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SPRING 2020 | Volume 6, Issue 2

THE MAKING OF A DREAM NEWS INSIDE In honor of the 's® 25-year anniversary, we will be telling the stories of the past.

There was a time in which the American Queen was nothing but An American Queen Was Born a dream. She was a dream to build the largest, most opulent riverboat in the world. But this dream did not stay one. This Celebrate Good Times dream became a reality: Longer than a football field, towering six decks in height and laced with fanciful gingerbread trim, The Queen Lives On she is a marvel of modern engineering. A New Era

When Company decided to add a Savor the Flavors of the River third vessel to its collection, it made a big choice. The company invested a paramount amount of capital, time, brainpower Legends & Lore of the and love into her building. And since her construction, this American Queen dream boat has journeyed through America’s heartland, Remember When? offering unique perspectives on America’s history, culture and landscapes. What's New?

This season, the American Queen has spent the majority of her time nestled in port in Louisiana. Dreaming, silently waiting to welcome her family on board once again. continued on next page... The Making of A Dream, continued... CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES This is her 25th year, and An American queen was born, and she deserved a celebration unlike celebrations just aren’t the same any other. On June 2, 1995, in the famed steamboatin’ port of New without loved ones to share in Orleans, the American Queen enjoyed her first christening by original the fun. So, this one’s for the godmother Angel Harvey, wife of broadcaster Paul Harvey. American Queen.

For her original christening, as a nod to her connection to Louisiana, Delta Queen Steamboat Company chose to replace the traditional champagne bottle with a 4-foot-tall, 21.3-gallon container of Tabasco® hot sauce. This – the largest bottle ever produced – was sure to make this grand lady the “hottest” boat to paddle throughout the rivers. Our Paddlewheelers generally share stories of onboard happenings, but this time – in tandem with the world as it stands today – things will be a little bit different. We’ll celebrate the legacy that she has built within the pages of this newsletter – making sure her spirit is kept well, and showing her the love that she most definitely deserves. At the event, Harvey proudly declared, “I christen thee the American Queen. God bless the American Queen and all who sail upon her,” and cut the line. The crowd joined in cheer and song, and just like that, this legend was ready to begin her legacy.

Follow American Queen Steamboat Company and connect with GET SOCIAL fellow Steamboat Society of America members. WITH US

FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE TWITTER Check out our blog at AQSC.COM/BLOG 1 THE QUEEN LIVES ON In late 2008, the American Queen was repossessed by the U.S. Maritime Administration, which held a $30 million mortgage on her. She was relocated to the Beaumont, Texas, for almost four years. For the first time since the invention of the overnight passenger steamboat, the River system did not have one operating on its waters.

In 2010, three men with a vision decided to bring the world’s largest, most luxurious steamboat back to the water. John Waggoner – founder and CEO of American Queen Steamboat Company – and his two partners, offered to purchase the American Queen, and spent $6 million to renovate her, including several mechanical upgrades.

A NEW ERA Waggoner had saved the American Queen and was ready to introduce her to the world once again. A bottle of champagne breaking across her bow signaled the return of overnight cruising on the .

On April 27, 2012, at the Beale Street Landing, Priscilla Presley re-welcomed the boat to its home on the rivers. The grand steamboat’s resurrection “brings back a lot of nostalgia for the heartland,” Presley dreamily stated at the Memphis christening. The American Queen was back – and more grand than ever before. She was ready to make America fall in love with river cruising all over again.

Follow American Queen Steamboat Company and connect with fellow Steamboat Society of America members.

2

Savor THE FLAVORS of the RIVER

SOMETHING SWEET LEMON BARS

2 cups all-purpose flour for crust 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour for filling 1 cup confectioner's sugar Pinch of salt 2 sticks (room temperature) 4 eggs 2 cups granulated sugar 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Lightly grease 9x13x2- inch pan.Make the crust by combining 2 cups flour, confectioner’s sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Dip your fingers into flour or confectioner’s sugar to keep the dough from sticking. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, to make the filling, mix the eggs, granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons flour and lemon juice. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle SOMETHING SAVORY with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, when the bars ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE are done. 2 lb zucchini, thickly sliced SOMETHING TO WASH IT DOWN 1 lb ground beef or sausage POMEGRANATE COSMO ¼ cup finely chopped onion ½ teaspoon salt 2 oz. citrus-flavored vodka ½ cup cubed processed cheese 1 oz. orange liqueur Parmesan cheese for topping 2 oz. pomegranate juice ½ oz. fresh lemon juice Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blanch zucchini in Orange or lemon twist, boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and coarsely for garnish chop. Brown meat with onion in a skillet. Drain fat from meat, and combine with zucchini and Add all ingredients to a shaker over ice. Shake until processed cheese in a greased baking dish. Top chilled, and serve in a martini glass garnished with with parmesan, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. a citrus twist. 3 GENDS & LOR LE of the E AMERICAN QUEEN

KILLER IN THE A STICKY SITUATION GENTLEMAN’S It was June 17, 1995, and the CARDROOM American Queen, under the You may have noticed a operation of Delta Queen boar’s head on a plaque in Steamboat Company, settled the Gentleman’s Cardroom of in across the from the American Queen. Well, did Troy, Indiana, for the night. you know that he has a name? Unbeknownst to the boat And a story? Killer – as he’s crew, the Newburgh Locks been titled – found his way into the boat by mistake. and Dam raised its gates – resulting in upstream As legend tells it, one day Killer was swimming across water lowering seven feet. When passengers and the Mississippi River, got himself caught up in the crew awoke the next morning, the paddlewheeler paddlewheel of the Mississippi Queen, was flipped onto was perched perfectly upon a sandbar from which it the boat and was served for dinner that evening. could not move. Word of the event spread, and crowds gathered, attracting the attention of national media outlets. Efforts to discharge the paddlewheeler by the THE GHOST OF crew, diesel-powered towboats and the Army Corps of MARY GREENE Engineers were undertaken. Finally, on the third day, Late-night American Queen the American Queen was released from the grips of the wanderers might have the sandbar and continued on her journey. opportunity to meet Mary Greene as she sleuths through CARRYING THE TORCH the hallways of the boat. Did you know that the Greene was a captain herself, American Queen was the proud and one of the original owners carrier of the torch for the of Delta Queen Steamboat Company (Greene Line). 1996 Summer Olympics? In Mary and her husband, Tom, were the ones to dream May of that year, the boat met up the American Queen. This friendly ghost is rumored with a Georgia State Patrol to walk the hallways of the boat each evening to make officer who delivered the torch. sure everything is all right before she goes to bed From there, she headed for herself. Recent sighting locations include the Engine Mound City, Illinois, where she Room Bar and the Engine Room itself. delivered it so the flame could continue its 15,000-mile trek across the country to the big event.

4 REMEMBER WHEN?

Take a step back into 1995 with one of the American Queen’s original crew members.

“It was an honor to be a part of something so special,” said Robbi Haase.

Thanks to Robbi for being a visual storyteller and sharing her crew album with us!

5 March last year myself and my wife Jane sailed on the American Queen from Greenville to , our first visit to the States. On our first night on board we went down to dinner in the restaurant, second sitting. We were shown to our seats at a table which seated six and we were first seated.

A second couple came to the table and introduced themselves. Their names were Gary and Pricilla Moore. A coincidence as my name is Gerry Moore. Whilst chatting to them a third couple came to fill the other seats. They were English like ourselves and came from Blackpool, about 30 miles from us. A nice coincidence.

I hadn’t taken much notice of the husband but looking at him I realized I knew him! We had worked together on a Nuclear Facility 43 years before and hadn’t seen each other over all that time. And here we were on The Mississippi sat next to each other.

Needless to say, we talked a lot and enjoyed each other’s company all through our trip. We now keep in touch and meet up for a meal regularly. Thank you American Queen! -Gerry M.

Hello Dear Friends at American Queen explain how the American Queen is truly an experience of Steamboat Company: wonder and awe that will last for the rest of my life. I felt like I had stepped onto a time capsule, and for one whole The very first trip I ever took with your steamboat wonderful week lived in such elegance and luxury that I company was on the Queen over New Year's week of surely must have lived before when Mark Twain was alive. 2017. I went with my lifetime friend Barb D. from Florida. Apparently your personnel noticed that we were two I will never forget that trip, and when we departed the older single women so they sat us in the dining room with five of us were not certain if we would ever see each other three older single men; Tim M. from New Jersey, Vince S. again; yet we knew we were bidding farewell to kindred from Georgia and Don B. from Arkansas. spirits who had all had the same glorious feelings of going back in time on the magnificent American Queen. We ended up without a doubt having more fun that week than I guarantee you, ANYONE on the boat. Here we -Vivian S. were, 5 single seniors from 5 different states who did not know a thing about each other. We hung together every day through dinner, the shows and the late-night bar, and got to know each other like we'd been friends forever. We laughed so much that everyone on the boat seemed to be curious about us, and what was our secret to the happy faces we all had. The secret of course, was the connections we had made on one of the most beautiful boats we had ever encountered.

Everything about that trip was made even better by the incredible personnel, the music, the food, the awesome feeling of going back in time on a boat like no other in the world. There are not enough descriptive words to L-R: TIM M., VIVIAN S. & DON B.

6 WHAT'S NEW?

OCEAN VICTORY™ : ALASKA AND BEYOND HEALTH AND SAFETY

Our Alaska Expedition Cruise itineraries on the luxurious, While there are state-of-the-art Ocean Victory are meticulously crafted to many unknowns provide unique experiences and close-up views of nature’s with COVID-19, it is magnificent handiwork. possible for us to help protect our employees Thrill to the sights and and customers, and sounds of calving glaciers thus enable a safe return to business by on unforgettable visits to following certain safety measures and Frederick Sound, Endicott guidelines. To make sure we’re on the Arm, Dawes Glacier, Tracy right track, we are working with Ochsner Arm and North and South Health to address concerns regarding Sawyer Glaciers on a vessel COVID-19 by using Ochsner’s Safe to designed and equipped to Check out our Return Employer Solutions. Ocean Victory brochure at get you almost close enough https://www.victorycruiselines. to touch them. Explore the com/2021-alaska-brochure/. Ochsner Health is Louisiana’s largest region’s Tlingit, Russian non-profit, academic, healthcare and Norwegian cultures through dance, storytelling, system. In order to keep guests, crew a traditional feast and other unparalleled, hands-on and the communities it visits safe in adventures. You’ll forever cherish the sights of whales, the face of COVID-19, Ochsner has porpoises, eagles, bears, sea otters and moose in one of agreed to take on crew-testing and the world’s most magnificent habitats. passenger-screening for the Mississippi River itineraries, in addition to providing AQSC medical consultation services and telehealth capabilities to guests on board any of our vessels.

We've also implemented multiple processes to identify and combat the risk of COVID-19 on our boats. These include new steps in pre-cruise BEYOND THE MISSISSIPPI screening, crew screening and boarding processes. Both onboard and ground We travel beyond the Mississippi River to explore the operations will feature enhanced far-reaching veins of America’s heartland. The American cleaning procedures. Queen and her sister boats explore all throughout America in today’s operations – from the Pacific Northwest to the For more information, visit our Health far-Eastern reaches of the Ohio River. With our Hop-On and Safety page: www.aqsc.com/ Hop-Off program, each day that we port in a river town health-and-safety. becomes an opportunity to immerse yourself in the many different beauties of the American way of life.

7 AMERICAN COUNTESS

The American Countess cannot wait to welcome you aboard. She offers an intimacy that larger ships cannot, and the opportunity to create lasting relationships with others.

Public spaces invite guests to enjoy all the American Countess has to offer – inviting places and warm nooks from which you can enjoy gazing out upon the river. Enjoy gentle breezes as you take a stroll around the walking track or relax in a rocking chair on the sun deck. The first deck features the Grand Dining Room, The Theater, Perks coffee venue and a modern fitness center. For a relaxing evening, head up to the Card Room for a friendly game, or The Library, brimming with both classic and new reading selections.

The staterooms aboard the American Countess offer guests a stylish and sophisticated sanctuary to rest for the following day’s activities, complete with elegant fixtures and touches. Each stateroom is equipped with a full bathroom for ultimate comfort, a writing desk and plush bedding – all designed to give you optimal space to relax, unwind and enjoy your cruise.

We are proud to introduce The Queen’s Collection™ in 2021. These thoughtfully planned cruises feature unique and special voyage programming. Lively onboard events pair with exclusive shore excursions to create meaningful, in-depth and unforgettable memories. From exploring the roots of iconic American music where it all began to thrilling to the hoofbeats of the Kentucky Derby® from special seating at Churchill Downs®, you can dive into whatever special events interest you.

8 MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

EXCITING NEW PROGRAM COMING IN 2020 – LOOK FOR DETAILS SOON.

ACTIVATE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY

Take advantage of all the benefits that await you by registering for our loyalty program. There are three ways to register: 1: ONLINE: www.AQSC.com/SSOA 2: ONBOARD 3: CALL: (888) 749-5280

RUBY Steamboat Society of America (35-69 cruise nights) The Steamboat Society of America, our guest loyalty program, was created to All Classic benefits, plus: “Members only” luggage tags; a membership status recognize our past guests and offer the opportunity to enjoy exclusive benefits and name badge; a dedicated reservations line; a $50 incentives for cruising frequently with us. In addition to our Classic membership, onboard credit per member; earned after completion of your first cruise on any of our vessels, we offerfour  pre-boarding privileges* levels of elite membership – Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond. Each level SAPPHIRE brings additional benefits, and is reached after cruising the designated number (70-139 cruise nights) of qualifying nights with us. All Ruby benefits, plus: Preferred reserved dining room seating; • After membership activation, all Classic members will receive: an additional $50 onboard credit ($100 per member); complimentary laundry service**; a • The Paddlewheeler quarterly newsletter “welcome back” signed card from the captain, plus a set of exclusive notecards • Advance information on new itineraries • Exclusive invitations and promotions EMERALD (140-209 cruise nights) • A designation pin mailed after activation and upon All Sapphire benefits, plus: reaching each level milestone A one-cabin-category upgrade at time of booking (subject to availability); a 10% discount in the onboard • A cocktail party hosted by the captain and senior gift shop officers onboard DIAMOND • Friends and family may come aboard for a tour and breakfast (210+ cruise nights) or lunch aboard the American Queen,® American Empress,® American All Emerald benefits, plus: Duchess™ or American Countess™ while in port when member is a An additional $50 onboard credit ($150 per member); a two cabin-category upgrade cruise guest. Reservations required at least 14 days in advance. at time of booking (subject to availability) • Access for breakfast or lunch when the American Queen, American Empress, American Duchess or American Countess are in port near member’s hometown. Reservations required After reaching Sapphire, Emerald or Diamond status, members will be at least 14 days in advance. honored during an onboard Captain’s Presentation that includes gifts of a deluxe official wall certificate and a framed, signed painting by maritime artist Michael Blaser.

For questions or more information about the Steamboat Society of America, please visit our website at www.aqsc.com/ssoa, email [email protected] or call us at (888) 749-5280.

*Benefit not available on American Empress voyages. **Complimentary laundry service is limited to one in-room laundry bag per 7-day cruise.; no dry cleaning services available. Only sailings operated by American Queen Steamboat Company® (as of April 2012) and Victory Cruise Lines® (as of May 2019) count toward membership level. Membership benefits are non-transferable, combinable with other applicable promotional offers and must be applied to future cruise travel; hotel nights do not count toward membership; cruise nights are calculated after completion of a cruise. Additional rules and conditions apply. Cabin-category upgrades are subject to availability, and available only up to category AAA on the American Queen, category A on the American Empress and category DS on the American Duchess. Vessel access and onboard visits by members: capacity-controlled on a daily basis, not available in ports of embarkation/disembarkation, reservations and government guest security information is required, guests must be accompanied by member and visits are limited to four per calendar year. Onboard Captain’s Presentations are held on the cruise subsequent to a member reaching Sapphire, Emerald or Diamond status. American Queen Steamboat Company reserves the right to change Steamboat Society of America program rules, benefits, terms and/or conditions at any time without notice. ©2019 American Queen Steamboat Operating Company, LLC 082619