Today the House passed the Coast Guard Appropriations bill that included an amendment granting the DQ her Exemption from the Safety Of Ships At Sea law--a law that never should have effected the inland river systems. It's taken 10 years to get this through, but it's finally happened---happened in spite of the American Cruise Lines CEO spending a half-million dollars to lobby against passage of the exemption.
Come 2020, you'll be able to book passage on an authentic steam powered sternwheel powered Riverboat.

Good news. Is there any opposition in the Senate?

Great news it is!

And it looks like in this case, the Senate approval came first, back on November 14.

http://www.steamboats.com/#blog

Good news, it's about damn time.

I hope that she hasn't deteriorated too much in the intervening years, and that the owners have the funding to return her to service.

How long is this exemption good for, or (is it too much to ask) is it permanent?

Historically, the exemption has only been an annual one. There have been past attempts to revoke the exemption but it was always passed until James Oberstar came into the picture.

I haven't seen the exact wording, but I believe it's at least 10 years, otherwise it wouldn't be worth upgrading the boat to meet the new standards (new boilers, steam lines, and other required modifications). The owners have been keeping her in very good shape, considering there was no guarantee of passage, and prior to that, when she was a floating hotel in Chattanooga, volunteers had been keeping the running gear and other things functional.
Yes, a permanent exemption would be appropriate, but it hasn't happened yet. As I mentioned there are some folks who have a vendetta against the boat, like the ACL's CEO who spent a half-million dollars hiring a Lobbyist to rally against passage of any exemption. Heck, for that kind of money, he probably could have purchased the boat--but we are very glad he didn't try that route.

Big wheel keep on turnin'
Proud Mary keep on burnin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river

The CEO mentioned is Charles A. Robertson, and what this article didn't make clear, is his cruise line operates on the Mississippi river in 'competition' with the Delta Queen. So keep that in mind if you ever book a river cruise......

A couple of video clips from our 3 DVD set of the last cruise in Oct, 2008. I recall Mr. Dewey was aboard that trip. It was a 10 day cruise.
-Jim Herron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTtHFfGiKcU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-QrkQyesYQ

American Cruise Lines also operates on the Columbia and Snake rivers and various coastal vessels.

Delta Queen is steam powered. ACL's river boats are diesel-hydraulic.

We are lucky she is still with us, doubly so that she'll run again.

https://maritimematters.com/2012/05/fro ... -to-great/

This seems like a no-brainer to me.

Wonder what the argument was AGAINST granting the exemption, other than personal self interests of course....

That's about it. Representative Oberstar was in the pocket of unions, and when the DQ was sold to a non-union company prior to her last request for a renewal, she suddenly became an unsafe vessel, and he had the horsepower in the House to forbid the renewal even coming up for a vote. It did seem like Carma to see him voted out of office in the next election.

The current oposition is from the cruise boat operator who will find himself competeling with DQ, the first compatition he has had since 2008.

Folks,
A lot of people do not know that the Delta King and Queen operated on the Sacramento River from 1926 to 1940. Now the Delta King is a floating hotel and restaurant in Sacramento and the Delt Queen will hopfully be going back to work on the Mississippi and other Inland Rivers.

Ted Miles, San Francisco, CA

Yes Jim, I was privileged to be aboard that cruise, due to someone cancelling. It was an amazing trip, with only 4 passengers not being repeat passengers. If I don't have your DVD set, I should get a copy!
Yes, the Delta Queen was a victim of both politics and the owner at that time who wanted out of the biz. Under Majestic Cruise Lines the Mississippi was lost to scrappers (needlessly), and the Delta Queen exemption was lost; the only survivor is the American Queen, which is running today, providing some competition to ACL. The AQ is partially steam, but mostly dismal powered. The thought that the DQ would be competition to the ACL boats is ridiculous, as folks who want a real "Steamboatin"" experience are not the same kind of folks who want big staterooms and private verandas. We want to step out on the deck, and say HI! to our cabin neighbors--heck, the cabin is just a place to sleep, change clothes, shower, recharge camera batteries.Being on the boat on deck or in the Texas Bar, or the Betty Blake Lounge--that's where you spend your time. Heck, the reason the Mississippi looks muddy is from all the BS coming off the riverboat folks! :) Where do you think Mark Twain picked up all those "Tall Tales?"
Yes, the DQ and DK were both Sacramento River boats--and part of the DK lives on, as one half the DQ's engines are from the DK, as is the paddlewheel itself. Long story there, won't get into right now. The DK had a much rougher life, being sent to Alaska for a time (that's when she lost her wheel and engines), being sunk twice, once for half a year. That she's still with us is a testimony to the quality construction of the builders and the perseverance of folks who thought the King should survive.
There's lots of hard work ahead to get the Queen up and running again, but now there's a chance! Long Live the Queen!
Photo of the DQ at Grandview, on the last trip in 2008
Photo of the DK sunk at Isleton (not my picture)