The Rivers-Rails.com Experience: river cruises and railroad travel

Travel while your hotel stays with you!

Rivers-Rails.com is dedicated to travelling on riverboats and railroads, river cruises and train vacation - a unique way of travelling high quality, being on different spots every day, but without packing and unpacking your suitecase every morning. Just relax and let the boat take you along the river or let the train do all the hard work for you.

news

Majestic America Line Closes Down After finishing the 2008 season Majestic America Line will not continue to operate any of their boats in 2009 or beyond. The company has announced earlier that all boats are up for sale, but so far hasn't found any buyers. The exemption for the Delta Queen from fire safety regulations has run out and Congress so far refuses to issue a new exemption making it impossible for the Delta Queen to be operated as an overnight passenger vessel. The Empress of the North and American Queen have been handed over to MARAD, all other vessels are on idle. For more details about the efforts to save the Delta Queen and with her all or some of the other boats, see www.save-the-delta-queen.org.
. Delta Queen joins American West Ambassadors International, who has already acquired the American West Stemboat Company (Empress of the North, Queen of the West) in January has acquired the Delta Queen Steamboat Company's boats Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen. Cruise experts say this step makes very much sense, bundling efforts in a difficult river cruise market after Katrina that forced DQSC to layup one of their boats, the American Queen, for the whole 2006 season and forced an other company owning the Columbia Queen completely out of business.
. DQSC: 2007 Schedules The new schedules for the American Queen, the Delta Queen and the Mississippi Queen for 2007 are there. Especially interesting is the AQ's schedule as cruises on the AQ had been totally cancelled for 2006. The boat is offering round trip cruises from Cincinnati and Pittsburgh and spends quite a time of the year on the Ohio River as demanded from the community of steamboaters. Season for the AQ starts in March and ends with Thanksgiving.
Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen will satisfy customers with their all-time favorite cruises, no major itinerary exeriments are planned in their schedule.
. American Queen cruises 2006 cancelled Word is out that all cruises for the American Queen in 2006 are cancelled. Schedule for 2007 is announced for March 2006.
. New Owner for American West Steamboat Co. Ambassadord International has signed a contract to acquire American West Cruises from Oregon Rail Holdings. The deal especially includes the two paddlewheel cruise boats Empress of the North and Queen of the West. Well known and experienced David Giersdorf (most recently Exective Vice president at Holland America Line) will be joining the company as President and COO.
2005 schedules revised The new, revised schedules for the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen are now online. the AQ's 2005 season has ended already.
DQ, MQ, AQ: new schedule for 2006 season Delta Queen Steamboat Co. has published the new schedules for the 2006 season. DQ will start April 21 from Baton Rouge, MQ April 23 from Memphis, AQ June 30 from Baton Rouge. New advance booking and discount offers are available. See www.deltaqueen.com
Columbia Queen: new pictures and review We've just added exciting new pictures from the Columbia Queen and a comprehensive cruise review. Don't miss it at the CQ's details pages.
Empress of the North: new pictures and review We've just added exciting new pictures from the Empress of the North and a comprehensive cruise review. Don't miss it at the Empress' details pages.

First Hand Experience

We believe in first hand experience! On Rivers-Rails.com you'll only find travel reports and information we've proofed by having been there personally, or at least rely on people who have been there and whom we do know very well as trusted sources.

We've just started building up this site, so don't expect to find a complete list of river cruises and railroad itineraries. Mississippi River cruises are our personal favorites so far, but we just did the Columbia River as well as the Alaska Inside Passage by paddlewheeler. Plans are to grow very rapidly. So far, you'll find everything about the great riverboats and paddlewheelers on US inland rivers and the Alaska Inside Passage.

Be a part of it

Let us know if you're interested being a contributor. We have high standards, but if you're an experienced traveller and want to share information, pictures and experience with Rivers-Rails.com visitors, please let us know: franz-neumeier@rivers-rails.com