A Short Timeline of American Queen Voyages
by Dori Saltzman
Running a U.S. river cruise line isn’t easy. With limited rivers to operate on and demand coming primarily from a smaller niche market, the margin between success and failure is tight, something several companies have learned the hard way including Delta Queen Steamboat Company and Majestic America Line.
With the announcement two days ago that American Queen Voyages would cease all operations effective immediately, yet another U.S. river cruise line has been unable to make a go of it, leaving just three cruise lines left sailing one or more of the U.S. rivers (American Cruise Lines, Viking, and Lindblad Expeditions).
Despite its ultimate demise, American Queen Voyages lasted more than 10 years and leaves a lasting legacy. There is no doubt that some or all of the company’s assets will be purchased, particularly its grand American Queen, the largest paddlewheeler ever built.
Here is a short history of the cruise line from the purchase of the American Queen to its last days.
2011 – HMS Global Maritime founder John Waggoner purchases the 436-guest American Queen from the United States Maritime Administration. The ship had previously been owned by Majestic America Line, which closed in 2008.
April, 2012 – Great American Steamboat Co. begins operating American Queen on the Mississippi River, with an inaugural event hosted by American Queen godmother Pricilla Presley.
August, 2012 – Great American Steamboat Co. changes its name to American Queen Steamboat Company.
2014 – The cruise line expands to the Columbia and Snake Rivers with the American Empress
2017 – A third river ship, American Duchess, is added to the fleet to sail the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
2019 – HMS Global Maritime, the parent company of American Queen Steamboat Company, purchases Victory Cruises to expand operations to Great Lakes and ocean cruising.
March, 2021 – AQV adds a fourth river ship, American Countess to the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee Rivers.
September, 2021 – Hornblower Group rebrands American Queen Steamboat Company as American Queen Voyages to reflect the broader choice of sailing experiences the line now offered. The line’s ocean-going ships, Victory I and Victory II, are renamed Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator.
2022 – American Queen Voyages charters Ocean Victory and begins offering expedition cruises in Alaska. The line also unveils what is at the time the longest U.S. river itinerary, traveling 1,772 miles and visiting 10 states over 23 days.
June, 2023 – AQV re-focuses on river product and puts Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager up for sale.
February, 2024 – Hornblower Group closes American Queen Voyages.
