Delta Queen Hotel

I would go. I haven't seen the DQ in years and am trying to figure out a time to travel from Colorado to Tennessee. How far will you go? With the current $49 a night room rate, it would be worth it. From what I've heard, they are doing a great job of keeping the old girl the same as always, teensy weensy rooms and all. She just isn't moving.

I am one of those who loves to be onboard the DQ even though she isn't traveling. She is still the Delta Queen, blessing new lives in Chattanooga and giving those of us who love her an opportunity to visit. If she can't be moving, she is in the best place she could be. She is docked by a beautiful park and near the various attractions that make Chattanooga a wonderful place to visit. Of course, there are a few things different because of her being a hotel, but I always see all the things that have NOT changed, and they are the most important things! If she wasn't still the boat I loved on my trips, I wouldn't be there every time I can.

I love to meet the people who have come to spend a night or more onboard. Some are people who always wanted to ride the boat and it didn't work out for them. Some are former passengers like myself. Some don't even know she ever traveled! Just like on our trips, there are people who come onboard without a great interest in the boat, and end up "hooked" as we all were. I hope you will love being back onboard, as I do.

Pictures
#1 Beautiful location
#2 The Betty Blake is still the Betty Blake we remember
#3 You know what that is

Come stay answer your Queens call...

She awaits all who love her and those who never expect to fall in love with her. As Pat said she is being kept in good shape and the more that come to enjoy her will keep her safe. We need to support the hotel until she is able to return to the rivers. I know she needs work both political and physical to get back out, if she never does get to see that day she is still the Delta Queen. Make the trip there are many beautiful places to visit around her with free bus that runs all over downtown. Hope to meet all of you soon and hear stories like Pat Pat and Barb have told me. You all are my link to travel these boats even if it is in my mind.

See ya soon,
Ed

On my list...

I had saved up my money for a trip to Chattanooga this summer to stay on the boat, then got laid off in January. 'Brings back memories of Oct., 2001, when I had finally saved up enough for a short trip (Hannibal, I believe it was), and I got laid off at the same time the DQ's owners went bankrupt. What I life. Next time, I wanna be rich enough to buy the boat, so nobody can keep me from sailing on her! It's been a 40+ year dream to do a short trip, and something has always kept me from it. I don't have much time left.

Lee Anne

My wife and her sister stayed on the DQ last Saturday and enjoyed very much.

-Jim Herron

Lee Anne,
I feel your loss--I was/am one of the lucky ones. I too missed going on a trip many times, but found this forum back in 2006, and could read between the lines that it was time to end a 37 year-long wait and just go! Even got my parents to go, and so glad I did, as they couldn't do it today. Somehow that one trip turned into 4 trips including the last cruise. We mortgaged the place to do it, and we are still paying, paying, paying--but I'm not complaining!
IF we find a cheap airfare to Chattanooga (we're out in California) this year, we'll probably go; although times are tough here (furloughs, etc.).
Hope you can do it. You won't get to feel her tremble and wake to the riverbank going by, but you will have been on board the DQ. If you're lucky, Barb will be there playing the calliope! And maybe some of the other great people we've met onboard--y'all know who ya are! We miss you all--dang'd got something in my eyes.
Steamcerely,
David Dewey

Can people (the public) walk on and off the boat all the time just as a normal hotel would be? If so, are there restrictions? It would be a lot different being onboard with people casually walking on and off, as in the past when we were onboard that wasn't allowed during cruises.

We decided to take the trip to the boat this summer - we're excited!

Can people (the public) walk on and off the boat all the time just as a normal hotel would be? If so, are there restrictions? It would be a lot different being onboard with people casually walking on and off, as in the past when we were onboard that wasn't allowed during cruises.

We decided to take the trip to the boat this summer - we're excited!

Public access...

An answer to your question. Yes, the public can just walk on the boat. As they reach the loby they are greeted and told they can go on the outer decks and lobby. They are told that anyplace marked crew or guests only is off limits. They are informed of guided tours that cost $5.00 a person. Every so often someone makes it to a guest or crew only area but not often. The boat keeps reletively quiet, you will love your stay.

To Me When I Stayed There................

Greetings From New Orleans ,
Last April I made a special trip to Chattanouga to visit and spend some time with an old friend , the Str. Delta Queen , and from my own personal perspective , it was just not quite the same !
I grant you that the boat looked good and was being well maintained but having said that , there was just so much that was not the same that for the most part in my opinion the whole trip was somewhat disapointing .
What was missing was the sound , the smell and the vibration of the boat when she is underway , the comradie of a tight crew , the smell of coffee and the radio chatter in the Pilot House during the Back Watch , the unique atmosphere in the Pilot house when piloting through shut out fog , the smell of breakfast in the Officiers Mess after a long night , it was the things of this nature that you just cannot experience and feel when you tied up to a concrete embankment and you have a half hearted crew on board that could care less if the boat ever sailed again .
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson

Chris Degnan;22467 wrote: We are thinking about visiting the Delta Queen Hotel next month for a few nights. For anyone that's been there or has heard of anything - Is it worth the travels to get there? Is the boat totally different? Would you travel to stay on the DQ as a floating hotel? What changes have occurred besides being docked?

We cruised on the DQ for the Grand Excursion back in 2004.

Chris,

I was the hotel manager on board the Delta Queen when you sailed for the Grand Excursion. I have not had an opportunity to be aboard that grand vessel in a few years, but I can tell you that given the opportunity I would leave tomorrow for the chance to step back on board. If you go with the same expectations of the ones that you had when we were sailing on the river then you might be disappointed. However if you go for no other reason than to revisit an old friend, to relish memories, and to appreciate the grandest vessel to ever sail the inland waterways, then I know that you won't be disappointed. The beauty afterall is in the beholder, isn't it?

Patrick Nauman