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 4th trip on the American Queen this year. Quite frankly, I found the music to be addictive! The whole experience is quite nice, but the music is the biggest draw for me. All the musicians are top notch. I especially enjoy Greg Lupton, who plays piano in the Captain's Bar twice a night. He is so engaging, with his sing-a-longs and warm humor. He's also a very, very talented musician. He makes everyone feel welcome and happy. Also terrific are the twice-nightly staged shows, the blues jam, the afternoon dixieland jazz show, and the late night dance music. The boat itself is really classy without being snooty. You will feel comfortable in casual clothes. The food is quite good, and quite varied. The staterooms are mostly very nice (though there are a few issues with water and room temperatues that need to be sorted out; I expect that those will have been remedied when the boat comes out of dry dock next season). The stops are very interesting, and some good options for side trips are provided. I especially recommend the BB King Museum! The ship is large enough that no one will feel claustrophobic, but not so large that it feels impersonal. The crowd tends to be seasoned and relaxed. We may all enjoy some wine with their dinner, and the occasional cocktail, but this is not a ship of drunken fools. The riverlorian lectures are quite interesting, and other onboard activities are available as well. The staff are friendly and helpful. Overall, I would highly recommend this boat, assuming they can take care of those few repair glitches. And, as fun as the Memphis to New Orleans route is, I actually prefer the run up to Red Wing (a charming port of call). Whichever route you take, you're bound to have a good time. Don't forget to catch Greg's act! 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

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

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

Taking the Civil War paddle-wheel cruise down the Mississippi has been my US Army Ret. history-buff husband's dream (and mine) for many years- his father actually did a "Huck Finn" thing as a young man, shoveling coal on a Mississippi steamboat! This was a very expensive but wonderful cruise, and I highly recommend it for people interested in American history and literature, and for those who really want to see the USA from a totally different perspective than you will see it by driving or flying. We had been to several of the ports on this cruise, but arriving by paddle-wheel steamboat makes for a Totally unique way to see and enjoy them. The American Queen herself is extraordinary- she was built around a real 1926 steam engine, and the charming crew is (justly) proud of her, and will give you an in-depth tour of her! The bright red paddle-wheel is fabulous in and of itself- I still have Tina Turner singing "Proud Mary" going through my head!- and yes, one of the ship's entertainers DID sing it on this cruise! We especially loved the bar that's right by the paddle-wheel, where they had live (and excellent) music every evening, and we LOVED the real steam calliope, which the pianist played as we left port in the late afternoon! The entertainment was excellent- both the nightly musicals and the "period" Civil War entertainment, which included live music, and talks by both an historian, and AQ's "Riverlorian", and my husband and I danced more on this cruise than on any other cruise we've taken! The ship is beautifully appointed in period style, with original Tiffany glass, books, antiques, and reproductions, and the public rooms are truly gorgeous. The towns we visited as we cruised slowly down the Mississippi from Memphis to New Orleans were very interesting and fun to visit, and we got to see some fabulous things, including original Tiffany Glass church windows, a number of interesting museums, and historic sites. We took a variety of AQ's excursions, to Vicksburg, the Frogmore Cotton Plantation, the Louisiana "Swamp Tour", etc., and used AQ's free "hop on-hop off" bus, as well, and were pleased with both. Natchez was especially fun, with many things to see and do, including the Charboneau Distillery, and historic Kings Tavern next door where we had a delicious lunch (and bought their rum, of course!), and the fun & historic "Natchez Under-The-Hill Saloon", which was right where the boat was docked! The service aboard the ship was excellent (as it needs to be with an older clientele), our stateroom was very tiny but also very lovely (we booked a cabin on the "public" balcony), wine with dinner was complimentary, unlimited, and Very nice, and the food was excellent- even better than the very good food we've enjoyed on Celebrity cruises. Searching high and low I managed to find one (wonderful) travel agent who was able to get us several hundred dollars in on board credit- as AQ gives nothing, I Definitely suggest you look for a travel agent when you are ready to book an AQ cruise! It is an "older person's" sort of cruise- while there is a lovely little pool, there are no water slides or games or things for active children to do, and the average age was over 60. I am 57 and my husband is 69, and there were WWII Veterans on our cruise who were over 90, which was very cool! I will say that the cruise was made up of a VERY active & intrepid group of seniors- we all tromped through the rain and mud around the Frogmore Plantation, and through pouring rain Baton Rouge, as well! As we are in the hospitality business- we have an inn in West Virginia, and I have a travel/food blog- I blogged about the cruise- and the Civil War history/"foodie" road trip we did through Tennessee to get to Memphis for the cruise, and then New Orleans at the end of the cruise- extensively on my "We Live In The Country!" blog with lots of photos and links to all the many things we did and enjoyed. Read Less