PaperSniper4 Posted June 26 #1 Share Posted June 26 We've had 40+ "ocean ship" cruises on the usual players (Princess, Celebrity, HAL, Carnival, NCL, etc). Now we're thinking of something a bit different....well, a lot different. We're in our late 70s and the river cruises look pretty good to us. Our first river cruise was on the Queen of the West about 20 years ago. It was fun, but very expensive for us at the time. We are considering a New Orleans (NOLA) round trip on the American Heritage for our second river cruise. We do not care to fly, and driving to NOLA is a convenient for us. We live near Memphis, and NOLA is an easy drive. Our alternate idea is a Memphis/ or NOLA to NOLA/ or Memphis. There would be a question of logistics - renting to drive one way or flying. Complicated/expensive. Anyone sail on the American Heritage? We're thinking a balcony cabin (category AAR). There is little info on the American Heritage anywhere. So if anyone can point me in the right direction it would be appreciated. Apparently the American Heritage had a different name at one time (Queen of the Mississippi). I'll check that also, but I am hoping for some current info from those who have sailed on her lately. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanandjoe Posted June 26 #2 Share Posted June 26 There are lots of reviews here on Cruise Critic: https://www.cruisecritic.com/cruise/american-cruise-lines/queen-of-the-mississippi I'll check later whether we've been on this ship. If you don't want to fly, why not take the storied train, City of New Orleans, one way and an ACL ship in the other direction. You can even listen to the song, or song it, as you travel. That way, you won't have to fly or drive, and you can see the area between the two cities in two different ways. The train takes about 9 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJustice Posted June 26 #3 Share Posted June 26 We've regular Royal Caribbean cruisers (14 so far) with a B2B in November but decided since there's nothing "new" as far as itineraries from Galveston for the next couple of years to try out river cruises. Booked on the American Serenade Grand Heartland from MN to NOLA in September 2025. Found LOTS of videos on YouTube about the ACL ships and itineraries. Looking at Deck plans, I ended up moving up a couple of cabin classes (not REALLY that much more money) to get above/away from the bow gangway/entry hall/vestibule locations since ALL unloading/loading traffic passes those cabins. Likewise, the deck right above that area would likely be quite noisy as well. Ended up on deck 3 in an AAM. We're both turning 65 this year and HATE flying (hence our Galveston home port) but seems no real option until Royal gets some new smaller ships and expands itineraries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperSniper4 Posted June 27 Author #4 Share Posted June 27 20 hours ago, Joanandjoe said: There are lots of reviews here on Cruise Critic: https://www.cruisecritic.com/cruise/american-cruise-lines/queen-of-the-mississippi I'll check later whether we've been on this ship. If you don't want to fly, why not take the storied train, City of New Orleans, one way and an ACL ship in the other direction. You can even listen to the song, or song it, as you travel. That way, you won't have to fly or drive, and you can see the area between the two cities in two different ways. The train takes about 9 hours. Terrific idea, I did not consider the train as an option. We cruise often from NOLA, and have looked at taking the train to/from NOLA (from Memphis), but the times didn't work well. However, I bet the times on one of the routes (to or from NOLA) would work for us; I will check that. I am one of those weird guys who loves to drive, especially on trips, so driving RT MEM-NOLA is something I enjoy. But, gotta admit, doing a train one way and the boat the other has a lot going for it! Thanks again for that idea. Doug 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperSniper4 Posted June 27 Author #5 Share Posted June 27 18 hours ago, GJustice said: We've regular Royal Caribbean cruisers (14 so far) with a B2B in November but decided since there's nothing "new" as far as itineraries from Galveston for the next couple of years to try out river cruises. Booked on the American Serenade Grand Heartland from MN to NOLA in September 2025. Found LOTS of videos on YouTube about the ACL ships and itineraries. Looking at Deck plans, I ended up moving up a couple of cabin classes (not REALLY that much more money) to get above/away from the bow gangway/entry hall/vestibule locations since ALL unloading/loading traffic passes those cabins. Likewise, the deck right above that area would likely be quite noisy as well. Ended up on deck 3 in an AAM. We're both turning 65 this year and HATE flying (hence our Galveston home port) but seems no real option until Royal gets some new smaller ships and expands itineraries. Ha, you sound like us about the <major cruise line) cruises from NOLA; all basically the same itinerary we've done many, many times. Of the 40+ cruises we've taken on major lines, I believe around 8-10 have been out of NOLA. Sure wish they'd put a Princess or Celebrity ship there with longer cruises to go farther into the eastern/southern Caribbean or even South America. We have taken just one cruise out of Galveston, and after flying to/from Houston and taking the long Princess shuttle to/from the port, we swore never again!😳 What I meant about no American Heritage info, especially YouTube videos, was the lack of the typical "cabin tour" and "ship tour" videos. If those are out there, maybe someone can supply a link. I was not successful finding any with the American Heritage, but I did find some older ones on the Queen of the Mississippi (Heritage's earlier name) Thanks for the suggestion on the deck plans and cabin choice. We are looking at AAR (deck 2 I recall?) as far as pricing goes, but haven't looked other than that. We want a balcony, so I'll consider you suggestion if and when we book. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBHoney Posted June 28 #6 Share Posted June 28 Hi Doug - Hubby and I are looking forward to our first river cruise with ACL next week. You've noted a couple times that you want a balcony. It's my understanding that part of the beauty and advantage of ACL (and maybe most river boats) is that most cabins are with balcony. We take American Song for our PNW cruise next week, and I believe there are no cabins without a balcony. You should be able to enjoy the views and extra space of a balcony whichever cabin category you choose. We've dreamed of this for 20 years and finally have the resources to take the leap! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOcruiserman Posted June 28 #7 Share Posted June 28 19 minutes ago, SuBHoney said: Hi Doug - Hubby and I are looking forward to our first river cruise with ACL next week. You've noted a couple times that you want a balcony. It's my understanding that part of the beauty and advantage of ACL (and maybe most river boats) is that most cabins are with balcony. We take American Song for our PNW cruise next week, and I believe there are no cabins without a balcony. You should be able to enjoy the views and extra space of a balcony whichever cabin category you choose. We've dreamed of this for 20 years and finally have the resources to take the leap! Sue Not only do almost all cabins have a balcony but the cabins are very roomy - much more so than the cramped staterooms on the many ocean ships I've been on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperSniper4 Posted June 29 Author #8 Share Posted June 29 18 hours ago, SuBHoney said: Hi Doug - Hubby and I are looking forward to our first river cruise with ACL next week. You've noted a couple times that you want a balcony. It's my understanding that part of the beauty and advantage of ACL (and maybe most river boats) is that most cabins are with balcony. We take American Song for our PNW cruise next week, and I believe there are no cabins without a balcony. You should be able to enjoy the views and extra space of a balcony whichever cabin category you choose. We've dreamed of this for 20 years and finally have the resources to take the leap! Sue Hi Sue. The American Heritage is the boat we are considering. She does have some "ocean view" cabins, category A. They are significantly less expensive than the categories with balcony, so if someone is searching for a less expensive route, at least that boat has them. She also has several "single" cabins. I didn't look to see if those have a balcony however, but I assume at least some do. For my father's 80th BD many years ago my wife and I, and my sister and her husband sailed with Dad on the Queen of the West on the Columbia and Snake River. If your upcoming cruise is as good as ours was, you are indeed in for a treat. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperSniper4 Posted June 29 Author #9 Share Posted June 29 18 hours ago, MOcruiserman said: Not only do almost all cabins have a balcony but the cabins are very roomy - much more so than the cramped staterooms on the many ocean ships I've been on. Yep, even the AAR category on the American Heritage is a few square feet larger than the one Sky Suite we've had on the Celebrity Silhouette. I was surprised, I always though the cabin on the small paddle wheelers would be on the small size, but even the less expensive one we had on the Queen of the West 25 years ago was a decent size. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanandjoe Posted June 29 #10 Share Posted June 29 The Queen of the West, which we sailed on in 2015, was acquired from another cruise line, and had smaller cabins than on ships built for ACL. Set forth below is a partial review od our 2013 ccruise on what was then the Queen of the Mississippi, from Memphis to NOLA. Most of the cruise was wonderful, although there were sime service snags in the dining room due ti everyone arriving for meals at the same time. They;ve manged to smooth things out since then by lengthening the dining hours. Here is our 2013 review: We recently sailed with you on the Queen of the Mississippi, starting in Memphis on 4/13/2013 and ending in New Orleans on 4/20/2013. By and large, it was a delightful experience...as it should be, for $750 per person daily. We stayed in room 310. The captain could not have been more welcoming...even giving an impromptu tour on Monday on request, and arranging tours of the bridge later in the trip. The entertainment was superb...we enjoyed the banjo player, the Riverlorian and his lovely wife who sang, the New Orleans jazz group, and the Victory Belles were all standouts. The rooms were lovely, and we sat on our balcony several times just congratulating ourselves on being there in the sun with the river going by. The lounges delighted us, especially the second floor lounge with the paddle wheel in the window and the "rocking pig". The shore excursions were carefully chosen, and I will remember that wonderful concert at the Joe Stone House in Natchez for a long time to come. Oak Alley swarmed with visitors, but we were there first thing in the morning and got to see the mansion in all its solitary splendor with costumed guides walking toward us to unlock the gate...as if the host and hostess were inviting us into the house in 1859. Had we been on our own in Vicksburg, we would have spent more time at the Cairo and at the Visitors Center and less time riding around...but the guide was very interesting in her own way and certainly well-informed. Certainly, the drive conveyed the scope of Grant's encampment...All in all, a trip to remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkauf Posted July 1 #11 Share Posted July 1 There are a few You Tube videos on American Heritage. There are not many other places you can find information other than this site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperSniper4 Posted July 1 Author #12 Share Posted July 1 7 hours ago, mnkauf said: There are a few You Tube videos on American Heritage. There are not many other places you can find information other than this site. Yes, I have seen those. They are all basically exterior shots someone took with a drone. Nice looking boat, but I was hoping for the typical youtube video showing the features of the cabin and sort of a tour of the entire boat. No big deal, I've seen enough to tell me I'd like to book a trip. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surmy555 Posted July 2 #13 Share Posted July 2 How about their website here https://www.americancruiselines.com/usa-riverboat-cruise-ships/paddlewheeler-class-virtual-ship-tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperSniper4 Posted July 2 Author #14 Share Posted July 2 26 minutes ago, surmy555 said: How about their website here https://www.americancruiselines.com/usa-riverboat-cruise-ships/paddlewheeler-class-virtual-ship-tour That's a good link, but it doesn't really show the American Heritage, it's a composite of their "paddle-wheelers"....at least it appears to be. But, still a good look. Thanks. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveinCharlotte Posted July 2 #15 Share Posted July 2 We sailed on this ship several years ago when it was America Queen of the Mississippi II, and more recently as the American Heritage. It had been substantially upgraded and looked just as the virtual tour shows. These refurbished Mississippi paddle-wheelers are all just about the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperSniper4 Posted July 4 Author #16 Share Posted July 4 On 7/2/2024 at 7:55 AM, DaveinCharlotte said: We sailed on this ship several years ago when it was America Queen of the Mississippi II, and more recently as the American Heritage. It had been substantially upgraded and looked just as the virtual tour shows. These refurbished Mississippi paddle-wheelers are all just about the same. Thanks. She is a fine looking boat. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperSniper4 Posted July 5 Author #17 Share Posted July 5 Okay, I booked it! We have lots of questions for those who have sailed on a paddle wheeler river boat cruise before. We have not in the last 25 years or so, but we've sailed a lot on the typical cruise. We'd like to hear any info you can give regarding meal times, room service time, how the cocktail hour works (times, availability of spirits, etc), availability of USB and AC plugs, shore tours, etc, etc. We're pretty ignorant I must admit.😉 Also, do USA river cruisers modify their typical cruise insurance? We normally get pretty inclusive insurance on other cruises outside the USA, but we're covered by Medicare and TriCare For Life in the USA, so a lot of the cruise medical/evacuation/etc insurance would never be used. I believe all cruise insurance is considered the secondary payer, right? Thanks. Doug and Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted July 5 #18 Share Posted July 5 1 hour ago, PaperSniper4 said: Also, do USA river cruisers modify their typical cruise insurance? We normally get pretty inclusive insurance on other cruises outside the USA, but we're covered by Medicare and TriCare For Life in the USA, so a lot of the cruise medical/evacuation/etc insurance would never be used. I believe all cruise insurance is considered the secondary payer, right? Cruise Critic has a forum dedicated to Cruise/Travel Insurance questions, where you will find a lot more expertise than on any of the cruise line forums. There is a wide variety of travel insurance policies available, far more than any of us individual cruisers can be familiar with. So the other piece of advice (which you will see a lot on the Cruise/Travel Insurance forum) is to call Steve at the TripInsuranceStore – because he does know the ins and outs of all the policies out there and can steer you to the one best suited to your particular needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperSniper4 Posted July 5 Author #19 Share Posted July 5 4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said: Cruise Critic has a forum dedicated to Cruise/Travel Insurance questions, where you will find a lot more expertise than on any of the cruise line forums. There is a wide variety of travel insurance policies available, far more than any of us individual cruisers can be familiar with. So the other piece of advice (which you will see a lot on the Cruise/Travel Insurance forum) is to call Steve at the TripInsuranceStore – because he does know the ins and outs of all the policies out there and can steer you to the one best suited to your particular needs. Okay, thanks for that. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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