NEW ORLEANS — The second phase in the revival of Mississippi River cruising began here on Aug. 4, when American Cruise Lines' Queen of the Mississippi departed on its first cruise.
The 150-passenger vessel became the second to begin weekly sailings on these waters in the last three months. The 436-passenger American Queen was refurbished and relaunched in late April, ending a four-year dry spell for cruising on the Mississippi, the second-longest river in the U.S. (View a slideshow of the vessel here.)
What sets the Queen of the Mississippi apart is that it is the first newly built paddlewheeler to sail the Mississippi in 17 years and a ship that American Cruise Lines CEO Charles Robertson said combines an authentic Mississippi River experience with all the comforts and amenities of a modern cruise ship.
True to that claim, while the ship's exterior recalls the legendary paddlewheelers that plied the Mississippi in the 19th century, its insides are modern in both look and comfort.
In designing the Queen of the Mississippi's interior, Robertson did not take inspiration from paddlewheelers of yore but rather from the fleet of five small cruise ships that make up the rest of American Cruise Lines' fleet.
All but 12 cabins offer private balconies, there is WiFi throughout the vessel, and there is a putting green on the top deck.
Rather than one large show lounge, the Queen of the Mississippi has three, each sporting a different look, feel and size.
This was done so that even on such a small ship, the passengers will have options. Entertainment offerings on a single night might include a Civil War lecture in one lounge, a lesson on Southern cuisine in another and a New Orleans jazz band on deck when weather permits.
"People can come and go and wander between the spaces," Robertson said.
The three main lounges each have a distinctive look: The Lounge on Deck 4 is bright, with white wicker furniture, and it leads to an outdoor sitting area. The Magnolia Lounge on Deck 2 is the largest of the three, outfitted with several individual living room-like sitting areas. The Paddlewheel Lounge on the other end of Deck 2 is more intimate, with red leather furniture and dark wooden tables.
Robertson also adopted a "mini-lounge" concept from his other ships.
Next to the elevators on Decks 2 and 4 are "little lounges," as Robertson calls them. He said they are very popular on the company's American Spirit vessel, especially with small groups and families that use them for card games or other private gatherings.
On the outer decks, Robertson made sure nobody would be left without a seat by placing more chairs than the ship has passengers. He also made sure there were plenty of American Cruise Lines' signature white rocking chairs, 110 to be exact, which have become popular on his other ships.
Robertson seems most proud of the Queen of the Mississippi's cabins, which are each 300 square feet or more. All are exterior, and each includes a full-size, "hotel-style" bathroom.
Toots Maloy, a "riverlorian" who will be onboard for the ship's first 30 days talking about the history of life on the Mississippi, said that if ships were built today the way they were built in Mark Twain's day, they'd simply be uncomfortable.
"If they'd had the comforts of this era in the 1830s, they'd have built it like this," she said. "You don't want it to be that authentic. We've evolved."
Being as small as this ship is, it does lack some modern cruise ship amenities, such as a state-of-the-art gym, though it has some workout equipment situated on the open deck. Also, there is no pool or spa. But Robertson said that after doing extensive passenger surveys, a pool and casino were among the features least requested by customers. If passengers request spa treatments, he said, masseuses are brought onboard from shore.
Another asset that Robertson brought from his other ships was staff.
Almost all of the vessel's 50 American crew have worked on American Cruise Line's other small ships, including some from the Queen of the West, the paddlewheeler it operates on the Snake and Columbia rivers. Robertson said he did not anticipate that a crew armed with river cruise experience would have problems adjusting to life on the Mississippi.
Many of the vessel's first passengers were enthusiastic about the Queen of the Mississippi's mixture of historical authenticity and modern comforts.
"I liked the idea of it being a brand-new boat," said Larry Anderson of Danville, Calif., who had sailed the Mississippi on the Delta Queen once. "The Delta Queen was very old, and the cruise was a lot of fun, but the accommodations were not modern."
Joe and Merle Palermo, of Metairie, La., were on their 40th river cruise and celebrating Joe's 100th birthday.
Having been on all the "Queens" as they called the paddlewheelers that used to sail these rivers, the Palermos were devastated when the ships stopped operating.
"We had to get back on this river," Joe said.
"We signed up as soon as we saw it," Merle added. The Queen of the Mississippi, she said, "is gorgeous. So are the others, but this is so new and beautiful."
Turning to Joe, she smiled: "We live on the river, don't we, baby?"
Follow Johanna Jainchill on Twitter @jjainchilltw.