NEW: American Queen shuts down riverboat cruise business

A cruise line that sent boats to riverside destinations all over the country — including stops in Alabama — announced it is shutting down.

American Queen Voyages announced the cruise line will no longer run its boats and would refund customers who have already purchased cruise tickets.

American Queen Voyages calls it quits

A news release from the cruise ship company said the decision to shut down came after the company was unable to rebound from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The overnight cruise industry was especially affected by changes in travel preferences and, as a result, AQV has become financially unsustainable.”

American Queen Voyages via public statement

In addition to stops along the Mississippi River, the cruise line offered Alaskan cruises and other river voyages in the U.S, making stops in the Shoals are multiple times a year.

Customers who have bought tickets for future cruises are able to apply for a refund here.

The future of riverboat cruises

With the shutting down of American Queen, still remaining in the river cruise market in the U.S are American Cruise Lines (ACL), Viking and Lindblad Expeditions. 

American Cruise Lines also makes stops in North Alabama and added Decatur to its list of ports last summer.

Viking has operated one river ship in the U.S., the Viking Mississippi, since 2022. Lindblad Expeditions has operated river cruises in the Pacific Northwest on the Columbia and Snake rivers for more than 30 years.

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