American Queen steamboat will be rollin’ on the river again

The American Queen, the largest steamboat ever built, will return to the Mississippi River with cruises starting in April. The re-created riverboat that had ended service in 2008 returns under new management and with onboard entertainment and historians to keep it lively. An added holiday gift: a $150 shipboard credit for those who reserve by the end of December.

The Great American Steamboat Co. will offer three- to 10-day itineraries focusing on the Civil War, Southern culture, spring gardens, fall foliage, the Kentucky Derby and other themes. Some cruises feature bands such as the Glen Miller Orchestra, the Lovin’ Spoonful, Bill Haley’s Comets and more. The American Queen will cruise between New Orleans and St. Paul, Minn. on the Mississippi River and as far north as Pittsburgh on the Ohio River.

Date: Cruises start April 13 and continue through Dec. 29, 2012.

Price: Fares begin at $995 a person for a three-day trip, based on double occupancy. It includes accommodations, meals, a night’s stay in a hotel room before or after the cruise, entertainment and shore excursions.

Tested: I contacted Frontiers Elegant Journeys to check on availability for a 10-night Epic Civil War cruise. The trip departs Aug. 20 and stops in Chattanooga, Tenn.; Decatur, Ala.; Florence, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.: Paducah, Ky.; Memphis; and Vicksburg, Miss. Cabins start at $2,845 a person, based on double occupancy, and come with the $150 shipboard credit if booked by Dec. 31.

Contact: Frontiers Elegant Journeys, (800) 245-1950, or contact a travel agent.