Unexpected Ship Day on the America Queen


With the Mississippi River still running low from the lack of rain, we ended up with a day without a port. As much as I wished we hadn’t missed Dubuque, it was nice to have some time to rest and enjoy my American QueenVoyage.

I have always liked small cruises and I think I like them even more now that I travel in a scooter. It doesn’t take long to find your way around and the elevators hardly have a wait.

Lynn and I took our time in the morning with a room service breakfast. It was a day full of exploring what the boat had to offer.

I went around the ship from the outside first. It was interesting to see the calm Mississippi river and its small islands as we went through. A steamboat goes a lot slower than a cruise ship and you get to really take in the scenery.



The weather was about 70 and there was plenty of shade around the boat.   I settled in for awhile in a rocking chair on the Porch of the Riverview Bar and watched the Mississippi go by.

After lunch, I went through the inside of the boat. This is where you can truly see that this is an old-fashioned steamboat. The furnishings in the Ladies Parlor, Mark Twain Gallery, and Gentlemen’s Card Room were antiques, yet comfortable. Had this been a longer cruise with more days at sea, I would have spent more time in them.

I stopped along the way for an ice cream sundae, another of the complimentary offerings available any time. It was at the Front Porch Café. They also had specialty and regular coffees. As well as fresh baked cookies.

After some rest in the room, Lynn and I went to the main dining room for dinner. It was another delicious meal. We started with the Spring Rolls, and had a Seasonal Salad, filled with fruit.


The main course was my favorite dish, Eggplant Parmigiana. It was done a little differently than I’m used to, as a stack rather than casserole, but was fantastic. Dessert was Carrot Cake for me and Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding for Lynn.


The view of Iowa from the boat in the evening was beautiful and I took time to enjoy it before meeting back up with Lynn to see the show.

 

I had seen this show before with a different actor. One of the wonderful things about it was that each show is different. Peter Lebron did Mark Twain in Hannibal this night, reading from the author’s stories and telling a tale about his life. It was really good and gave a glimpse into Hannibal, which we would be visiting in two days.  

As much as I enjoyed the day on the American Queen, I was ready to get up in the morning and explore Burlington, Iowa.


I was hosted by American Queen on this voyage, but opinions are my own. 





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Denver Beer and Connecting with Friends

Image
It was day two of my press trip with SpringHill Suites Downtown Denver and Infinite Monkey Theorem Wine . We had tasted and paired the wine on day one , and now it was time to check out some more food and beer. Our schedule didn’t start until 9:30 a.m. so we got to sleep in a bit, which was much needed after the late night. We got started by all meeting for breakfast. The SpringHill Suites offers a nice hot breakfast to begin with, and the chef from the Degree restaurant next door brought us some scones and treats to go with it. After breakfast, we all piled back into our limousine to hit some of the breweries of Denver in the nearby LoDo and RiNo Art District. Even though I don’t drink beer, the tours were fun and informative as we went through Wynkoop Brewery, Falling Rock Tap House, and Epic Brewing. We then went back to the SpringHill Suites to say goodbye. Most of the group was heading home, but I decided to stay another day.
Read more

Last Day in Champagne-Robots & Bars in the Trees

Image
Our final day in the Champagne-Ardenne region was quite an unusual one, as we learned about and drank bubbly in the strangest places. Our first stop was in Trėpail.  I always thought I was a multitasker, but here I met a woman who certainly outdid me.  Madam Maizieres owns a champagne house. That in itself is not unusual for a woman in 21 st century France.  She decided, however, that she wanted everyone to learn about French in the most unusual way, so she created Pré en Bulles , an automated robotic show which takes you through 12 lessons (in your choice of four languages) in a fun and informative way.  At the end , there’s a puppet show with special effects George Lucas would appreciate, explaining champagne from the cultural aspect of how it relates to food and France. After the show, Madam Maizieres took us through the beautiful apartments and bed and breakfast she rents with incredible views of the quaint town of Trėpail.  Then we tasted some of the champagnes she makes und
Read more

My Thoughts as I Disembark the American Queen Steamboat Cruise

Image
It had been a wonderful trip heading north on the Mississippi River. The American Queen Steamboat experience was like no other cruise either Lynn or I had previously experienced. We were all packed to go and it was much easier than usual because we had my van waiting at St. Louis Airport. After a leisurely breakfast, we were able to just hang shopping bags on my scooter and head out without worrying about going through security and getting on a plane. The other thing that was nice was not having to go through a huge cruise terminal or deal with customs. We had a leisurely breakfast, walked off the boat, and got on the bus to the airport. A big thank you to America Queen Voyages for hosting us on this adventure. Lynn and I had a great time on this cruise. Here’s a break down of more detailed opinions:     The Boat Elegant is probably my best description for the American Queen. The boat definitely makes you feel like you are back in the 19 th century and expect to see Mark Twa
Read more