Qestions on cabins

[LHT28]

Nice to see they now have a sq footage listed for the cabins ...now

Anyone stayed in the following Categories?

 

In the D CAT cabins on the Cabin deck is there any noise from the Theatre across the hall & how late to the shows run?

Thinking of noise in hall after the show if you want to retire early

 

E CAT on the Texas deck..is it noisy to have people passing by your cabin on the deck ?

 

Any other tips for cabin location other than the expensive top suites

 

Lyn

[Responder]

Nice to see they now have a sq footage listed for the cabins ...now

Anyone stayed in the following Categories?

 

In the D CAT cabins on the Cabin deck is there any noise from the Theatre across the hall & how late to the shows run?

Thinking of noise in hall after the show if you want to retire early

 

E CAT on the Texas deck..is it noisy to have people passing by your cabin on the deck ?

 

Any other tips for cabin location other than the expensive top suites

 

Lyn

 

We had cabin 417...listed as B cat 205 sq ft.

I didn't measure it but it didn't seem that big maybe because of how it was configured.

 

Had I been able to look at the cabins before, I would have chosen a few grades lower as they didn't look much different to me...and I would have chosen one with a river view window as the french door routine offered very little privacy and for us, no discernible benefits for the added price.

The bathrooms in the lower categories looked as nice and similarly sized as the one we had.

 

The cabins skirting the box seats in the theater may not be too bad as there aren't a whole lot of seats upstairs, so the noise may be minimal.

However, both sides of that deck are the entrance to the engine room bar and that traffic might be a bit noisy.

 

For us, maybe the cabin seemed cluttered due to the older, overstuffed furniture as well as a bed so high, we almost needed a step stool to get in and out. The effect of the heavy, ancient and many pieces of non-functional furniture, I believe wasted a lot of space in the cabin.

I guess we're not into antique/faux antique period pieces.

[LHT28]

We had cabin 417...listed as B cat 205 sq ft.

I didn't measure it but it didn't seem that big maybe because of how it was configured.

 

 

Thanks for the info

Yes I saw the the bar at the end of the hall & that was my other concern

 

The photos seems to have a lot of furniture in the rooms but our bedroom at home is smaller so I could work around it ;)

 

Now all I have to do is wait for DH to decide if/when he will go ;)

 

Lyn

[ghia007]

The inside hallway to the Front Porch of America had lots of foot traffic at all hours. Not sure if this caused any problems for the folks in those inside cabins with loud talkers etc. This was the Texas deck.

[DebbieMH]

Are they the ones with the private veranda (2012) layout?

[LHT28]

Are they the ones with the private veranda (2012) layout?

Looks like the ones on the Promenade deck are private but the aft ones on the Observation deck are not

 

http://americanqueensteamboatcompany.com/media/uploads/pdf/deckplan_cabincategories.pdf

[DebbieMH]

Looks like the ones on the Promenade deck are private but the aft ones on the Observation deck are not

 

Thanks. We are booked in 530 on Promenade. It is really hard to tell by the layout which ones have the enclosed verandas and which ones are just part of the walkway. I'm envisioning sitting on the veranda and watching the world go by .... :)

[Calliope]

The room 530 is quite nice. I was in it or a nearby room, just like it, during February, 2005 on a Mardi Gras trip. Those rooms have French doors out onto the guard and do not have a private balcony.

[DebbieMH]

The room 530 is quite nice. I was in it or a nearby room, just like it, during February, 2005 on a Mardi Gras trip. Those rooms have French doors out onto the guard and do not have a private balcony.

 

 

Thanks. I guess if it doesn't have a private balcony, that's ok. There will be other places to sit and watch the world go by. It will be interesting to be on a River cruise instead of an ocean cruise. I'm looking forward to it.

[LHT28]

Looks like the ones on the Promenade deck are private but the aft ones on the Observation deck are not

 

Thanks. We are booked in 530 on Promenade. It is really hard to tell by the layout which ones have the enclosed verandas and which ones are just part of the walkway. I'm envisioning sitting on the veranda and watching the world go by .... :)

You could always call GASC & ask which ones have private balconies if that is what you want

 

CAT A look like they are private but hard to tell from the deck plans

[LHT28]

The room 530 is quite nice. I was in it or a nearby room, just like it, during February, 2005 on a Mardi Gras trip. Those rooms have French doors out onto the guard and do not have a private balcony.

So are you saying other people can walk on the deck outside your cabin???

[Calliope]

That is correct. In river parlance the open area outside of the superstructure is called the guard. On the packets of yore passengers strolled along the guard and sometimes freight was carried on the guard. When fully loaded an old time steamboat captain would say with a huge grin, "She's loaded to the guards."

[LHT28]

That is correct. In river parlance the open area outside of the superstructure is called the guard. On the packets of yore passengers strolled along the guard and sometimes freight was carried on the guard. When fully loaded an old time steamboat captain would say with a huge grin, "She's loaded to the guards."

Thanks

It is hard to tell on the deck plan for the Promenade deck it did not look like there was much of a walking space there

[DebbieMH]

In your opinion, since you have been on board ... would you trade an AA cabin for an A cabin if one comes available? Right now there are no A's available, but since full payment is due next week, I'm thinking one might become available. Thanks for your insight!

[Calliope]

I would stay right where you are, and I've been in both types of staterooms. It's a lovely room with more usable interior space than most of the rooms with balconies. As you well know a cold front could come through the night you board the boat and render an outdoor balcony almost useless until the morning you arrive back in New Orleans. There are plenty of places to sit inside and outside on the AMERICAN QUEEN, so I wouldn't be concerned about that.

[DebbieMH]

Thanks!

[kidpsyc]

Nice to see they now have a sq footage listed for the cabins ...now

Anyone stayed in the following Categories?

 

In the D CAT cabins on the Cabin deck is there any noise from the Theatre across the hall & how late to the shows run?

Thinking of noise in hall after the show if you want to retire early

 

E CAT on the Texas deck..is it noisy to have people passing by your cabin on the deck ?

 

Any other tips for cabin location other than the expensive top suites

 

Lyn

 

We stayed in a D cabin in July and thought it was a wonderful location. Second shows are not late letting out (before 9:30, if I remember) and there are not that many people seated in the balconies, so noise was not an issue. The ends closer to the elevator are very convenient for getting anywhere on the boat.

[LHT28]

We stayed in a D cabin in July and thought it was a wonderful location. Second shows are not late letting out (before 9:30, if I remember) and there are not that many people seated in the balconies, so noise was not an issue. The ends closer to the elevator are very convenient for getting anywhere on the boat.

Thank you

That was what I was looking for ..personal experience

 

Lyn

[SaylorGirl]

We stayed in a D cabin in July and thought it was a wonderful location. Second shows are not late letting out (before 9:30, if I remember) and there are not that many people seated in the balconies, so noise was not an issue. The ends closer to the elevator are very convenient for getting anywhere on the boat.

 

I couldn't tell from the deck plans but I assume that there are stairs next to the elevators?? I am more of a stair person than an elevator person!!

[hondorner]

Nice to see they now have a sq footage listed for the cabins ...now

Anyone stayed in the following Categories?

 

In the D CAT cabins on the Cabin deck is there any noise from the Theatre across the hall & how late to the shows run?

Thinking of noise in hall after the show if you want to retire early

 

E CAT on the Texas deck..is it noisy to have people passing by your cabin on the deck ?

 

Any other tips for cabin location other than the expensive top suites

 

Lyn

Hi, Lyn, a quick synopsis as far as I have discovered. All the cabins with private verandas are in the aft half of deck 3, the Texas deck. They are currently labelled Category A, but in 2013 will be relabelled as Category AA. The cabins on the aft section of Deck 5 (the Promenade deck) and 3 of the cabins at the stern on Deck 4 (453, 454 and 455), are currently labelled CAtegory AA, but will be labelled A in 2013. In other words, AA will become A, and A will become AA. This more accurately reflects the price category, as I believe the private veranda cabins are a little more expensive.

 

The highest Category is LS (Luxury Suite), with the next highest Category being AAA (forward half of Deck 5). Next comes AA and A, then B (DEck 4 forward) and C (Deck 4 aft, with the exception of the 3 I mentioned above).

 

Category D cabins are the ones with Bay Windows looking out over the river; they are on Deck 2, immediately under the private veranda cabins. All the cabins on the forward half of the Texas Deck 3 are Category E. All the cabins beloow Cat E are inside cabins.

 

 

With the exception of the inside cabins, Cat D Bay Window cabins and Cat A (this year) private veranda cabinsand the 2 LS cabins near the stern on Deck 3, all olf the other cabins cabins on the boat (as far as I can determine) open on to a promendade-style deck, with folks walking by. This essentially means that you can not lay in bed and watch the river, because folks walking by can look in to your cabin. Instead, there are chairs and a little table outside every room, and folks sit there to watach the river and greet passers by. This is a very social boat. If you aren't prepared to make friends quickly, this probably isn't the boat for you.

 

Deck 5, while called the Promenade Deck, is somewhat misnamed. You can walk all the way around, but you will be dodging tables and chairs at the river Grill at the stern, and negotiating small gates near the bow which remind on that the stacks may be hot when folded down.

 

The Observation Deck, Deck 4, is much better for "promenading". It's wider, has a nice sitting are in the fron near the Chart House and is not obstructed in any way for complete circuits. Most folks discover that quite soon and it becomes the favorite walking deck.

 

The Texas Deck, with the Front Porch located near the now, only goes halfway down the sides, where it ends because of the v=cabins with private verandas. There is not outside deck on Deck 2 -- just a couple of small porches at the corners, exiting from the Ladies Parkor and the Men's Card Room at the fron, and offf the Engine room bar at the stern. The Port side porch at the stern is the only smoking area. It's not near any cabins, and the smell is carried away when the boat is in motion.

 

The Ouside View (Bay Window) cabins are in the aft half of Deck 2, immediately below the private verandas. In fact, the small bay window alcoves form part of the private balcony above. There is a very small amount of foot traffic past them after 10 PM, when the

Engine Room Bar is at it's peak, until Midnight, but we never heard any noise. The hallways are carpeted, and folks are considerate. The doors to the loge boxes in the theater are directly across the passageways from the cabin doors.

 

Size-wise, many of the cabins in the same category vary all over the map, mainly due to rounded corners and little nooks and crannies. Some of the Cat B and C cabins have little stained glass windows, a couple of the Cat D cabins are near a small porch. We are in cabin 455, which is exactly in the middle of the stern on Deck 4, directly above the paddlewheel and directly below the River Grill. It's one of the larger cabins on board, with a sofa, dresser, second sink outside the bathroom, make-up table and closet. It's larger than the cabins on either side, which are the same category. The sofa can open up to a sofa bed for a 3rd perrson. I think it's also larger than the other cabins of the same category up on Deck 5. But, it also has it's drawbacks -- it has the American Queen name plate across the railing outisde the door, so one cannot sit in the chair outside the door and enjoy the view. It also gets spray from the paddlewheel.

 

That really doesn't matter, because most folks spend most of their time on the Front Porch, in the Mark Twain Gallery, or the River Grill, when they're not eating or taking part in a lecture or chat. There is so much going on all the time, one does not have much time to sit in or near a cabin.

 

There are a couple of little secrets I have discovered about a few of the cabins, but I'm not going to discuss them until I actually try them, and maybe not even then if I think they will become too polular and harder for me to book :p:rolleyes:. You'll have to come aboard and figure them out yourself!

[kidpsyc]

I couldn't tell from the deck plans but I assume that there are stairs next to the elevators?? I am more of a stair person than an elevator person!!

 

Yes--stairs by the elevators as well as a grand staircase leading down to the dining room one level below. Also convenient to front desk, store, and (best of all) Mark Twain Room.

[LHT28]

Thanks Don for your comments

I am looking at the D cabins they suit our needs fine just like the deck 4 on the R-ships ;)

 

Looking forward to trying the AQ in the new year if I can convince DH

I am already packed ...well in my mind ;)

 

Lyn

[DebbieMH]

Hondorner, Thank you so much for the above information ... we really appreciate it! I'm looking forward to getting on board in December. Between your review, TexasLady and a couple more ... made me really decide to book it after all. I did switch our cabin to an A cabin with a veranda and the fact that it was about $700 per person cheaper than the AA I originally booked, helped. The A cabin is smaller, but really wanted a veranda. Although if there are chairs and little tables outside of the rooms, that would have worked as well. I'll keep it like it is for our first trip. Thanks again :)

[gillianrose]

The Port side porch at the stern is the only smoking area. It's not near any cabins, and the smell is carried away when the boat is in motion.

 

Is the smoking limited to cigarettes or are they permitting cigars and/or pipes there also?

 

Another odor-related question...The ship is powered not just by the paddlewheel but by diesel. Is there any diesel odor from that, and if so, where do you smell it most and least?

[Calliope]

I am not sure about allowing pipe or cigar smoke in the boat's limited smoking area, but all boiler, diesel engine, and kitchen exhausts are vented through the two smokestacks. I have never noticed any diesel smells though. To be safe, I would avoid booking any room forward on the Promenade Deck and there are only a few of those.