For the majority of recent history, two riverboats, the American Queen and the Queen of the Mississippi, have made downtown a stop along their journey. New for 2015, we now have an additional boat to welcome as American Eagle has joined in the route for the first time.

According to American Cruise Lines, 'The brand new American Eagle has design elements reminiscent of an earlier time on the river coupled with a surprising assortment of modern luxuries. Spacious staterooms, fine furnishings, and private balconies are among the welcoming features which make the American Eagle comparable to your favorite world class hotels. Much like its sister ship, the Queen of the Mississippi, this new boat will raise the standard for river cruising in the United States.'

'Queen of the Mississippi delivers an experience unlike any other riverboat. Launched in 2012 and modeled after traditional Victorian-style riverboats of the late 1800s, she was the first paddlewheeler built for the Mississippi River in nearly 20 years. Queen of the Mississippi offers passengers modern amenities and comforts including large staterooms with private balconies, hotel-style bathrooms, complimentary room service, WiFi, and more,' highlights American Cruise Lines.

'Transporting guests back in time in the most elegant fashion, the experience aboard Queen of the Mississippi is a seamless blend of old and new. Beneath her historic décor, gleaming woodwork and brass fixtures is a framework of modern cruise ship technology that provides passengers with the most comfortable and upscale vacation imaginable on the Mississippi River.'


The American Queen Steamboat Company is incredibly proud of its star ship, the American Queen. Being the largest steamboat ever built, they've packed quite an experience inside this floating fortress. 'Although filled with today’s modern amenities, her rooms and accommodations display all the opulence of the American Victorian era. Glistening woodwork, fresh flowers and antiques adorn her interior spaces. While on board, you can select a volume from the vast collection in the Mark Twain Gallery, the boat’s library. Or enjoy a sing-along in the Main Deck Lounge, and then tap your toes to a lavish show in the two-deck-tall Grand Saloon, the most elegant showplace on the river.'

Check out the following schedule and see when you can be a part of the excitement.

Please note this schedule is tentative and determined by the weather, river levels and currents. We will try to keep you updated as information changes and becomes available. 

Stacy Dohogne-Lane, Public Relations Director for the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, has worked closely with the riverboat companies for several years. When the opportunity presented itself last year for her to board one of these beautiful boats, she couldn't pass it up. "I love looking out at our bend of the Mississippi River, and watching the river change throughout the year as it rises and falls," Stacy commented. "It isn't everyday you get to see Cape Girardeau from the river and not the other way around! The American Queen was in town at the end of July last year and I had some business to attend to with the folks on board, so I jumped at the chance to snap a few pictures of our river city from a different perspective."

These riverboats are a part of the eclectic canvas that makes up our downtown culture and just one of the many reasons we're one of the greatest downtowns in the nation. Check out Stacy's photos below, we know you'll enjoy them, and plan to head downtown throughout the summer to catch one of the dockings. See you soon!