An unusual event occurred Tuesday evening on the Muscatine riverfront and could be a preview of what is to come as the American Duchess made a trial port stop in Muscatine in front of the Pearl City Station in Riverside Park.
“We encourage everyone to come out and welcome the American Duchess to Muscatine,” Brad Bark, Mayor of Muscatine, said prior to the vessels arrival. “This is something that we have worked a long time for and we are confident that the test will be successful and Muscatine will be added to the list of stops for these river cruises.”
The cruise ship was in Muscatine for about a half-hour before returning to cruising the Mississippi River. A live-stream of the event captured by City of Muscatine officials can be accessed by clicking HERE.
If successful, Muscatine could be added to future stops for the Duchess or one of her sister ships owned by the American Queen Steamboat Company.
On August 14, 2017 the American Duchess was christened with a bottle of bourbon at the waterfront in New Orleans. The Duchess features some of the largest accommodations on the river, with rooms ranging from 150-630 square feet. She holds up to 166 guests.
Before she became the American Duchess, she was originally designed and built for Isle of Capri Casinos and harbored in Bettendorf Iowa. On October 16, 2016, Bettendorf locals gathered on the levee to bid their farewell to the 21-year-old casino boat. They watched her pull off the river bank, free at last! Sailing to follow her dreams.
