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American Queen Steamboat Company Rebrands As American Queen Voyages, Adds New Journeys

The American Queen Steamboat Company is expanding with voyages to Alaska and beyond, and consolidating its brands into a new umbrella company: American Queen Voyages.

Under American Queen Voyages, the company will sail river cruises, lake, and ocean cruises, and new expedition voyages to Alaska and Central America starting next year, the company shared with Travel + Leisure.

"Through a decade of transformation, American Queen Voyages has surged from the great American rivers to include lakes, ocean and expedition experiences," Shawn Bierdz, the president of American Queen Voyages said in a statement provided to T+L. "Today, we… embrace this simple but important expression – Discovery Runs Deep. As we move into this new chapter and introduce our version of encounter travel, we uphold the originating vision of our company's founder… and his unwavering belief in the renaissance of U.S. river cruising and close-to-home adventures."

The AQ in Memphis by American Queen Steamboat Company
The AQ in Memphis by American Queen Steamboat Company

Courtesy American Queen Steamboat Company

Passengers will be treated to unique experiences onboard from spending time with oystermen in New England to shadowing marine science researchers in California.

In 2022, the company will launch its all-inclusive expedition sailings to Alaska on 186-passenger ships, allowing guests to head to lesser-traveled regions of Alaska's Inside Passage.

The American Queen Steamboat Company (which was named one of Travel Leisure's top river cruise lines for 2021) also sails along the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee rivers, stopping at port cities from Memphis and New Orleans to Louisville and Minneapolis.

"To see America, you have to look beyond the roads, and American Queen Voyages embraces this notion with compelling travel encounters," Kari Tarnowski, the senior vice president marketing and sales at American Queen Voyages, told T+L in a statement. "We celebrate 10 incredible years in business as American Queen Steamboat Company and embrace its legacy as we [enter] this new phase."

To sail with the company right now, all guests and crew must be fully vaccinated, check in to a pre-cruise hotel, and get tested for COVID-19 before boarding.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.