The American Steamboat Company AKA American Queen takes care of everything. All excursions are included, although it also offers the option of taking additional paid excursions. One particularly nice feature is the hop-on hop-off buses (which look like a paddle-wheeler on land) that make visiting towns extremely easy. Ride the bus to a site, see it, and then ride the bus to the next site.

The accommodations were very comfortable and well appointed. We had an outside cabin so we were only an open door away from watching the river bank of the Mississippi pass. The food was excellent. Free wine with dinner was a nice feature as well. The entertainment was excellent as well. Nightly shows played up the history of the river as well as the history of music along the river. There is also excellent dancing on board. The show band is excellent in offering a wide variety of music to dancers. The wood dance floor is large and clean. The "riverlorian" gave informed historical lectures and shared his extensive experience on the river, too.

Unlike large cruise ships the American Queen holds only 400 passengers. The intimacy of the boat along with the speed at which the boat moved encourage passengers to slow down and take a more relaxed attitude towards traveling. The staff is friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.