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    Wind turbine ordinance, which would be the first in Kentucky, is key to what ultimately occurs in Cordelio project

    Wind turbine ordinance, which would be the first in Kentucky, is key to what ultimately occurs in Cordelio project

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    Macy talks socks,1978 UK champs and more during author visit to promote his book

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    Alliance dedicates new Henderson County Mine

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    Henderson joins in nationwide ‘No Kings’ Rally Saturday

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    Rain ’R Shine Farm recovers from spring flood

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    Blazing-fast broadband services now available to the majority of homes in the city and county

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    HMP&L signs initial agreement to build a battery energy storage system on South Green Street

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    Summer blockbusters finally arrive in June

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    A former Japanese tennis star champions Henderson County athletes

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    Stanley hopes his exhibition is a reminder ‘to be open to joyfulness…from whatever ridiculous source it may come’

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    Regional collaborative assists those suffering from mental health challenges with online resources

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    Plenty of baseball to watch without stepping into a big league stadium

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    Matthew 25 cuts the ribbon on new mobile sexual health unit

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    Wind turbine ordinance, which would be the first in Kentucky, is key to what ultimately occurs in Cordelio project

    Wind turbine ordinance, which would be the first in Kentucky, is key to what ultimately occurs in Cordelio project

    Macy talks socks,1978 UK champs and more during author visit to promote his book

    Macy talks socks,1978 UK champs and more during author visit to promote his book

    Alliance dedicates new Henderson County Mine

    Alliance dedicates new Henderson County Mine

    National retailer Five Below to locate in Henderson

    BRIEFS: Five Below opens Friday; Bickett HPD officer of the month; HPD investigates Alves Street shooting

    Henderson joins in nationwide ‘No Kings’ Rally Saturday

    Henderson joins in nationwide ‘No Kings’ Rally Saturday

    Rain ’R Shine Farm recovers from spring flood

    Rain ’R Shine Farm recovers from spring flood

    Trending Tags

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    Blazing-fast broadband services now available to the majority of homes in the city and county

    Blazing-fast broadband services now available to the majority of homes in the city and county

    HMP&L signs initial agreement to build a battery energy storage system on South Green Street

    HMP&L signs initial agreement to build a battery energy storage system on South Green Street

    In some parts of the U.S., the grid of the future might be closer than you think

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    Gritty Lady Cols advance to Final 4

    Summer blockbusters finally arrive in June

    Summer blockbusters finally arrive in June

    A former Japanese tennis star champions Henderson County athletes

    A former Japanese tennis star champions Henderson County athletes

    Stanley hopes his exhibition is a reminder ‘to be open to joyfulness…from whatever ridiculous source it may come’

    Stanley hopes his exhibition is a reminder ‘to be open to joyfulness…from whatever ridiculous source it may come’

    Henderson joins West Kentucky Film Commission with hopes of luring movie makers here

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    Enjoy the fresh taste of summer

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    Regional collaborative assists those suffering from mental health challenges with online resources

    Plenty of baseball to watch without stepping into a big league stadium

    Plenty of baseball to watch without stepping into a big league stadium

    Matthew 25 cuts the ribbon on new mobile sexual health unit

    Matthew 25 cuts the ribbon on new mobile sexual health unit

    The Gnomes of Audubon Forest, a Henderson Tourist Commission initiative, is a scavenger hunt for all ages

    The Gnomes of Audubon Forest, a Henderson Tourist Commission initiative, is a scavenger hunt for all ages

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River cruise company calls it quits; no more paddlewheeler dockings in Henderson

Vince Tweddell by Vince Tweddell
February 23, 2024
in Local, News
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River cruise company calls it quits; no more paddlewheeler dockings in Henderson

The American Countess docks at the Henderson riverfront last summer. (Hendersonian Photo/Vince Tweddell)

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You won’t see any paddlewheelers docking at the Henderson downtown riverfront this summer. That’s because the company that runs the cruises, American Queen Voyages, has shut down.

Multiple mid-week media reports said the company shut down Tuesday. Its website, www.aqvinfo.com, posted this: “Despite great efforts by our team, crew and partners, American Queen Voyages (AQV) unfortunately has been unable to rebound from the effects of the pandemic. The overnight cruise industry was especially affected by changes in travel preferences and, as a result, AQV has become financially unsustainable.

“We are therefore shutting down the business, and all future AQV cruises have been cancelled.”

For years, the docking of a paddlewheeler, or what’s commonly called a steamboat locally, downtown seemed a rite of summer in Henderson, with cruisers walking up the steep bank to board a tour bus led by many local historical buffs or bypassing the buses for the downtown shopping district to browse the boutiques.

But since the pandemic, as mentioned in the AQV’s goodbye notice, the number of people on the boats has dwindled, said Henderson tourist Commission Executive Director Abby Dixon.

In 2021, when the paddlewheelers began cruising again, Dixon said that the boats would come in at about 30% capacity, which left local tour buses designated for the passengers with sometimes two or three people in them. Dixon said before the pandemic tour buses were often full.

“This is just an industry that has really struggled since Covid,” she said.

She said passengers routinely gave positive reviews to their river cruising experience on the three boats that most often docked in Henderson—the American Queen, American Countess and the American Dutchess.

Dixon said “we’re obviously disappointed” because the boats have been a focal point for the downtown area in the summers.

But the economic impact from the boats’ dockings was “minimal,” she said. Most passengers ate on board because of the package deals so the impact on local restaurants wasn’t big, she said.

In summers past, the boats made 20-plus visits, but the past summer the number of visits was cut drastically, Dixon said. Before the announcement to shut down, the company had only two visits scheduled for the coming summer, she said.

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Vince Tweddell

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Vince Tweddell is the founder, publisher and editor of the Hendersonian.

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