Legendary Delta Queen Riverboat moving to Kimmswick, MO
Date Posted: September 17, 2015
Source: Betsy Johnson, AGLCA Forum

Delta-Queen.jpgA little town on the Great Loop Route will be the new home of an iconic riverboat. The historic Delta Queen will call Kimmswick, Missouri, her home port. Kimmswick is well known to "Loopers" and Inland River snowbirds as the home of Hoppie's Marine Service – a critical stop on the route, where co-owner Fern Hopkins conducts her "mandatory daily briefing" to cruising boats to help them navigate the tricky waterways ahead. The arrival of the Delta Queen – a National Historic Landmark – may not only boost the economy of this Mississippi River town, but may help to keep Hoppie's docks in deeper water – dikes built in the river several years ago have caused the marina to silt in (one of the dikes has recently been removed).

Long-time loopers and cruisers Betsy and Rick Johnson have traveled on the Delta Queen many times, and say they have always enjoyed the experience. Here is Betsy's report, posted at the AGLCA Forum (used by permission – thanks, Betsy!):

The Delta Queen Steamboat, on which Rick and I have traveled many times, has been out of service since 2008 due to a technicality involving our Federal Government. Since then she has been docked in Chattanooga, TN, operating as a hotel. Thanks to the efforts of many dedicated lovers of this historic vessel, it looks like she might again be able to operate as a passenger vessel on the Mighty Miss and adjoining rivers. 

The re-formed Delta Queen Steamboat Company announced this week that their new corporate headquarters will be in Kimmswick, MO, the home of Hoppie's Marina that is so crucial to all Loopers. Kimmswick will also be the homeport for the Delta Queen! According to the press release, this will have a massive economic impact on Kimmswick and the surrounding area, creating more than 170 jobs and bringing in more than $36.4 million to the area annually.

The officials of the Delta Queen hope to have the vessel back in service in 2016 but must first secure a congressional exemption to allow the vessel to return to the overnight cruise trade. Anyone interested in seeing the iconic Delta Queen cruise again should contact their U.S. representative and senators and urge them to support House Bill 1248 and Senate Bill 1717.

What does this mean for Loopers? Could it be hugely beneficial to Hoppie's because the riverfront nearby will have to be kept navigable, which has been an ongoing problem for the past several years. Could a new docking facility for the Queen be expanded to include dockage for Loopers if something happens to Hoppie's? Should the AGLCA contact the Delta Queen Steamboat Company to make sure they know hundreds of Loopers stop here every year? Many much larger cities up and down the entire river system were vying to have the DQ make them the new headquarters. Why they chose tiny Kimmswick we don't know, but we are excited about it.

Rick and I were on the cruise when it was announced that the Queen was going to be forced by Congress to retire, and we were on her final voyage the following year. We hope to be on her first voyage when she is put back into service. Kimmswick, here we come!

Comment Submitted by John W. - January 6, 2016
I am curious as to why Congress (or other branch of the government) forced her to stop operating.
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