Majestic America Line has announced the farewell tour for the fabled riverboat.
Last August, Congress did not extend the boat a statutory exemption from a 1966 law banning passenger vessels with wooden superstructures. The law prohibits wooden vessels from carrying 50 or more people on overnight trips. Built in 1926, the Delta Queen has a steel hull and a wooden superstructure.
While efforts continue to extend the congressional exemption beyond the October 31 expiration date, Majestic America Line is planning the ship’s 2008 departures with the fanfare of a farewell season. The 176-passenger Delta Queen will sail from April 18 through the end of October. The itineraries are based around America’s Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland rivers.
Tributes to communities that the Delta Queen visits will be conducted on special dates during selected sailings of the season and feature a presentation to each city, medley of river music by the Delta Queen Band and remarks by Delta Queen’s Captain from the bow of the boat. A calliope concert will follow as Delta Queen departs.
Delta Queen Tribute Events
Day Event Time Location
April 20, 2008 Noon St. Francisville, Louisiana
May 10, 2008 5 p.m. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
May 14, 2008 4 p.m. Maysville, Kentucky
June 3, 2008 5 p.m. Nashville, Tennessee
June 21, 2008 4 p.m. Henderson, Kentucky
July 7, 2008 Noon New Madrid, Missouri
July 17, 2008 Noon Cape Giradeau, Missouri
July 27, 2008 Noon Madison, Indiana
August 3, 2008 Noon Wheeling, West Virginia
August 12, 2008 5 p.m. St. Louis, Missouri
August 13, 2008 Noon Alton, Illinois
August 17, 2008 4 p.m. Clarksville, Tennessee
September 3, 2008 Noon Dover, Tennessee
September 21, 2008 4 p.m. Paducah, Kentucky
October 2, 2008 4 p.m. Marietta, Ohio
October 7, 2008 Noon Point Pleasant, West Virginia
October 21, 2008 4 p.m. Cincinnati, Ohio
October 24, 2008 Noon Louisville, Kentucky
October 25, 2008 Noon Grandview, Indiana
October 30, 2008 TBD Memphis, Tennessee
November 1, 2008 4 p.m. Helena, Arkansas
November 2, 2008 4 p.m. Greenville, Mississippi
November 3, 2008 4 p.m. Vicksburg, Mississippi
November 4, 2008 4 p.m. Natchez, Mississippi
November 5, 2008 4 p.m. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
November 6, 2008 4 p.m. Oak Alley Plantation, Louisiana
November 7, 2008 TBD New Orleans, Louisiana
*schedule dates and times subject to change
Information on the “Save the Delta Queen” campaign can be found at www.majesticamericaline.com.
Perhaps your entry which reads
August 17, 2008 4 p.m. Clarksville, Tennessee
should actually read Clarsville, Missouri. Clarksville, Tennessee is not a river town and is a good 40 miles from the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers.
Sorry, my mistake, Clarksville, Tennessee is on the Cumberland.
Saw the delta heading up the cumberland this afternoon (aug 16, 2008) heading to Clarksville, Tenn. . wanted to see it pass through the locks at Lake Barkley, But the Goverment idiots had the access area fenced off, and now I find out they (G.I.) also may do away with the delta queen also, due to their antiquated Laws
I spent much of my life in NO. This is yet another case of “Government Wisdom”. truly an onymoron. Doesn’t anyone have any sense of history? The Queen have been extensively upgraded over the years and nover is more than perhaps 500 yards from shore !
Is the sailing future of the Delta Queen now a dead issue? I have friends in Canada who would kike to take the cruise, but I told them the Delta Queen was smaller & more intimate than the Mississippi Queen, I can say that from personal and family experience.
If the owners have not already commited the ship to retirement, is there anything that can be done to keep her sailing.
wbringier@gmail.com