FTB55 American Queen

BRIDGE FROM THE

CRUISECO PRESENTS

ISSUE 55 AUTUMN 2018

MUSIC TO YOUR EARS On board new ship Symphony of the Seas

TASTES OF THE MEKONG Take a foodie’s journey through Vietnam and Cambodia on Cruiseco Adventurer WITH COMPLIMENTS OF YOUR LOCAL CRUISECO TRAVEL AGENT

COOL COMFORTS Find out why Scandinavia is a great cruise destination

SOUTHERN ROYALTY

REIGNS SUPREME Was it Mark Twain, Elvis or Maverick who fired your Southern fantasies? Join the American Queen Steamboat Company, cruising along the mighty Mississippi into fabled lands. WORDS: RODERICK EIME

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t’s hard to imagine a more iconic image of old America than a magnificent and ornate paddlesteamer churning and chugging its way up the mighty Mississippi River. Picture Bret Maverick, TV’s handsome card sharp, dealing poker and surrounded by seedy gamblers while women in enormous skirts flounce about to honky-tonk tunes from an old piano.

This enduring, if fanciful, image has been kept alive by numerous big and small-screen dramas for decades, but today it takes the form of the celebrated ship American Queen. This classic vessel is the largest riverboat ever built, dwarfing the smoky, noisy machines of the romantic past.

The American Queen Steamboat Company is a standout river cruise operator, preserving the tradition of classic American stern-wheel paddlesteamers. The company delivers enriching and immersive itineraries along the river that is entwined with the Old West and Deep South, and celebrated in such literary classics as Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn.

The majestic American Queen is not alone in the royal family of riverboats. She is joined by American Empress, which presides over the Pacific Northwest, sailing the Columbia and Snake Rivers of Lewis and Clark fame. And the fleet has recently grown to three monarchs with the launch

of American Duchess in 2017. This imperious lady was painstakingly reconstructed from an existing hull to create, for all intents and purposes, a completely new and modern vessel featuring the first all-suite configuration on any US paddlewheeler. American Duchess’ vast domain includes the Mississippi, Illinois, Tennessee, Cumberland and Ohio rivers.

While the vessels may appear outwardly similar in that trademark ‘wedding cake’ style, each riverboat has its own distinct character. And in contrast to many European riverboats, elevators link all passenger decks.

American Duchess hit the water in 2017

28 AUTUMN 2018

SMALL SHIP American Duchess cruises return from “Music City“ Nashville

Southern royalty The grand dame of the fleet, 436-guest American Queen, sets the tone with chandeliers, upholstery and polished wood delivering the feel of a boutique hotel. On board, the predominantly mature guests enjoy all-day non-alcoholic beverages, beer and wine with dinner, as well as included shore excursions during port calls. You can even add pedal to the paddle with free use of bicycles to explore vibrant ports like Memphis, New Orleans or St Francisville in Louisiana. While most guests are American, the company is actively seeking English-speaking guests from Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Dining is Southern-inspired fare served in the large, airy and ornate dining room. The menu features such items as sugarcane-glazed prime rib of pork, sauteed red snapper Creole and lamb chops with tomato-mint marmalade.

The comparative baby of the fleet is the brand-new, 166-guest American Duchess, which carries out her duties alongside the imperious American Queen on the Mississippi and adjoining rivers.

Bright and precocious, her all-suite configuration includes private balconies and contemporary decor. And the suites are larger than average.

Rivers full of life and lore History, music and culture enthusiasts will be in their element on board the American Queen Steamboat Company’s fascinating journeys through the USA’s Southern heartland.

This year’s December Christmas Cruise wraps up (with a bow) irresistible New Orleans, in a roundtrip that includes delightful smaller ports like Natchez in Mississippi and St Francisville in Louisiana.

Relish the sounds of authentic jazz, R&B and country and western, mixed with small-town hospitality and plantation history as American Queen rolls Proud Mary-like along the river.

For a more intimate encounter, American Duchess will introduce you to the delights of Tennessee and Kentucky along the Mississippi’s lesser-known tributaries, the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers.

FACT FILE Cruise Line: American Queen Steamboat Company Vessel: American Queen Maximum guest capacity: 436 Entered service: 1995; refurbished 2013 Facilities: Largest riverboat in the world, Mark Twain Gallery library, Main Deck Lounge, Grand Saloon, fitness centre and spa.

Southern-inspired fare is served on board

Vessel: American Duchess Maximum guest capacity: 166 Entered service: 2017 Facilities: First all-suite paddlewheeler in US, Loft Suites, Broadway-calibre entertainment, fitness centre, Grand Dining Room and The River Club & Terrace.

Enjoy meals in the ornate dining room

CRUISE ITINERARIES American Queen’s 8-night Holiday Christmas Markets cruise from New Orleans to Memphis departs on December 2 and 16, 2018.

Ports of call include Nottoway, St Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg and Greenville. Cruise fares start from US$2,178 per person, twin share including port charges.

American Duchess’ 8-night Holiday Nashville return cruise departs on November 11, 2018. Ports of call include Dover (Tennessee), Paducah and Clarksville. Cruise fares start from US$3,178 per person, twin share including port charges.

Spacious suites on American Queen

Nashville is not known as “Music City” without good reason, while Fort Defiance Civil War Park at Clarksville is a reminder of the historical significance of this region.

Bring your Southern dreams to life with the American Queen Steamboat Company on a river full of life and lore.

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