We had wanted to do a Mississippi river cruise for years and finally did it. I did quite a bit of research before we picked a cruise and I'm very glad we chose this one. I'm convinced it was/is the best. The embarkation process was very well planned and ran smoothly. The American Queen was beautiful -- everything we imagined. The public spaces were very well appointed and comfortable. The dining room was quite elegant -- looked very much as we imagined it might have looked in the 1800s. The food was excellent and and menus quite varied. Nothing was repeated the entire week. The special meal events (such as the BBQ one day) were very good. In fact, after experiencing BBQ in Memphis (this trip and trips before) -- we found nothing in Memphis that could compare with the BBQ on board.

The service everywhere on the boat was first rate. Our cabin stewardess, the restaurant staff, the bartenders, etc. were all top notch. And so friendly -- real, true Southern hospitality. One could tell it was genuine -- you can't fake that. The hop-on/hop-off bus system worked very well and all the local guides were excellent. You could tell they were proud of their towns and heritage and were happy to share with us. The add-on shore excursions were excellent. I do think they were overpriced. Next time we'll be much more discriminatory in choosing these. All-in-all we were very happy with the entire trip.