PADDLEWHEELER
The
PUBLISHED EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEMBERS OF THE STEAMBOAT SOCIETY OF AMERICA
SPRING 2015 | Volume 1, Issue 1
By: Ted Sykes
President & COO
American Queen Steamboat Company
piled a helpful table of the benefits you will receive as you progress
up the five tiers of Basic, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond
membership in the Steamboat Society of America.
We are pleased to present this inaugural issue of The Paddlewheeler. First, thank you to so many who have asked for a regular newsletter as a way of keeping in touch and learning more about what is
coming on the rivers. Most importantly, thank you for your loyal
patronage of what we all know to be an unparalleled and enjoyable
form of travel! We continue to be amazed at the sheer number of
cruises some of our loyal past passengers have taken on these iconic, paddlewheel boats.
In future issues we will use this newsletter to tell you about our
2016 itinerary plans as well as special offers that we will make
available first to you as members of our loyalty club.
Our guests constantly tell us of the warm, southern-style hospitality they receive on each of our vessels. We are exceptionally pleased
to share in the custodianship of these national treasures and seek
to employ the very best American crew to make your voyages
special.
In the following pages you will meet several of our team members
and learn about their roles. We’ll describe our plans for better serving you, when you sail with us next. We’ll show you some of the
recent enhancements that we’ve made. On the last page we’ve com-
As always, thank you for your continued support and loyalty.
We look forward to welcoming you onboard either the American
Queen or the American Empress again soon.
Welcome Aboard! We Are At Your Service
By: Gary Seabrook
Vice-President of Operations
American Queen Steamboat Company
As the relatively new Vice-President of Operations for American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC), it has been my
privilege to meet many of you
aboard the American Queen and
American Empress. I sincerely
hope the coming season provides the opportunity to meet
those who I have not talked
with to listen to your feedback
and comments on the continued development of our cruise
offerings.
satisfying river-borne cruise
experience possible. Your safety
and well-being are, of course,
paramount.
In pursuit of our mission, the
entire onboard staff of managers have provided departmental initiatives that are
resulting in enhanced dining,
entertainment, guest room and
general on-board experiences.
Additionally, the American
My mission, as set by John
Waggoner (Chairman/CEO)
and Ted Sykes (President and
COO), as well as the AQSC
Board of Directors, is to
provide our guests with the
most pleasant, enriching and
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Queen has recently undergone
extensive cosmetic upgrades
including exterior and interior painting to a high standard, improvements to the JM
White Dining Room and many
refreshed staterooms among
others.
I hope to see you aboard in
the near future and assure you
that I, and all AQSC staff, will
always be at your service.
Honoring a
Kindred Spirit
American Empress Looking
Forward to Her Second Season
in Pacific Northwest
We will be featuring these wines by the
Continued on PAGE 3
2
TY
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The Pacific Northwest is known for an
impressive variety and selection of locally
grown wines. During the off-season, we
had the opportunity to personally take to
the road in search of quality local wines.
It is something special to meet the wine
makers face to face, see how the wines are
produced and try the various wines at the
wineries. (I know it was tough work but I
just had to push on.) All my “hard” work
paid off as we were able to find and select
some truly wonderful new and exciting
wines.
It’s more than obvious that the sense of loyalty
and nostalgia for the paddlewheelers American Queen and American Empress is like no
other. A special kindred spirit
ties together travelers who
AT SO
O
appreciate the essence
B
M
of our boats: whether
it’s the reminders
of yesteryear steam
engine marvel of the
American Queen;
the sight, sound, and
O
mist caused by the spin
FA
M E RIC
of a red paddlewheel at
the stern; or the chuckle
brought by the tunes of the calliope as the boat pulls away from small-town
America on her way to the next adventure.
C
The ship and crew not only received great
accolades from our guests, but were also
favorably featured in various reviews and
articles. The American Empress is part of
American Queen Steamboat Company,
which Conde Nast rated as the highest
rating river cruise-line operating in the
U.S. for 2014. In addition, Cruise Critic
recognized the American Empress as the
best cruise dining experience in 2014
for our dining alternative, River Grill,
making us once again very proud of our
accomplishments. With 2014 being such
a banner year for service, it only further
encourages our staff and crew to work
even harder this year to make your stay
on the American Empress an even more
special experience in 2015.
By: Bill Diebenow
Senior Vice-President of Sales
American Queen Steamboat Company
A
The hardworking crew of the American Empress was so delighted with the
reception received during their inaugural
season. The American Empress is the largest and most comfortable riverboat in the
Pacific Northwest region, sailing on the
spectacular Colombia and Snake Rivers.
It is my pleasure to share with you some
of the new and exciting things we have
lined up for our guests. For the new season we will continue to develop exciting
food and beverage programs. Being that
we are located in the Pacific North West
region, we are able to source local, fresh
foods to add to our menus. This allows
our guests to enjoy regional influenced
dishes.
STEA
By: Terry Lunder
Hotel Manager, American Empress
Advantages of Membership in the
Steamboat Society of America
The purpose of the Steamboat Society of
America is to honor that kindred spirit. To
celebrate the time-travel opportunity forged
over the decades by travelers and their onContinued on PAGE 3
Continued from PAGE 2
bottle and glass on our menus,
including some exquisite limited
production local wines. During
dinner service each evening, we
will feature a different red and
white wine ensuring that our
guests can discover and add at
least one new wine to their list of
favorites during their voyage.
To further enhance the cruising
experience, we have arranged
for our guests to meet local wine
makers from Oregon and Washington. They will come onboard,
every cruise, to offer a special
wine experience. It can either be
a wine tasting or a wine pairing
hosted by the wineries themselves. Not only will they share
insights about their wines, but
the guests will also have a chance
to meet them in person ask
additional questions about their
products. After a voyage on the
American Empress, you will feel
like accomplished wine buffs!
For the 2015 season some of our
featured wineries are, Willamette Valley, Maryhill, Anelare,
Eola Hills and Dobbs Family
Estate, not forgetting local liquor
producer Fremont Mischief. Our
guests can also enjoy onboard
tastings hosted by our knowledgeable beverage team offering
the best beers from Oregon
microbreweries.
We realize that the Pacific Northwest brews up some of the best
coffee around. After personally
viewing the coffee making process, I am certain we found one
of the best coffee brewers in West
Coast Coffee from the Portland
area. Not only will the Northwest
blend be served onboard, but will
also be available to take home.
Their smooth organic blend
espresso will not only be in your
complimentary Latte, but also
featured on our dinner menu as
espresso rubbed Beef Tenderloin.
Continued from PAGE 2
board officers and crew. While encouraging
newcomers to slow down long enough to
understand and hopefully participate in this
unique combination of travel that includes
transport, service, and lifelong learning all
wrapped into one.
A part of the act of honoring is the recognition that comes with your loyalty and support. Within our society are travelers who
have cruised multiple times and generously
share their passion for U.S. river cruising
and the rich heritage of authentic Americana with their circle of friends back home.
While benefits and recognition are not the
The personal Keurig coffee makers in each stateroom will feature
another locally roasted coffee,
Tully Coffee, from Washington.
We are always looking for new
and exciting ways to offer local
products in ports we call upon
being the delightful cherries, the
flowers and orchids from the
farmers market in Vancouver,
WA, the connection with farmers
market in Richland or the Chamber of Commerce of the historic
downtown in the Dalles. Some
of these local offerings will also
be featured in our gift shop to
ensure that our guests can leave
with something special. Our goal
is to build special memories for
our guests that one can only get
from cruising the glorious homage called the Pacific Northwest.
Looking forward to welcoming
you “home” onboard the American Empress.
Bon Voyage!
most important reason you would choose
a paddlewheel travel experience again and
again, we feel strongly that you are deserving of them. Additionally, we want to have
fun with a loyalty program, celebrating our
valued guests while taking stock in the fact
that we hold an important responsibility in
the preservation and continued fostering of
this special mode of travel. So we hope you
will find our renewed structure of benefits
and recognition a nice “cherry on top” for
your upcoming adventure.
We would love to hear your feedback, too.
What we are planning had better be rich
in quality and enticing. More than ever,
we are developing our itinerary planning
further in advance and at the same time,
crafting onboard and shoreside experiences
that are distinctive, regional and memorable. Seasonality and timeliness guide our
decision-making. So look to our team to let
you know as early as possible about special
one-of-a-kind itineraries, themes and programming that are sure to please.
We are a community, and one mark of a
thriving community is communication. We
want you to know what we are thinking and
planning. You should know about it first.
We hope you enjoy this edition of The Paddlewheeler each quarter and cruise on the
American Queen and the American Empress
in the near future.
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Exclusive Paddlewheeler Recipe
Fried Green Tomatoes
with Corn Macque Choux
as served on the American Queen
New Commodore
Club Offers
Exclusive Privileges
By: Anthony Defelippis
Hotel Manager, American Queen
What an exciting year with many new
onboard programs, wine tastings and
culinary adventures not seen before
and more to come later this year. The
American Queen is setting a new standard for not only river cruising, but the
travel industry as well.
Chef Paul Wayland-Smith is the Executive Chef for American Queen Steamboat Company and
oversees entire galley staffs onboard the American Queen and American Empress. Chef Paul has
been creating culinary masterpieces onboard the American Queen since she first sailed the rivers
in 1995. In addition, he worked aboard the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen. Many of his creations have received rave reviews and have been recognized in travel publications and websites.
Here, he has provided a recipe for one of the most popular appetizers on the American Queen.
Both fried green tomatoes and corn macque choux are true southern delights and a guest favorite.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients:
2 each green tomatoes, sliced ¼” thick
4 cups oil, for frying, canola or peanut
1 cup flour, seasoned
1 cup buttermilk
1 ½ cups Zatarain’s Seasoned Fish Fry, sub as needed
½ pound Lump crabmeat, sub shrimp or crawfish tails
3 tablespoons Truffle oil, optional
Directions: Prepare sauce as directed and reserve. Warm
oven to 250 degrees for holding if necessary. Trim, core and
slice tomatoes, season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge tomato slices and shake off excess. Dip tomatoes in buttermilk.
Dredge slices in Zatarain’s, shake off excess. Reserve or fry
immediately. Just prior to service, fry tomatoes until golden
brown in 350 degree oil or sauté, turning as needed. Drain
well on paper towels. Warm crab over medium-low heat in a
skillet with a small amount of butter, take care not to break
lumps, about two minutes.
To serve: Shingle two slices of tomatoes onto plate. Top with
1.5 ounces of the reserved sauce. Divide crab evenly over
tomatoes and drizzle with truffle oil if desired. Garnish with
chopped fresh herb. Serves 4.
If preparing tomatoes for a large group, fry ahead and keep
warm in a preheated oven. Arrange tomatoes on a wire cooling
rack for best results.
Corn Macque Choux
Ingredients:
2 cups whole kernel corn
1 cup heavy cream
½ each red bell pepper, diced
small
½ each small yellow onion,
diced small
1 each garlic clove, minced
¼ cup diced smoked ham or
sausage, optional
freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
1 tablespoon butter
Directions: Heat a heavy
skillet over medium heat. Add
butter and sauté onion and bell
pepper until soft, add garlic.
Add ham or sausage if using
and brown slightly. Season
with pepper. Add corn and mix
well. Add cream and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat and simmer
until slightly thickened and
creamy. Adjust seasoning as
needed. Cream corn with bell
pepper and onion. Serves 6.
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The American Queen is proud to
introduce the Commodore Club, a new
level of exclusivity for guests in our
AAA and LS category cabins. From
exclusive check-in area and priority
dining arrangements to early boarding
privileges and a special officer hosted
reception, the Commodore Club experience will be the perfect fit for any
river journey.
For those guests in our LS suites, we
present a bespoke level of hospitality
that begins with the introduction of
your River Butler. From the moment
your journey begins, a River Butler
will attend to your every request, from
breakfast service to organizing dinner
served amidst the ever-changing landscape of the storied river.
Personalized 24 hour service includes:
• exclusive check-in
• welcoming you to your suite and
explaining entertainment controls
• unpacking and hanging of clothing
• facilitating laundry and pressing
services
• escorting you to your exclusive
theater balcony box
• serving afternoon tea
• delivering pre-dinner canapes and
post-dinner sweets
• serving dinner and breakfast on
your private veranda
• polishing and conditioning of
your shoes
• preparing and packing your
luggage
We hope that you find this new feature
convenient, welcoming and a special
treat as you cruise on the American
Queen.
Re-finishing touches
Renovations and Upgrades on the American Queen
Left and center: These photos show a New Orleans sunset and the
reflective finish of the bright white Awlgrip linear polyurethane paint
applied to most of the bulkheads.
By: John Waggoner
Chairman & CEO
American Queen Steamboat Company
It’s hard to believe that the American Queen
has just commenced her fourth year of
operations. It seems like only yesterday that
we were in Sulphur, Louisiana getting her
ready for her inaugural cruise.
This year, during her seven-week lay-up,
we accomplished a great deal of work that
our guests will notice immediately. The
first big improvement is the bright white
Awlgrip linear polyurethane paint on most
of the bulkheads. Awlgrip is normally used
on high-end yachts. It takes a substantial
amount of preparation prior to applying
this paint, but the finished product is
remarkable. Allison Peck, our Chief Mate
onboard, took a photo of the sun setting in
the reflection of the new paint (see photo
above). The paint is so smooth, it looks like
a mirror finish.
Another nice touch is the addition of
mahogany cap rails on the third deck and
Front Porch of America. Our ship’s carpenter, Marty Hendrich, assisted in the
design, fabrication and installation of these
rails. Additionally, Marty sanded all of the
mahogany doors on the third and fourth
deck. Nick Sampson, one of our onboard
painters, applied three coats of high-gloss
varnish to all of these doors. As our guests
walk onboard, they can’t help but notice the
glossy doors.
New carpet and paint will be one of the first things passengers will see as they board.
To complete the exterior look for the American Queen, Cesar Jasso and his painting
team were responsible for sanding, grinding, filing and painting the exterior decks.
This was a very tedious project. Cesar
and his team perfected the deck painting
process on the American Empress. It is a
lengthy process that entails grinding, needle
gunning and chiseling all of the loose deck
substrate. The raw metal is then sealed
with a two-part epoxy. Any divots are then
filled with epoxy filler. The decks are then
primed and a high-solid deck leveler is
applied. A gloss urethane completes the
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painting process. Great job team! The decks
and the bulkheads look great.
Guests dining in the JM White Dining
Room will quickly notice the mirrored wall
at the aft end of the dining room. This architectural detail was copied from the Ritz
Carlton Hotel in London. I saw this design
and asked David Kelly if he could replicate
the mirrored wall in the dining room. After
a few design meetings and mock ups, David
and Marty were able to construct this in a
Continued on PAGE 6
Above: Mirrors based on a design from the Ritz Carlton Hotel in London have been hung in the JM
White Dining Room.
Left: Exterior doors have been refinished and varnished.
Continued from PAGE 5
two-week period.
Our guests will also notice the newly designed
restrooms adjacent to the Grand Saloon. You
will quickly notice David Kelly’s handiwork.
David was also responsible for leading a team
of craftsmen who installed new tile floors in
the bars, installed new wallpaper in 34 staterooms, re-carpeted the companionways, 40
staterooms and several of the public areas. For
the owner suites, on deck 5 forward, new awnings were installed and upgraded lighting in
the hallway leading to their rooms. The River
Grill also benefited from an upgrade with new
structure being built to hold a new awning for
additional shade.
Extensive work was carried out on the fur-
niture in all public areas and guest cabins,
replacing all of the fabric on the furniture.
New drapes for the owners suites were added in addition to upgraded lighting in these
rooms, new furniture and a new vanity.
Marvin Williams and the entire engineering department were also hard at it
during layup. A new paddlewheel shaft was
fabricated, and they rebuilt the entire paddlewheel. They also installed a new HVAC
compressor, rebuilt all three generators and
rebuilt the DC motor that powers the port
Z-Drive. Marvin stated that the American
Queen is in the best mechanical shape of
her life.
We look forward to a great sailing season.
I know you will all be impressed with the
many new additions to the American Queen.
Meet Alex Stylianou
New mahogany railings have been installed throughout the third
deck and Front Porch of America.
sionate about cruising. He is originally from
Long Island, New York and attended college
at Southeastern Louisiana University,
located near New Orleans, Louisiana. When
off of the American Queen, Alex lives in St.
Pete Beach, Florida.
Onboard Guest Services &
Sales Director, American Queen
Alex Stylianou is very excited to be in this position, ensuring that our
guests have the most memorable cruise experience possible, while also
providing convenience for guests to take advantage of exclusive onboard savings for their next cruise. Usually, you will find Alex walking
around the boat engaging with guests or located by the Purser’s Desk
for some one-on-one consulting during designated hours. Many past
cruisers appreciate how convenient it is to have a subject-matter expert
onboard to assist in the planning process of their next vacation.
Alex is also passionate about guest service
and is dedicated to ensuring that we exceed
our guest’s expectations. Feel free to bring
anything to his attention, and for those who
are interested in learning more about the
American Empress and American Queen’s
itineraries available, it would be his pleasure
to discuss options, exclusive incentives and answer any questions that
you may have while onboard.
Alex has spent a combined six years at sea and on the river and is pas6
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MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
As a member of Steamboat Society of America, you will have the opportunity to enjoy exclusive benefits and incentives for cruising frequently
with us. We offer five levels of membership: Basic, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond. Each level has an increased number of benefits and is
reached after cruising a designated number of times. Learn more about incentives and the different levels of membership below.
All Steamboat Society of America members will receive the following after one cruise:
• The Paddlewheeler quarterly newsletter
• Advance information on new itineraries
• Exclusive invitations to cruises, select pre-cruise events, and promotions
• Designation pin for American Queen Steamboat Company™ Steamboat Society of America™
• Friends and family access to tour and come aboard for breakfast or lunch aboard American Queen or American Empress in port when member is a cruise guest
• Private cocktail party hosted by the Captain and vessel officers onboard
• Member access for breakfast or lunch when American Queen or American Empress are in port near hometown
RUBY
SAPPHIRE
EMERALD
DIAMOND
(After 5 cruises)
(After 10 cruises)
(After 20 cruises)
(After 30 cruises)
“Members only” luggage tags
“Members only” luggage tags
“Members only” luggage tags
“Members only” luggage tags
Membership status name badge
Membership status name badge
Membership status name badge
Membership status name badge
Dedicated reservations line
providing special service for
members
Dedicated reservations line
providing special service for
members
Dedicated reservations line
providing special service for
members
Dedicated reservations line
providing special service for
members
Receive a $50 on board credit
per member
Preferred reserved dining room
seating
Preferred reserved dining room
seating
Preferred reserved dining room
seating
Priority check-in and vessel
pre-boarding
Receive a $100 on board credit
per member
Receive a $100 on board credit
per member
Receive a $150 on board credit
per member
Special in-rooms amenities
Priority check-in and vessel
pre-boarding
One cabin category upgrade at
time of booking
Two cabin category upgrade at
time of booking
Special in-rooms amenities
Priority check-in and vessel
pre-boarding
Priority check-in and vessel
pre-boarding
Special in-rooms amenities
Special in-rooms amenities
Welcome back signed card
from the Captain plus a box of
American Queen or American
Empress notecards
Welcome back signed card
from the Captain plus a box of
American Queen or American
Empress notecards
Complimentary laundry
service
Complimentary laundry
service
Complimentary laundry
service
Welcome back signed card
from the Captain plus a box of
American Queen or American
Empress notecards
Complimentary laundry
service
Members on their 10th, 20th and 30th cruises will receive a deluxe official wall certificate and onboard Captain’s presentation of framed painting
signed by Michael Blazer. Additionally, members on their 30th cruise will have their name added to a mahogany & brass commemorative wall
plaque mounted in lobby of all American Queen Steamboat Company vessels.
For more information and reservations, contact your professional travel agent
or American Queen Steamboat Company at (888) 749-5280 or www.AQSC.com.
*Membership benefits are non-transferable, combinable with other applicable promotional offers and must be applied to future cruise travel. Additional rules and conditions apply. Vessel access and on-board
visits by members: capacity controlled on a daily basis; not available in “turnover port” cities; reservations and government guest security information is required; guests must be accompanied by members.
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welcome aboard.
One Commerce Square
40 South Main Street
Memphis, TN 38103
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