TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

[HostDave]

It’s amazing what people will do to get a good deal over the holidays. I’m sure we’ve all seen videos posted online or read the stories about the crush of people pouring into big retailers on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, intent on getting the best prices on everything ranging from shoes to video games. It’s intriguing and sometimes a bit horrifying to see what people will do for a deal. In one video, a grown man tosses aside two women and a smaller child with one arm to muscle his way to a pyramid of DVD players. In another, the crowd actually breaks through a glass door minutes before opening and then floods the aisles like a tidal wave.

We don’t know about you, but that’s not how we like to do things at the holidays. We appreciate a good deal, but we’re not about to subject ourselves to such dangerous nonsense. That’s why at the American Queen Steamboat Company, we’ve taken a more civilized approach. Until December 21, we’re offering Special Holiday Savings with 2-FOR-1 Cruises* but all you have to do is pick up the phone to take advantage of the best deal of the season. No pushing or shoving and, as an added bonus, your dignity remains intact (which is not something we can say for some of the folks in the videos we’ve seen)!

Best of all, our holiday offer takes you away from the maddening crowds and into the oasis of the American Queen, decked out in her Victorian holiday finery with lighted garlands, glittering trees, special holiday menu items and a host of Southern holiday traditions. We still have space on three sailings. Choose from our 9-day Old Fashioned Holidays voyages from Memphis to New Orleans on December 6, roundtrip from New Orleans on December 13, and from New Orleans to Memphis on December 20, 2013. Don’t forget that every American Queen Steamboat Company cruise includes a free night before your voyage begins in your embarkation city as part of your fare. And with these 2-FOR-1 offers, that benefit is twice as nice!

And while the emphasis is on the holiday theme, the ports of call are every bit as fascinating as the yuletide season. That’s also why we offer our Complimentary Hop-On, Hop-Off tours in every port of call, another one of the benefits of traveling with the American Queen Steamboat Company. Each features our own motorcoaches, known as Steamcoaches. Just look at what’s available:

St. Francisville, LA
As you board your deluxe hop-on hop-off Steamcoach, you will turn onto Royal Street where you may want to stop off at Grandmother’s Buttons, a Victorian button museum and jewelry boutique, or the West Florida Republic Park. Visit the Old Market Hall, where you will see art, jewelry, handmade items and music albums. When you reach Commerce Street, there are several places for lunch, snacks, spirits, coffee and ice cream. Once you are refreshed, hop back on the Steamcoach which will take you up to the Spring Creek Shopping Center. Finally, you will visit the West Feliciana Historical Society Museum on Ferdinand Street and the Grace Episcopal Church.

Natchez, MS
Natchez is the center of the Antebellum South. From Spring Pilgrimage to Christmas, there’s no shortage of excitement in this small town as you tour the antebellum mansions of Natchez, drink in the history and enjoy the entertainment. Stop at the Natchez Visitors Center to peruse the gift shop and bookstore, or view exhibits and films illustrating the rich history of Natchez. Take a narrated tour of Stanton Hall which was built in 1857 and is considered the grandest of the Natchez mansions. See the Magnolia Hall, Rosalie Mansion and William Johnson House. Also on our route is the Eola Hotel for shopping.

Vicksburg, MS
Board your hop-on hop-off Steamcoach for a narrated tour experience of Vicksburg, a city bursting at the seams with local culture, character, art, entertainment and outdoor adventure. The Red Carpet City of the South, Vicksburg perfectly blends Southern culture and heritage with exciting modern-day attractions. Your deluxe Steamcoach will first take you through Vicksburg’s shopping district. You will stop at The Church of the Holy Trinity, a place of spiritual refreshment to Vicksburg for more than 125 years. Two blocks from the church you will find the Southern Cultural Heritage Center. The next stops are Pemberton’s Headquarters; as you return to the downtown area, continue to the Old Courthouse Museum, which showcases thousands of artifacts from pre-Columbian times to Civil War implements. Finally, visit Washington Street for more shopping, or discover other interesting museums including the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum, Yesterday’s Children Antique Doll and Toy Museum, the Old Depot Museum, and Lower Mississippi River Museum.

Helena, AR
Our tour of this historic city begins with a drive through Cherry Street Historic District. An area so picturesque it was used in several scenes of “Walk the Line”, a 2005 Johnny Cash biopic. Along the way you’ll find more treasures from the same film, including the The Malco Theater as well as several boutiques; The Delta Gypsy Caravan and the Cotton and Kudzu Mall. We’ll have the opportunity to shop The Handworks Boutique, featured on “ABC World News Tonight.” Also, see Gist Music Company whose rare collectibles will transport you back in time. Then, discover museums that beautifully represent the heritage of the 27-county region of eastern Arkansas at the Delta Cultural Center. Stop at the Moore-Hornor House and the nearly full-sized replica of the Union’s Fort Curtis, rebuilt just a short distance from where it originally stood. Our next stop highlights some of the most beautiful historic architecture in the region at the Pillow-Thompson House. This late 19th century mansion has been beautifully restored and is a fine example of Queen Anne architecture. Our last stop is the Helena Museum and its eclectic collection of artifacts from prehistoric times through the Civil War and on to the present.

Baton Rouge, LA
In Louisiana’s capital city, you will see something unique at every turn. Begin your day with a tour for the military enthusiast at the USS Kidd, a WWII Fletcher-class destroyer. You will also visit historic exhibits in the adjoining Veterans Memorial Museum. Then, visit the Old Governor’s Mansion, built in 1930 by Governor Huey P. Long as “Louisiana’s White House.” The next stop is the beautiful St. Joseph Cathedral, built in 1853. Be sure to walk through the Main Street Market where dining options include down-home Southern cooking, sandwiches, salads, Chinese, Greek and Lebanese. This is also a great opportunity to pick up Louisiana souvenirs. Then, the loop will take us around Capitol Lake through Arsenal Park for a beautiful view of the current Governor’s Mansion which was built in 1963, when Jimmie Davis was Governor. Also included is a stop by the Old Arsenal Museum, which was built in 1838 and used by the U.S. military during the Mexican and Civil Wars. Tour the Louisiana State Capitol building, standing proud as the nation’s tallest capitol building. Get a bird’s-eye view of the city and mighty Mississippi River from the 27th floor observation deck. Next, stroll across the intricate Capitol Gardens and tour the Capitol Park Museum where you can step onto a simulated Mardi Gras float, discover the difference between Cajun and Creole, and lose yourself in multimedia presentations. For the art lover, your next stop is the LSU Museum of Art. The last stop on the loop is Louisiana’s Old State Capitol building, the 160-year-old statehouse that has withstood war, fire, scandal, bitter debate, abandonment and the occasional fistfight.

Houmas House, LA
Disembark the American Queen and experience the magic of time gone by when you enter the grounds of historic Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. Your stay will take you on a journey through a time when the Sugar Barons reigned supreme along the Great River Road. As you begin your walking tour of the grounds, you will be greeted with the sights and scents of 16 acres of lush gardens, cool fountains and moss-draped live oaks that stand witness to the extraordinary lives spent in this beautiful setting. Circle the mansion to find the Turtle Bar nestled beside a garden path, where you will find a cool respite and an opportunity to try a Mint Julep, the famous bourbon cocktail that was first concocted at Houmas House. Take your drink with you while continuing your stroll among the formal gardens, where you may happen upon the kitchen crops from which the sous chefs harvest each evening in preparation for meal service inside the mansion.

Oak Alley, LA
Disembark from the American Queen and walk across the street to enjoy the beauty and dream of Oak Alley’s rich past. Located on the Mississippi River between the historic Louisiana cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Oak Alley Plantation has been called the “Grande Dame of the Great River Road.” Nowhere else in the South will you find such a spectacular setting. The quarter-mile canopy of giant live oak trees, believed to be nearly 300 years old, forms an impressive avenue leading to the classic Greek revival style antebellum home. The setting will remind you of the movie “Gone with the Wind” and makes you feel as if you are on a Hollywood movie set. Oak Alley’s adaptive restoration in 1925 by her new owners, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Stewart, was the first example of antebellum restoration along the River Road.

*Offer expires December 21, 2013 and is valid on new bookings only. Not valid on Group bookings and may not be combined with other offers. The 2-for-1 offer means first passenger in cabin pays full cruise fare and second person pays no cruise fare when paid-in-full at time of booking. Cruise fare does not include taxes, port charges, insurance, gratuities, or airfare. Only cabin categories of C, D, E, F, G, H, and I are available for this offer and only on these 2013 voyage dates: 12/06, 12/13, and 12/20. Additional terms and conditions may apply – call for details.