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

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

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 traveled in a party of 10: 4 boys aged 5-12, parents in their 70s (one w/ memory issues), and two couples in their 40s. We loved the service, delicous food, live music, custom drinks & friendly manner of all the staff. Our rooms were on the outside of the 4th &5th floor decks, so we enjoyed the views as well. We all loved the engine room - you can walk down and see all the working parts when the ship is in motion. We enjoyed the pilot house tour (when the boat is in port) and riverlorian talks. The lady in the gift shop was delightful & gave my 5 year old a box in which to hold his treasures. The bars allowed kids and our kids were free to roam the boat; they truly treasured that freedom. The kids played bingo and chess and even cavassed the passengers to find additional chess opponents (the passengers were quite friendly). On several evenings we found an unreserved box in the Grand Salon (the theater for live entertainment which is modeled after Ford's Theater in DC). For adults drinks cards are available for purchase which allow included drinks and gratuities for the duration of the voyage ($200). Shore excursions were great fun. We opted for hop on hop off which meant we could visit a variety of stops each time the boat docked. I reccomend departing early because the stops are only 3 or 4 hours and the time passes quickly. On each bus for hop on hop off a local guide gave detailed information about the town and its history. You can purchase shore excursions for additional cost ($60 + per person per stop) but we were happy with the bus. For this leg I'd reccomend the Angonla Prison tour (we missed it and were sad) and the Vicksburg Battlefield tour. The New Orleans to Memphis Tour is good for older adults and kids because the boat stops in port during the day. If you're looking for more of a party scene you do Memphis to New Orleans (the boat stops in Baton Rouge in early evening). In short, I'd happily do another cruise with this company. It has been completely relaxing and I've been made to feel completely at home albeit in a luxurious and pampered manner. Oh, and coming in we stayed an extra evening at the Hyatt by the super dome which was lovely. I'd definitely reccomend a additional day in New Orleans and the World War II Museum is fantastic. New Orleans has Uber which is a great way to get around. The streets of New Orleans are beautiful and kid friendly during the day. Read Less

Loved the music. The musicians performed almost all the time. Riverlorian spoke daily about the Mississippi River, its depth, vessels, floods, accidents. Food was good, menus could be improved. Breakfast and lunch buffets were well done. Hop on off bus gave lots of options to visit without worrying about entrance fees. Select a cabin away from the paddle wheel or you will lose sleep: it shook the cabin when the boat was at full speed.Cabin was smaller than Celebrity or Princess of similar category. Port stops were short as the boat was going up river and there was a lot of barge traffic that got the right away. If you took a premium excursion there was little or no time to tour the port. Select the Memphis to New Orleans route. Cruise director was good. his voice is amazing. Purser's station acted immediately. Many cabins had doors opening to the outside walkway 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

I was a passenger on the inaugural trip of the Louisiane, and while there were some hiccups--as can be expected on a shakedown cruise--the food was incredible, the lectures fun and informative, and the excursions, well researched and coordinated. The most important element was that the French America Line management recognized the flaws, and since the cruise was not up to their standards, they--through Roads Scholar--refunded the cost of the cruise in full. It's really hard to grow angry at any elements in a trip, when the owners of the cruise line give my money back in full. As one of the owners noted in the very beginning, it was a shakedown cruise. Phones and Cable TV did not work on the first day, but they were up and running by the second night. As far as I could see by the last evening, the Louisiane and her crew had achieved exactly the quality of travel that one expects from a "Four Star" Rivercruise line. And, that does not even note the incredible four bands that were aboard, from a French Jazz Quartette to a New York Classic Crooner balladeer and her band to an authentic Cajun Family of singers to a Southern Gospel performer. All of the alcohol and amenities were included, and the excursions--particularly in Natchez--were as excellent as I have ever encountered. And, I must say that while some had some hot water problems on the first day, I did not, and never lacked for a hot shower in my second floor cabin. And, I must emphasize again. Ultimately, I got my money back in full for the cruise. Any cruise line that will pay me back after the cruise is over, just because not everything on the maiden voyage was not perfect-- is one upon which I wish to travel again. 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

Following our journey over from the UK and a few nights in Atlanta and then New Orleans we boarded the American Queen - bliss. We have river cruised in Europe, China and Russia (as well as a couple of Ocean cruises) and this beats them all in terms of atmosphere, entertainment and ambience. The boat is lovely and decorated in period style - so much so that I expected Mark Twain to be sitting in the lounge reading the local newspaper or penning his next novel. We had booked a suite with a private balcony and the room was of a similar décor, with wallpapered walls and old furniture. There was plenty of hanging and drawer space for our 7 night cruise to Memphis and a lovely comfortable bed. The cabin music was varied and relaxing with no over-the-top announcements although the aircon did take some adjusting. To open our doors in the morning and watch the world go by in bed, before breakfast, was soooo relaxing. And then to the food, all I can say is excellent, varied, great staff and make sure you take 2 cloth sizes. The entertainment was our biggest surprise and we were luck to have some great people on our trip, everyone was either very good or great but we have to say a special thank you to Greg & Lindy who were exceptional and our CD will remind us of your talent every time we play it. There were various venues on the boat from the Patio, where you could have a light breakfast, lunch or dinner to the bars which had a variety of entertainment from simple piano sing-a-long to blues/jazz/light rock with a piano and guitar/banjo duo. There was also daytime entertainment in the wonderful show theatre. There is a small fitness centre on-board along with a small pool to relax in if wanted. The other bonus were the day trips, if you did not want to pay the extra for the 'special' excursions the hop-on-hop-off service was extremely well organsied and gave a good insight into the cities/towns visited with many prepaid entries to museums and houses. Many thanks to excursions team for this wonderful service. We did book a couple of extra trips which took you further afield and the highlight was our Blues tour of Helena and Claksdale. The Mississippi between New Orleans and Memphis may not be the most spectacular in the world but it was interesting (especially the barges) and relaxing with some wonderful towns to see on route. Overall a great and memorable trip. Read Less

My husband and I wanted a quiet river cruise, and, thought the website for this Mississippi River cruise made the Steamboat cruise sound ideal for us. We also wanted to tie the cruise in with visits to both Memphis and Nashville. We liked the idea of chugging down the mighty Mississippi and learning all about the American Civil War, which, as British travellers, we knew very little about. So...firstly the good points. The boat is beautiful, especially the dining room. It is really elegant and the food served is of a very high standard. The towns we stopped at were very pretty and very quaint and were so, so interesting. Also, the crew of the AMERICAN QUEEN made booking the tours exceptionally easy, and were extremely efficient if we had any problems. Help was always available for those passengers with mobility problems, and at every stop Hop-on-Hop -Off buses were available at regular intervals (all with knowledgable guides) , making it impossible to miss out on anything you want to see. Another plus was the entertainment. Mostly excellent.....with a couple of small exceptions!!! Our fellow passengers were, like us, mostly older holiday makers, and we found them to be extremely friendly.....so this is definitely not a trip that would appeal to young party-goers!! Bad points now!! When we first boarded the American Queen, our first impression was that this boat had so much character and was totally different to any other cruise boat we had been on before. Then we arrived at our cabin! Oh dear. The cruise company call it "cosy". We think it was "poky". Hardly any drawer-space, and just a fitted clothes-rail. The door of our cabin opened up onto the deck (which we liked, as we could sit outside our room and watch the world go by), but that also meant that the room felt damp from the humidity outside. And the beds were tiny. I would recommend anyone thinking of booking this cruise to upgrade to a bigger cabin. A larger cabin would have cost about $250 and would have been worth every dollar. But our biggest grouse about this otherwise delightful cruise was the disappointing standard of some of the waitresses/ waiters/catering staff. We put in a couple of complaints whilst we were on the cruise, as did several other passengers, and have followed this up by contacting The American Steamboat Company. We hope to hear from them soon. Nearly all the dining staff were terrific, but unfortunately the two serving our table were VERY short of the mark. Thankfully the boat's manager organised for replacement waitresses, and they proved to be first class. 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

This was our fourth river cruise in a row having done the rivers of Europe in past years with Australia Tour co Scenic. This boat was significantly bigger in both people & size(400 pass v 160 pass) with significant differences in onboard dining and entertainment activities. Cabin was of older style and not quite as good as the scenic boats but as we rarely spent time there it wasn't an issue at all. The major two differences were: 1.Dining whilst American fare it was quite good but not upto the standard we had received before.Dining room had less space and had two seatings each evening 2.What was significantly better was the evenings entertainment. The European river boats have no ability to compete here due to space limitations and the AQ s offerings were fantastic.With an excellent nightly floor show supported by daily lectures, late evening club and resident pianist to round out the offering. Shore excursions came in two forms ..... 1.Hop on/off buses operated by the boat at each port of call. 2.Premium -at extra coast, guided adventures at each stop which were very good though a little expensive for what was on offer. Given our previous experiences we were used to having these all included. Being a non drinker I cannot comment on the wine list but others we ate with indicated it was adequate. The service offering by the boat staff was mixed with some good and others average.I did feel it fell off towards then end of our voyage. As an overall view we thoroughly enjoyed the voyage and would recommend it...with an aussie caveat re tipping..just be aware they ( AQ) charge u reguardless. Read Less

My grandparents wanted to go on a cruise up the Mississippi and I had always wanted to see New Orleans so I came with. I was not aware that there would be absoloutely no one my age (21) on the ship, which made it less enjoyable. Obviously, since this a cruise geared towards the older crowd, many of the activities weren't as interesting to me as they were to them. If there had just been a few things that were available to me, and others my age, I thought it would've been a much more enjoyable experience for myself. That being said, the staff was very friendly, and professional. Something that I appreciate. Additionally, the food was delicious and the staff was very accomodating of special requests. The rooms were nicely maintained, although small. The entertainment crew did a good job, although, I again thought they could've done more stuff for someone my age. Overall, a well done cruise. Read Less

New Orleans and the Mississippi was our dream holiday and this cruise ticked all the boxes. We explored the town for 3 days using the sightseeing bus which stopped outside our hotel,the superb Hyatt Regency. We transfered with ease and were transported back in time to luxury travel on the beautiful steamboat, the American Queen.We were treated so well by all members of staff and the food was amazing, such variety. Travel on the river was so relaxing and peaceful. The excursions were well organised and we experienced Oak Alley Plantation,a swamp visit, Frogmore Plantation, Vicksburg and Gospel and Blues.We were very impressed with the Hop On Hop Off buses available at each port of call. Our trip to Gracelands was amazing and changed our perception of Elvis for the better. Months on and we are still talking about our trip thanks to American Steamboat Company. Read Less

After cruising the Rhine last year we decided to try a river cruise in America. Our choice was the American Eagle from New Orleans to Memphis. Because of my schedule, we had to schedule it in July which was probably not the best from the heat and humidity situation, but the ship is air conditioned as were tour busses and all so it never really was a big factor. From the moment we showed up at the dock and met Cruise Director Megan, we were greeted constantly with smile and casual talk. (It's no wonder passengers and crew feel like family by the end.) The service was exceptional and the young folks that made up the crew, worked constantly to make the trip a pleasure. Jason sort of oversaw everything and he was readily available if there were any questions or problems. I inquired about refrigeration because of some medications that required it and thinking a cool pack would be enough, I hadn't said anything when making a reservation. Jason assured me they could take care of it and next thing I know is, there was a knock on the door and a hotel refrigerator was delivered. The entertainment was terrific. From the Victory Belles, through Tom Hook, through Dan Knowles ... we thoroughly enjoyed our evenings. That goes for the lecturers too. It was a Civil War Tour and Mike Deeb filled us in on a lot of the history. Mike Jennings was the Riverlorian on board and talked about the Mississippi itself and it's importance to the American economy. The food was excellent at all three meals and I commend the chefs. I didn't hear any complaints from anyone about the food (or anything else for that matter). It's a small kitchen and they ask you to elect ahead for the meals and it was well done. By the way, we did room service breakfast several times and they were there on the dot. The cabin was excellent. We enjoyed the balcony and also the beds. Plenty of storage space and the bathroom was above what you would normally get on a big cruise ship. We thoroughly enjoyed the American Eagle Cruise and are considering another river cruise on ACL in the future. Meanwhile, we are showing pictures to everyone! Read Less

We embarked the Queen of the Mississippi in New Orleans, this was our first small boat cruise, what a wonderful experience, no lines or waiting EVER. The boat went north on the river up to Memphis, they had interesting & informative shore excursions that were included in the price for the most part, except for Graceland in Memphis. The rooms were very roomy and comfortable and all have a deck with table & chairs, the service on this boat is excellent by everyone on this boat. The food was wonderful, they offer have cocktails & hors de oeuvres 5:30-6:30 and then dinner! After dinner there is always entertainment by different performers. They offer breakfast, lunch & dinner selections & you can also get half portions. The nice thing about this cruise is your not slammed with a bill at the end for alcohol, shore excursions etc. This is an older crowd as there really isn't much to do for younger children, no pools, clubs, activities etc. We liked it so much we booked another cruise with them for next year & would recommend it to anyone. Read Less

This was a wonderful cruise. We've done many of the big cruise ships and we were tired of them, and wanted something more personal. We had 147 guests on board, and the public rooms used for entertaining and dining were large enough to accommodate everyone. The brand new ship is beautiful and the furniture is top quality. The food was excellent, just as good, as the big ships. The American staff was wonderful. Our room, room 322 AAL category, with a balcony, was lovely. The closet was on the small side but there were many drawers to hold your clothing, in the full size desk, or in the cabinet under the TV. We didn't even use the drawers in the night tables. There were 2 other big public lounges where you could hang out and chat. Snacks were available all the time, as well as juices and Soda. You really didn't need to bring alcohol on board, because wine and beer were served with lunch and dinner, and there was a happy hour every day before dinner, where you could get any kind of alcoholic drink you wanted. We went on the round trip because my husband didn't want to fly, and were able to drive and return to our car. The excursions were complementary, and the entertainment was top notch. We were so busy, we didn't have much down time to lounge in the lounges or even our own room. Read Less

First time cruising of any type. Picked a small ship since we didn't want to be over whelmed with people. Mostly had a great time. Met some great fellow cruisers, and some excellent dedicated staff. Cabin steward/wait-staff were great. Didn't mind having to come back to clean the room when we slept in, very well informed about the food, which was excellent throughout the trip. Due o our mobility issues (not wheelchair) we couldn't disembark at Oak Alley. Had a minor scare at Baton Rouge hen my wife fell and skinned her knee. Crew and staff, from the captain on down, very responsive and offered to provide medical attention, which we declined. An icepack and rest fixed the problem. No problems after that, but disembarking/re-embarking at the remaining ports was a little difficult, primarily due to the levies on the Mississippi River. Dining is single seating which is great!. Met different people each meal. Tried to explain the American election system, and American gun laws to people from Australia and New Zealand. Didn't succeed, but it was fun. Recommend the trip to anyone wanting s leisurely trip, doing just what you want to. We are cruising with ACL again, but a different voyage. Read Less

We were used to cruising on large cruise ships, so this was a delightful change. We enjoyed the camaraderie of fewer people, great service while dining and stateroom attention. The entertainment was great. The tours were very enjoyable with well informed tour guides. Music was everything from opera (one song) to bluegrass and of course, blues. We enjoyed the cruise enough to sign up for the Columbia River cruise next fall. We have driven the highway though that area, but now want to see it from the river. I would highly recommend this cruise line and seeing America from the waterways. Read Less

We've recently sailed on American Eagle from New Orleans to Memphis. It was not a pleasant experience though: First of all and the most important: if you ever been on a river cruise in Europe/Asia with let’s saying Viking, AmaWaterways, Tauck, Avalon etc…- do not take this cruise: you’ll be vastly disappointed. But first let me briefly describe our trip: We stayed at a hotel next to the French Quarter, in the morning got to the New Orleans port and had a smooth on time check-in. For an unknown reason musicians already stopped the embarkation entertainment and all welcome drinks were gone. It was a first call something is wrong, but we realized it later. So here is what we experienced during this cruise and what defers it from let's say an ordinary Danube cruise: - Same people (mostly college students on a summer break) work as a housekeeping stuff and serve dishes in the dining room. That’s the source of all service issues. - Very limited breakfast selection and by menu only. So expect to spend twice much time than if there was a buffet. - No barbecue on top deck in spite of a mostly nice weather. - Overall very limited food selection: only American food. No such things as thematic dinners: let’s say French, Italian etc… - Mostly “Gallo family” wines used. (the cost is around $3 in our local Walmart store). - Minor thing but no wine service in the dining room: need to pour glasses by ourselves. Wine is already on a table. - As other reviewers already mentioned the acoustic in the dining room is terrible. - Our cabin was never vacuumed - Many cabins have dampness issues. Shame for a new ship and whoever designed it! - Slow wireless internet disappearing at the same time as your cellphone service. On top of that the American Cruise Lines did not even fulfill what was promised with no explanation given: we never visited Oak Alley Plantation as advertised in the day by day schedule on their website. Overall it was a 1 start cruise for us but thanks to the entertainment and included tours which were pretty good I am giving it 2 stars. Here is the summary: I'd recommend this cruise only if you absolutely do not care about the service you receive, your kin is impatiently waiting for your death and tons of money under your bed still needs to be spent. Read Less

This was our first cruise on a small ship. Our previous 4 cruises were with Holland America and Princess. The American Eagle is a new paddle wheeler and we were on it's christening cruise. She holds about 140 passengers and, being new, there are some wrinkles to work out. I suspect many of these can be corrected, some not. First, the average age of the passengers is probably 70-75. Some with walkers or other mobility issues. Why the designers felt one slow elevator was sufficient for so many senior citizens I'll never know. Many were not able to climb 3 or 4 flights of stairs to get to or from their state rooms and the single elevator resulted in long waits for many. Really! Next issue is the ventilation system. The only way to keep the dampness out of the room is to run the air conditioning constantly. After a while, even down south, it gets too cold in the room. One the AC is off, the moisture in the room builds up quickly and everything gets damp. Even the slider to the veranda has so much condensation on the inside, you can't see out it. While in Baton Rouge and tied up at the dock, a wicked storm came through with 70 mph winds and tornado warnings. Every room on the port side received water damage as the strong winds pushed rain under the sliding door and wet the rugs. Really wet. It's not easy to dry out carpet so it took about 4 days for that to get corrected. The crew did what they could. This didn't help the moisture issue I'm sure. The acoustics in the dining room were terrible. Again, we're talking about senior citizens, many with hearing issues, but even with good hearing, it is hard to carry on a conversation at a table of 6 due to all the back ground chatter. Now, let me go over some of the pluses. Once you've paid your fare, you can pretty much put your wallet away. Unlike the big boats, excursions are included, going ashore on a hot day, water is free. Complimentary cocktails every evening with top shelf liquor. There is no jewelry shop, gift shop or over priced artwork to buy. Free wireless. Drinks with lunch and dinner free. The staff is all American and a friendlier, more polite bunch would be hard to find. There is entertainment in the evenings after dinner that includes free ice cream Sunday's. We're not talking big name entertainment but Bill and Laura on our boat kept us laughing, singing and amazed at their talent all week long. The rooms are larger than the typical veranda room on the big cruise ships. The excursions were mostly bus tours of the ports of call and plantation tours. The best part was the small boat experience. It is so much more personal. We were treated like kings and queens, not a number with a fat wallet. The crew gets to know most everyone, and visa versa. Would we cruise again with American Cruise Lines? Absolutely. The mega cruise ships have become too impersonal and greedy. It's probably safe to say my wife and I will seek out more small cruise ships in the future. We loved it! Read Less

All in all the cruise was a total delight and we were treated like royalty. The Captain and his entire crew went out their way to make this such an enjoyable trip. When my sister in law realized she had left a piece of luggage after debarkation, a quick call to Hotel Manager Drew Godfrey and soon it was found and delivered to her at our hotel. Thankfully we had decided to spend a few extra days in N.O. and had not flown home! While on board, so many gifts were given. For whatever reason, my sister and her husband didn't receive those gifts so when told to Cruise Director Marcie, she made sure they got all the gifts. All the chef's did an outstanding job in food preparation! The pastries were so very good and at each meal the presentation was excellent. It rained almost every day but the deckhands were right there with umbrella's and covered transportation if you needed it. The only thing that really needs to change is proper acoustics in the Dining Salon and the Magnolia Lounge. The noise was unbearable at times which made it impossible to visit with the person sitting next to you. Read Less