American Queen Steamboat Company vs. American Cruise Line

[raiderfan95959]

We are just beginning to research a Mississippi River cruise and looking at these two companies. Anyone have experience with both? I find a lot of reviews about the American Queen Steamboat Company (mostly favorable), but not much on Cruise Critic about the American Cruise Line.

 

Thanks!

[Calliope]

I wouldn't even think about American Cruise Line.

 

First of all the owner of the company has spent over $60,000.00 the past two years lobbying Congress against the passing of an exemption for the National Historic Landmark Steamboat DELTA QUEEN from certain regulations requiring a boat carrying over 49 passengers overnight to have a steel superstructure. If such an exemption is passed by Congress and signed by the President into law it would allow the Steamer DELTA QUEEN to operate once again. Blank Rome, a DC lobby firm, has reported in their necessary governmental filings that the owner of ACL has paid that firm to lobby against the passage of S 1717 and HR 1248, both resolutions currently awaiting in Congress for action, or allow an amendment to any bill that would grant operating status to the 89 year old steamboat

 

Second of all, ACL's boats are not steam powered. Diesel engines fully operate their boats. There's no steam calliope to announce their arrival at a city or to serenade folks watching the boat pass, and no steam whistle to signal other boats, landings or departures. Only the AMERICAN QUEEN has steam machinery and currently carries overnight passengers.

 

Third the prices of ACL tend to be higher than on the AMERICAN QUEEN.

 

I have never made a trip on ACL nor will I, but I can say that after seven trips on American Queen Steamboat Co.'s boats, with two more planned for 2017, the AMERICAN QUEEN (and AMERICAN EMPRESS) offer a wonderful cruise through America with truly excellent entertainment, comfortable surroundings, and good food.

[raiderfan95959]

Thanks so much. I was leaning this way, but needed more ammunition for DH!

[lizbeth]

Hi -

 

Since I do not care whether the ship is steam or diesel powered, I'd like to hear from people who have been on both. Or who've been on ACL.

 

I understand that American Queen has tiny staterooms, minimal storage space and the ships are old. I'm not interested in southern-fried cooking (I live in DFW and everything is fried. I don't eat fried anything.) It looks like ACL has very roomy cabins and premium cuisine.

 

We are leaning heavily toward ACL, but I'd like to hear from others who are a little more un-biased than Calliope.

 

Anyone else, please?

 

Thanks for any additional information!

 

Liz

[Calliope]

Hi -

 

Since I do not care whether the ship is steam or diesel powered, I'd like to hear from people who have been on both. Or who've been on ACL.

 

I understand that American Queen has tiny staterooms, minimal storage space and the ships are old. I'm not interested in southern-fried cooking (I live in DFW and everything is fried. I don't eat fried anything.) It looks like ACL has very roomy cabins and premium cuisine.

 

We are leaning heavily toward ACL, but I'd like to hear from others who are a little more un-biased than Calliope.

 

Anyone else, please?

 

Thanks for any additional information!

 

Liz

 

 

You are correct I am biased towards the Str. AMERICAN QUEEN, and I make no pretense otherwise. I do not have any financial connections to the DELTA QUEEN nor AMERICAN QUEEN at this time. My father was a relief chief engineer during the early 1950s, and during 1983 I was a Night Watchman aboard the DELTA QUEEN. I have also made over 150 trips as a ticketed passenger on most major cruise lines; besides The American Queen Steamboat Co. I have traveled with Cunard, Princess, Holland America Line, Costa, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL, and Disney.

 

Steam power reciprocating engines are much smoother and quieter than an internal combustion engine. Except for the click of the valve gear resetting itself on steam engines, there is virtually no sound. Any vibration and noise with horizontal reciprocating steam machinery can be the sign something is wrong. By it's very nature there is more noise and vibration from diesel machinery along with the cavitation of the props. Now in all fairness, I must mention the AQ does also have two electric Z-drives to augment her paddlewheel, but Z-drives are not her primary propulsion. These Z drives are mounted aft of the AQ's hull along side of the wheel on the fantail unlike the forward of the wheel immediately above the hull location of the ACL paddle boats' machinery.

 

Yes, the least expensive rooms on the AQ are more compact than the smallest rooms on ACL. They are also considerably less expensive than the least costly room on the ACL boats. Some people do have to look at the prices involved.

 

I have had the delicious southern-fried chicken served at lunch on the AMERICAN QUEEN, and it is served once a week. I also can think of the fried catfish on a different day's luncheon menu as being southern-fried, and honestly that's it. Otherwise, you'll find food that in my opinion compares with the cuisine that I've experienced the several times I've been in Queens Grill on a Cunarder. Although I confess that I have had the caviar offered on Cunard which is not available on the AQ.

 

Finally, the most important reason I will not go on an ACL vessel is the owner's willingness to subvert the will of people like myself. Why does he feel it's so important to make such huge outlays of money to prevent the National Historic Landmark Steamboat DELTA QUEEN from operating again? ACL has some incredible itineraries. There should be no need to pay the DC lobbyist if the ACL product is better. ACL offers some lovely routes. The route along the Intercoastal Waterway through the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia with it's stunning vistas and history would be wonderful, and I would love to travel the coast by water. Why pay to tilt the playing table towards yourself, if you have a good product? For the owner of ACL to spend vast sums of money to lobby Congress against a lone boat that truly is a part of America's history is petty and inexcusable. Is he so afraid that a vessel that is decades older than any of his boats can take that much business away from his company? If an 89 year old steamboat, or a much younger AQ, can do that to my way of thinking they must really have something going for them at possibly less of a cost.

[wishlist5]

Calliope writes in a mature, and very knowledgeable fashion, which I appreciate. I have no bias toward either Company, but I will give my point of view.

I recently finished a cruise on the American Empress/AQSC. I have not done a cruise on ACL. I did, however, during my research, review the pros and cons of each Company.

I chose AQSC for a few reasons:

*The itineraries were very similar.

*The CS by phone was similar at both Companies.

*The cost was appreciably less on AQSC!

 

Tho cost is NOT my deciding factor when choosing a vacation, I do weigh the cost/value as a significant factor.

For this cruise, there was simply no reason to pay a significantly higher price for virtually the same cruise.

During my cruise, we saw the ACL boat numerous times. We were actually docked along side it, many times. What I saw was a boat with a MUCH smaller paddlewheel (not a big deal). It also, didn't look as 'spiffy and shiny' as the AQSC boat.

 

After experiencing the cruise (I had no desire to compare the 2 until reading this thread) I am very glad with my choice of AQSC over ACL. Our recent trip on AQSC was just fine, and very enjoyable.

I hope this helps with the OP's questions.

I am happy to answer any further questions.

Happy travels.

[raiderfan95959]

Thanks for your reply, Cool Cruiser. We did book our cruise yesterday on AWSC. So excited --- another bucket list item!

[Calliope]

Calliope writes in a mature, and very knowledgeable fashion, which I appreciate. I have no bias toward either Company, but I will give my point of view.

I recently finished a cruise on the American Empress/AQSC. I have not done a cruise on ACL. I did, however, during my research, review the pros and cons of each Company.

I chose AQSC for a few reasons:

*The itineraries were very similar.

*The CS by phone was similar at both Companies.

*The cost was appreciably less on AQSC!

 

Tho cost is NOT my deciding factor when choosing a vacation, I do weigh the cost/value as a significant factor.

For this cruise, there was simply no reason to pay a significantly higher price for virtually the same cruise.

During my cruise, we saw the ACL boat numerous times. We were actually docked along side it, many times. What I saw was a boat with a MUCH smaller paddlewheel (not a big deal). It also, didn't look as 'spiffy and shiny' as the AQSC boat.

 

After experiencing the cruise (I had no desire to compare the 2 until reading this thread) I am very glad with my choice of AQSC over ACL. Our recent trip on AQSC was just fine, and very enjoyable.

I hope this helps with the OP's questions.

I am happy to answer any further questions.

Happy travels.

 

 

Thank you for the kind compliment. I greatly appreciate that and agree with you 100% about all of the rest!

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Hi there. Our staff has been on both. Here is our article that compares American Cruise Lines vs American Queen.

[lizbeth]

Hi Chris -

 

Thanks so much for the comparison article. Now we can make up our minds based on what is important to the 2 of us!

 

Much appreciation!

Liz

[SLOduck]

We cruised on the American Queen (R/T New Orleans) back in Feb. 2014 and was actually able to board and tour the Queen of the Mississippi upon disembarking the American Queen. The difference was 100 fold!

 

First off, AQSC uses REAL antique furnishings with period wall paper, real hexigon floor tiles in the bathrooms, has spacious public areas. The staff on AQSC went out of their way to be accommodating (the cruise director tried numerous times to get us a non-alcohlic beer other than O'Douls, but the towns on the itinerary didn't have any, BUT he took the time to try!)

 

The ACL has wall panels in the cabins similar to what you would find in a mobile home, regular dressers, linoleum floors in the bathrooms and VERY small public areas. Although the staff on ACL seemed very pleasant, I can not speak to their actual service.

 

The overall product on the AQSC was SOOOO excellent that I can not recommend them highly enough.

[ddcruiser]

Amer. Queen is soooo much better--better food, space, more fun, more service. dd cruiser.