She’s called “a floating palace” and “the greatest steamboat the world has ever known®.” No wonder. At 418 feet long, six decks high and accommodating 436 passengers, the grand American Queen is the world’s largest steamboat.

She’s also a treasure trove of fine antiques and beautiful Victorian furnishings, with fretwork and curlicues, a pair of fluted stacks and a big red paddlewheel.

The $65 million American Queen was launched on June 27, 1995, and cruises the inland rivers like her sister steamboats, the National Historic Landmark Delta Queen and the magnificent Mississippi Queen. The 30th vessel operated by the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, Inc. (a Delaware North Company) since 1890, she blends yesterday and today, with the comforts of a deluxe ocean cruise ship and the design of a traditional steamboat.

Unlike the steamboats of a century ago, the American Queen boasts a number of gathering places. Her J.M. White Dining Room, however, brings to mind the main cabin of an old fashioned steamboat. Two decks high, with the ornate fretwork arches seen in photos of vintage steamers, the room is divided by a dropped ceiling in the

middle, giving each half of the room a vaulted appearance. Diners can enjoy waterline views of the river through walls of mullioned windows.

Also on the first or Main Deck is the breathtaking Grand Saloon, featuring a tall proscenium stage. Here, passengers can enjoy live entertainment in the evenings and a variety of activities during the day. This spacious room is flanked by private box seats reminiscent of Ford’s Theatre’s on the mezzanine.

At the bow of the boat, a sweeping exterior staircase ushers guests up to the second level Cabin Deck. There, at the top of the stairs, an entrance foyer separates the Gentlemen’s Card Room, a book lined masculine retreat from the Ladies’ Parlor, a demure Victorian drawing room. Past the parlor and card room and leading to the Purser’s Lobby is the antique filled Mark Twain Gallery, which overlooks the J.M. White Dining Room and provides comfortable seating for reading or relaxing.

On the bow of the Texas Deck, the Front Porch of America beckons with a porch swing, cozy rocking chairs for river watching.

Frosty lemonade and freshly brewed tea await you in

crockery containers, along with a basket of freshly baked cookies like Grandma used to make. Other public spaces include a theater, the Chart Room for following the steamboat’s route and learning about the river, the Captain’s Bar, Engine Room Bar, Calliope Bar, and a Sun Deck recreation and bathing pool area.

Many American Queen staterooms open onto wide promenade decks, an arrangement patterned after the Delta Queen to enable easy access to the river’s panorama and provide a sense of “neighborhood” so popular with passengers.

In keeping with the century plus heritage of the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, the American Queen’s 45-ton paddlewheel is propelled by steam.

The American Queen is well equipped to host successful company functions and the entire vessel can be chartered. With 11 rooms for groups to gather, the ship can accommodate from 2 to 436 meeting attendees.

All inclusive pricing is available and, being of American registry, the programs can be tax deductible. The Delta Queen Steamboat Company has a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) on staff.