American Queen Voyages Shut Down Operations
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.
By Anne Kalosh
American Queen Voyages will attempt to sell coastal ships Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator and will therefore exit the Great Lakes.
American Queen Voyages plans to sell coastal ship Ocean Navigator, here, and sister Ocean Voyager. * Photo: American Queen Voyages
Riverboat American Duchess will not be operating in 2024. * Photo: American Queen Voyages
This means affects the 417-passenger American Queen and the 245-passenger American Countess remain in the U.S. heartland and the 221-passenger American Empress on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest.
The following two related reviews, and a third below, will be saved for the time being in the event that the vessels begin sailing again. .
RELATED: Karl Zimmermann reviews his recent Mississippi River cruise on American Queen.
RELATED: Kathy Rodeghier tells us all about her American Empress wine cruise.
RELATED: Anne reviews her Ocean Victory cruise in Alaska.
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Let’s see if a new buyer or operator emerges for the 202-passenger sister ships Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator. They have been passed around in their time.
AQV acquired the former Victory I and Victory II in early 2019. Out of service during the pandemic, they were refurbished and renamed as part of the company’s 2021 rebranding (from American Queen Steamboat Co. to American Queen Voyages) and resumed operations last year.
Ocean Voyager alongside at Detroit, which has been a regular stop on Great Lakes itineraries. * Photo: American Queen Voyages
A host of ports around the Great Lakes have welcomed the pair and the economic impact they bring. Ocean Navigator starred at Detroit Port Day in 2022 as the city hailed the resumption of Great Lakes cruises and subsequently was featured in a maritime jobs fair there.
Chicago officials have embraced the two vessels which have the competitive advantage of docking at Navy Pier, thanks to AQV parent company Hornblower Group’s rights to use that city-center facility.
And AQV partnered with the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio to create a new Lakelorian program for this year, similar to the Riverlorian on its river vessels. (This is an expert on regional history and lore who accompanies each cruise.)
Incarnations — A Bit Of History Below
Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator were built in Florida in the early 2000s for Delta Queen Coastal Voyages as Cape May Light and Cape Cod Light, respectively.
Only Cape May Light, completed in 2001, operated before the company’s post-9/11 collapse.
The vessels were reflagged to the Bahamas and sailed under several names including, in Cape May Light’s case, as Saint Laurent for the short-lived Haimark Line before going to the also short-lived Victory Cruise Lines prior to AQV.
Other stints were as accommodations vessels. As Sea Voyager, for example, the former Cape May Light provided student housing for Maryland’s St. Mary’s College and kept United Nations relief workers in Haiti following the country’s 2010 earthquake.
Ocean Voyager was introduced in 2001 as Cape May Light. * Photo: American Queen Voyages
Farewell To The Great Lakes
In saying goodbye to the Great Lakes, AQV is exiting at a time when the region is attracting more attention as a cruise destination.
Viking specifically designed its two expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, to fit through the Welland Canal, a section of the St. Lawrence Seaway connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, and it has deployed both vessels in the Great Lakes since their introduction.
Other Great Lakes operators include Ponant, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Pearl Seas Cruises.
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HEIDI SARNA
I sailed on the Ocean Navigator, and, it had some great features, reminding me of the days of the 30’s and Art Deco. In looks like it would fit in to that era and be marketed as such.
It also needs some changes to compete with other lines. A couple cabins need to be reconfigured to accomodate a separate library and a card room
for instance. Currently all activities take place in the Lounge. There is nowhere to “escape” other than your cabin. There are other “tweeks” that could be done to make it more appealing
Your first-hand observations are appreciated! Let’s see if a new owner or operator with vision emerges for these decidedly quirky vessels.