Rollin’on the River ^6
A LL A BOA R D! CRUISING WITH THE A MER IC A N QUEEN LINE FROM MEMPHIS TO NEW OR LE A NS
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photo essay by karen pulfer focht
here is just something about watching the river that calms the soul — taking in life on the river, life in the river, and life by the river. The American Queen Steamboat Company, based in Memphis, has given people an opportunity to do just that.
With the Mississippi River flows the heart of America. It’s survived great Civil War battles, storms, floods, and earthquakes. It has been a roadway for canoes, barges, paddle wheelers, and tow boats. It’s been home to Indian chiefs, slaves, Mark Twain, Tom Lee, Boss Crump, a Pyramid, catfish, dinosaurs, and cobblestones. It’s the great geographic barrier that split the country but united the people. Here in the South river people were brave enough to settle along the ever-changing Mississippi. (Mississippi is from a Native American name meaning “Great River.”) High upon river bluffs and along the river bottoms the people have changed, communities have changed, terrain has changed, but the river just keeps rolling along. Several times a year, the American Queen travels from Beale Street to Bourbon Street with a load of passengers from all over the world interested in learning about life on the lower Mississippi. Many of the guests are celebrating anniversaries and birthdays, or checking a trip on the Mississippi off their to-do lists. Some are traveling with alumni, friends, or spouses; some are children escorting their elderly parents; some travel alone. Each day the tables, rocking chairs, and swings on the forward deck fill up as people sit with their new friends, sharing a cup of coffee, a meal, a glass of wine, or a cold beer. For the next several days they will get a glimpse into life on the river. Along the way, history buffs relish the tales of love and war and of pride and promise. They will hear stories of bygone days from the people of the Deep South who live on the bluffs and bayous of the Mississippi. They’ll hear river lore, including colorful
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stories about river men, in what were once rowdy river towns with definitely sordid histories. Guests relax as the boat meanders downstream, reading a good book or simply setting their imaginations free as they watch the river go by. The boat pulls into historic ports in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana — places like Greenville, Natchez, St. Francisville. At various places along the way travelers have an opportunity for a drink in a historic saloon in a town that was once wild with gambling, brawling, and brothels. Days are spent visiting plantations, learning about the trials of flooding, slavery, and “free people of color.” There are also tales of Southern kings whose families settled near the river … the kings of rock-and-roll, the blues, soul, and cotton. Those who engage the locals may meet manly men who show pictures of the 1,000-pound wild boar they hunted, or watch a fisherman haul in giant catfish. Tourists can hear personal conversion stories of men who are doing life in prison, as they visit Angola, the penitentiary in Louisiana, or they might take advantage of an opportunity to come face to face with an alligator as they explore a swamp. The more sedentary traveler finds contentment observing the banks of the river, many still unspoiled, as they sip a cold drink outside their stateroom. Passengers from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, and England describe their river observations and experiences as “fascinating” and “mind boggling.” They often express awe and wonder as they learn a new respect for the “Big Muddy” and the people who claim the shores of the river as home. contin u ed on page 111
inset: The Memphisbased American Queen Steamboat Company hopes to increase the number of trips from Memphis to New Orleans to meet the demand. It now visits Memphis 12 times a year. At 418 feet long and six stories high, the American Queen is said to be the largest steamboat ever built.
above: One of the favorite pastimes aboard the American Queen is swinging or rocking on the front deck, watching the river go by. The riverboat takes travelers into places along the Mississippi that they would have difficulty getting to otherwise. Many passengers were celebrating anniversaries and other special occasions. A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 107
left: Matthew Doyle and Lauren Garner, both from the Memphis area, are servers in the formal dining room. They are part of an onboard staff of 239. above: Memphian Eddie Harrison plays dance music in the Night Owls Club.
Passengers can have a drink, listen to music, or dance with the Dance Captain, Chuck Solis. Solis is a talented dancer, also from Memphis, who waits in the wings for anyone looking to swing, sway, and dance the night away.
below: The American Queen heads into a rainbow on a recent trip from Memphis to New Orleans. For centuries, the river has been used as a roadway to transport goods and people through the heartland of America.
“Over the last three years, we have increased our Memphis turns from 30 to 50 to now 70 percent of our total runs for the American Queen ... to meet demand. That pretty well says everything.” — American Queen President & COO Ted Sykes top: In the port of St. Francisville, one of the oldest towns in the Florida Parishes of Louisiana, local Eric Rider looks for bait at dusk, on the shores where the boat is docked. When the conditions are just right, he can hear the American Queen’s distinctive calliope music from his house as the boat heads downriver. During the visit to
this port, cruisers shopped at charming boutiques and strolled or rode bikes through town past many antebellum homes. above: River cruising on the Mississippi River has become very popular. The 436-passenger paddlewheel steamboat celebrated its twentieth anniversary in June.
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right: Allen Creppel from Cajun Pride Swamp Tours feeds an alligator by hand during a swamp tour in Cajun country. “They are like dogs,” he said. “They aren’t dangerous.” Alligators swirled around the boat everywhere it went, as he passed though the swamp telling stories and calling in the wildlife.
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left: Details to help travelers see the river through the eyes of river man Mark Twain are placed throughout the boat. Lewis Hawkins (pictured) presents “The Life and Times of Mark Twain” during a morning matinee where he also takes questions from guests while in character. top: Stories of cotton and slavery are woven throughout the voyage. History buffs hear lectures, visit museums, walk around the plantations, and learn more about the culture that ultimately caused the Civil War.
bottom: Connie Wekell of Tacoma, Washington, taps a tambourine as she takes part in a Southern gospel sing-along during the stop at Natchez. She was taking part in the excursion, “The Story of Cotton in the Antebellum South,” which includes a tour of the historic Frogmore Plantation in Frogmore, Louisiana. Visitors learn about life on a plantation as they walk through shacks, visit cotton barns, and sit in an old church while being serenaded by live gospel music.
contin u ed from page 10 6 Southern hospitality is around every bend in the river and in every corner of the boat, where much of the mostly American crew is from the South. The crew isn’t just friendly in a polite way; they are genuinely outgoing and true hospitality specialists. After traveling from the other side of the world to see the Mississippi River, David Lindsay, 80, from Tasmania, Australia, said he was “enjoying the people the most” on his voyage. As the boat moves south it stops so guests can visit historic homes draped in Spanish moss, quaint boutiques in small downtowns, and whatever else is within reach of the “hop on-hop off” bus that meets the boat in every port. Passengers can choose from many cruises, with a variety of themes. The most popular journey links Memphis to New Orleans, but from Memphis, cruises also head north. This particular cruise ends at New Orleans, where the tourists disembark and the staff and crew get the boat ready to head back north later that day. Tips: ◗◗ Book excursions early; many sell out fast. ◗◗ The Internet is spotty; computers are on board. ◗◗ Leave time to relax and watch the river go by. ◗◗ There is a dress code for the formal dining room. ◗◗ The average age of cruisers is mid-sixties. ◗◗ Consider booking with a group of friends.
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above: Visiting plantations and learning about Southern culture, slavery, cotton, and Civil War history are a big part of the Premium Excursions offered on this Antebellum South themed cruise. Shore Excursions of America, Inc., manages the excursions during the voyage. (This shows the Nottoway Plantation grounds during the Grand Southern Plantation Tour.) left: The formal dining room, shown here at lunchtime, is a popular gathering spot aboard the American Queen. Regina Charboneau serves as the executive chef on the boat. She is a native of Natchez, Mississippi, and has always said she has Mississippi River water running through her veins. A premium tour that sells out very quickly is a visit to her private home. The excursion is called “Entertaining Southern Style with Regina Charboneau.”
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