American Cruise Lines Retires American West After 31 Years
Built in Freeland, Washington, as Queen of the West, the vessel used diesel engines and a hydraulic motor to turn its 20-ton stern paddlewheel rather than steam.
American Cruise Lines retired American West on Oct. 29 after 31 years of sailing on the Columbia River. The company plans to recycle the paddlewheeler and replace it with modern riverboats serving the Columbia and Snake rivers.
American Encore began operating in the region in May, while American Anthem is scheduled to follow in 2027. The retirement does not end the company’s paddlewheel cruising in the region: American Pride remains among the vessels operating there.
The newer boats have greater passenger capacity. American Encore accommodates 180 guests, compared with approximately 110 to 120 aboard American West. Built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding, the 269-foot Encore has 94 staterooms, all with private balconies.
Built as Queen of the West
American West entered service in 1995 as Queen of the West, built for American West Steamboat Company by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, Washington. Approximately 230 feet long and about 2,100 gross tons, the vessel later passed to Majestic America Line before American Cruise Lines acquired it.
Although modeled on nineteenth-century riverboats, American West was not steam-powered. Diesel engines supplied a hydraulic motor that drove its stern-mounted paddlewheel, which weighed approximately 20 tons. A bow ramp roughly 45 feet long provided shore access.
The vessel underwent a major renovation in 2011 that added private balconies and a library and converted some cabins into single-occupancy rooms. Another extensive redesign and refurbishment took place in 2021–2022, when the boat received the American West name.
Another replacement due in April 2027
American Anthem is scheduled to launch in April 2027. The planned riverboat will accommodate 180 guests, with its smallest double-occupancy staterooms measuring approximately 300 square feet.
