American Queen Voyages will roll out its longest US river itinerary ever — a 23-day trip including the Mississippi and Ohio rivers
Attention all bucket-listers: Want to check off 10 states in just 23 days? American Queen Voyages on Tuesday said that for the first time in the company's 10-year history, it will offer a sailing that will combine the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The multiweek journey will be the longest U.S. river cruise itinerary the company has ever offered.
"Guests have made the 16-day Mighty Mississippi voyage between Minneapolis (Red Wing) and New Orleans one of our most popular itineraries, and we are pleased to reveal an even more immersive itinerary sailing to Pittsburgh that now incorporates the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers," Isis Ruiz, chief commercial officer of American Queen Voyages, said in a statement from the line.
The new "Grand Ohio and Upper Mississippi Rivers" itinerary will roll out on the line's newest ship, 245-passenger American Countess, in 2023, covering 1,772 miles of river.
The ship is a paddle-wheeler with an exterior that has the same old-timey steamboat vibe as larger fleetmate American Queen, but it carries only about half as many passengers and features an interior that's shockingly modern.
The first voyage is set to begin in Red Wing, Minnesota (near Minneapolis), on July 24, 2023, and end in Pittsburgh on Aug. 15, 2023. Ports visited on the trip include La Crosse, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa; Bettendorf, Iowa; Burlington, Iowa; Hannibal, Missouri; St. Louis; Kimmswick, Missouri; Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Paducah, Kentucky; Henderson, Kentucky; Owensboro, Kentucky; Brandenburg, Kentucky; Louisville, Kentucky; Madison, Indiana; Cincinnati; Maysville, Kentucky; Point Pleasant, West Virginia; and Marietta, Ohio.
The reverse itinerary will begin on Aug. 15, 2023, when the ship reaches Pittsburgh. The two sailings are on sale now, with fares starting at $7,197 per person when booked and paid in full by Aug. 31, 2022.
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