I chose it because of the decor depicted in the brochure and the itinerary. The decor of the ship was nothing like was depicted in their advertisements. We sailed during an impending tropical storm which they ignored and the cruise up the lower Mississippi river got worse. We repeatedly questioned the cruise direction inquiring about our destination considering the weather. We essentially were ignored. The decor of the rooms is average. The upper floors leaked terribly. two of our three ports were closed. The port at Baton Rouge was at flood stage and the entire city was shut down pending the coming flood. Once again we tried to get answers with no results. When then decided to disembark and catch a flight home. All the crew were first timers and inexperienced. The food was average for a cruise. The entertainment areas were small. There was one ice machine for the 100 or so passengers, The captain was relieved of duty apparently because his lack of communication with the passengers. I contacted the corporate office and their flippant response was we didn't know of any storm or problems with the America. This cruise is falsely advertised and way to expensive for what is offered. The crew is very young and inexperienced. It felt like we were on training vessel. The main office has yet to refund me any money. They offered a 1000 cruise credit which to me was an insult. If you book with this company you will regret it! Never Again! Read Less

Whale sightings 6 of 7 days, excellent food and service, magnificent views up close of mountain goats, a wolf, hundreds of sea lions, otters, eagles and flocks of birds. Local seafood served as one choice in varied dishes at lunch and dinner. Crew was on target, baggage in our room when we arrived onboard after a morning at Mendenhall Glacier to have lunch onboard. We saw multiple types of glaciers. Presentations onboard for identifying whales readily and their habits. Also information from Alaskan native tribe and National Forest Service about what we would see in the 2 days in Glacier Bay. Stops in small towns were different and varied in their purpose. Train available to Yukon up the path taken by miners thru White Pass. Kayaks, rafting, who could want more? Accommodations were spacious, and food too often available as snacks between meals. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails each afternoon, wine and beer with meals. Services were personalized and consistent. We added an extra day to wander and absorb the flavor of Juneau before boarding which was a good decision. Tracy’s Crab Shack in Juneau is a must for King Crab like a local! Leaving was smooth transition in early morning with assistance of crew to make early flights necessary to get to East Coast. Small ship experience was so much better than what my friends had on larger ships that have less access to places where we went. Now looking for another bucket list destination. Read Less

We are experienced cruisers and world travelers - this was our first time with our 11- & 9-year-old grandkids, and first time on American Cruise Lines. We embarked from Clarkston, WA and sailed west along the Snake & Columbia Rivers to Astoria, then back to Portland, OR. It was a themed cruise focusing on the journeys of Lewis & Clark. We had the kids read about L&C before departing - the old Landmark and "We Were There..." books. They were the only two kids on board; otherwise I'd estimate the median age of the 150 passengers to be ~70. The on-board speaker did a good job bringing L&C's journeys to life, and tying them in to each of the attractions we visited. We had two adjoining cabins, with a door in between (405 & 407). This felt very spacious. Crew was 100% American (not that I care, as we've never experienced this before). Service was very good (equiv. to Holland America or RCCL, but not quite Regent). Bottom line - we booked a follow-on cruise on the Mississippi based upon this experience. Read Less

Before I start, let me say that overall the cruise was OK for my wife and I. For my 87 year old mother who we brought, the cruise was better than OK and she enjoyed it a lot. Having never been on another river cruise, she had no real expectations and so it was a great experience for her. For us, this was the first and probably last US based river cruise. All of our experience is on Viking which we knew going in was going to be hard to compare. As mentioned earlier, I am good with period décor and to some degree period accommodations. That said, when one pays for owner suite rooms, those rooms should at least be maintained/not dated. Suite 402 exhibited many squawks including several ceiling panels bent and one completely loose/hanging down at one end, carpet was stained, chairs were missing buttons and worn, chrome soap dish and toothbrush holder were loose, shower soap holder was chipped, outdoor candles on our balcony were all inop, back door handle was loose and back door had visible hinge wedge made out of balled up painters tape, all vertical blinds had at least one (if not several) bent vanes. These are ALL routine maintenance items that there is really no excuse for having not addressed either before or during the cruise - ESPECIALLY if one is paying extra for the owners suite. Last but not least, while I can almost rationalize the wine not being restocked daily in the owner suite, it is hard to imagine (other than lack of attention to detail) why the water and juice were not and why one of the days 1 used wine glass was taken but no new clean one left in its place. Beyond the room squawks, a suggestion I might have is to put a Suite Number sign on the outside of the back door (similar to the sign on the front door). SEVERAL times during the cruise people presumably exploring the ship either walked into our room or tried to walk in (learned after day 2 to keep door locked). A suite marker might help them understand it is not just a passage to the other side or that there is not an inside staircase down to the deck below. At the ship level, the paint has been reasonably maintained with no visible rust and/or staining noticeable - great. Upholstery throughout though was noticeably stained and worn giving a less than warm feeling about sitting on any of the furniture. This was the most noticeable in the dining room and thank heaven those chairs were completely replaced half way through the cruise. Prior to replacing them, honestly ACL, they were just plain disgusting. As for the carpet, it was mostly good except for when you come to the stairs. There were no less than three different carpet styles going from deck one to deck two and one really bad face seam going between another level. I get that it is less expensive to patch in like was done, but seriously, it LOOKS patched in and thus detracts from the sense that the ship is well maintained. Add to this the fact that there were missing and broken paddles on the paddle wheel and, well, again it detracts from the experience knowing that overall maintenance is a little lax and where done cuts corners - presumably for budget reasons. The crew does a great job of compensating for the maintenance deficiencies with helpful attitude and smiles so I give ACL credit for that. Overall however, I am sorry to say I will likely not use ACL again and would definitely not recommend the Queen of The West. I had really hoped for a better cruise experience but the maintenance and service distractions at the owner suite level were to say the least more than a little disappointing Read Less

Wanted to see the northwest and brochures for American Cruise lines was inviting. The queen of the West American Cruise Line trip was very disappointing. The ship was old, food mediocre, overpriced, noisy going through the locks. The young staff, wait staff, while they try hard are only part timers. The stops were boring, except for the Snake River jet boat. , sad to pay so much and be let down. The entertainment was not good, except for Kevin Neil, who was great !!! They could have him every night. Not the fault of the line, but the smoke from the California and Canadian fires really obstructed our views. Even when you get to a excursion you like, there is not enough time to stay. Breakfast was the only meal that was ok ( as a cook myself, hard to mess up breakfast). Queen of the West was supposed to be refurbished. They put new carpeting on the top deck and new chairs. Save your money. Read Less

I chose this cruise because a friend had wonderful experiences with this line and I loved the itenerary. However, I did not ask all the right questions and those I asked of the company were not answered with completeness or accurate knowledge of the ship. My husband is disabled and I notified the staff that we would be arriving with walker and wheelchair... no problem, they said. WRONG! The wheelchair could barely fit into the tiny, difficult elevator, there was no room service, tiny rooms, no phone to contact housekeeping for blankets or towels or special clean up needs. The staff was gracious but I had to go out of the room, wander about the ship to find some help, then request whatever we needed, clearly interrupting them from assigned tasks. This is NOT a ship for the handicapped! Fine for able bodied people who don’t mind the scheduled meals - open seating but if you miss the proper hour, you miss your meal. The staff really tried to make all better and we met a lot of nice people ( only 87 of us aboard) and the excursions were nice. Match your needs to this ship’s accommodations and you will be fine. Kudos to the staff on board who did all they could to make our lives better. Thumbs down to American Cruise Lines who could make minimal changes and market this ship to the appropriate group and solve the problems! Read Less

Three friends and I chose this cruise for the easy access to embarkation port, Seattle, and the itinerary of daily visits to small ports in the WA area. This experience was devastating from the initial step aboard. Had it been half the price, we would have had the attitude, "You get what you pay for." However, one can book Oceania, Crystal, Celebrity or any high end cruise for the same amount and receive what is expected. According the the ACL, this ship was commissioned in 2005. That may be the case, but the Star's interior must have been originally furnished from recycled interiors of motels, hotels, or nursing homes which were being refurbished. The furniture and lighting fixtures were from the early 80s and not available in 2005. This ship needs to be dry docked and redone from stem to stern. It is depressingly dated and in some cases unsafe - balcony doors that cannot be properly locked and an erratic elevator with a gate! 2005? I don't think so. The "gourmet cuisine" was a 3-5 on a 1-10 scale. All seemed to be previously frozen and microwaved before serving. My traveling companion has a photo of dirt in the salad greens. We have all read about extreme health effects of dirty lettuce! The staff was ready, willing yet unable to provide basic services. Sweet kids who were untrained. Same with the housekeeping staff; dirty towels left on the bed and no fresh ones replaced, duvet dumped in a chair, etc. It goes on and on and cannot be exaggerated. The "entertainment" was so bad, mostly volunteers from local groups who were probably paid a stipend, one which American Cruise Lines could deduct as a donation. Unfortunately, there is no regulatory agency controlling cruise ships. The passenger must take the risk. American Cruise Lines' advertising is actually fraudulant. PLEASE think twice before booking on this line. It is sad to think a cruise line named American could be so disrespectful and deceiving to it's passengers. Read Less

Boat and service was very good at first. But did not follow the itinerary and had to disembark a day early and was bussed 4 hrs to Pittsburgh. The itinerary called for cruising at night but captain would not. If they won’t follow the basic itinerary in ACL Cruise Guide then change it. Lost a full day aboard ship. Letter of complaint was not responded to. Sad. We did very much enjoyed the accommodations, food, service and would have liked to see the 3 ports we missed. Our dissatisfaction is with the home office and the captain. He claimed that the river was too high and strong current. But river heights were normal. He also claimed there was too much drift wood in the river. I and other passengers saw none. The trip should have started in Louisville in order to make it to Pittsburgh. This was our second cruise on ACL. The first was of Maine coast. Excellent Read Less

This is our second cruise in Alaska. The first was a large ship cruise, which convinced us to take a small ship cruise to allow to see more of Alaska. We cruised out of Juneau, AK and returned to Juneau. The itinerary took to a couple of places that the large ships go, but mostly we went to places that the larges ship to not visit, Haines, AK, Petersburg, AK and the Lodge at Glacier Bay National Park. We flew into Juneau, AK day early so that we could do some additional whale watching with Harv and Marv's Whale Watching Tours. American Cruise Lines did extra work to ensure that our personal hotel reservation was tied to the precruise hotel, which allowed us not change hotels or rooms. Getting onboard and getting started was seamless. Our bags were in our room when we arrived. The Cabin on the American Constellation was large than the cabin on the large ship. The bathroom was also larger, with full sized shower. Dining was excellent, and while there wasn't a 24 hour buffet, no one went hungry. Onboard entertainment was local talent, from the places we stopped, so we were also able to discuss living in the remote parts of Alaska with several different people, from several different places. None of them regretted being remote. There were complimentary shore excursions, which were well planned and always accommodated everyone. There were also additional paid excursions which were on topic for Alaska. Rafting, kayaking, etc. We did not travel with children. In fact this type of small boat cruising tends to attract the senior crowd. We have already scheduled our next small ship cruise. Read Less

I have always wanted to travel up the River in a paddlewheeler, and my DH and I decided to take a trip up the Mississippi River, for an 8 day cruise. We selected the "Round Trip" from New Orleans, and went up as far as Vicksburg. He had previously done this cruise, many years ago, so he said all good things about it. It was a lot of fun, cabin was spacious, lots of room, king size bed, with balcony; bathroom was nice, with ADA compliant features. Shower had good water pressure. We were only a short walk to either one of different lounges, plus 1 floor above dining room. All very convenient and never got lost. This ship had 5 decks. Staff was exceptional, and always willing to help, and the Captain invited groups to tour the pilot house, where he explained what happens, while steering up/down the river. He was very informative, and we learned a lot. Dining room was always nice, clean, pretty linens/napkins, and our waiter, Jonathan, was OH SO GREAT!!! and AWESOME!!! and HELPFUL, friendly, and saw to anything that was needed, during the meal. He was also knowledgeable about foods and aimed to please. Entertainment nightly, was the flavor of New Orleans jazz and blues; All entertainers we saw were very professional, and they put on great shows for us, lasting about 1 hour 30 mins. Had good variety of onshore excursions to pick from, mostly plantations and a battlefield, in Vicksburg. Plantations on this trip were Oak Alley, Rosedown Plantation, and Houmas House, with couple of city tours, too. Only "negative" was the Vicksburg bus tour, through the battlefields, tended to be a bit drawn out, (long time to sit on bus), with narrator being a bit long winded. Most of tours were built-in to price of cruise, but had a few extra ones, that had an additional charge. Embarking and disembarking was a cinch -- so easy, with no waiting in lines!!! This is definitely the main reason why small ships are best. No MEGA SHIPS for us!! Read Less

Have done plenty of cruises and cruise lines over the years, but always out of the country. We loved the smaller ship, personalized service, and ports that could not be accessed with the larger ships. The food was great, the entertainment was good to very good. The history on the area was spectacular. The towns were very walkable. The excursion to Buchart gardens was well worth the money. We saw whales, dolphins, eagles, and bear. I had no idea just how beautiful this part of our country was. The year before we did the Mississippi River Cruise with this same line. And later this year were dDoing the Lewis and Clark Cruise with them. I highly recommend this Cruise for people who do not like waiting in lines and feeling like they are being herded like cattle. The food was good, some great meals. The entire crew will know your name as well as your preferences. Read Less

For an entire day about half the passengers were expected to sit on the boat in the middle of the inner waterway outside of Fernandina Beach, FL. We were told that we will not be taken ashore due to the outboard motor on the launch boat being unreliable to keep running. Half the passengers were taken ashore earlier today so they could go on their shore excursion tour. After they were delivered ashore, we were told the launches were cancelled for the day - - however they were running them to bring the shore excursion passengers back to the boat at the end of their tour. An entire day of our six day cruise was lost and wasted because the Captain and crew did not aggressively pursued resolving the problem. Anyone with simple problem solving skills and a little motivation would know that the problem of an unreliable outboard motor can be overcome with other solutions. Instead we are expected to just sit on the boat all day and believe that because it's a Sunday NOTHING can be done. We had no other option but to remain sitting on the boat. I discussed my dissatisfaction and voiced many suggested solutions numerous times today with the Captain, Tour Director, and several other staff. All fell on deaf ears and I was told to voice my concerns with the main office of the cruise company. I called the 800 number, spoken to customer service and was then told to voice my issue in an email, send it to customer service, and it will be taken from there. After three weeks of my continuing to follow up on my complaints, ACL has now told me that if I take another cruise with them they will give me a 20% discount. Why would I choose to waste my time and money on another cruise with this company? This was an expensive cruise, the last thing I expected was for a situation such as this to have arisen and to be dealt with in such a unsatisfactory manner. In further notes, the ship is old, worn and terribly in need of updating and refurbishing. The so-called "management" on the boat are immature, very poorly trained and not at all suited for their jobs. Messages left for "management" on the boat were never answered. The Captain and "management" chose to make any announcements during the cruise at the nightly Happy Hour. I guess they assumed that everyone on board would be their drinking and would hear their announcements. Either that or they didn't care whether the announcements were heard by all the passengers or not. At the time of booking this cruise I specifically asked about signing up for shore excursions prior to the cruise. I was told that all signing up for shore excursions are handled on the boat during the cruise. Much to our surprise, when we started the cruise we learned that this was not the case and there were indeed shore excursions that had to be signed up ahead of time online. Those excursions were all filled by those passengers that happened to be lucky enough to get the correct information. I've cruised many times before with other cruise lines and have never had problems such as I have had with American Cruise Lines. Save your money, time and frustration - - book a cruise with another company! Read Less

I wanted to learn more about life on the lower Mississippi now compared to Huck Finn's era, the use of paddle boats and southern plantations. Embarkation was smooth, luggage was treated well and delivered promptly. Disembarkation was very early in the morning and luggage must be in the hall before going to bed on the last night. There were five decks and an 8 person elevator that serve them all. Only 30 percent of the 8 days was ship movement, mostly at night, on this trip. The average age of the 147 passengers was about 65 with the youngest at age 26 year. Thus, not much entertainment for children. Attractions were: Tour of the pilot's room, entertainment every evening, all costs aboard ship were included, NO tipping on the ship, motor coaches pre-arranged for on shore attractions. Admission to on shore sites were of three price categories: 1. Included such as Vicksburg Civil War battlefield admission 2. Medium price ==> $40 to $70 for plantation visits 3. High price (Elvis Pressley's Graceland at $140) The extra benefit there was VIP status which included going to the head of the line, seeing a couple of extra sites, a $15 coupon toward food, souvenirs etc. A great vacation because you can travel without unpacking. Read Less

Thank you Jean, Andrew and the whole staff aboard the American Spirit for the BEST Alaskan experience we could ever have wished for.The Captain and deck hands gave us so much time at each of the glaciers that we had time to breathe in the experience and really enjoy BEING there. He had us surrounded by Orcas at one point and was able to cut engines so we could see them up close and one even swam under the bow. The icing on the cake was the Bald Eagle perched on the top of the ice berg as we passed the last iceberg. Everyone began to suspect that they had cued the animals as we passed. MAGICAL!!! Thank you for taking such great care of our Dad and helping to get him off the ship and exploring the sights. Perfect weather was the cherry on top. I don't know how it could have been better. Loved Bill and Laura, Ranger Jenny, and Gary. The food was great - even with my quirky special diet (I believe I put on pounds). Safe travels to you all. Hope to join you again sometime. Read Less

I chose this cruise cause it had a good itinerary. the ship was awful. small rooms, even smaller bathrooms. no entertainment for adults after 10. food was awful. no 24 hr. Pizza. no guys burgers. carnival has them both and entertainment after the show. steep to get back on the boat. expensive excursions. tons more that i can't remember. just an awful boat with horrible food. no cigarettes for sale. no alcohol for sale. just awful. gambling every day for 10 days and you can't get a free cruise. just horrible. Bathroom shower and toilet didn't work twice. had to use bottled water. then when i asked to be reimbursed, had to yell at the guy, yuan to get me 3 bottles of water. was going to send me a pitcher. i used bottled water to shower not pitcher water. horrible. Gina our stewardess was nice. people on the boat were rude. basil, he was very nice. Read Less

This cruise line promises small ship cruising "done perfectly", and claims that it stands out from larger, much more affordable lines with personalized service, all-inclusive dining, and meticulous attention to detail. My party of 9 people was by far the youngest and healthiest group there, and possibly the largest with a combined spend of nearly $70,000, yet we were also one of the easiest to care for; we had minimal luggage, no mobility or health issues, no medicine storage, no diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, no assistance needed on or off the boat, and only two (light) alcohol drinkers in our whole group. The ONLY special consideration any of us asked was from the kitchen, where we were assured that my food allergy (peppercorns) and my niece's vegetarian diet could easily be accommodated. We sent in our "special dietary requirements" cards months in advance, AND called a week before the cruise, to confirm the dining requests had been noted on our reservations. In addition, I met with the head chef in person the first day, and so did my niece and her mother. All the dining room staff tried their best, but it didn't seem to matter, because the kitchen kept screwing up my meals, from the first day to the last, which I found terribly disappointing at a price point of over $6,000 for the week. In fact, there were more problems with ACL's "perfect" small ship cruise, than with many impersonal mega-ships I've taken for one tenth the price. Sewer gas inexplicably filled my room the first evening, causing a lingering stench that maintenance struggled to alleviate. My cabin, #115, offered one narrow, shorter-than-average, uncomfortable twin bed (with a splintery piece of plywood under the mattress); stains on the chairs, the carpet, and the lamp shades; decor like a nursing home or a Motel 6; broken window opening mechanism; and a shower curtain that wouldn't stay closed on the edges, because the rod tilted down in the middle. Water sprayed out whenever the shower was in use, and there was no mini fridge nor were there usb-capable outlets in the rooms (although in fairness to the cruise line, most of the other passengers were over 70 and could barely operate a flip phone, so they probably had very few usb devices to worry about). Oh yeah, and on our first day of sailing I discovered the hair dryer in my room didn't work, so I had to take it to guest services to exchange it, which involved waiting in a long line (with dripping wet hair). These may seem like nit-picky complaints, but remember there was no entertainment to speak of on the boat, and relative to other cruises, very few amenities, so I estimate at least 60% of the value of this itinerary (Snake River and Columbia River) should have come from the many gourmet meals and snacks. Unfortunately, because they kept "forgetting" and peppering almost every dish I was served, I found myself frustrated and self-conscious every day, either being given a bland, unpalatable entree with no sauces, side dishes or flavoring agents at all, or taking two bites of a supposedly pepper-free entree, choking and sending the meal back while my throat closed up. These dining problems SERIOUSLY impacted my enjoyment of the cruise. For much of the trip, I was physically ill, in fact I spent hours in my room with cramps and diarrhea, which was NOT the personalized 5-star experience we were promised by the sales team. To add insult to injury, my teenage niece, who doesn't eat meat, was served previously-frozen plain vegetables as her "entrees" for the first three days, until my uncle finally spoke up, and asked the chef to please include some protein. After that, she got vegetables with tofu for the rest of the trip. She was never given a card with menu options like the other diners, and very little effort was made to offer her ethnic, exotic, flavorful or high-value ingredients. I've seen unfavorable online reviews by other vegetarians who cruised with ACL, mentioning their own poor experiences in the southeast, but with a home base like Portland, OR, where vegetarians and even vegans are incredibly common, I would have expected far better preparedness from the American Pride. Bottom line, ACL charged a premium rate for what was supposed to be fantastic, personalized service, but did not offer anything of value for that money, or live up to the promises they made to guests. Most hotels I've stayed at, restaurants I've dined in, or cruise lines I've sailed on would have at least tried to compensate for the repeated disappointments and near-poisonings, by comping a room upgrade, sending a bottle of champagne, waiving some excursion fees, etc, but these guys never even tried. I received a number of request for feedback after the trip, and provided it, but never got a response. Although my feedback clearly stated that I would not choose this line again in the future, and would like to be removed from future mailings, they have ignored my unsubscribe requests and continued spamming me going on three years now. Luckily my life wasn't threatened, but there are many people who have food allergies far more severe than mine, and in a really serious case, the constant kitchen mistakes could actually have killed someone! Did I mention they also lost my uncle's suitcase when we were disembarking, and he had to wait in a nearby town overnight, then drive back to the port to retrieve it the next day, nearly missing his flight home? All of that being said, my overall impression of the many college aged kids staffing the boat was that they were very inexperienced, as other reviewers have mentioned, but they tried really hard to be friendly, responsive and helpful. Most of them did a great job on what appeared to be very little sleep. Read Less

We've always wanted to cruise the full length of the Ohio River and this cruise was a wonderful opportunity to do so. The ship is small enough to get to know passengers and very comfortable. Built specifically for American Cruise Lines, the cabins are generous in size and well designed. Food was excellent. We appreciated the option of half-sized portions of the main course at noon and evening meals. Our riverlorians were quite knowledgeable and presented appropriate and informative talks. A surprise hatch of mayflies became an occasion for a presentation on the many aspects of this interesting species. The tours were well-organized with good choices but the option of just relaxing on the boat was also very welcome. My husband moves slowly and with some difficulty. He had no trouble getting around. All the excursions were able to accommodate even someone in a wheelchair. Deckhands were always available to assist when we left and reboarded the boat. Read Less

Ours was an amazing cruise filled with delectable food, eye-opening side trips, awesome new friends, attentive service, enjoyable entertainment, magnificent river views, a wide array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic free drinks which all added up as a week in Utopia that no one seemed to want to end. We found a group of eight people with which we immediately bonded at our first lunch and ate almost all of our meals together especially because our server Lara made us all feel so special and we did not want to miss that! Oh our meal! Salmon and steak and shrimp oh my! My favorites were the baked crispy chicken and fried green tomatoes. Desserts? Yes that too. How about pecan bourbon pie or layers and layers of chocolate in one cake. My husband got any kind of beer or wine he asked for-- at no cost. Breakfast was made to order as well as a pastry and parfait and fruit bar. There was room service too. There was a daily cocktail hour with any kind of hors d'oeuvre one would want. I loved the baked Brie with vegetables. My husband loved the garlic shrimp. Every night was different. We had one complimentary trip each day. We visited three plantations each with its own focal point. One gave us FREE mint juleps. We also visited the Gettysburg battlefield and the WWII museum. Yes, there was nightly entertainment with root beer floats, sundaes, and drinks. The entertainment usually revolved around music and laughter. Afternoons had lectures about the area as well as tea time. The lounges always had soda, snacks, and cookies available. Everything aboard ship was free. There was a beautiful library across from us. Books and magazines were abundant around the ship. The lounges were peaceful and beautiful. People read, socialized, relaxed, and used the stationary bikes there. I loved our private deck for watching the views go by, change, or otherwise entice. After celebrating a new friend's birthday the last evening, we all hugged and said we did not want it to end Read Less

My dad chose this cruise for our family. He has traveled extensively and taking a river cruise on the Mississippi has been something he has wanted to do. He made it possible for the 14 family members to go on this trip. This was my husband and my first small cruise ship experience. The smaller ship experience allows you to get to know the staff better and your fellow passengers. Our experience in the dining room was so personable with our dining stewards and the hotel managers. The cuisine was excellent and the pastry chef went out of her way to make our 2 six year old nieces kid friendly desserts. The other chefs made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chicken strips, chocolate milk surprises for the kids. We were all impressed at their creativity and desire to make these girls trip a good one. You'll never go hungry on this cruise. There aren't too many options for excursions on the lower Mississippi so what was available was nice. The history lessons we received from these excursions were interesting. Overall a very nice experience Read Less

I just returned from a wonderful cruise onboard ACL's Queen of the Mississippi. We sailed from New Orleans to Memphis and were blessed with outstanding weather for 6 of the 7 days. I was travelling with my dad and was about 30 years younger than all of the passengers, but I still had a great time. This is a VERY relaxing cruise- there are no nightclubs or casinos and the evening show ends around 9pm. I found this to be a nice change of pace from every other cruise I have been on; I loved sitting on the top deck with a glass of wine and a book and watching the world pass by. Our balcony cabin was much larger than I expected and the bathroom was huge. The bathroom was stocked with lots of nice amenities, which were replenished daily. There was a Keurig coffee maker in the cabin, which was a nice touch. The balcony was a good size and there was plenty of storage in the cabin. Our cabin was 315, which was right next to the stairs, but I didn't hear any noise throughout the cruise. Food: I usually cruise on luxury lines and have been spoiled by the food on Crystal, however, ACL didn't disappoint. I thought the food was very tasty; it is regionally inspired, so we saw a lot of Cajun offerings. My dad isn't a big fan of Cajun food, so he could request something else, like a cheeseburger, and the chef would prepare it for him. They were very accommodating with special requests and dietary needs. Wine and beer flowed freely at lunch a dinner. Cocktail hour was from 5:30-6:30pm each night in the main lounge. This was a fun way to get to know the other passengers and talk about what went on during the day. During this hour, it was an open bar and our cruise kept the bartenders very busy. :) Tours: I did the city tours in Baton Rouge and Memphis and my dad did the military tour in Vicksburg. We thought the tours were well planned out and everyone seemed to enjoy them. Service: The service onboard was great. Captain Robert Hopkins was very friendly and interacted well with the passengers. Patrick, the Hotel Director was awesome, as was Christopher, who was training. The Cruise Staff were all very friendly and did a great job. DeMarus, in Housekeeping, was also the bartender at night and kept my glass full and remembered that my dad liked 2 cherries in his drink. Entertainment: Honestly, I was surprised at how good the entertainment was. I think most cruise ship entertainment is cheesy, but these were mostly local artists and whoever found them did a great job. The comedian was hilarious and the musical acts were very entertaining. All in all, this was a great trip and one that I will remember with my dad for a lifetime. Read Less

Our inaugural cruise on the American Constellation was a real standout experience , which is why we have continued to book repeatedly with American Cruise Lines. Smaller cruises afford a better opportunity to engage and meet new friends easily. Them meals are top notch and staff are always friendly and conscientious to all your needs. Having a historian/environmentalist on board adds to the whole adventure and overall educational experience of the various ports. Our Hotel/Cruise Manager " Kyle " was outstanding & always willing to help out and answer any questions. " Kevin " our Tour/Excursion Director (2nd time with him ) did such a great job of being friendly but firm and stern with our safety and timelines. " Drew " Director of Hotel Operations , whom we have cruised with before was such a delight to know. Only one comment regarding evening entertainment== wish it could be enhanced a bit but overall and exceptional cruise. We are currently booked for the Columbia/Snake River cruise in September and for the inaugural Spring cruise of the American Constitution to Grand Historic South in 2018. Read Less

This was our second cruise with American Cruise Lines. Our first was on the Columbia and Snake rivers. This one, like the first one, did not disappoint. The ship, while small, was quite comfortable and our cabin was quite spacious with a small balcony. The ship was clean and well maintained as was our cabin. The stateroom attendant did a very good job of making up our room each day. The food was very good with nice selection and very nice presentation, especially at dinner. The dining room service was friendly and efficient. Wine is included with dinner and lunch. The evening cocktail hour was wonderful with different horderves each evening along with wine and any cocktail you could request. The lounge is very comfortable for conversation and relaxation before dinner. Complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and snacks are available in the lounge during the day. Entertainment in the lounge during the evening consisted of local musical groups performing in the lounge after dinner. A historian/naturalist traveled on-board the entire cruise and provided interesting talks during the day/evening about various topics concerning the Puget Sound. Embarkation and disembarkation in Seattle were very well handled. Very nice cruise line. Shore excursions were well run and interesting. Read Less

This cruise was a small boat cruise, with about 120 passengers onboard. We had a great time. We have cruised on large ships, but really enjoyed the smaller ship and getting to know the people we were traveling with. The meals were excellent with a wide choice of locally sourced selections for the daily menu. Breakfast was off the menu with a selection that allowed everyone to eat as if they were at home. There was a small baked goods and fruit buffet as part of the breakfast. Lunch offered a soup, salad, entrée and dessert. Dinner was soup, salad, a choice of entrees and a choice of desserts. There were fresh cookies each morning at about ten o'clock in the two lounges and an included open bar cocktail hour every day before dinner. There was a free excursion event at each port as well as featured excursions, which were additional. The excursions, free or paid, were very good and highlighted those events and locations along the Columbia River. There was nightly entertainment provided by local talent, which lasted at least an hour. It was mostly music, with three different musicians, and a local Native American Nez Perce entertainer. There was also a Lewis and Clark Expedition Historian, Todd Weber, who over four different discussion/briefing periods covered the Lewis and Clark Expedition, from the beginning to the west coast (Cape Disappointment) and back to St Louis, MO. The American Pride, is a paddle wheel boat, only a few years old. It is in excellent shape, with a young, energetic, and helpful crew. Embarkation and disembarkation was well coordinated and bags were at our room or on the ramp in an easy to find organized arrangement. Being a small boat cruise, there is not as much to do on board as a large ship, and the passengers, mostly older (45 and above) were self motivated and made excellent use of the shore excursions. There were no children on this ship. We enjoyed this small cruise well enough to sign up for another next year in Alaska. Thank You America Cruise Lines and the Crew of the American Pride for a Very Nice Time. Read Less

American Star, Fall Foliage tour. Unfortunately, the leaves were not turning so everything was green. My wife and I accompanied her parents for their anniversary. My wife was one of the youngest at 57; the average age is 80+, not a bad thing but not a party boat, which was fine with me. The boarding was good as was the room; plenty large with nice bathroom. We were on the second level and had a balcony. The part that makes the trip are the staff; mostly young men and women in their 20s who have signed up for a 16 week tour. They do the waiting on tables, they clean the rooms and the do the general cleaning. All were great with a positive attitude in a job that required them to work 12-14 hours a day. They received an hour or two break. Food was good. Typically three choices for dinner with appetizers and of course wine or beer. Lunches and breakfast were typical fare. Always a good desert or ice cream. One thing to know is if you want two entrees, ask for them, they are fine with it. It's not an either or choice, do both, you're paying for it. Happy hour was from 5:30-6:30 and had a full bar and great appetizers. Tours, unless you're on your fourth trip, you pay around $50 person; the several ports we visited were fair but West Point was great. Sandy our tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun to talk with. Over all, trip was good, but expensive. Expect to be pampered. Shout out to: Josh, Sandy, Val, Amanda, Cori, D'lynn, Regan, Nick, Trevon, Nathan, Sophie and all the others. Captain Dennis was very personable; do the bridge tour (captain's bridge). Read Less

We were first thinking about a Mississippi River cruise, but having just spent some time in Memphis, we decided that the scenery along the Columbia River would be much nicer. In fact this was a terrific trip all round. The staff was more than obliging, and we were able to get close to Mt. St. Helens and Multnomah Falls. My husband pulled something in his knee when disembarking in the Dalles, and one of the staff actually bought him a cane. Meals were varied and interesting. There was often keyboard entertainment during dinner. There was also a lecturer on board who gave fascinating talks about the Lewis and Clark expeditions. Overall we couldn't have asked for a nicer cruise experience. A typical dinner menu included appetizers, a choice of entrees, and a choice of desserts. They also included wine free with dinner as well as a choice of coffee or tea. Read Less