American Queen Embarks on New Voyage in Wake of Hurricane

For the first time in its history, the American Queen, one of the three authentic steamboats of Delta Queen Steamboat Company, embarked through the Gulf of Mexico on a journey to Texas on a 30-day charter. Based on confidentiality, the company did not issue the name of the chartering entity.

The steamboat traveled down the Mississippi River and out into the Gulf of Mexico for a two-day journey to Texas.

Bruce Nierenberg, president of Delta Queen Steamboat Company, praised its parent company´s relief efforts. “From even before the hurricane hit the area, Delaware North was mobilizing to help a city where it had approximately 1,000 employees. So far the company has donated in excess of half a million dollars to the relief effort. This latest opportunity allows us to keep one of our steamboats active, until it returns to service in the spring of 2006.”

Delta Queen Steamboat Company, owned by Delaware North Companies, a global leader in hospitality, was located in New Orleans until the devastation of Hurricane Katrina forced it to relocate its headquarters and operations to its parent company´s global headquarters in New York.

The American Queen´s main routes were in and out of New Orleans, while the other two Delta Queen steamboats –the national landmark Delta Queen, and the Mississippi Queen- are completing up-river routes through the fall.

The American Queen´s expedition to Texas will last a minimum of 30 days. The American Queen will continue to be chartered through the winter season and will return to regular passenger steamboat service in the spring of 2006.