Aft Cabins on the American Queen

Hi All,

We are planning for a NO to Memphis to St Louis journey on the AQ.

We are biased toward the aft cabins (383, 85, 86), but I am concerned about the stern wheel.

Specifically,

how obstructed is the view (from the stern wheel and the support members), and

does the stern wheel throw spray at the cabins?

I'll appreciate any info you can send my way.

Thanks

Ira

I believe those are the cabins just below the blue "American Queen" sign in the picture below. I have not been in them, but I believe the balconies are covered with a plexiglass screen because of the water spray from the paddle wheel. Our first AQ cruise (actually 2 back-to-back cruises) was in 485, directly above the ones you are considering and centered above the paddle wheel. The deck outside our cabin was nearly always wet from the paddle wheel, and that deck is behind the solid steel blue sign! Our view aft was obstructed by that sign; we had to walk up to the rail and peer over to see the paddle wheel and the wake.

It's also a long walk from the stern to the bow, where the chart house,

Front Porch and Main Dining Room are located. Our next two cruises were in 401 and 402, on either side of the chart house, at the bow. We enjoyed them immensely. Our next cruise, St. Louis to St. Louis at the end of August, is in 205, one of the cabins with bay windows, just steps from amidship, easy to get anywhere. I would be very unlikely to cruise in 485 again, and am too concerned about the constant spray to choose 385 or the ones on either side. If I wanted to spend that much, I'd consider either of the two LS (luxury) suites in the corners on wither side of the three you are considering.

I was in 385 once and I would never get it again. Not because of the spray, but because of the vibration of the Z-drives when they're in use. The room was quite noisy too. There are better rooms for the same price or even less, in my very humble opinion!

Thanx folks.

Very helpful.

Ira

I've been looking at the deck plans and I don't see a cabin 485. I'm interested in your reply regarding the spray and the plexiglass, but was your cabin a different number? Thank you.

How about cabin 449. Is this considered aft and will be be subjected to spray? Is there a better cabin we should try to get? Thanks!

I've been looking at the deck plans and I don't see a cabin 485. I'm interested in your reply regarding the spray and the plexiglass, but was your cabin a different number? Thank you.

Sorry, my bad, it was 455. That's what I get for trying to remember something from 2012 without looking it up!

How about cabin 449. Is this considered aft and will be be subjected to spray? Is there a better cabin we should try to get? Thanks!

There are 5 cabins across the stern of Deck 4. The 3 in the center face the stern, while the 2 in each corner have entrances that are slightly angled towards the corners. 452 on the port corner and 451 on the starboard corner are the angled ones. 455 is exactly in the center, while 454 is towards port and 453 is towards starboard.

449 is around the corner, facing the side of the boat. It is the furthest aft along the starboard side of Deck 4. There is no danger of any spray. The only way you could get a "better" cabin, in my opinion, would be to pay more for a higher category. I believe yours is Category "C"; the one in the corner next to you (451) is Category "B", not because of size but location, nearer the stern. The 3 across the back (453, 455 and 456) are Category "A", somewhat because of size but mostly because of the view from the stern, however 455 is the largest of the 3, and may be larger than other Category "A"s.

While we enjoyed the size, it wasn't all that important to us. And, while the view was gorgeous, looking at the wake of the paddle wheel, we couldn't see it when sitting down outside the cabin, and ended up always sitting somewhere else on the ship -- primarily the front porch. Subsequently, we have not booked 455 again.

The differences in size of any of the cabins is not all that significant. Yes, the smallest inside cabins are really tiny, but even the largest LS (Luxury Suite) cabins on Deck 5 are not really that much bigger than the others. Certainy nothing close to an ocean-going ship, where the standard cabins tend to be 150 to 175 sq feet, yet the largest (Owners Suite, Master Suite, Penthouse, Garden Villa, whatever) are anywhere from 1200 sq feet to over 4,000 sq feet.

So far, my favorite cabins are 401 and 402, at the forward end of Deck 4, on either side of the Chart House. They're Category "B". Our next cruise will be in one of the bay window cabins on Deck 2, Category "E". Their disadvantage is no immediate access to "outside"; their advantage (I believe, not having tried them yet) is a little larger size and a great view from the bay windows, regardless of the weather.

Sorry, my bad, it was 455. That's what I get for trying to remember something from 2012 without looking it up!

 

 

There are 5 cabins across the stern of Deck 4. The 3 in the center face the stern, while the 2 in each corner have entrances that are slightly angled towards the corners. 452 on the port corner and 451 on the starboard corner are the angled ones. 455 is exactly in the center, while 454 is towards port and 453 is towards starboard.

 

449 is around the corner, facing the side of the boat. It is the furthest aft along the starboard side of Deck 4. There is no danger of any spray. The only way you could get a "better" cabin, in my opinion, would be to pay more for a higher category. I believe yours is Category "C"; the one in the corner next to you (451) is Category "B", not because of size but location, nearer the stern. The 3 across the back (453, 455 and 456) are Category "A", somewhat because of size but mostly because of the view from the stern, however 455 is the largest of the 3, and may be larger than other Category "A"s.

 

While we enjoyed the size, it wasn't all that important to us. And, while the view was gorgeous, looking at the wake of the paddle wheel, we couldn't see it when sitting down outside the cabin, and ended up always sitting somewhere else on the ship -- primarily the front porch. Subsequently, we have not booked 455 again.

 

The differences in size of any of the cabins is not all that significant. Yes, the smallest inside cabins are really tiny, but even the largest LS (Luxury Suite) cabins on Deck 5 are not really that much bigger than the others. Certainy nothing close to an ocean-going ship, where the standard cabins tend to be 150 to 175 sq feet, yet the largest (Owners Suite, Master Suite, Penthouse, Garden Villa, whatever) are anywhere from 1200 sq feet to over 4,000 sq feet.

 

So far, my favorite cabins are 401 and 402, at the forward end of Deck 4, on either side of the Chart House. They're Category "B". Our next cruise will be in one of the bay window cabins on Deck 2, Category "E". Their disadvantage is no immediate access to "outside"; their advantage (I believe, not having tried them yet) is a little larger size and a great view from the bay windows, regardless of the weather.

Thank you so much for all the great info. Sounds like we got a good one! Might be because of our travel agent.Or, just by chance.

hondorner--thanks for clearing up the cabin number. We have been upgraded to category A--cabin 533 from a D category guarantee. I think that looks pretty good. Looking forward to our sailing, we've been on many ocean cruises but this is our first river one.

hondorner--thanks for clearing up the cabin number. We have been upgraded to category A--cabin 533 from a D category guarantee. I think that looks pretty good. Looking forward to our sailing, we've been on many ocean cruises but this is our first river one.

That's a nice upgrade! American river cruises are different than any ocean cruise we've enjoyed (lots of them). Just the idea of constant scenery on both sides of the boat, instead of nothing but sea -- and all pleasant at 7 miles per hour!