An absolutely fabulous experience- cruising on the Columbia River! The crew and staff were the friendliest, most enthusiastic and most competent we've ever experienced bar none. We never lacked for a thing- the chef was more than happy to accommodate any request- many passengers opted to order items that weren't on the menus and were served accordingly. The onboard entertainment was well suited to the cruise- highlighting local historians and lecturers. The shore excursions were both informative and well paced. This is advertised as an all inclusive vacation. Keep in mind this is NOT, and hopefully never will be, an average small ship cruise experience. There were 42 passengers on the SS Legacy which can accommodate 88 passengers. A 1/2 hour massage was also included in the program. The bar was open 24/7 and manned for 12 of those 24 hours. The only thing not included in the fare was the gratuities for the crew. Read Less

Best trip of our lives! The quality was superb! The staff was of the highest quality as was the food and entertainment. I was shocked by the excellence of everything. From the songs of Michaelyn Obry to Kris who let us off the boat in such a chipper manner every day, there was no hiccup. Everything was fabulous. American Steamboat has a Hop on Hop off bus meet you at each port to ensure you see the sites. I cannot recommend this company enough! THEY ARE OUTSTANDING! They provided a stay at the Sheraton in Memphis that did not have our rooms ready. To apologize, the steamboat company gave us each $150 shipboard credit. They are a class act. There is nothing more pleasant than lying in an air-conditioned stateroom , watching the shoreline float by. This was our first Steamboat, but now we want to do ALL OFF THEM and use American Steamboat! OUTSTANDING! Read Less

We are from Oz and had sailed twice before on the American Queen, so this was our third sailing with a back to back from New Orleans to Memphis and then on to St Louis. We once again would rate the fourteen days as excellent, with a noticeable improvement with the boats WIFI. Our pre boat cruise was at the New Orleans Hyatt Regency, which included a substantial quality breakfast. As we had stayed a week in New Orleans within the past eighteen months we did not avail ourselves with a pre cruise tour. The embarkation went without a hitch and would settle back and watch our departure from New Orleans on the Mississippi River. To gain the most on our cruise we had paid for Premium Tours at most ports. Two, which I must mention were the Angola Prison Tour at the Port of Saint Francisville and at Helena, the Mississippi Delta Gospel and the Birthplace of Blues Tour. I would personally recommend these two tours for the experience gained. Our arrival at Memphis seemed to arrive so quickly and then we continued on our second leg to St Louis. A different group of guests on board, who we soon became acquainted with. The on-board life continued with the high service and the excellent meals which we had become accustomed to. On the surface the trip may appear expensive to the ocean going voyages, but I would recommend it for the uniqueness of it, so different to the European river cruises. We have already booked a further cruise on its sister boat, the American Empress next year. Read Less

On a tour group..was staff tour director for cruise. This cruise was billed, like all American Queens...as a 5 star tour.....food, accommodations, activities. I'm giving it a 3 at best and that's pushing it. Nice enough people on board but lacking in some major areas: abysmal disembarking for guests...Many of whom need special assistance. Just incredulous at how poor a job was done . ..even witnessed as staff watched other clients helped each other on and off ship. Terrible. Food....average at best. Nothing special I could see. Quail, duck, pork lion, ziti ( if you can even believe that!)........typical breakfast fare. Wait staff tries hard... Accommodations...hmmm, depends on what you choose. Single canon tiny...no place to sit down. Activities- marginal. A four game bingo? Mark twain character was washed up and unbelievable. A Mr. Bojangles dance and sing set? really? Shore excursions....simple, uninspired and lacking in depth. For what one pays for this company's tours...hmm, I think I'd suggest waiting to see if the new Viking ship staff can do a better job. The American Queen needs competition and Viking is just the company to step up to the plate. Suggestion: learn to take care of the little things! Read Less