Delta Queen Steamboat Company 2007 Schedule Designed to Explore the Heart and Soul of America

Company's Three Authentic Steamboats Will Carry Guests in Comfort and Style to 17 States Via 12 Rivers in 2007, Providing the Ultimate Way to Experience America

SEATTLE, June 19 
Delta Queen Steamboat Company, one of North America's premier All-American, U.S.-flagged river cruising companies, announced today its cruise schedule for 2007. During 2007, all three of Delta Queen's deluxe river cruise ships will ply America's great rivers with journeys through the length of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, and trips into tributaries such as the Arkansas, Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. The cruises are designed to offer more opportunities to discover the heart and soul of America on the rivers that helped shape American history. Every journey aboard a Delta Queen steamboat brings to life the pioneering spirit and sense of adventure shared by travelers of years past, when steamboats ruled the country's rivers. With the flexibility to choose from three to 11-night cruises, and values that will appeal to just about every traveler, the 2007 schedule includes more ways than ever before for even the most seasoned travelers to experience America's vibrant history, distinct culture and natural beauty.

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"The Delta Queen 2007 river cruise programs are designed to provide every guest with an unforgettable cruise experience that showcases the majesty of America," said David A. Giersdorf, President and Chief Operating Officer, Ambassadors Cruise Group, which operates Delta Queen Steamboat Company. "The Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, and their tributaries, provide some of America's most beautiful scenery and compelling destinations. Our collection of unique cruise vacations explores these historical waterways and communities in the manner in which they were intended to be experienced and celebrate the rich, colorful history of America."

Discover American Heritage on the Lower Mississippi

The Lower Mississippi River region stretches from Memphis, Tennessee, the third-largest inland port city, to the Crescent City of New Orleans. In March 2007, the grand American Queen, the historic Delta Queen and the classic Mississippi Queen will kick-off the season with a series of six, seven and eight-night cruises throughout the region. The popular seven-night Memphis to New Orleans cruise provides port calls and shore adventures that immerse guests in Southern hospitality, charm and culture. Along the way, guests can soak up the Delta Blues in Helena, Arkansas at the Delta Cultural Center; learn more about the siege of Vicksburg in Vicksburg, Mississippi; and visit the beautiful plantation homes in Natchez, Mississippi and St. Francisville, Louisiana. Fares for this week-long cruise start at $1,549 per person based on double occupancy. Cruises depart from either Memphis or New Orleans.

Cruises on the Lower Mississippi aboard the American Queen or Delta Queen give guests an opportunity to experience the romance of the antebellum era firsthand, providing a way to discover a land of fertile cotton fields, vast sugar plantations, moss-draped bayous and mysterious cypress swamps. Optional shore adventures include visits to poignant Civil War battlefields and bustling port cities such as New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Memphis. For music lovers, there are opportunities to listen to blues, jazz, gospel and Cajun folk music.

Explore the Upper Mississippi and the Ohio River in America's Heartland

In early summer, Delta Queen's steamboats head up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers straight through America's Heartland. The ships carry guests through the scenic panorama that embodies the Heartland region - from pristine farms nestled in rolling terrain to steep bluffs that rise from rivers dotted with wooded islands. Guests can choose from more than ten different departure ports traveling from trading posts where the settlers first met and befriended Native Americans to bustling river ports that became the country's great cities and fascinating little river towns. Shore adventures along the way allow guests to stroll through the Victorian architecture in the historic district of Red Wing, Minnesota; experience the life of a barge pilot at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa; and visit the boyhood home of Samuel Langhorne Clemens -- better known as Mark Twain -- in Hannibal, Missouri. All three of the Delta Queen steamboats offer Upper Mississippi cruise routes. Guests can choose from 14 different journeys between July 5 and November 4, 2007. Fares start from $1,789 per person based on double occupancy.

A wonderful way to discover America's Heartland is to take advantage of the popular Fall Foliage theme cruises. These journeys allow guests to enjoy the glorious palette of colors along the river. The trip is planned to give guests the opportunity to sample the bounty of the Heartland at harvest time in port stops at picture postcard towns such as Winona, Minnesota, a town founded by a steamboat captain in 1851; La Crosse, Wisconsin, with its Amish Country flavor; and Alton, Illinois, where guests can retrace the very beginnings of Lewis and Clark's trek across the country. An onboard naturalist will help guests identify the beautiful flora and fauna along the way. There are 27 Fall Foliage cruises exploring both the Heartland and the Wilderness Rivers regions between September 21 and November 11, 2007. Guests can choose to travel on any one of the Delta Queen steamboats and select from three to seven-night programs. Fares start from $1,049 based on double occupancy.

The Wilderness Rivers offer new Discoveries

Off the beaten path are the Wilderness Rivers: Tennessee, Cumberland, Black Warrior and Kanawha. This is the birthplace of the golden age of steamboats. Journeys transport guests through the fabled countryside that gave America Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. The landscape changes from gently rolling hills to precipitous cliffs and farmlands where the architecture ranges from rugged log cabins to magnificent mansions. With a variety of Wilderness Rivers cruise routes to select from, guests have the opportunity to travel aboard any of the three Delta Queen steamboats. The popular five-night Cincinnati to Pittsburgh cruise offers optional shore adventures such as the opportunity to learn about one of the most notorious battles ever fought between the Native Americans and early settlers at Point Pleasant, West Virginia; a stroll through Victorian Old Town in Wheeling, West Virginia and the chance to examine prehistoric Native American artifacts in Marietta, Ohio. Fares for the Cincinnati to Pittsburgh journey start at $1,259 per person based on double occupancy. The programs along the Wilderness Rivers are offered July through November, 2007.

Themed Cruises Delve into History

Delta Queen Steamboat Company offers a wide variety of popular themed cruises throughout the year that celebrate the music, history, culture, holidays and events that Americans cherish. For example, the Big Band music vacation allows guests to swing to the timeless sound of Big Band music with special performances by some of the great acts from the era. These theme cruises typically feature interesting lectures, optional onboard and onshore experiences, and additional big-name entertainment.

Other themed cruises include the Kentucky Derby cruise, Civil War cruises along the Red and Ouachita rivers, as well as the annual Great Steamboat Race between the Delta Queen and the Mississippi Queen, when both boats race to St. Louis in time for the city's 4th of July riverfront celebration and the dazzling "Fireworks on the River" program that evening.

Three Distinct Ships Each Provide a Unique River Cruise Experience

Guests can choose to travel the great rivers of America aboard the magnificent American Queen, the grand Mississippi Queen or the legendary Delta Queen. Each of the ships showcase the opulence of the Golden Age of steamboat travel in its own way while offering every modern comfort, convenience and service that travelers today expect. All Delta Queen ships provide an unforgettable cruise experience with exceptional cuisine, high-quality entertainment and enrichment programs and an extraordinary level of warm, attentive service from the energetic all-American crew.

Early Bookings Ensure the Very Best Value

These popular American river cruises are in high demand every year. Guests are encouraged to reserve their travel by September 30, 2006 to ensure the greatest choice and availability of departures and to take advantage of early booking savings of 10 percent (up to $700 per couple). For additional information, contact Lighthouse Travel at 800-719-9917.


About Delta Queen Steamboat Company

Delta Queen Steamboat Company and American West Steamboat Company are divisions of Ambassadors Cruise Group, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ambassadors International, Inc (Nasdaq: AMIE).