Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

American Queen Ceases Operations

CruiseCriticAaron
 Share

Recommended Posts

eroller Great Review Rare

eroller

Posted
Posted
33 minutes ago, Globalfish said:

Definitely BS.  If it were Covid, ACL and possibly even Viking would be “on the rocks” as well.


Agree completely.  ACL is flourishing and I think the same with Viking.  Cruise lines large and small are sailing full and at very high yields.  If you can’t make it in this environment you are doing something very wrong.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mainelycruising

mainelycruising

Posted
Posted
On 2/22/2024 at 8:39 AM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

At the time, NCL also had the Norway. There was a rumor that, with the two other "old" ships, they were going to run a sister line of vintage cruise ships. Wishful thinking, I guess. 

If you want a 'vintage cruise ship line', try Marella.

 

Or Margaritavile!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Host Jazzbeau Great Review Rare

Host Jazzbeau

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, mainelycruising said:

If you want a 'vintage cruise ship line', try Marella.

 

Or Margaritavile!

Vintage isn't the same as nostalgia.  Those ships are just old.  AQV's river ships were new but quaint.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
steamboats Great Review Rare

steamboats

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Vintage isn't the same as nostalgia.  Those ships are just old.  AQV's river ships were new but quaint.

 

The American Queen is built in 1995, the American Empress in 2003. The American Countess and American Duchess are new. The Cape boats (Ocean Voyager / Ocean Navigator ex Cape May Light / Cape Cod Light) are also from the long ago Delta Queen Steamboat Company era.

 

steamboats

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
bob brown

bob brown

Posted
Posted
On 2/28/2024 at 1:47 AM, steamboats said:

 

The American Queen is built in 1995, the American Empress in 2003. The American Countess and American Duchess are new. The Cape boats (Ocean Voyager / Ocean Navigator ex Cape May Light / Cape Cod Light) are also from the long ago Delta Queen Steamboat Company era.

 

steamboats

The American Countess and Duchess aren’t exactly new, either…rebuilt from former Iowa gambling boats…

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Host Jazzbeau Great Review Rare

Host Jazzbeau

Posted
Posted
On 2/28/2024 at 1:47 AM, steamboats said:

 

The American Queen is built in 1995, the American Empress in 2003. The American Countess and American Duchess are new. The Cape boats (Ocean Voyager / Ocean Navigator ex Cape May Light / Cape Cod Light) are also from the long ago Delta Queen Steamboat Company era.

 

steamboats

 

1 minute ago, bob brown said:

The American Countess and Duchess aren’t exactly new, either…rebuilt from former Iowa gambling boats…

The point I was trying to make, which I don't think is contradicted by the above posts, is that only American Queen and American Empress are viable boats for a future venture.

 

The Cape boats have been for sale without interest.  The Countess and Duchess were never really suited to purpose after the refit.

 

But I also think the market for AQV-style cruising is probably only able to support two boats, and Queen and Empress would suit that market.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Globalfish

Globalfish

Posted
Posted (edited)
10 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

But I also think the market for AQV-style cruising is probably only able to support two boats, and Queen and Empress would suit that market.

Agree.  If AQV’s competitor ACL had sensed more of a market for AQV-style cruising, they would have commissioned their 3 newest boats plying the Mississippi (the Melody, the Symphony, and the Serenade) to be built as [pseudo] paddlewheelers instead of sleek modern design.

Edited by Globalfish
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DaveinCharlotte

DaveinCharlotte

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Only American Queen and American Empress are viable boats for a future venture.

 

The Countess and Duchess were never really suited to purpose after the refit.

 

Not sure I follow.  What makes American Queen/American Empress viable but Countess and Duchess not?  Our cruises on the latter were pretty full.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Woofbite

Woofbite

Posted
Posted

We were on their inaugural trip of the Countess and were really impressed with the ship, not so much the disorganized service in the dining room but that slowly improved with experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ericosmith

ericosmith

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, DaveinCharlotte said:

Not sure I follow.  What makes American Queen/American Empress viable but Countess and Duchess not?  Our cruises on the latter were pretty full.

According to the crew on the Countess the paddle wheel does provide part of the the propulsion so I'm not sure why it's any different in that respect from the other boats.  It just doesn't use steam.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DaveinCharlotte

DaveinCharlotte

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, ericosmith said:

According to the crew on the Countess the paddle wheel does provide part of the the propulsion so I'm not sure why it's any different in that respect from the other boats.  It just doesn't use steam.

Yes, you are correct.  The paddlewheel provides 40% of the propulsion; each of the 3 Z-drives provides 20%.  (This is in contrast with ACL, whose paddlewheels are just for show.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TinCan782

TinCan782

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, ericosmith said:

According to the crew on the Countess the paddle wheel does provide part of the the propulsion so I'm not sure why it's any different in that respect from the other boats.  It just doesn't use steam.

Same with the Duchess. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bob brown

bob brown

Posted
Posted

The American Queen is in a class by itself, not just for its steam propulsion, but also for its size.  Its size allows it to offer a level of on board entertainment and facilities that a smaller boat cannot.

 

The modern Viking Mississippi probably comes closest in that regard…

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CruiserFromMaine "Live from...." Rare

CruiserFromMaine

Posted
Posted

We never sailed on the American Queen but we were on the Countess twice. It is quite pretty ship and new, even if the “bones” of it are not. Our middle of the road cabin was large, especially for a river boat and there was plenty of space in the public areas; the bar got a little crowded before dinner, but I’ve seen worse on ocean cruising ships. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BJR52001

BJR52001

Posted
Posted

This was a combination of Hornblower's poor management and changing tastes.  The introduction of European style vessels has been really popular.  These are dated and need extensive interior upgrades.  AQ herself probably needs to finally ditch the steam engine and AD/AC are too large for their passenger count and should have the 2 double height decks converted to 4 single height decks for added capacity.

 

But honestly, they should have done modern new builds instead of AD and AC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted

My take is that the entire fleet will be purchased by either ACL or Viking, at fire sale prices, then scrapped, in order to keep another potential operator from getting US bottoms.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
skiingj

skiingj

Posted
Posted

A very good friend worked for them for about a year.  They quit over a year ago because the writing was on the wall.  TAs were getting screwed by lack of commission payments and other creditors were also not getting paid.  It once was an amazing company and its founder I heard was a wonderful person.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
ArtM

ArtM

Posted
Posted (edited)

The bankruptcy case was adjourned to March 28, 2024.  Then on March 24, 2024, the case was adjourned indefinitely.

 

"PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Auction has been further adjourned to a date and time to be announced by the Debtors.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Debtors will conduct the Auction via remote videoconference in accordance with the Bidding Procedures. Prior to the Auction, the Debtors will circulate login instructions for the remote videoconference to all parties permitted to attend the Auction under the Bidding Procedures"

 

Art

Edited by ArtM
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
3rdGenCunarder "Live from...." Rare

3rdGenCunarder

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, ArtM said:

The bankruptcy case was adjourned to March 28, 2024.  Then on March 24, 2024, the case was adjourned indefinitely.

 

"PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Auction has been further adjourned to a date and time to be announced by the Debtors.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Debtors will conduct the Auction via remote videoconference in accordance with the Bidding Procedures. Prior to the Auction, the Debtors will circulate login instructions for the remote videoconference to all parties permitted to attend the Auction under the Bidding Procedures"

 

Art

 

Interesting. I'd love to be a "fly on the wall" for that video conference.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail Beyond the Ordinary with Oceania Cruises
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: The Widest View in the Whole Wide World
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...