressive paddle wheel is driven by a hydraulic motor powered by a steam plant. Besides the paddle wheel, for better maneuverability and during emergencies, the ship uses its two Azimuth thrusters (aka Z-drives). These are modern marine propulsion units (diesel-electric propellers) mounted on either side of the stern paddlewheel. Both Z-drives are fully submerged underwater, and able to rotate at 360 degrees.

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.

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American Queen Voyages: The Complete Guide

Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

American Queen Voyages is a cruise line catering mainly to a previously untapped market: river cruises in North America. With three types of vessels available — including riverboats — American Queen guests can enjoy sailing down the Mississippi as easily as in the Caribbean.

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.

Here's a look at how American Queen Voyages is breathing new life into a part of the U.S. that features natural beauty and history.

About American Queen cruises

Here’s a quick overview of what to expect on an American Queen cruise.

Cabin types: Depending on the type of cruise you book, you can choose from a variety of room types. These include interior rooms, single rooms, rooms with a veranda and suites. 

Main U.S. routes: American Queen operates most of its routes on rivers in the U.S., with its main voyages cruising down the lower portion of the Mississippi. 

American Queen Voyages cruise destinations

American Queen cruise line operates almost exclusively in North America, but that doesn’t mean that its destinations are limited.

The majority of the departures it operates are American Queen river cruises and take place on the Mississippi, Columbia and Snake rivers. You’ll also find ships on the Ohio, Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, though that’s less common.

If you’re not aboard one of its riverboats, you’ll also be able to explore destinations such as Canada, New England, Alaska, British Columbia, Mexico and Costa Rica. Sailings generally last from seven to 16 days.

» Learn more: The best ways to book a cruise

American Queen Voyages cruise prices

Journeys on American Queen Voyages are all-inclusive and tend to be more expensive than other cruises. For example, the cheapest option we found rang in at $2,049 per person for a last-minute cruise from Portland, Oregon, to Spokane, Washington.

In contrast, rates for this same cruise in summer 2024 run as high as $5,369 per person.

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What is the best American Queen Voyages ship?

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.

What is the newest American Queen Voyages ship?

The newest American Queen Voyages ship is the American Duchess. As a riverboat, this ship will sail on American Queen Mississippi River cruises. With four guest decks and a capacity for 166 guests, the American Duchess features a boutique experience while still offering the amenities you’d expect from a cruise ship.

What’s included

American Queen Voyages bills itself as an all-inclusive experience, and that appears to hold up to scrutiny. While most cruises include food with your package, American Queen Voyages goes beyond that.

One-night pre-cruise hotel stay.

Ground transfers between the hotel and vessel.

Unlimited guided tours.

Unlimited alcohol.

Morning juice bar.

Gourmet dining.

In-room dining.

Prepaid gratuities. 

Port taxes and fees.

Live entertainment. 

Hiking sticks.

American Queen Voyages provides unlimited Wi-Fi to all its passengers for free.

American Queen Voyages trips are all-inclusive and will provide food and alcohol as part of your package. You’ll also be able to take advantage of guided tours, Wi-Fi, prepaid gratuities and a pre-cruise hotel stay with your fare.

American Queen Voyages cruises offer complimentary alcohol to all eligible passengers. This includes wine, beer and spirits. It also offers specialty coffees.

American Queen Voyages doesn't require passengers to have any type of COVID vaccine or test to board its ships.

(Top photo courtesy of American Queen Voyages)

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