This 5 day cruise from New Orleans to New Orleans was a perfect introduction to cruising on the American Queen. I could not have imagined anything better. The weather was beautiful and everything was nearly perfect.

Accommodations at the Hilton Riverside were very nice. It seems the AQ people block rooms in an adjacent building and not the tower. The only problem with that was the train that runs alongside the rooms that blew its' whistle before 4:00AM. Breakfast was your usual hotel buffet with the exception of freshly fried beignets. The AQ had a conference room set up to check in, request dinner seating and give your credit card info. You were given a small card with all your info on it that was to serve as your credit card on board. It had your table number on the back of it. This process went quickly and you have the rest of the day to tour or sightsee. Promptly at 3:00 they began the embarkation process. We just went out the back of the hotel and could see where a line was forming. If you have mobility issues, transportation to the boat was arranged during the check in process.

I was very pleased with our accommodations which were the bay window cabins. There was more than adequate space for your belongings and the bathroom was nicely sized. The air conditioning works extremely well, it might even be too cold for some people. The public rooms are amazing, such attention to period detail. Read more