NOW, THAT’S HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT!

[HostDave]

What comes to mind when you think of holiday entertainment? At this time of year, your thoughts probably turn to carols and catchy seasonal songs from movies and your childhood. At the American Queen Steamboat Company, we think of the same entertainment options that you do and that’s why on our 9-day Old Fashioned Holidays voyages this month, you’ll find a healthy dose of holiday favorites. Imagine floating down the Mississippi River on a multi-decked authentic riverboat that appears like a wedding cake with two tall black smokestacks and a bright red paddlewheel at one end. Now imagine being inside that wedding cake, surrounded by Victorian decor, holiday decorations, twinkling lights and the aroma of seasonal favorites drifting up from the two-deck, glass walled J.M. White Dining Room. At this point, you don’t have to stretch your imagination to hear bands playing carols or fellow guests joining in a holiday sing-a-long.

But what if you could have all the music that makes the holidays special and also top-notch entertainment that you’d never expect as part of a holiday cruise? If you can imagine such a thing, then you’re imagining life on the grand American Queen on our upcoming holiday cruises. You’ll find a surprisingly fresh variety of entertainment on our voyages sailing roundtrip from New Orleans on December 13 and from New Orleans to Memphis on December 20. Best of all, if you make your reservations on either of these holiday cruises by December 21, 2013, you can take advantage of our 2-FOR-1 offer*. Now that’s going to be a season full of unexpected treats!

On the December 13 cruise, be delighted by groups such as the Vegas Rat Pack and New Orleans All Stars as well as the prodigious talents of acts like Dave & Cathy and Jim Moore. On the December 20 voyage, enjoy the talents of Vegas Rat Pack, Laura Sable and Riverboat Gambler Bill Wiemuth.

The Vegas Rat Pack will take you back to another era. If you close your eyes, you’ll swear you’re hearing Ol’ Blue Eyes himself. Amazing performers evoke the sounds and memories of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, backed by our onboard orchestra. Enjoy hits that include Fly Me to the Moon, That’s Amore, Everybody Loves Somebody, New York, New York, When I Was Seventeen and others. Las Vegas in the 1950s and 1960s was the epicenter of cool and the Vegas Rat Pack’s show brings it all to life once again.

The New Orleans All-Stars are the maestros of the Big Easy’s jazz scene and will take the American Queen on a journey through the history of a purely American music genre. Jazz and New Orleans go together like chocolate and beignets and this group plays not just the jazz standards you’ve heard of but some hidden treasures that will set your fingers snappin’ and your toes tappin’. And you haven’t heard a holiday carol until you’ve heard the jazz version.

Laura Sable began her career as an entertainer in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. With an extensive musical theatre background, she has delighted audiences from Alaska to England. In 1998, she joined the Delta Queen Steamboat Company as a featured vocalist and created her own show, A Tribute to the Great Ladies of Song. Her unique vocal style effortlessly encompasses music from jazz to pop, blues to Broadway, and country to classics and proves so popular that the American Queen Steamboat Company is bringing her back to the river on the American Queen. Past guests who remember her from her Delta Queen days rave about her performance.

Bill Wiemuth often appears as his Riverboat Gambler persona and this multi-talented performer is also a magician. He performs a number of card tricks that would make the nefarious crew that once populated steamboats in the 1800s and swindled unsuspecting passengers out of their money green with envy. And he does so with a thread of historical storytelling woven through his entire act which brings the past alive on stage. Bill is no stranger to riverboats, having performed aboard the Delta Queen, retired flagship of the legendary Delta Queen Steamboat Company, after the boat became a restaurant and hotel in Chattanooga.

All our holiday acts appear in the majestic Grand Saloon, a two-deck performance venue on the American Queen designed to resemble the opera houses of the small towns of the 19th century with details modeled after Ford’s Theater. At the holidays, you’ll find lighted trees along the perimeter and garland draped over the proscenium stage and the fronts of the balcony’s box seats. It is a magical spot for holiday entertainment that goes far beyond what one would expect. We hope you can join us!

*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.