"American Queen Voyages Ceases Operations Amid Pandemic Struggles"

American Queen Voyages, a U.S. river cruise specialist known for operating the iconic Mississippi River paddlewheeler American Queen, has ceased operations due to ongoing financial troubles related to the COVID-19 pandemic. All scheduled sailings for this year have been canceled, and the company is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Customers who have paid for future cruises can expect a full refund through the company's insurance company, Argo Surety, although the process may be convoluted. This shutdown adds to the string of more than a dozen small cruise operators worldwide that have closed since the start of the pandemic in 2020.