The Queens

My sisters and I have had the opportunity to take many riverboat cruises together. We were fortunate enough to make our first trip with our mother in 1994 aboard the beautiful legendary "Delta Queen". Our last trip aboard her was in 2008, her second to last cruise.


The DQ was one of three paddle wheelers originally owned and operated by the Delta Queen Steamboat Co. and a veteran of WWII serving along the west coast with a home port of Sacramento.


Her "brother" the Delta King who also served during WWII as a troop transport still resides in Sacramento serving as a hotel. Sadly the DQ was forced into retirement in 2008 and also became a hotel moored in Chattanooga TN.


The sisters and I had the opportunity to cruise twice on the Mississippi Queen. She was much "flashier" and could accommodate more passengers. Unlike the DQ the MQ did have rooms for three...the one attribute we liked about her. Unfortunately she was abruptly retired in 2008 and left to an unknown future moored in New Orleans.


When we boarded the American Queen we were truly in awe. She was gorgeous! She was so ornate...something right out of a Hollywood 40's movie ... breathtakingly beautiful. But alas, she has been docked in Beaumont Texas since 2008 - also with an unknown future.

When these three river worthy paddle wheelers were "grounded" it was the end of an era as they were true riverboats right out of a Mark Twain story, gracefully floating the beautiful Mississippi River (and all her tributaries). Their overnight cruises were fabulous, sitting on deck was so relaxing...I don't believe there will be anything like it again.


Long live the Queens...