Avalon Waterways has partnered with American Queen Steamboat Co. to offer Mississippi River sailings on the American Queen, making it the first European river cruise operator to offer Mississippi cruises.
American Queen executives had indicated that a partnership with Avalon was in the works when the 436-passenger paddlewheeler relaunched in April. The partial charter agreement was made official Wednesday.
Avalon has contracted to contribute up to 40 passengers per sailing.
For 2013, Avalon is selling the 12-day "America’s Heartland: From Music City to the Big Easy" itinerary, which starts in Nashville and ends in New Orleans.
The itinerary begins with two days in Nashville and continues with two more days in Memphis before passengers board the American Queen for a seven-day cruise to New Orleans, where there will be one additional day tacked on at the end of the cruise.
Avalon is offering eight departures between March 6 and December 4. The price starts at $4,629 per person, based on double occupancy.
Additionally, Avalon is selling the 11-day "Fall Foliage Spectacular: From the Windy City to the Twin Cities." This itinerary begins with three days in Chicago before a transfer to St. Louis to board the paddlewheeler. The cruise ends in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Avalon is selling twodepartures of this cruise-tour on Sept. 25 and Oct. 9, 2013. The price starts at $4,249 per person, based on double occupancy.
An Avalon tour director will be onboard the American Queen. Avalon customers will have the option to book pre- and post-cruise land packages in Nashville, New Orleans and Chicago.
“We have had great success partnering with top-of-the-line cruise ship companies on the Yangtze, the Nile and in the Galapagos Islands, and look forward to our first-ever U.S. partnership,” Patrick Clark, managing director of Avalon Waterways, said in a statement.
Follow Michelle Baran on Twitter @mbtravelweekly.