Countess In!

Porthole Cruise and Travel enjoys slice after slice of Americana while sailing the new American Countess.

- JOHN ROBERTS

THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI HAS CARVED AN INDELIBLE PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, GIVING LIFE AND CHARACTER TO THE CITIES AND TOWNS THAT POPPED UP ALONG ITS WINDING ROUTE THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE COUNTRY.

Imagine a journey into the heartland on this immense and diverse river that has helped define the nation over the course of the past two and a half centuries. Imagine a voyage that transports you back in time, immersing you in places that have seen the rise of influential music traditions, industrial advances, and culinary breakthroughs, as well as the pain and struggle of wartime and natural disasters.

This is the kind of escape that opens your eyes to the rugged, adventurous, and enriching history of the Mississippi River.

Now, envision that adventure while sipping premium wines and cocktails, eating gourmet cuisine, and savoring the sunsets from your perch on a classic steamship that exudes modern elegance.

American Queen Steamboat Company’s newest ship, American Countess, launched in March 2021, almost a year after its initially scheduled debut (because of the pandemic), and this Mississippi River paddle wheeler is set to give cruisers a unique way to experience some of America’s most unique charms.

American Countess can carry up to 245 passengers — compared with the line’s flagship giant American Queen, which has a capacity of 436 — across its spacious foredeck design. American Countess, the former Kanesville Queen casino boat, was stretched and fully refurbished at Gulf Island shipyard in Houma, Louisiana.