American Queen

American Queen is said to be the largest river steamboat ever built.[4] 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. Although the American Queen's stern paddlewheel is indeed powered by a steam plant, her secondary propulsion, in case of an emergency and for maneuverability around tight areas where the paddle wheel can not navigate, comes from a set of diesel-electric propellers known as Z-drives on either side of the sternwheel.[2] She has 222 state rooms for a capacity of 436 guests and a crew of 160. She is 418 feet (127 m) long and 89 feet (27 m) wide.[5]

The American Queen
History
United States
Name: American Queen
Owner: Hornblower Marine Services
Operator: American Queen Steamboat Company
Port of registry: Memphis, United States
Route: Mississippi River and tributaries
Builder: McDermott Shipyard
Cost: US$ 65 million
Laid down: 1994
Launched: 1995
Christened:
Maiden voyage: June 9, 1995[1]
In service: 1995
Out of service: October 2001
Identification: IMO number: 9084542
Fate: operating on the Mississippi River
Status: Refitting
Notes: Re-sailed under American Queen Steamboat Company
 
Route: Mississippi River and tributaries
Launched: 1995
Completed: 1995
In service: January 2003[2]
Out of service: November 20, 2008
Identification: IMO number: 9084542
Fate: sold
 
Owner: Hornblower Global Maritime
Operator: American Queen Steamboat Company
Port of registry: Violet, Louisiana then Beaumont, Texas
Identification:
Status: owned and operated by Hornblower Global Maritime and/or the American Queen Steamboat Company[3]
General characteristics
Class and type: Steamboat
Tonnage: 3707
Length: 418 ft (127 m)
Beam: 89 ft (27 m)
Height: 109.5 ft (33.4 m)
Draught: 8.5 ft (2.6 m)
Decks: 6
Installed power: Steam engine and diesel-electric
Propulsion: Paddlewheel and Z-drive
Capacity: 222 staterooms, 436 passengers
Crew: 160

The Str. American Queen was retired to the reserve fleet in Violet, Louisiana, on 20 November 2008. Due to the failure of Majestic America Line (her owner) she was returned to the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) who held her $30 million mortgage.[2] The U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration records the ship's movement to the Beaumont Reserve Fleet on January 22, 2009.[6] As of April 2011 American Queen is under contract for $15.5 million to HMS Global Maritime, based in New Albany, Indiana.[7] Based on the August, 2011 U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration inventory, the ship was sold on August 2, 2009, and departed the Beaumont Reserve Fleet for Memphis, Tennessee.[8] The new operator, The American Queen Steamboat Company announced plans to return her to Mississippi River service from a port in Memphis, Tennessee.[9] She rejoined her fellow sternwheeler steamboats Natchez, Chautauqua Belle, Minne-Ha-Ha, and the Belle of Louisville. She is currently in service.

In 2012 the American Queen participated for the first time in the Great Steamboat Race.[10] It came in second place.

The American Queen Steamboat is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.[11]

In 2013 American Queen was fully refurbished and expansions were made to her dining areas and public venues.

Facilities

The American Queen has a gym, spa, 24-hour café, and various restaurants. There are also several entertainment venues.

Themed Voyages

American Queen passengers experience themed voyages with special appearances by various performers and lecturers, such as Lewis Hankins as Mark Twain and George Buss as Abraham Lincoln. The Civil War themed voyage includes historians as guest speakers, and the Twain cruise features Cindy Lovell and other Twain scholars.[12][13]

Media Appearances

The vessel had an episode of the Discovery Channel TV series Superships dedicated to it, and is available to view on popular digital download platforms such as iTunes and Amazon Prime Video as Episode 12.

See also

References
  1. Stanchak, John. "The American Queen: 'Is best of old and best of new.'". Archived from the original on 31 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
  2. "American Queen". steamboats.org. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
  3. "Overnight River Cruises to Finance Beale Street Landing". Memphis Daily News. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  4. "River Royalty: American Queen returns to area waters for first time since 2008". The Review; East Liverpool, Ohio. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  5. "American Queen Steamboat Company Official page". Retrieved 2012-11-05.
  6. "National Defense Reserve Fleet Inventory" (PDF). U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration. January 31, 2009. p. 2. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  7. Dale K. DuPont (2011-04-25). "Marad approves sale of American Queen". WorkBoat.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-16. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  8. "National Defense Reserve Fleet Inventory" (PDF). U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration. August 31, 2011. p. 2. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  9. "Mississippi River Cruises". American Queen Steamboat Company. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  10. "New Vessel to Participate in 2012 Great Steamboat Race". Kentucky Derby Festival. Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  11. "The American Queen Steamboat a Historic Hotels of America member". Historic Hotels of America. Retrieved January 20, 2014. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. River Cruise Blog (2019-04-04). "Special themed voyage – The Mighty Mississippi". American Queen Steamboat Co.
  13. American Queen Steamboat Co. (2018-09-16). "Mark Twain Voyage" (PDF). AQSC.
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