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Live from American Queen's Bourbon Cruise


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Jdeleo11 -- wasn't that fantastic? The captains play on red, custom created guitars that are made from the paddleboat's planks. You can actually buy one from the gift shop -- if I played, I'd splurge on it, it's amazing. Cost is one of those if you have-to-ask-you-can't-afford kind of deals :) If your budget can swing $1,000 it's all yours, one of a kind.

 

Carolyn

 

Agree completely- having both worked on the big ships and sail on them, this vessel has a completely different vibe- just so spacious and intimate, yet lots of friendly people to chat with. We are in our early 40's and assumed we would be the only "young" ones but lots and lots of 40's/50's.

 

Tonight we will be at the Engine Room bar at 9:00 to watch the Captains guitar jam. Should be super fun!

 

 

Super nice!

1493557544_ScreenShot2016-07-16at9_30_21AM.jpg.86d07cf61bc971cab51a92bc035874cc.jpg

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From what I've heard around the boat, expansion isn't an if -- it's a when. Seems like the owners are just trying to be super careful about picking just the right boat. Heard there could be two options: One would be smaller than AQ and still ply the Mississippi, but maybe more offbeat ports. The other, also intriguing as a possibility, would be to acquire a boat for Great Lakes down the eastern seaboard (including, perhaps, my beloved Chesapeake Bay -- that's a cruise I'd sign up for in a heartbeat) and even down to Florida.

 

Whatever AQSC will do, be prepared for a superb experience. The company's products -- both American Empress and American Queen -- just keep on getting better and better.

 

Carolyn

 

Thank you for the response!

 

You're right, the AMERICAN QUEEN keeps on getting better and better. As for the AMERICAN EMPRESS, I'll find out next year if the second trip on her is better than the first!

 

I so hope that an American flagged cruise boat starts running on the Great Lakes. To get on a boat for a round trip out of Chicago or Cleveland and recreate the glory days of the SOUTH AMERICAN or NORTH AMERICAN would be so wonderful!

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I so hope that an American flagged cruise boat starts running on the Great Lakes. To get on a boat for a round trip out of Chicago or Cleveland and recreate the glory days of the SOUTH AMERICAN or NORTH AMERICAN would be so wonderful!

Victory Cruise Line is suppose to be doing Great Lakes cruise this summer ..not sure when though

I would steer clear of Blount though ;)

Edited by LHT28
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We’ve had a couple of questions regarding the quality and types of tours available on American Queen. Our itinerary was a little bit different in some ways because it was a themed cruise – bourbon’s been interesting to learn about!

 

Key observations:

 

*The Hop On Hop Off Bus concept is frankly brilliant. Love it. Love the way that many of the museum admissions are included so all you do is walk in, show your keycard, and … It saved me $11 in Paducah at the National Quilt Museum. That can add up after three museums, say, a day in port. Also love that the two drivers on the custom buses “drive” with the ship (after we leave port they head by road to the next place). It’s nice to see familiar faces. Also, each has a local guide onboard to give an intro and some advice.

 

*The premium tours have earned raves from the passengers I’ve talked to who have taken them. There’s nothing over $80 (most are less) including a full day “Kentucky Champions’ Experience (this one from Louisville focused on Kentucky Derby) that got incredible reviews. Cost? $79.

 

*One disappointment about visiting some of the charming small towns, like Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Paducah, Kentucky; and Madison, Indiana, is that often when we’re in port the shops and restaurants are closed. “Everywhere we’ve been it feels like Sunday morning,” one passenger muttered, and it’s true. While it’s nice to admire these small towns, the ambience is sort of ghost-town-like. Fortunately museums were always open…. This is not the fault of American Queen; the towns know when the ship’s coming. It’s more (and this was confirmed by a tourism executive at one of them) the responsibility of each of the towns to try to coordinate opening hours with ship visits.

 

*All but one of the specially-added bourbon themed tours were complimentary, which was pretty awesome.... There were trips to Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Willett Distillery, Wild Turkey and Heaven Hill.

 

 

Carolyn

Edited by editor@cruisecritic
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Carolyn

I agree with the comment on some small towns

we did the Pittsburgh to Cincinnati

some of the towns are ghost towns there is just no business in the downtown areas in small town America

People go to the malls ..I found this on road trips through the USA as well

Many downtown area shops cannot survive with the "big box giants" in the neighbourhood

 

Enjoyed your review

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When we arrived in Cincinnati today -- what a cool city and the Kentucky side looks fascinating, too -- thunderous storm clouds were overhead. The sky was in mourning because today our cruise -- ends. Big bummer for us, but not so much for Rivertripper, who boards today. Rivertripper, the cabin stewards were feverishly working to get everything spic and span for you guys.

 

Met a few people onboard who are doing back to backs, including Cruise Critic member Goat65 (lucky guy) -- hope you guys will post from your trip if you can.

 

Have a great voyage --

 

Carolyn

 

Hi Carolyn,

 

We are on the American Queen the week following your trip. We board in Cincinnati the day you leave the boat and travel to St. Louis. This will be our 11th trip on the AQ and we love steamboatin'. Friends have enjoyed the European river trips and suggested we try one. We took a Rhine cruise earlier this year, but missed the paddlewheel. I guess we are just addicted to steam. Since this is your second AQ trip, we know you understand.

 

Along with you, we also would appreciate a suggestion on a favorite St. Louis restaurant from those who know. Any type of cuisine. Any good places within walking distance of the Hilton at the ballpark?

 

While we look forward to your reports from the boat, please don't let your desire to post a report take time away from simply enjoying the boat and the river. But if you must write, know that it will be appreciated.

 

Rivertripper

Pat and Rich (Kite Man)

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Victory Cruise Line is suppose to be doing Great Lakes cruise this summer ..not sure when though

I would steer clear of Blount though ;)

 

 

Victory Cruise Line's boat will not be flying the American flag. Although the boat could as she was built at Mayport, Florida for American Classic Voyages.

 

As Steamboats suggested, I might not be too keen on going on just any boat. Sometimes the track record of a company's management must be looked at before spending such large amounts of cash.

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Victory Cruise Line's boat will not be flying the American flag. Although the boat could as she was built at Mayport, Florida for American Classic Voyages.

 

As Steamboats suggested, I might not be too keen on going on just any boat. Sometimes the track record of a company's management must be looked at before spending such large amounts of cash.

 

It was just an option for sailing the Great Lakes

I did not know you only sailed on American flagged ships

 

I would have considered sailing on the Saint Laurent if she had not hit the lock which caused the ship to be taken out of service until Victory Cruises took her over

 

I hope you find a ship/boat for the Great Lakes cruising they do not seem to stay in business long

Edited by LHT28
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I have traveled on ships that fly all sorts of flags. The thing about traveling on an American flagged vessel on the Great Lakes is that it can be to all American ports such as the wonderful jewel box cities along the shores of Lake Michigan or Mackinac Island. There would be no need for a passport, and the trip could easily be a seven night round trip out of Chicago.

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Hi, LHT28. It wasn't that they were down-and-out-towns. They were all quite charming. It just was weird that the shops and the ship visits weren't on the same schedule.

 

Certainly, the big grocery stores and chain restaurants and shopping malls were all out by the highway, but there would typically be much more of interest -- thinking of Cape Girardeau, Paducah and Madison in particular -- if the very interesting specialty shops in those towns were actually open when the ship was there.

 

On the other hand, big kudos in Madison to the town's independent book store (complete with cats), the terrific bakery in Paducah, and well, can't think of anything in particular about Cape G. (though the tourist office, one of the Hop-On stops, was really welcoming and open arms about its computers for those of us who were Internet-anxious). And also, it must be said, that all the historic attractions were absolutely open, so there was plenty to see and do. Just not much if you're interested in how life is lived there now (as opposed to 100 years ago).

 

One really intriguing thing about what American Queen does is that the day before our Sunday call in Madison, there was a bulletin at the shore excursion desk about the various church demoninations, what time services were, which stop they were on the Hop-On. I've never, ever seen that before on a cruise ship. I went to the Episcopal service in town and there were five of us from the ship, and we felt a bit like celebrities. Very special.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn

I agree with the comment on some small towns

we did the Pittsburgh to Cincinnati

some of the towns are ghost towns there is just no business in the downtown areas in small town America

People go to the malls ..I found this on road trips through the USA as well

Many downtown area shops cannot survive with the "big box giants" in the neighbourhood

 

Enjoyed your review

Edited by editor@cruisecritic
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Hi, LHT28. It wasn't that they were down-and-out-towns. They were all quite charming. It just was weird that the shops and the ship visits weren't on the same schedule.

 

Carolyn

That is strange then

Some of the towns we stopped at there were just no shops to open

one town was great they had the stores open the locals came out & sat on the bank & chatted to those of us that would stop

One town had a music festival right at the waterfront ..free concert for us on the ship ;)

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Lucking out with festivals, LHT28, is awesome. We got "lucky" with one in Louisville but it was, ahem, aimed at 20 somethings and took our in-town berthing dock! Better luck next time, right?

 

Carolyn

 

That is strange then

Some of the towns we stopped at there were just no shops to open

one town was great they had the stores open the locals came out & sat on the bank & chatted to those of us that would stop

One town had a music festival right at the waterfront ..free concert for us on the ship ;)

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I sat down this week to write the usual "hits and misses" blog we do on Cruise Critic after we get off a ship and this came out instead: From the Bridge: An Avid European River Cruiser Tries the Mississippi.

 

Link's here, curious if you agree, disagree!

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7141

 

Carolyn

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  • 9 months later...

Yes, they do have two shows so you can plan your dining time according to your own preference. Do note, though, that the earlier time usually books up quickly. On one of our trips we could not get early dining and ate in the Front Porch Cafe each night which was no great hardship!

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  • 1 month later...

5:15PM seems so early to dine in the summer time, not so bad in Fall though. I've booked the 8PM, which is a little late for us, so imagine we'll have a few meals on the Front Porch as well! I'll let you know how we enjoyed it in August when we return!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have a great trip eaglecrz -- look forward to a post-cruise report.

 

Carolyn

 

5:15PM seems so early to dine in the summer time, not so bad in Fall though. I've booked the 8PM, which is a little late for us, so imagine we'll have a few meals on the Front Porch as well! I'll let you know how we enjoyed it in August when we return!
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