My Thoughts On The American Queen

It was great sitting up by the calliope and listening to the wheel roll on the AMERICAN QUEEN each evening. Even better is that Carolyn is safe at home recuperating.

With more management attention towards detail the AQ could be a five star cruise. The hardware is there. I'm glad that you had a wonderful experience, but, unfortunately, I can't claim the same. Perhaps it's because my expectations are so high after having been on nearly 150 river and ocean cruises in various price ranges from the first class Grills of Cunard down to the S.S. NORWAY in her "bottom feeder" days when her owners were filling up the ship at rock bottom fares. Except for a well designed steamboat, possible magestic scenery and excellent entertainment the AQ is not there with the others, at least not yet.

From stepping into my stateroom after arriving through the last night, there were little things that just should not happen on a cruise where the per diems are over $300.00 per person. There was no stateroom key for me, so I had to go to the Purser's Office and wait in line. Also there was no ship's daily events paper for that evening in the room. Some passengers had the paper from the first night of a cruise two weeks prior in their rooms that had not been occupied since before that time. This is really where the problem began. Shay the purser was no more interested in taking care of the problem than giving me all the money in his cash drawer. He informed me that there were no calendar of events available. I'm sorry that is not the answer. He did eventually relent and state he would call right down to where the schedule of events is printed and have a copy sent to my room. He was not at all thrilled when I continued to ask what times dinner and the evening shows were. Reluctantly, he released the information, and knowing when dinner will be served, to my way of thinking, is fairly important for a pleasant vacation. I never did get a printed schedule of events until I asked again the next day, so I could have a copy for my river ephemera collection.

The food was generally wonderful. I did order a shrimp wrapped in a pasta shell appetizer that was less than stellar, but that can happen. It's the service that was lacking. Twice I had to ask for hot water for my tea after dinner even though the assistant waiter brought the tea bag right away after being asked for the tea. Our server started one evening by apologizing for the service to come as many of the assistant waiters had been pulled to help out at the steak dinner on The Front Porch. My biggest complaint though is the lunch menu and service. The menu items offered each day are rather skimpy, and not what I feel should be in line for on such a high cost cruise. It appears as if management wants passengers to go through the buffet line. There is no side salad offered to go along with the day's entrée on the menu. Each day when ordered the waiters' common response was you can go up to the buffet and get it yourself along with the soup that is listed on the menu. Once the hapless waiter didn't even know what type of salad dressings were available when asked. That's not service and it doesn't need to happen!

I just don't feel right now that things are were they should be. I really want to see the boat succeed, and last year I had a nice chat with the boat's Hotel Manager expressing my concerns about the puny lunch menu and service. Nothing was done, and I certainly feel as if my suggestions have merit. I expect more, and during this past trip I heard others whom feel the same way. The difference is I might return and they won't.

My wife and I were on the same cruise with Jim and Frank and I echo much of what Frank has said. The waitresses serving our table were fairly attentive but they often didn't follow through on re-fills, etc. One oddity was that each serving had the silverware enclosed in a napkin, which was fine. But the spoons provided ranged from tea spoons to soup spoons and even table spoons randomly chosen. A table spoon or soup spoon is a little hefty for stirring coffee and a table spoon is a little big for a cup of soup ( which was half filled). I noticed this at all meals. Also, there were times when the staff was too sparse to take care of all the diners.

And, as Frank also mentioned, we had to go to the purser to get a second cabin key.

Pluses on the trip were Travis as Riverlorian and calliope player. (No one is better at either job.) The food was good and the whistle is much better than in the past although it still needs to be louder, in my opinion. But then, I love steam whistles.
And, sitting at the table on the stern with Jim and Frank was added extra for me.

Overall, I think the trip was a good one and we will probably go again. If the DQ ever comes back, we'll go there as it's our favorite. The "hook" that got us aboard was the 2 for 1 fare and a cabin upgrade, things that I see announced for another trip in September. Wish we could go again that soon.

Though I have never cruised on the AQ, but have been aboard her maybe 6 or 7 times. I'll have to agree with Jim that she is the perfect boat for the work she's doing. The DQ certainly has that special magic, but the DQ was designed as a night boat for California. Yes, we all love her and put up with the tiny rooms, the need for the dining room doing double duty as the entertainment venue, etc., but the AQ has the old gal beat in just about every department. It bothers me not in the least that she is steam/diesel hybrid.

From the concerns y'all posted here, I would say that training is the number one need in the area of service. I am concerned, too, about crew morale, which I think may be suffering. That, more than anything, can bring service down to unacceptable levels.

When Sharon and I worked on the DQ in the 1970's (yes, it was a different era and different EVERYTHING, I realize that), 90% of the crew was there because they wanted to be. There was almost a sub-cruise going on with the crew and their fun, and we did all have fun. Did passengers and passenger services suffer because we had fun off watch? I really don't think so; in fact, more than once people told me how great the crew was and how the crew "made" the trip for them. I really think that comes from a happy crew.

The AQ has it "hands down" in every way over the Delta Queen? Really? Whoa, wait a minute, that's only your opinion, there are thousands of others who disagree! The beauty of the Delta Queen has always been her imperfection, her marvelous, unpretentious texture, her sincere, unmanufactured, genuine self. She, bless her wood lined soul, is what she is, old fashioned, imperfect, sometimes stubborn and uncomfortable, but genuine. Built for the overnight California trade, and outdated now? Yes, and more! She was built for another region and another time, but she also was built to become a special and unique gathering place where enlightened kindred spirits could be united together to just briefly to relive and revel in the past...The Delta Queen holds a place in our hearts that shall never be rivaled or supplanted by a newer, more refined vessel; that's like saying you love your beautiful wife more than your precious old grandmother! Its a different kind of love that the Delta Queen faithful understand deep in their hearts.
The Delta Queen is old fashioned, outdated, build for another place in time? Yes, and thank God she is and was! The new vessels are beautiful, spacious and comfortable, I hope you continue to enjoy them; for the rest of us, see you on the Delta Queen!

Mike, I'm afraid you misunderstood me. You are absolutely right in everything you say about our beloved DELTA QUEEN. What I (and I think Jim) is saying is that the AQ is designed with today's traveller in mind -- more spacious rooms, larger public areas, a galley set up to do what is needed in today's market. The list goes on from there. Yes, the DELTA QUEEN is our first love, and yes, she is adequate for today's market, but as you know her "imperfections", while charming to us, are a hinderance to marketing the boat to today's traveller. Yes, we (and hopefully future generations) will always enjoy her for what she is, and love that, and even choose the old gal over the newer big sister. But the AMERICAN QUEEN is a thoughtfully designed boat for today's market with almost everything we love about the DQ included -- wood in the interior, and a warmth (which in my opinion was never there on the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN) that makes you love the boat as much as the trip. Her designers and builders did an outstanding job of creating a good looking steamboat that can excite a potential traveller and keep them coming back for more.

Please don't question my love for the DELTA QUEEN, my friend. It is every bit as deep and sincere as yours.

Bob, you said what I was trying to say, only much better. There is no one on this board who would love to see the DELTA QUEEN come back more than me, after all, I've been in love with her since my first trip when I was a small boy back in 1953. Believe it or not, this exact same discussion went on years ago about the GORDON C. GREENE when the DELTA QUEEN replaced her and the situation was almost the same.

*DQ perceptions vary*
Hi, Jim and steamboating colleagues:
Just 'catching up' here in the far north clicking/reading Steamboats.org. Very interesting,informative discussion on not only the DELTA QUEEN but the GORDON C. GREENE her predecessor. Jim Reising on the money RE: comparing the GORDON with Capt. Tom Greene's DQ. Yes, we have discussed this previously but there may be those who missed those postings or have joined .org recently. ALL of you make valid points. Individual perceptions often vary with time and place; set and setting; past experience.

Service, food, appointements on cruise steamboats/blue water ships/resorts/hotels can and will vary at times. Today's by-word now is 'quality control' as instituted many years back by GM. One or two vital personnel in the hotel department, galley, dining rooms can make a difference--often on a twenty-four hour basis. The losgistics of supplying/victualing any vessel can be a logistic headache, as you all know.

The GORDON C. GREENE, beloved as she was in her day, had many shortcomings Capt. Tom and his mother Capt. Mary B. Greene realized. Termed often "the goose that laid the golden egg" for the GREENE LINE was deficient in many ways. I never tripped on the GORDON but did get aboard her eons ago with my father in Cincinnati.

Pull a copy of Mrs. Letha C. Greene's book LONG LIVE THE DELTA QUEEN, with art work by son Tom Greene, and you read in her own words of the GORDON's attributes and deficiencies. When the novelty of Capt. Tom's newly acquired DQ settled in, he nearly gagged when he got the first few fuel bills. I 'think' I can attribute this to memories of Jim Reising. Also it is a quantum leap from life perceived, experienced on the boat to the front office back home fighting to pay the bills, keep the reservations flowing in. Today's boat/ship/hotel operations have it down to a formula--at times. And there have always been financial "bean counters" on steamboats and the port offices going back to the very beginning. Easy for us to knock lawyers and accountants, until we get in a bind of our own.

Even the grand Atlantic liners down to the late 1960s lacked much even in 1st Class that are taken for granted today in booking lesser expensive cabins. Air-conditioning, frozen foods, sanitation on boats/ships made life much easier. Even on some of the latter big CUNARD LINE SHIPS, 1st Class was lacking.

Years ago when Betty Blake was faced with the same comments, complaints about the DELTA QUEEN from passengers, travel agencies, promoters, media writers, she just sat back, squinted her eyes, took a drag from her cigarette and pronounced, "The DELTA QUEEN is a unique experience. Take her for what she is." Well, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Summmer: Northern shores of now breezy, chilly Lake Michigan.

Interesting posts. I'm kind of a neophite to this cruise thingy. Having only one cruise on the MQ and another on the AQ. Never could get booked on the DQ when I had the money/time. I have stayed on the DQ in Chattanooga two times. I too agree that the AQ has it over the DQ in MANY ways concerning pax amenities. That having been said, packages being equal, I'd book on the DQ in preference to the AQ (or the defunct MQ) EVERY TIME! I'd be interested to see if a lot of you would not join me in that sentiment. Cap'n Walnut.

So of us considered our ability to "settle in" to the small bunk-bed cabins as a rite of passage. Of course, we're also known as FRNs too. . . .
While I liked the amenities I saw of the more deluxe cabins (especially those under the pilot house!), I never found my cabin lacking (well, the shower was a bit of an "adventure").
For us, it was the DQ! Although, now I wish I could have had at least a visit, if not a trip on the MQ--only got to see her across the river, listing.