About American Queen
American Queen belongs to American Queen Voyages's Heritage Paddle-Wheeler series and entered service in 1995. Built to navigate the lock systems and bridge clearances of European waterways, she measures roughly 127 metres in length and accommodates up to 417 guests in 222 staterooms across 6 passenger decks.
American Queen Voyages operated a four-ship paddle-wheel fleet — the iconic American Queen, American Empress, American Countess and American Duchess — across the Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland, Tennessee and Columbia rivers. The brand suspended operations in 2024; ship profiles remain published for historical reference. American Queen reflects that brand DNA — from the design of her public spaces to the inclusions in her base fare.
The ship's typical home waters are the Mississippi, where she runs 5 distinct itineraries during the operating season. Repositioning sailings, themed wine cruises and Christmas-market voyages may be added in autumn and early winter.
Cabin categories
The following stateroom and suite categories are offered onboard. Square-foot figures are quoted from the operator's published deck plans and exclude balcony floor space.
| Category | Square feet | Deck | Window / view | Max guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inside Stateroom | 136 sq ft | Main Deck | None | 2 |
| Outside Stateroom | 195 sq ft | Cabin Deck | Picture window | 2 |
| Veranda Stateroom | 265 sq ft | Texas Deck | Open-air balcony | 2 |
| Loft Suite | 625 sq ft | Sun Deck | Open-air balcony | 2 |
Deck plan
American Queen is laid out across 6 passenger decks plus the open-air sun deck. Public spaces, cabins and crew areas are arranged in the configuration described below.
Onboard amenities
- Sun deck with shaded lounge area
- Panoramic lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows
- Main restaurant serving open-seating regional cuisine
- Casual bistro for breakfast, lunch and late-night snacks
- Reception with 24-hour staff and concierge service
- Lift between most passenger decks
- Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi throughout the ship
- Hair salon and small fitness room
- Heated whirlpool on the sun deck
- Open-air promenade decks on every passenger level
Featured itineraries
The voyages below are representative of those American Queen sails during her primary season. Exact ports, departure dates and durations vary by year — consult the operator for current schedules.
| Itinerary | Length | Sample ports | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Mississippi Heritage | 8 nights | New Orleans · Oak Alley · Baton Rouge · St. Francisville · Natchez · Vicksburg | Mississippi |
| Upper Mississippi Cruise | 8 nights | St. Louis · Hannibal · Burlington · Davenport · Dubuque · La Crosse | Mississippi |
| Complete Mississippi | 22 nights | New Orleans · Natchez · Vicksburg · Memphis · St. Louis · Hannibal | Mississippi |
| Music Cities of the South | 9 nights | Nashville · Clarksville · Paducah · Cape Girardeau · Memphis · Vicksburg | Ohio, Tennessee & Cumberland |
| Ohio River Heritage | 10 nights | Pittsburgh · Wheeling · Marietta · Cincinnati · Louisville · Henderson | Ohio, Tennessee & Cumberland |