Mississippi River
The LOUISIANE was originally built as COLUMBIA QUEEN in 2000 for the Delta Queen Steamboat Co. at Leevac Shipyards, Inc. of Jennings, LA, and was completed at Cascade General, Inc., in Portland, OR. She was built in the style of many historic river boats. The hull originates from a former casino boat. The Columbia Queen plyed the Columbia, Willamette and Snake Rivers, joined by the Queen of the West and – in winter, by the American Empress, ex Empress of the North.
The LOUISIANE has a troublesome history, first being the fourth of the Delta Queen Steamboat Company “Queens” for just one year until the company filed for chapter 11. Later she was sold to Great American River Journeys, who ran her just for one season until the company went bankrupt. Then she was part of Majestic America Line, which was also a reunion with the other three Queens far away on the Mississippi River system, the Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen. End of 2008 Majestic America Line discontinued their operational business.
In summer 2016, the COLUMBIA QUEEN has been taken from the Pacific Northwest to the Mississippi River system to be refurbished and deployed as a river cruise ship by the newly formed French America Line under her new name LOUISIANE. She reportedly started her inaugural season in 2017 on the Mississippi River. But the cruise line obviously ceased operations shortly after. French America Line claimed on their website to send the boat to Puerto Rico to support hurricane Maria relief efforts and will bring the boat back on the rivers in late summer 2018 – which did not happen. The LOUISIANE is laid up since then.
Pictures
This pictures of the river cruise ship Columbia Queen are from her 2005 season on a cruise on the Columbia, Willamette and Snake Rivers in 2005, out of Portland, OR. The cruise on the Columbia Queen was a wonderful experience, while we especially enjoyed going through these huge locks along the river.
