May 3, 2013

Certain songs are so closely associated with certain places that you can’t help but hum the tune when the name comes up in conversation. Some are more than just a song written to showcase a place, such as Tony Bennett’s “I Left My heart in San Francisco.” While that’s a fantastic song by a legendary singer, the song is contrived. It doesn’t speak of the history of the city or give a true sense of place.

May 02, 2013

When we created the American Queen Steamboat Company to return the stunning American Queen to the rivers, we made a pledge to ourselves and to our guests that we would strive to provide the best possible value. There were several keys to achieving this goal, and foremost on the list was giving those who travel with us far more than they ever expected. We looked at what we could do on board the American Queen and considered the extra expenses that travelers compile on their vacations. We then tried to eliminate many of those. On a voyage with us, complimentary wine and beer are served with dinner, the cuisine is authentic and Southern but with a contemporary twist found only in the most creative and acclaimed restaurants, and there’s never a charge for cappuccino, espresso, bottled water and soft drinks.

April 25, 2013

This past Monday, the world celebrated Earth Day. It was the 43rd such observance and now encompasses 192 countries and more than one billion people. According to the Earth Day website, www.earthday.org, a number of unique events and celebrations took place. In Copenhagen, the Danish Cultural Institute organized its annual CO 2 Green Drive Project in honor of Earth Day. Runners, walkers, bikers, and skaters used their cities as canvasses to spell “CO 2” by tracking their movements with GPS devices. In Santa Barbara, CA, thousands of people attended the local Earth Day Festival, which included live music, presenters, a Green Car Show, and special awards given to Van Jones and Bill Nye. In Veracruz, Mexico, Tortugas Fundacion Yepez mobilized volunteers to protect the habitat of sea turtles by cleaning up the local beaches and organizing a reforestation campaign.”

April 23, 2013

One of the most magnificent things about traveling on America’s rivers is that you get to see far more of this great nation than you might ever have imagined. A riverboat like the American Queen and the traditions of river voyages immortalized by Mark Twain put the focus squarely on the Mississippi River all the way from Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN to New Orleans, LA and the historic, and nostalgic charm, that lies between.

April 22, 2013

What truly inspires you? How we find that inspiration is as varied as the number of people on earth, but of one thing we can be sure: life without inspiration is a dull life, indeed. While most of us find inspiration in our children, our parents, our partners and our friends, it’s also important to feel passion about something outside of our family and friendship circle. For some it might be running a marathon. For others it might be quilting, bird-watching or cooking. For still others, it might be scrapbooking.