| Major Countess milestone

AMERICAN Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) has hailed a key step in the construction of its new 245-passenger American Countess (pictured), with the connection of the stern to the bow and mid-body section at the Gulf Island Shipyard in Louisiana.

The Countess is being built using the existing hull of the Kanesville Queen, a former gaming vessel built in 1995, which was cut in two to allow the addition of a 20m new mid-body section.

The American Countess, which is set to launch in Apr 2020, will offer a series of six to 15-day itineraries, including the landmark “Mighty Mississippi” cruise, with AQSC CEO John Waggoner saying she will “raise the bar on US river cruising”.