We are quite elderly and didn't want the hassle of flying to Europe - this was a perfect solution for us - and it was easy and pleasant and educational - the amenities were excellent as was the service - altogether a delightful trip! We also met nice people on board - fun to sit with different ones every meal. We would certainly consider another trip on American Cruise Lines. There were no children on our cruise, but I am sure children would love it too - the waters were smooth and no one got seasick - and the boat was big enough so that children would never be a nuisance by being under foot. We loved the whole idea of this trip and would certainly consider going again to another part of the United States - in fact I am looking forward to doing that soon! A great vacation! Read Less

I am an experienced cruiser who knows the coasts and many international destinations, but never have been on or around the Mighty Mississippi. This cruise offered a comfortable ship with an interesting itinerary. The 8-day, 7-night package included a pre-cruise overnight hotel in downtown New Orleans, allowing some time to explore and an easy transfer to Queen of the Mississippi. To see more of New Orleans, I strongly suggest adding 1 or 2 more days in the Big Easy. There is lots to do and see in New Orleans. The Queen is beautiful with cabins like a modern cruise ship and nearly non-stop food opportunities. We sailed with 148 guests, close to capacity. The dining room, lounges and functions accommodated us all without overcrowding. The itinerary was New Orleans to Memphis, with stops every day but one. The river was pleasant, but carries almost exclusively commercial traffic in the lower Mississippi. Lots of tows and barges. Most of the offered excursions were complimentary, and many of them were so-so. Some felt crowded. Ask about "signature excursions" when you call. I didn't go on the "VIP Graceland" excursion and can't comment on that one. My favorite excursion was the Vicksburg battlefield guided tour. Awesome, but would be better if you could get off the coach more often. Dining was excellent; don't plan on losing weight. The cabin review follows. Free wireless internet is available and on par with most cruise ships. It always worked but could get pretty slow, especially during peak hours. A fitness center is available, as is a small guest laundry (free) with 2 washers and 2 dryers. Forget the casinos and swimming pools, it's a small ship. Should you go upriver or downriver? There is a strong current in the Mississippi. It takes a lot of power to go upstream and maintain an itinerary. This means a certain amount of shaking/vibration at high power. I didn't mind, but some cruisers complained about it. A cabin toward the bow is better in this regard. Shouldn't be a issue downstream. We had a great historian and pianist to illuminate the cruise. We also had an excellent banjo/bass combo that everyone enjoyed. The only miss (my opinion) was a jazz combo that made me think of hotel lounges and leisure suits. But they weren't bad. Debarkation was by 8:00 am on departure day. You can book an airport transfer if you want one. If you debark in Memphis, you can expect to arrive at the close-by airport by 9:00 am. I'm glad I took this cruise. 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

This was our 11th cruise with American Cruise Lines so we are clearly fans of the concept and experience. You have to understand what you are buying into - same price as Silversea, etc. but a totally different vibe. Yes, wine and beer at lunch and dinner, but nothing high end and very limited selection. One day the bulk chardonnay was not unpacked and the next day it was not chilled. Yes, some top shelf spirits at 5:30 cocktail hour. You book this cruise line for a domestic cruise experience without international airports, very small ships, the opportunity to socialize with other well traveled adults, and get acquainted with the robust young American staff. We will go again - already booked for September in New England - but there were some niggling problems this trip which made my overall rating Very Good instead of Excellent. The chef on this trip was excellent and the food was wonderful. Beverage service, i.e. water and coffee was slow and sometimes we had to ask multiple times for refills or even first cup of coffee with dessert. Pastry chef was great - don't miss the chocolate fudge layer cake, now seems to be a weekly American Cruise Lines tradition on any trip. We picked the same waitress at most meals and she was sweet but undertrained and we had to ask several times for butter, hot sauce and other things which should have been on the table. Ports were small southern towns and there was lots of scenery and quiet traveling. The musical entertainment every night was special and professional - we loved the Victory Belles and the Dan Knowles/Eddie Coffey duo. A real plus this year was extra golf carts in the ports for transport over rough terrain (river levees) to the tour buses - a much needed benefit for a somewhat older traveling crowd. Read Less

Had always dreamed of going to New Orleans and visiting the South. This cruise seemed to include most places we wanted to see and we were not disappointed. It exceeded our expectations with the ports of call and excursions. We enjoyed the small ship feeling but our single staterooms were very roomy with all of the amenities needed. The food was superb, best seafood I have had in along time. Best crab cakes I've ever eaten. There were a lot of choices, even for the Vegans. The crew were so enthusiastic and did a great job of looking after us. The positive attitude of everyone was a breath of fresh air and they were very professional even though most of them were new to the cruise. Kudos to the Hotel Manager, Jason, who kept everything under control. We enjoyed the experience so much that have booked another cruise for 2020. We look forward to travelling with American Cruises again. Read Less

We had been on ACL America and LOVED the experience. Then we tried their competitor which was really awful. We returned to ACL and enjoyed such a lovely time, we booked another cruise while on board. The staff is so very friendly and treat passengers as welcomed guests. Every crew member went the extra mile to make certain each person enjoyed their vacation. Open bar serving top shelf mixed drinks, delicious and varied hors oeuvres. Excellent wine on tables during supper with wine offered during lunch. Entertainment was excellent. Every night root beer floats, sundaes and popcorn were served right before floor show--fun treat! Since Mississippi river was unusually high, boat was unable to dock in some ports. Crew made arrangements for us to be bussed to activities and went above and beyond to make certain we enjoyed our experience. We were pampered and all enjoyed the casual and personal attention. It is clear this ship line knows how to cater to an older more refined, well travelled group. Read Less

My husband and I choose this cruise to celebrate our 30th anniversary (2 weeks down the entire length of the Mississippi River). As experienced cruisers, we knew what we should expect from a cruise at this price point ($24k). I cannot tell you how disappointed we were. The housekeeping was terrible, the food at times inedible, the "service" was laughable (the housekeepers and waitstaff were all kids from a hospitality training program) and the communication throughout the trip was inexcusably nonexistent. And to add insult to injury, they failed on the recovery. I wrote a detailed 5-page letter to the CEO (Charles Robertson) and the VP of Hotel Operations (Paul Taiclet) to give them feedback. Both called me to apologize for our bad experience. Mr. Robertson promised that I would hear from him again in a week or two. I never did. Mr. Taiclet followed up with a letter offering us 25% off a future cruise. Worthless to us as we would never spend another dime with this company. It was the worst value for our money that we have ever experienced in our travel all over the world. Save yourself from the same pain. Please don't book with this company!!! Read Less

As retirees, this is our seventh cruise with American Cruise Lines. Small ships are the way to cruise! With less than 200 passengers, getting on and off the ship is easy and quick (no standing in a line). The cuisine is excellent and the menu changes daily. There is only one setting for the noon and evening meals, which provides the opportunity for all passengers to be together at least twice a day; with no assigned seating you are able to dine with the same passengers or sit at a different table as often as you like to meet more of the passengers. The Staterooms are roomy and well serviced. The on-board entertainment was top of the line. The Historian was on-board the entire cruise and gave presentations of the historical significance of the areas of the cruise as well as current information about the itinerary of the cruise and the towns along the cruise route. Excellent-never missed a single presentation. Would I cruise with American Cruise Lines again? We have been on 7 cruises with them so far and have booked another one next year. Read Less

Location of cruise and area that interested us. Had been on New Orleans to Memphis cruise in past and wanted to try different area of river. Much different views unencumbered by the levees lower on the river. Staff was more than accommodating. A lock on he river was inoperable and the staff went above and beyond to redirect the boat to other destinations and made the disembarkation have many different options with hotel rooms and dinners on the company, help in changing airline flight accommodations. The staff was great and I am sure lost some sleep while rearranging destinations. Was not aware cruise was directed at seniors, most of the passengers were in there late 70's, 80's and 90's, this was not a problem and in fact was enlightening to talk and share stories with the other passengers. Staff was very friendly and easy to talk to and acknowledge each of us. Read Less

Everything was perfect from start to finish. All activities started when they were supposed to. Meal options were varied and very delicious. Staff went above and beyond to ensure satisfaction. Everyone had a great smile and a happy greeting when you passed by. They say Disney is the 'happiest place on earth' but the staff on this cruise rivals them. The stateroom (category AAL) was clean and was tended to daily. Turn down service at night was a nice touch, with the next day's itinerary on the bed. The room was large and the balcony very nice. One option is breakfast room service, which you can enjoy on the balcony. We took advantage of that one morning, and it arrived in the 15-minute time frame requested. Service was exemplary. We gravitated between 3 servers because they were so friendly, fun, and efficient. Our Riverlorian had some interesting talks while we were cruising. It was such a wonderful experience that we signed up for our second cruise before we left the first. Read Less