The American Empress is the 2nd ship for American Queen Steamship Co and plies the Snake and Columbia Rivers in Washington and Oregon. Like the American Queen (AQ), the American Empress (AE) is a paddlewheel ship but AE is diesel powered with two "Z" drives supplementing the paddlewheel. AE was originally built in 2003 for Majestic CL as their Empress of the North. After Majestic failed the ship was returned to its bond holder. the US Maritime Administration, until bought by AQSC and returned to service last year as American Empress. Although the Empress looks like a steamboat from the outside, inside it is much more modern with large cruise ship styled cabins, almost all with balconies. AQSC is a upscale American owned, operated, and crewed company and thus fairly expensive. I am a "single" and usually AQSC charges double for singles which was the case with this trip.

As AE holds only 220 guests, whereas AQ holds over 400, public spaces on AE are very few except for a lovely dining room, River Grill for casual meals at breakfast/lunch and reservation for dinner, a Show Lounge, and one Lounge/Library/Internet Center/Bar combo.

Food on AE, like on AQ is excellent however the menu is "shorter" on AE with an emphasis on Pacific NW foods, e.g lots of seafood, whereas on AQ the food is more Southern/Cajun style. Read more