The American Queen Steamboat Company has closed on its purchase of the American Empress, the riverboat formerly known as Empress of the North. The 223-passenger vessel will begin operating Columbia and Snake river cruises between Portland, Ore., and Clarkston, Wash., on April 5.

American Queen Steamboat Company, which also operates the American Queen on rivers in the U.S. heartland, is buying the vessel from the U.S. Maritime Administration. MARAD has maintained the riverboat since Majestic America Line went under in 2008.

“Over 30 skilled craftsmen and engineers have been hard at work preparing the American Empress for service over the last eight months focusing on the exterior, engine room and now the hotel portion of the vessel,” said John Waggoner, Chairman and CEO of the American Queen Steamboat Company.

A U.S.-flagged vessel, the American Empress measures 360 feet long with five decks and seven stateroom categories. “We are pleased with the robust level of sales already taken for the inaugural season of the American Empress,” said company President and COO Ted Sykes. “We look forward to a very successful year.”

The maiden voyage will be a nine-day journey that stops in Astoria and The Dalles, Ore., and Stevenson, Sacajawea State Park and Clarkston, Wash.

Complimentary shore excursions in every port include cultural and historical landmarks. An onboard history and culture expert called the Riverlorian will deliver daily lectures. Travelers with specific interests can purchase Premium Experience Excursions such as the Walla Walla Wine Trail or the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum. 

Built in 2003, the American Empress was operated by Majestic America Line from 2003 to 2008, sailing Alaska’s Inside Passage and the Pacific Northwest.

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