For years I have wanted to do a small ship cruise in the USA. We embarked in New Orleans and disembarked in Memphis. The ship is small 185 passengers but this allows people to get to know each other. The cabins are much larger than on ocean cruises and very nicely appointed. Dining is everyone at one time which is nice. It starts at 7:30 am for breakfast, 12:30pm for lunch and 6:30 for dinner. The food is outstanding with "different" and better recipes than the ocean cruise lines. Entertainment is a little lacking but understandable. Service was excellent. The ship is manned by mostly college aged people. They did an outstanding job and I was impressed. I do not believe I would do any part of the Mississippi river again but I think the Snake River would be interesting. The Mississippi lacked scenery for one thing and the river is mostly commercial traffic. The shore excursions provided at no cost by the ship were very interesting. Read Less

This cruise had been on our bucket list for the last couple of years. My husband and I with another couple had done European river cruises and thought that this would be similar. No way can ACL be compared with them. They may both be small boats as far as passengers but that is where the comparison stops. On this cruise the excursions were large bus trips where you stop only at highway rest areas. If you are on the wrong side of the bus you never see the point of interest. Dining options very limited and not up to other cruise lines. The young people in the dining room made the week with their friendly, helpful ways. The dining room itself needs an overhaul. The fabric chairs are stained as is the carpet. Our cabin was not luxury at all. Everything on the boat closes down at 9:00 pm, and no movies offered on the tv. I am sorry that this did not work out for us in our mid sixties, maybe we would have enjoyed it more fifteen years from now. Read Less

This was my first riverboat cruise after almost twenty traditional cruises. Pros: 1) Ship was new & beautiful; 2) my single cabin w/balcony was very comfortable and clean with nice bathroom; 3) cuisine was the best I've had on any cruise line in at least 20 years; 4) staff was young, very friendly, and tried to be very helpful; 5) lounges were very comfortable and well laid out; and 6) the included wines at dinner & happy hour were delicious and served liberally. Cons: 1) This particular cruise up the Hudson Valley had way too many rough edges and poor coordination; 2) the complimentary excursion in Martha's Vineyard and the $65 excursion of NYC were well meaning but very poorly done by the respective tour companies; 3) even though the cuisine was delicious, way too many times the food was served either tepid or had completely cooled; 4) loading of luggage at the hotel recommended by American Cruise Lines was absolute chaos...the very worst I've every experienced; 5) there was no reason to leave the vessel at many of the ports of call simply because there was nothing of interest to do or see; 6) Disembarkation involved a very long walk from the vessel to the airport transfer buses; and 7) Laguardia was an absolute nightmare...avoid it like the plague. Having said all of this, I've already booked a second time on ACL for Christmas 2018 on the lower Mississippi cruise, which everyone I've spoken with said was an excellent experience. Read Less

WE spent 7 wonderful days and nights on the America. We enjoyed learning and seeing more about the MS River, including the 24 locks and their operation, everchanging scenery and wildlife, especially the high bluffs in Minnesota and the bald eagles there. We started in St Louis, Missouri and finished in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Trip included a precruise night at the Drury Plaza Hotel, located right at the St Louis Arch which made touring the day before very easy and interesting. We went on a Mark Twain themed cruise so we had the pleasure of 2 nights of entertainment by Richard Garey as Mark Twain plus a walking tour in Hannibal Missouri. River experts were on board with us to point out interesting places as we went up the River. They also had several interesting presentations about the" Great River" and life and industries along it. Towns along the way that we visited included Davenport Iowa, Dubuque, Iowa, Red Wing, Minnesota and La Crosse, Wisconsin. Onboard food was superb and was served by a young,enthusiastic and very personable staff. Other shipboard personnel and managemenet were terrific, too. Staterooms are spacious and well appointed and the bathroom is roomy. Great cruise! Read Less

Timing and route. couldn't fault the staff and ship. Everything worked. Superb hard working crew and cruise director. Food as good as it gets and we have done 60+ such cruises since retiring 20 years ago . We did several optional pay extra excursions and thought some over priced. additionally,would like to have heard more commentary on the "passing parade" given that we sailed more than 1600 miles amongst one of the great waterways of the world. note this is just a suggestion, not a criticism on what was truly a wonderful travel experience , great ship and superb all- american crew who looked after we guests who were allseniors as if we were family. After dinner musician entertainers were mostly themselves seniors who played the stuff relished by our own generation. as a former muscian i rate most of what i heard as "intrumental virtuoso". Well done american cruise lines. Read Less

Terrific cruise of “COMPLETE MISSISSIPPI” – August 4th thru 26th From New Orleans to Saint Paul MN (8 states in 22 days; 21 nights) on the paddle wheeler (fake) “America” operated by American Cruise Lines (ACL); launched in 2016; has 185 passenger capacity but we had only 137 passengers on board. The Cruise Critic's professional review (https://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=1182 ) was spot on but I would add my observations and opinions: • The itinerary was FANTASTIC for us (a photographer and an American history buff). DW shot about 300 photos on her phone and more on her professional camera (numerous eagles, herons, pelicans, cormorants, and others plus wonderful antebellum houses). Every port had interesting aspects; some were stunning! I loved the discussions (lectures) and the ports. The excursions were well done with very good local tour guides and with a Cruise Director or an Asst. CD accompanying on the buses (with restrooms). • Clientele is “older”! We had maybe 2 under 60 and several over 90. Many with mobility issues; the staff handled the situations well. Clientele was also “well-heeled”, well-traveled and congenial. • The formal entertainment was very enjoyable. The on-board “Riverorians” were terrific (better than Smithsonian’s lecturers on Regent Seven Seas Cruises) – discussions were about the Louisiana Purchase, cotton/slavery, Civil War, steam boats, immigration to the West, and controlling the Mississippi River water via dam/locks and dredging. Discussions were held in a spacious, comfortable, family room-like venue. The after dinner entertainment (about an hour) was music (jazz, Dixieland, blues, country, and “oldies”- that had some fantastic performers). • Cabin was best that we had on a river cruise – spacious, quiet, bright, with lots of storage drawers and a small but adequate closet. Bathroom is “cozy” but well-lit and well-ventilated with adequate storage and a nice shower with instant hot water. • Food (of course subjective) for us was good; baked goods were SUPERB, per my wife the baker and me the taster. Breakfast was better for me than what I had on "Luxury" cruises. Lots of complimentary wine (mostly California) and beer (some local) during lunch, “Happy-hour”, and dinner service. • Downsides? Yes! -The staff is American college “kids” for which service is surely not going to be a career. We came to expect at least one gliché per day in either dining or house-keeping. -The cruise is “pricey” as it is an American- registered boat that must meet all U.S. maritime regulations. - There is no Doctor or Nurse aboard. Read Less

Never on a cruise. Selected 4 day to "try out" a cruise. We enjoyed it throughly. The ship new, well appointed and easily accessed by elevators and stairs. Enjoyable sun decks on levels 4 and 5. Open seating dining room allowed chance to meet other travelers. The excursions to. several plantations was a positive experience, especially the Houmas Hosee were the tour guides were especially engaging to help understand the story of the time. Meals aboard the ship were plated, well presented and of moderate quantity which was helpful. Throughout the day the breakfast, lunch and dinner meals were augmented with warm cookies at 10 am, tea and sweets at 3 pm, cocktail hour and heavy h'odouvres at 5:30 followed by dinner at 6:30. If that wasn't enough, during entertainment, ice cream sundaes and popcirn were offered. No one went hungry. It was a great ship experience and this cruise line paid attention to all the small details to give us a great experience. Thanks. Read Less

We have not done cruised this river before. It is not offered that often and we just wanted to see some of the cities and sites on the itinerary. We had a hotel included for the night before we boarded the ship, the Queen of the Mississippi Paddle-Wheeler, in St. Louis and traveled to Pittsburgh. The embarkation was handled smoothly and so was the disembarking. If you have never gone through the locks on a large river, it is an interesting experience. We toured the Trail of Tears Museum in Cape Giradeau, MO. Very well done. The highlight for us was to tour Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. There were 2 tours offered in Cincinnati and both were interesting. The service on the ship was excellent. Food is very good and one has the option to choose 1/2 portion of each meal. Be warned,,,desserts are outstanding! Each of the lounges has coffee, tea, juices, sodas, water and snacks available at all times. Read Less

This was the inaugural cruise for the American Cruise Lines ship, American Constilattion. As with the previousv14 cruises, the ship, personnel, and the onshore sites, were outstanding. The sites included Colonial Williamsburg, Crisfield Maryland (Bluecrab capital), and included the naval academy at Annapolis. The dining staff was very friendly and accommodating when requests for a change in meals. We later decided to extend our cruise with an additional week, and while not originally booked, the American Cruise Lines was able to extend our cruise. We originally met, married on American Cruise Lines ship American Independence. We were traveling as separate individuals, but stated, through the help of the personnel, we were married as the first couple to be married on an American Cruise Lines ship. We always consider American Cruise Lines as our cruise line. We have taken cruise in Maine, Alaska, the Mississippi, and costal southeast. While pricey in regards to the BIG ships, the difference is worth the cost. SMALL BOAT CRUISING DONE RIGHT. Read Less

Traveled in style on this brand new ship in American Cruise Lines inventory, great tour of the Chesapeake Bay. This was my eleventh cruise with ACL, and it was fantastic!!!!!! The crew was well trained, and ready to assist in any way possible. Shore tours were well planned and very organized, which is a hallmark of American Cruise Lines. The Captain kept us up to date on landmarks and points of interest along the way. On board area specialist extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Bay, its geological background, and how evolution has made it as it is today, still a great source of seafood, crabbing specially. The cruise was well worth the money!!!! Well done, once again, American Cruise Lines. I will be back for two more cruises this year, Columbia and Snake rivers and Alaska, and am planning already for 2018, so you have a customer for "life"!!!!!! Read Less

To be able to say that our New Orleans to New Orleans was a really great cruise when I came home with a sinus infection and my wife with Type A flu and bronchitis says something about the crew and the service that we received. I wish that I could mention everyone that touched our lives in a positive manner, but that probably would be the whole crew list! The weather sucked, our health sucked and we still had a great time. The embarkation and disembarkation was smooth and carefree. Happy Hour was served with premium liquors and the hor d'oeuvers were some of the best we have ever had. The lounges were spacious, clean and well furnished with coffee, tea, and soft drinks available 24 hours a day. Our cabin was clean and well appointed; our cabin steward kept it that way. Our dining server was one of the best, if not the best, we have ever had and the meals he brought were first-rate. Our historian provided us with narratives about the history of the Mississippi River that were captivating and spot on. His wife, accompanied by him on the piano, entertained us during Happy Hour throughout the cruise and she had several solo sets that were extremely professional. On three nights, they had on-board special entertainment that was 5 star. We have sailed American Cruise Line twice and their other line, Pearl once and never have been disappointed. As of now, we have booked two in 2017 and 2018. Read Less

This is a fantastic cruise company for seniors or people who like a slower pace, (perfect for me, as I love taking photos). They accommodate physical disabilities as much as possible throughout the trip. Children were rare, but the crew made a special effort to find activities and food they would enjoy. Special diets can be accommodated. The locations they stop include plantations, museums and national parks. There is time to go to the local towns, with shuttle service. You will never be hungry on this trip: breakfast, warm cookies at 10:00, lunch, Tea Time, Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and dinner. Open seating in the dining room. Balcony for every stateroom. On board they have bingo, lectures, and evening entertainment. It was a Christmas trip to remember: carolers greeted us as we boarded, decorations, food, the opportunity to attend Christmas Eve service and even gifts! The crew was the most cheerful and attentive I have experienced with any cruise line. Read Less

We did not want to leave the country.. Everything was great. Attention to details was superb The crew was very attentive and service oriented. The food was wonderful with plenty of good choices. Special requests regarding diets were honored Afternoon lectures were enjoyable and diverse. We learned alot about the history of the Mississippi River, the Civil War and the famous and infamous people who shaped the area.The cocktail hour and the hor duerves were great. A good way to meet new friends.. Evening entertainment was varied and very good. Shore excursions were very informative. Enjoyed the Frogmore Cotton gin and Oak Alley Plantation, The city tour of New Orleans was wonderful thanks to our tour director Marty. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we signed on for another American Cruise Lines for next year. We would not hesitate to recommend this cruise line to anyone who is contemplating a cruise. Read Less

A trip of a Mississippi Steam boat was an ambition we have had for a long time. WE struggled to arrange direct from the UK. An opportunity arose which we seized as it gave the opportunity to visit New Orleans and Memphis. We found the state rooms very comfortable and well appointed, The food and wine was excellent. Although the dinning room was a little noise which mad it difficult having a conversation with fellow guests at meal times. Out waitress on several occasions was Krystin; we found that nothing was too much trouble and she was very attentive to our needs. All the staff from deck hands to the Management Team were very friendly and helpful and made the cruise an enjoyable experience. We found the excursions interesting but not enough time to take advantage of the visits. We would have liked more time at the Civil War visitor centre to view the exhibits and similarly we were requested to leave one of the Plantations so that we could visit "a gift shop" on the way back to the ship. Read Less

We chose this cruise to view the fall foliage and to tour the historic sites along the Hudson River Valley. We were not disappointed on either counts. I'm glad we packed heavy raincoats for this time of the year, as the weather was always windy and it rained 2 days and even snowed one morning. River cruising means very little motion, therefore no one was ever sea sick. There were only 80 passengers on board, so the ratio of service persons to passengers was excellent. All drinks were included in the fare and happy hour was held each night with wine/beer provided at lunch and dinner. If you're looking for a fast paced, party atmosphere, this is NOT the cruise for you. It is slow paced and relaxing, perfect for retreating from a hectic paced life. I would say the average age of the passengers was upper 60s. The ship has multiple areas for social gatherings and playing games (pack your playing cards). If you're sending post cards, they are mailed every day and you do NOT need stamps. The ship had reading material for our destinations and some lectures; but it would have been helpful if we had studied up a bit prior to the cruise. All of the cabins are incredibly spacious, larger than our master suite at home. Cabins do NOT have safes, so plan accordingly, though we felt secure the entire time on board. All cabins have TV/cable service and DVD players. The ship's library had a limited selection of DVDs; we watched old John Wayne movies in our room each night after the social hour of pleasant, entertainment (geared for the age group on board). For our next cruise, we'll pack a few of our favorite DVDs. We would take this cruise again, but perhaps go a week earlier, though being able to predict peak leaf time is difficult since weather is unpredictable. However, the farther we traveled up river, the more variety and vivid the leaves became. The best part of the cruise was the friendliness of the crew and service personnel. Since the amount of passengers is relatively small, we were able to get to know many of the passengers who were happy to be traveling. The relaxing atmosphere on board, made for great fellowship. I did not see one passenger complain or whine. We also made some life long friends aboard and are planning future trips with them. As with any experience, you get out of it what you are willing to put into it. The food was superior and the chef accommodated special needs or requests whenever able. Gratuities are included in the fare, so that made it convenient. Travel to and from the Manhattan port was expensive and traffic is always congested; try to share taxis whenever possible and avoid LaGuardia which is undergoing some pretty extensive construction for all gates and parking. The internet connections were often sketchy, but if you're cruising, you need to unplug anyway. There are computers with printers on board for accessing your plane tickets and pre printing boarding passes. Be sure to include an overnight bag for your last night on board, it will make luggage transfer go very smoothly. Have a great time, sit back, and enjoy the ride. You'll return with a lowered blood pressure and a few extra joyfully gained pounds, and hopefully some wonderful new friends! Autumn will become your favorite season! Read Less

This was our third American Cruise in less than 2 years. This spring we cruised Puget Sound, and the year before the Florida Rivers. The only disappointment this time was the lack of sound proofing between our room, 511, and a crew member. We were awakened each morning by his alarm clock, 527am, 447am, etc. We could almost hear what was being said on his TV. On the other side of us we could hear the neighbors voices and their TV. We hadn't experienced that on the other ships. America is a brand new ship, and didn't expect that, especially in a premium room. Very disappointing. I had gotten the idea from other passengers that they didn't hear anyone. Also, I thought the ship was full or I would have mentioned it to the Colin, the Hotel Manager. When I did tell him at the end of the cruise, he was sorry I hadn't come to him sooner, because he could have moved us. I was sorry too. The other disappointment was the din in the dining room. At a table for six I was unable to hear the person across from me without leaning way into the table, and I don't have a hearing problem. It was constant, and during the cruise there were others complaining about it. We are taking the Chesapeake Cruise on the maiden voyage of the Constellation next May and hope this problem will not occur again. We love your crews, food, itineraries. Read Less

This trip was all that we expected and we enjoyed it very much. The America is a beautiful river boat. We found the boats tours very good--they gave us a good overview of life in the South along the River in the in the 1800's and now. We stayed at the Roosevelt in New Orleans for a couple of nights pre-cruise and The Peabody in Memphis post-cruise which also added a lot to our trip. Don't miss the World War II museum in New Orleans and Graceland in Memphis. Some have written about the quality of service in the dining room--these are mostly college age young people and what they lack in experience they make up for with enthusiasm. We found the food very good and to American tastes. We are experienced ocean cruisers and found river cruising very enjoyable. If you reserve another cruise while on board they give you a 15% discount. We enjoyed this enough that we signed up for a 14 day East coast inland waterway cruise this Spring. Read Less

The cruise was supposed to go from St. Paul, Minnesota to New Orleans, Louisiana but high waters in Minnesota required last minute changes in plans. American Cruise Lines (ACL) rescheduled us to start in Nashville instead which required all passengers to change flight plans a few days before the start date, but ACL did reimburse us for the extra charges involved. We feel that ACL did a good job with the rescheduling. The only down side to the cruise was Kevin, the Cruise Director. He was young, brash, not very helpful, and often just a jerk. We hope that we will not meet up with him again. The rest of the staff was outstanding, friendly, and very helpful. Shore excursions were well planned out, very interesting, and first rate. The river experts were very knowledgeable and fun to be with. Steve and JoAnn were great with the local knowledge and are outstanding entertainers. This was our third cruise with ACL, and we have scheduled another for next year which also attests to our satisfaction. 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

I chose this cruise because I went with a group of 20 people. The Columbia River Gorge is beaufiful and in a part of the country not visited by my husband and me before. Other members of the group has previously cruised with American Cruise Lines; this was a first for us. I would not recommend the Queen of the West to anyone else. We managed with the room and bath but it was far less than desirable. The crew, service, and food were excellent - could not have asked for better. The excursions were excellent and tour quides very knowledgeable about the areas visited. I like the small ship crusing experience - a first for us as we had been on larger ships on other cruises (twice to Alaska). I would travel with American Cruise Lines again but would definitely choose a newer vessel with better accommodations. That's all folks! Read Less

Never take this cruise. They talk about some great tours and cancel many of them along the way. The food is not good, the service is mostly done by interns that are learning and it is super over priced for receiving close to nothing. Terrible and boring cruise up the Mississippi with almost know good entertainment or activities. The boat even crashed into a sand bar at night - took about 30 minutes of pushing back and forth to get off and woke everyone up- bent the paddle wheel and made them late to arrive in Memphis so they canceled the Memphis tour? If you want a good cruise go on a Viking River cruise. The difference is like a cubic to a diamond. Our only grace was we had planned a few days on our own in the start destination and the end destination so we saw those two locations and had fun there Read Less

New Destinations,New Bedford, Nantucket Island, Block Island, Bristol. The narrated bus tour was fantastic. Good accommodations- The housekeeping staff were top notch. Outstanding foods- The cocktails hours brought socializing and the development of new friends. Plus, took all edges off the day. However, one couple was upset that paper napkins were used at breakfast and cocktail hour. OK with me! Educational activities were exceptional- The scallop fisherman's talk was great!! Service was excellent. It showed great training of staff. All the staff was happy and willing to meet any request of the customer with a SMILE. Many of the ports of call were new to me. The return visits enabled me to see the ports with new interest, Martha's Vineyard- The guided tour of Oak Bluffs including visiting one home will remain as one of the highlights of the trip. A return cruise seems inevitable. We are saving our money and hope to be on another cruise soon. Read Less

We were looking for a cruise departing near our home, and were also interested in American Cruise Line since we thought we should see some of the USA now, having cruised in the Caribbean and Europe, and we wanted to experience small ship cruising. This cruise fit perfectly in our plans and we were fortunate that long time friends of our also joined this cruise. Throughout the cruise the staff were very helpful, willing to stop and chat, and were friendly (smiled a lot -- obviously enjoyed their work). They loaded and off loaded our luggage, our cabin was ready when we arrived, and had no flaws of any kind. The air conditioning worked superbly for the muggy days (very few). Meals were varied and delicious. Lobster was served a lot -- from whole lobsters, to lobster mac and cheese, lobster salad, lobster stew; wonderful. Also served were beef, pork, lamb. Lots of excellent salads and desserts, too. The wait staff - stewards - were college youngsters who also cleaned the rooms and made the beds. All of these young people were delightful and attentive. All had some connection to the hospitality industry and many were interns. They had been well trained and were well supervised and very pleasant and hard working. Besides breakfast, lunch and dinner warm cookies were served mid morning, cocktails before dinner and ice cream sundaes and root beer floats in the evening. All were gratis. Our captain was sharp, knowledgeable, informative and a terrific ship handler. We always knew ahead of time what he planned to do ship wise. A few downsides: a wonderful lobster bake occurred ashore as part of the cruise, and the food was wonderful. However, insufficient transportation was provided to the bake so a long delay occurred. And seating was unnecessarily crowded. The music provided was excellent. As a separate matter, the man on board who conducted lectures and pointed out geographical interests was a bit glib and somewhat opinionated inappropriately. Could be better. Read Less

for the experience of a river cruise we chose this one. The length seemed right and we wanted to see the south. Being able to do a pre & post stay was also why we selected this cruise. We have done about 10 cruises in the past- but not a river cruise until now. We knew very little about thye geography and did not do any extra research before we came down. The cruise tours hae helped us learn alot about this part of the country and the history. The beds are comfortable and the staff have been friendly and very helpful so far. the food is pretty good too. Including wine & beer with meals is nice as well. I have had soup a couple of times that thas not been hot but most things are served at the correct temperature. I also noticed flies on the food in the buffet table- but this would be very ahrd to manage considering the heat and the open air. Read Less

Here's a rundown of the passengers! About 15% of the passengers on the Columbia/Snake River Cruise departing from Portland, Oct 10th, had significant physical disabilities, such as walking with a cane, walker or needing the supportive assistance of a spouse or adult child. About 50 % of the passengers, myself included were not physically fit enough to walk comfortably more than 2 miles on a flat surface, or less than 2 miles on an incline. Average age estimated to be about 73. For persons living an active lifestyle such as biking or vigorous hiking the activity level of the cruise will not be challenging enough in my opinion. I arrived at the boat in Portland by cab. The young man taking my bags at the pier did not welcome me onboard. He was sullen. When I got inside the boat, Jessica did welcome me but did not have a name tag for me. She said someone else had gotten it by mistake. The boat while charming on the exterior is actually run down and somewhat depressing on the interior. My cabin while it was clean enough was pretty pitiful considering what I paid for a single person. I have traveled with ACL to the Puget Sound & my cabin on that trip was considerably better. On this cruise I had a single bed which looked smaller than most single beds. More like a youth bed. The comforter was worn and limp and did not provide enough warmth. I had to pile some of my sweaters on the bed to sleep. The pillows were embarrassing. Maybe 2 inches thick and ready for the rag pile. Other passengers experienced similar pillows. It was great to have the little balcony however. Bring bug spray because you will need it for mosquitoes. The walls are so thin between cabins that just about everything is heard on the other side-coughing, conversations, nose blowing. Passengers are very considerate of each other in this regard. I did not feel that the crew addressed safety issues while the ship was in port. While in the port of Stevenson, an older passenger fell while negotiating her way into town from the dock by herself. But walking alone is not the only issue. There are 3 train tracks between the dock and the boat that must be crossed. Trains barrel around the bend very frequently and heaven forbid one of the passengers fell on these tracks and could not get up when a train is coming. Considering the frail nature of some of the passengers and that they may be hard of hearing it is a real possibility. It would be very helpful for the crew to have an informational talk regarding safety while in port. Passengers should travel together in groups at the very least. There were train tracks to be crossed also in the Dalles if one wanted to venture into town. Ian was on board, an Australian expert in all things Louis and Clark. He gave a couple of excellent talks about the Corps of Discovery. But the first afternoon out of Portland, Ian got on the microphone and was giving a blow by blow description of everything we passed by and such info as how to pronounce the town name of Kalama. Passengers in their individual cabins could not turn the sound down and some of us were very aggravated. Sometimes you just want to quietly meditate & watch the scenery go by without someone yelling incessantly. The first few days of the trip were beautiful while the last couple of days closer to Clarkston were not pleasant. In short, it stunk to high heavens! It was hard to figure out what smelled so bad but someone said it was a paper factory. However, the ship also began to smell like sewage in certain areas too. When I settled my account and left a generous tip, I was not even thanked. Great way to treat a passenger. I had also requested information on the Ohio River cruise-twice and never got it. I think an element of burnout was taking over with a couple of the staff. I fit right in with most of the passengers-age wise, interest wise, activity level. I feel comfortable at meals conversing with the other passengers. I enjoyed the excursions. But I will really weigh my options before going on another ACL trip. Read Less