Cruising the Ohio River~on the American Queen~Marietta, Ohio – All Issues Cruise

August 7, 2022

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ON THE OHIO RIVER_It’s superb how a lot the Ohio River winds round. Our cruise began in Kentucky, continued to Indiana, as much as Ohio, again to Kentucky, then to West Virginia and now Ohio once more.

In the present day the American Queen is docked in Marietta, Ohio, one other a kind of charming riverboat cities that served as a gateway to the West, and our final port of name. The skies are threatening, and the boat has ponchos and umbrellas on the prepared ought to we’d like them. A number of visitors are benefiting from the bicycles, accessible from the boat at no cost.

The primary cease on right this moment’s “hop on, hop off” bus tour is neither historic nor noteworthy, until you’re in want of toothpaste. It’s the native Ceremony-Assist drugstore, which is actually a good suggestion for many who want it.

Alongside the best way, we be taught fascinating info in regards to the metropolis from the guides on every bus. Moreover discovering it was named for Marie Antoinette, we’re additionally informed the Marietta Faculty soccer crew beat the mighty Ohio State crew within the Eighteen Eighties. That should have been a shock.

Different stops embody Mound Cemetery, the place the most important variety of Revolutionary Struggle officers are buried, The Citadel, a stately historic mansion, the Ohio River Museum, showcasing the Golden Age of steamboat journey and the Youngsters’s Toy and Doll Museum, the place you’ll be able to relive your youth.

Pam and I spent additional time strolling the primary downtown road, marked by hanging flowers and historic buildings, a lot of them present process renovation. It’s fascinating how these small cities are present process a renaissance as extra folks embrace restoring these constructions to their former glory — pattern to see.

One positive signal the cruise is coming to an finish: Our baggage tags arrive. We have now chosen “Unbiased” as our departure possibility, which means they may have our luggage ready for us on the pier in Pittsburgh, and we’ll take it from there. We’ll need to be off the boat Monday by 8:45. However that also means now we have 36 hours left to take pleasure in ourselves.

Shortly after we re-board from the tour, the rain hits. Timing, as they are saying, is every thing. They’re serving a lunch buffet on the Entrance Porch, in addition to buffet and menu picks in the primary eating room. Throughout lunch, we meet a girl who, lo and behold, attended the identical highschool I did, only some years earlier. Discuss a small world!

One other couple at our desk informed us this was their eighth cruise on American Queen. They’ve cruised on American Empress and Duchess as nicely, however American Queen is their favourite due to its conventional steamboat ambiance.

American Queen has a visitor loyalty program: The Steamboat Society of America. Company are robotically enrolled as “Traditional” members after their first cruise. You may obtain completely different ranges of membership primarily based on what number of nights you’ve cruised. “Ruby” is 35-69 cruise nights, “Sapphire” as much as 139, “Emerald” as much as 209 and “Diamond” is 210-plus cruise nights. Advantages embody onboard credit, reductions and upgrades. We have now heard there may be one particular person onboard that has logged over 400 cruise nights.

Within the afternoon, Mandy is internet hosting a trivia contest within the Grand Saloon. I believe I’ll strive my luck. There are 20 normal information questions, however I can inform after the primary three this isn’t going to finish nicely. I imply, are we alleged to know “What 12 months did Disney World open?” and “What nation has a monkey puzzle tree?” I ended up with 5 right solutions. The winner acquired 12.

After that humiliation, we listened because the Steamboat Syncopators entertained within the Captain’s Bar with a choice of Dixieland favorites. Later, they joined the ship’s entertainers for tonight’s present, “Selection Tonight,” that includes songs from Motown to the Beatles. There was a really poignant second throughout “Let It Be” when a display screen got here down they usually confirmed a montage of slides depicting the anti-war motion, racism protests and the social upheavals of the Sixties.

After leaving Marietta, the river forward is broad and fairly lovely, with water extra bluish within the late afternoon solar. Lengthy barges carrying coal passed by, and we watched from the commentary deck as American Queen entered the Willow Island lock. With the rains departed, it was a postcard-worthy time to be on the Ohio.

The spotlight of dinner was a wild rice corn fritter and hen pot pie. One factor we actually like in regards to the meals are the parts — they’re a wise measurement. So typically, cruise ship meals is served in ridiculously giant quantities, and you find yourself feeling responsible in regards to the waste.

There’s a particular “Night time Watch” occasion hosted by the ship’s riverlorian, Chris Wistey, held within the boat’s Chart Room, on the entrance of the boat on deck 4. She goes into element about how old-time steamboats used the leadline to measure water depth, and the phrases related to it. The measure for protected water (12 toes above the lead) was “Mark Twain,” which after all turned the pen identify for Samuel Clemons. Outdoors there’s an indication of the boat’s three-million-candlepower searchlight, which might see issues miles forward.

Tomorrow is our final full day on the boat, and we’ll spend it navigating locks on our approach to our finish vacation spot, Pittsburgh. After all there will likely be luggage to pack, however that may come later. We need to savor on a regular basis now we have left.

PHOTOS by Gerry Barker