Two riverboat visits to Kimmswick last year went so well that more are on the way.
American Queen Voyages, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has announced plans for three of its river-cruising vessels to drop anchor at Kimmswick 13 times this year.
The first, the American Duchess, stopped by the city on Sunday, June 12. The American Countess will visit next, on Sunday, July 10.
The company had planned three visits during 2021 but only two took place because of low Mississippi River levels.
However, Kimmswick made such a good impression that company officials decided the town should be a regular stop for its steamboats, which carry as many as 400 people and 175 crew members up and down the nation’s rivers.
“They did such a good job last year and made a great impression among their guests and crew that they’re coming back this year,” said Cory Schuh, deputy director of the Jefferson County Port Authority, which operates the Kimmswick port.
Last year, Kimmswick city officials and Kimmswick Historical Society members greeted visitors with ceremonies featuring music, speeches and other festivities. Tour buses took passengers to various sites in Kimmswick and the county while the boats were docked.
Originally, American Queen officials announced a schedule of eight stops in Kimmswick in 2022, but soon added five more after its regular patrons expressed a strong preference for Kimmswick over downtown St. Louis.
“I think there were issues with security on the riverfront in St. Louis,” Schuh said, “but their prime customers were telling them that they really want to go to Kimmswick. They had a good time here last year.
“When your best customers are telling you something, as a business, you listen to them.”
Kimmswick Mayor Phil Stang said he and his city will try to maintain what they established last year.
“I don’t know whether we’ll be able to sustain such a fantastic experience for our visitors as we put forth last year, but I can tell you that we will give them a better experience than any other place,” he said.
Schuh said the average passenger spent $130 during the Kimmswick stops last year.
Stang said because most of the steamship passengers ended up taking tour buses to various sites, including local wineries, the economic impact for Kimmswick was less than that, although many did patronize the city’s businesses.
“Where Kimmswick really benefits is from the other people who come down to see the boats, and maybe just to see the dock even if there’s no boat there,” he said.
“They will come down, look at the shops and grab lunch and sit and look at the dock and the river. The lunch that they buy is typically from a restaurant in Kimmswick. And having the riverboat presence with the dock draws people to Kimmswick from a wider area than just Jefferson County and south St. Louis County. They come from all around. The more stops that riverboats make here, the better.”
Other scheduled American Duchess stops will be July 22, Aug. 9, Sept. 2 and Oct. 2. After its July 10 stop, the American Countess will return on Aug. 24.
The American Queen is set to make six appearances in Kimmswick on July 24, July 26, Aug. 21, Sept. 9, Oct. 8 and Oct. 26.
McNichols said the Port Authority is putting out feelers among other steamboat excursion companies to consider dropping by Kimmswick.
Owners of the Delta Queen, which is expected to make its home in Kimmswick, are trying to line up financing to continue renovations to the vessel, which remains in Louisiana, McNichols said.