American Queen Voyages & Other Small-Ship News from the Seatrade Convention in Miami

American Queen Voyages: American Queen Voyages

Update Feb 24, 2024: The three riverboats of American Queen Voyages, including the American Queen, ceased operations earlier this week as will the company’s pair of coastal ships. The bottom line is that the line never recovered from the COVID period, and the American Queen was the only member of the fleet that turned a profit.

American Queen Voyages that operated paddle-wheelers in the U.S. heartland and the Pacific Northwest, and Victory Cruise Lines, with its two coastal vessels and expedition ships, announced that they are ceasing all operations (February 2024).

American Queen Voyages had eight vessels in 2023. The company started 10 years ago with grande dame American Queen. * Photo: American Queen Voyages. While the American Queen was popular because of its outstanding period design both inside and out, the other two riverboats, conversions from other purposes were not.

The company includes American Queen Voyages River, American Queen Voyages Lakes & Ocean (formerly Victory,) and American Queen Voyages Expedition with its new Alaska and Central America expeditions beginning in 2022.

Victory I and Victory II, renamed Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator, which sailed alongside new expedition vessels Ocean Victory (2022) and Ocean Discoverer (summer 2023).

American Queen Voyages will be branching into expedition sailings in Alaska in 2022. Here, company founder John Waggoner in the Great Land. * Photo: American Queen Voyages

“Discovery Runs Deep”

In addition, a new tagline, “Discovery Runs Deep,” was revealed to underscore the “encounter travel” American Queen Voyages offers — interactions with people, local food, music, craftsmanship, nature.

American Queen Steamboat Co, and Victory Cruise Lines, now American Queen Voyages (ceased operations Feb 2024)

Due to the pandemic, “people are taking a second look at what we offer because we are close to home,” said Kari Tarnowski, senior vice president, marketing and sales.

“You can fly or drive [to join a vessel]. It’s not as complicated as overseas travel.”

New Look & Names For American Cruise Lines’ Paddle-wheelers

American Cruise Lines‘ fleet of  classic paddle-wheelers underwent a major redesign, refit and rebranding before the 2024 season. Charles B. Robertson, president and CEO of American Cruise Lines, shared the plans at Seatrade Cruise Global.

The design will bring paddle-wheel cruising to the same sophisticated standard as on American’s newest modern riverboats, such as this year’s American Melody, while retaining traditional elements true to steamboat history.

American Cruise Lines’ four paddle-wheelers received updated interiors. * Photo: American Cruise Lines

Casual Sophistication

“American Melody’s extraordinary reception, particularly by our loyalty program members, has inspired us to bring the same new aesthetic to our entire paddle-wheel fleet,” Robertson said. “[Loyalists] love the casual sophistication of the ships. We’ve always tried to have that casual element; now we try to bring that cosmopolitan sophistication into the design.”

As the paddle-wheelers get their new look, their names will be changed to include the American moniker that denotes other vessels in the fleet.

America, Queen of the Mississippi and Queen of the West will become American Splendor, American Heritage and American West, while American Pride will retain its name.

“So we’ll have a fleet of ships with the same name, same brand and same design aesthetic,” Robertson said. This will all happen when the paddle-wheelers begin their 2022 seasons in March.

The paddle-wheelers’ redesign will be carried out by Miami’s Studio DADO, which created the interiors for American Melody and is known for its work for Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, among others.

New-look stateroom for American Cruise Lines’ paddlewheelers. * Rendering: American Cruise Lines

Studio DADO is creating the new-look interiors for American Cruise Lines’ paddlewheelers. * Rendering: American Cruise Lines

American Cruise Lines is now sailing at close to 100 percent occupancy, Robertson said.

“We’re still here. We’re still building ships. I feel like we didn’t miss much of a beat during the pandemic although there was an operational pause.”

He said American is reeling in new customers, including those who’ve sailed the oceans or European rivers or who traveled domestically but not on cruises. With the opportunity to introduce many more people to the domestic rivers, Robertson sees “exponential” growth potential.

The company has stepped up production, going from one new vessel a year to two at its owned yard, Chesapeake Shipbuilding, in Salisbury, Maryland. Scheduled for delivery next year are American Symphony and American Serenade.

RELATED: John Roberts Samples the Inaugural Cruise of the American Countess.

“Sustainability Touches Everything We Do”

Sure, sustainability may be a buzzword, but cruise executives on a luxury panel at Seatrade Cruise Global indicated they — and a growing number of others — take it very seriously.

“Sustainability touches everything we do,” said Roberto Martinoli, president and CEO, Silversea Cruises. “It’s one of our biggest priorities.”

Martinoli thinks the cruise industry hasn’t talked enough about efforts in this area — though that is changing, with more companies issuing sustainability reports and working with third parties to help them set goals and provide verification. He added that lenders today are not willing to provide financing “if we are not showing that we are [serious] about sustainability.”

Sustainability is one of Silversea’s biggest priorities, according to President and CEO Roberto Martinoli. * Photo: Anne Kalosh

Walter Littlejohn, senior vice president and managing director, Crystal River Cruises, said corporations that charter vessels for incentive programs want to be sure cruise operators are aligned with companies’ own sustainability principles.

“There’s definitely an audience who is very in tune with the issues and it’s very important to them. They vote with their wallet,” Littlejohn said. However, “They’re probably in the minority now.”

Crystal River Cruises’ Walter Littlejohn said customers who care about sustainability vote with their wallet. * Photo: Crystal

According to Martinoli, the younger generation demands attention to sustainability, and awareness is growing “big time … it touches almost every demographic.”

Travel advisors are starting to ask about sustainability, too, said Navin Sawhney, CEO – Americas, Ponant, whose line just inaugurated its new hybrid, LNG-powered Le Commandant Charcot. (He spoke to the conference virtually from Le Havre, France, where the festivities took place.)

And sustainability for the cruise industry “extends way beyond SOx, NOx and single-use plastics,” Sawhney added — it involves communities, research into the impacts of marine noise on wildlife and other many other areas.

Expedition Cruising Recovering Region By Region

At a Seatrade session on expedition cruising, speakers said operations are resuming region by region from the pandemic shutdown, with a spate of new ships and more travelers seeking authenticity and deeper experiences.

Twenty-seven expedition cruise ships are scheduled for delivery from 2021 to 2023 plus four repurposed vessels for 18 operators.

On the day of the panel, Norway’s Ulstein Verft delivered the 126-passenger National Geographic Resolution to Lindblad Expeditions. It’s scheduled to begin Antarctica service Nov. 17.

National Geographic Resolution has been delivered in time for the Antarctica season. * Photo: Ulstein Verft

But those 27 newbuilds represent fewer than 10,000 berths, noted Conrad Combrink, senior vice president, expeditions, tour operating and destination management, Silversea Cruises, and some replace older ships.

Silversea’s first purpose-built expedition ship, Silver Origin, debuted in the Galápagos this year, and Silver Wind is undergoing conversion into a polar vessel in Poland ahead of the upcoming Antarctica season.

“The Antarctica season for us is the holy grail,” Combrink said.

Silver Explorer is one of three Silversea vessels set for the upcoming Antarctica season. * Photo: Silversea

Theresa Gatta, vice president, sales, Ponant Americas, said the pandemic has fueled high demand for small ships, including expedition vessels. “People want to be awakened … A whole new purposeful mindset is driving expeditions,” she said.

According to Gatti, Ponant currently has five ships in operation and all 12 of its vessels are expected to be carrying passengers by year’s end.

Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot was inaugurated in Le Havre, France. * Photo: Ponant

“People are more curious now,” said Capt. Michael Bennett, director, expedition, American Queen Voyages (previously Victory Cruise Lines), whose new Ocean Victory is set to begin its first Alaska season in early May.

To deliver “encounter travel,” Ocean Victory will afford opportunities to interact with scientific researchers studying songbirds and marine mammal sounds and to learn about Tlingit life in the Native village of Kake.

“Wildlife is important but more and more we see our guests interested in the communities they visit,” Silversea’s Combrink said.

The panel discussed the importance of preserving authenticity and getting governments and communities’ buy-in for visits, along with ensuring the local people benefit from cruise calls. This takes time and dedication.

Experts at an expedition cruising panel talked about the importance of authenticity and community engagement. * Photo: Seatrade

Silversea spent three years engaging with communities in Bangladesh before it was able to visit. The Ponant Foundation built and maintains a school in Bijagós off the coast of Guinea-Bissau.

All the panelists talked about the importance of exploring destinations beyond the poles.

The vast Indian Ocean — from Madagascar to Aldabra in the Seychelles — is of interest to Silversea,

Ponant is keen on Australia’s vast Kimberley and American Queen’s Bennett suggested the Canadian Maritimes have “everything” — beauty, culture and ice — and offer “untapped potential.”

Authenticity is the most important thing for a destination hoping to crack into the expedition sector, according to Denise Guillén, deputy minister of tourism, Panama Tourism Authority. It’s also vital that countries have strong conservation programs to protect their nature and cultural traditions, she said.

Panama has protected indigenous communities, rain forests, wildlife and more than 1,000 islands spread across four archipelagos, with opportunities to create interesting itineraries including Costa Rica and Colombia. Panama’s Sustainable Tourism Master Plan 2020-2025 aims to transform the country into a world-class sustainable tourism destination.

Atlas Augments Included Insurance Coverage

At a Seatrade news conference, Atlas Ocean Voyages announced the augmentation of its included insurance coverage for travelers.

The new “luxe adventure” line has included emergency medical evacuation insurance since the beginning. With the new Atlas Assurance, passengers are also protected with medical, travel and legal coverage.

“We are delivering greater peace of mind to our guests,” Atlas President Alberto Aliberti said.

With the expanded Atlas Assurance, “We are giving greater peace of mind to our guests,” Alberto Aliberti said. * Photo: Atlas Ocean Voyages)

Medical coverage includes emergency evacuation and return home transportation (including the return of dependent children), emergency prescription and eyeglasses replacement, payment guarantee of medical expenses, dispatch of physician or specialist, worldwide hospital and physician referral, and more.

Travel services include lost document assistance, 24-hour emergency travel arrangements, embassy and consular assistance, traveling companion transportation, and more. Travelers also are covered with worldwide legal and bail bonds assistance.

World Navigator has been plying the Mediterranean since August and will chart the Caribbean, South America and Antarctica in the coming months.

RELATED: Peter Knego Sails Aboard the Maiden Voyage of World Navigator.

Aliberti said World Navigator is sailing full and things are going well.

Itineraries for 2022’s World Traveller are out and those for the line’s third ship will be announced in November. They’ll include Central America and Mexico’s Yucatán, the Middle East and Antarctica adventures from New Zealand.

“With three ships, we’re able to cover more of the globe,” he said.

World Navigator will be sailing in the Caribbean, South America and Antarctica in the coming months. * Photo: Atlas Ocean Voyages

For the upcoming 2021/22 Antarctica season, passengers will fly from the U.S. on chartered private jet to Ushuaia, Argentina, to embark World Navigator. En route, there will be a morning stop in Santiago, Chile, for a crew change during which Atlas will treat travelers to a festive Champagne brunch in a private airport lounge.

Once in Ushuaia, they’ll go directly to World Navigator. This means everyone will be kept in a safe bubble en route.

All crew and passengers must be vaccinated for COVID-19 and will have to present a negative PCR test taken up to 72 hours before embarking or a negative antigen test taken up to 48 hours before embarking. In addition, an antigen test will be administered before boarding.

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