Queen of the West Cruise Review

The U.S.-flagged, 230-foot Queen of the West was the first overnight passenger sternwheeler to be built and operated in the West in 80 years. Launched in 1995, the Queen of the West is propelled solely by her three-story-high churning paddlewheel, just like sternwheelers of the past. But unlike those earlier craft, the Queen doesn’t rely on a steam engine. Instead, she is powered by a revolutionary hydraulic propulsion system that uses environmentally safe biodegradable hydraulic oil. Her 45-foot-long bow ramp allows passengers to go ashore anywhere along the river, much as the 19th-century vessels did.

Operator: American West Steamboat Co	Capacity (double occupancy): 160
Builder: N/A	Full Capacity:N/A
Inaugurated: 1995	Space Ratio: N/A
Gross Tonnage: 3,707 gt	Crew: 48
Length: 230 ft. / 70 m	Berlitz® Rating: N/R

Award Winning Vessel
The Queen of the West has won numerous independent awards over the years, such as CruiseReports Highest Quality Rating and Top Ship Overall in the Tour Cruise Category. And, the Queen of the West won two of the most esteemed travel awards – Conde Nast Traveler Gold List Winner and Reader’s Choice Award.

American West Steamboat Company is proud to be one of the top 20 cruises lines featured in a Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List. Every year, Condé Nast Traveler subscribers cast their vote in the Readers' Choice Poll, from which the Gold List highlights the very finest hotels, resorts, and cruise lines. “Spectacular scenery,” “interesting tours,” and “a great way to see the American Northwest” are just some of the comments made by the readers of Condé Nast.

Consistently, American West Steamboat Company receives high honors in CruiseReports’ annual Head of the Class awards and this year is no exception. The Queen of the West received a 9.9 Top Quality Rating in the tour category and a perfect 10 in overall condition, inside public areas, port calls, shore excursions, cuisine, service, embarkation and disembarkation. Each year, CruiseReports rates cruise ships based on independent evaluations obtained directly from passengers, with the mission of providing discerning cruise travelers and travel professionals a single source for the best and most objective advice and recommendations for selecting a quality cruise vacation.