Home Away From Home

[HostDave]

When we travel, our initial focus is on the destinations, the things to do, the people we’ll meet and the experiences we’ll have. Nearly as important is where we’ll be laying our head each night. It’s a bit different when one books a river journey because the benefit of a riverboat is that there’s no need for packing or unpacking – your floating boutique hotel takes you from one attraction to another.

If you haven’t traveled this way before it takes a bit of getting used to – in a good way. No matter how wonderful a hotel might be and how magnificent the view, each morning when we awake we know exactly what we’re going to see out the window. The lighting and the interplay of shadows will depend on the time of day but soon we lose the inspiration from the majestic view and simply find ourselves looking out the window just to check the weather.

Imagine instead that you never know what view you’re going to have not just every morning when you wake up but each time that you look outside throughout the day. That is the beauty of a river journey. Your hotel moves.

When we ask our guests to share some of their most memorable moments from a journey with the American Queen Steamboat Company, many of the responses have to do with the changing views and the moods of the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers.

One guest shared with us a quiet morning on the Ohio River north of Louisville. She had risen early and stepped out onto her private balcony. Scanning the length of the American Queen, she saw no one else around. The sun hadn’t popped above the horizon just yet and was lost in an ethereal blue glow growing brighter each minute. The sound of the paddlewheel astern brushing the water whispered a rhythm all its own. Small cabins were perched in the hills above the water, among trees silently holding their leaves without so much as a rustle in the predawn calm. Suddenly, the sound of a rooster crowing broke the silence with a reassuring cackle and it seemed as if, for just a moment, this was the river that Mark Twain knew so well more than a century ago.

Another guest recounted his delight in opening the French doors of his stateroom to the deck beyondand settling into a rocking chair to watch July 4th fireworks explode into colored sparks far above the St. Louis Arch, the faint strains of a marching band drifting across the water. A third guest tells of curling up in the bay window of her stateroom with the, drapes wide open, and watching the moonlight dance across the serene waters of the Upper Mississippi River, a hawk circling lazily in the sky.

These are the moments that define a vacation and are an unexpected and delightful part of an American Queen voyage. As it turns out, the charm and comforts of our accommodations are sometimes just as unexpected, despite the previews provided by photos in our brochure, on our website and by satisfied guests to their envious friends. The American Queen is as beautiful as the mighty steamboats of the 1800s, but she was built with every modern convenience. .As captivating as images of the American Queen may be, once you experience her grandeur first-hand you will realize that a picture could never do her justice.

She offers a wide range of suites and staterooms for every preference and budget and each has an inviting antebellum charm. Choose a Suite with Veranda and you’ll feel as if you own the American Queen. From your spacious, elegantly furnished suite, you are treated to a sweeping river view. Sip a beverage and share conversation in your cozy sitting area with sofa-bed and cocktail tables. Soak in your tub or shower, and then sleep soundly in your double or queen bed dressed with fine linens. Our suites give you the feeling of a fine Southern estate home, complete with authentic period décor and antiques. Perched atop the American Queen in the best locations with expansive views of the river, you’ll feel like Thomas P. Leathers, one of the wealthiest and most successful steamboat owners of the 19th century. From the intimate sitting area with its sofa-bed and cocktail table to the fluffy bed, this is river living at its finest.

With your own private terrace, a Superior Stateroom with Private Veranda is so enjoyable you might decide to extend your journey. Mark Twain never dreamed of accommodations so comfortable. Sit in your cozy armchairs and prop your feet up on the ottoman as you read through the River Times, our daily program. A Deluxe Outside Stateroom with Veranda is just as popular. You can settle back on the couch in your sitting area, open the French doors to the deck, and greet the day as the banks of the river slip majestically by. Some staterooms in this category offer a view of the paddlewheel, while others offer expansive views of America’s Heartland from five decks above the river on the Promenade Deck. Our Outside Staterooms with Veranda are almost as spacious and feature the same wonderful French doors. Imagine opening them to a sweeping river vista and the sweet scent of magnolia trees. Sit on the deck outside your stateroom and greet early morning strollers, relax in bed with your favorite book, or soak in a hot bath.

Deluxe Outside Staterooms with Bay Window feature an expansive bay window overlooking the ever-changing scenery of America’s Heartland. Curl up in front of the window with a new novel and savor a moment that belongs to only you, just as one guest did beneath the moonlight and a soaring hawk. The broad outer decks of the American Queen are the window on the world for those guests who choose a cozy Inside Stateroom. Although the American Queen is the largest and most opulent riverboat, guests will appreciate the attentive crew and an open deck with a view of the river is never more than a few steps away.

In the suites and staterooms of the American Queen, the phrase “home away from home” really means something. Our guests are amazed at how quickly the plush bedding, rich wallpaper, flat screen televisions, sofas, settees and bath tubs become like a second home. Although the last time we checked, no home promised such spectacular and ever-changing scenery as the American Queen.