
I just completed my first with my longtime friend and travel companion, Lynn, and I am hooked. River Cruising is one of the best kept secrets in the Midwest. Visiting Five States on the Upper Mississippi Also, be sure to check out travel stories at the Wine And Spirits Travel blog. Be sure to sign up for special offers as they have them throughout the year for most of their itineraries.įollow Midwest Travel with Marcia Frost and on Instagram or Twitter for more travel ideas. Visit the American Queen Voyages website to see all the options available. My favorite show was the Broadway one and they did a wonderful job belting out the hits.Īfter the shows, we typically went to the Engine Room bar for a nightcap and to listen to the band there. One night Jim Waddell came aboard to do a show as Mark Twain, and it was quite an insight into the author’s life.
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There was a show filled with 70s songs and TV show themes. It was a beautiful venue, and the performances were top-notch. Since we had a suite, we had reserve balcony seating. The Grand Saloon was modeled after the theater Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in and it was quite impressive. We were also very impressed with the shows on the American Queen. There was just a charge for premium drinks and very few were in that category. To wash everything down with at the cafe, there was a selection of regular and specialty coffees, and one of four bars on the American Queen, all with unlimited complimentary drinks. Room service was also available and included. All day and night there would also be sandwiches, popcorn, fresh baked cookies, and soft serve ice cream with a selection of toppings. In addition to the formal dining room, the Front Porch Café had a small buffet that always had prime rib. If you wanted something different, they would bring that to you.įood was available at all times on the boat. With lunch and dinner, the waiters would come around with two special wines, one red and one white. The food was a mixture of fine cuisine such as frogs’ legs and crème brulee, and American fare, like Muffuletta sandwiches and the best chocolate fudge cake I’ve ever had. It was on the everyday menu as well as chicken breast, and burgers. What you could get every day if you wanted was a lobster tail (or two). The only problem was that you can’t get a wonderful dish (like a mushroom walnut burger I loved) again. Each menu was filled with something for every taste, from vegetarian to seafood to poultry and meat. Every meal was a treat, and the quality and presentation rivaled any Michelin Star restaurant I’ve been to.

I cannot say enough about the food on the American Queen. We had French doors that led to an open veranda, where neighbors could sit and chat while watching the river go by. The room was also accessible.Ĭabins on the American Queen range from small one person ones for singles on a budget to an Owner’s Suite with a veranda bigger than most people have backyards. We had water bottles provided, as well as robes and slippers. It also had a very large modern bathroom with a tub. It was larger than what I had on the European Cruise, where all rooms were the same size. We had the John Wesley Powell Junior Suite. I loved the River View Bar, where you could sit on a rocking chair and watch the scenery of the Mississippi River. There was plenty of room to spread out with the Ladies Parlor, Card Room, Mark Twain Gallery, Library, and multiple bars. Embarkation was quick and easy with just under 300 passengers. The ship was immaculate and the furnishings formal, though the mood was very informal.

It only has five decks and is easy to get around, as well as get on and off – the biggest attraction in a river boat.

It is still nowhere near an ocean liner at 213 staterooms. The Queen is the largest of the fleet and actually considered the biggest steamboat ever built. It was built in 1995 and refurbished in 2007 to add modern touches, such as water filling stations on every floor, to its classic décor, centering around Mark Twain and other authors of that period. It was christened in Memphis and its Godmother is Priscella Presley. The American Queen is one of five steamboats owned by AQV, all built in the United States and fully staffed with a U.S. I just did it with American Queen Voyages. You can take a cruise without ever taking a flight, getting a passport, or worrying about tropical storms. That may be what comes to mind, but it’s not the only way to go. These voyages require flying to your embarkation and hoping the weather is cooperative and you aren’t in the line of a hurricane. When you picture cruising, huge ships with thousands of people probably come to mind. Cruising the Midwest on the American Queen
