Cruising on the Queen of the West
A journey on the paddlewheeler, Queen of the West, was my first experience with small ship cruising. She paddles along the Columbia, Willamette and Snake rivers of the Pacific Northwest. Locks and dams were just part of the big picture.
Inevitably, I spent the first day or so making comparisons to the other, much larger cruise ships I’ve been on. Both have advantages, but I felt more pampered on the Queen.
Today’s ever larger ships do a good job, wowing you with snazzy decor and extraordinary size. Everyone agrees they are colossal, but how can you feel special or expect personal service when lost among the other 2,000-plus passengers? Size isn’t everything.
The Queen’s home port is Portland, Ore. She ties up at the DoubleTree Hotel Jantzen Beach. This location simplifies a great many things for boarding and disembarking. At least half the passengers arrived a day early to take in the sights of Portland. They stayed at the hotel and were close at hand when it came time to begin our river journey. A post-cruise look at the city is also possible.
Introductions were made and preliminary instructions dispensed at the hotel during an early afternoon reception, and we boarded soon after.
The Queen of the West is tiny by today’s cruise ship standards, but not lacking in charm. Holding just 73 outside staterooms, each has especially large windows. The hard-working, all-American crew became like family after a few days.
Unlike ocean cruising, land is always within sight. For the first time, I cruised for seven entire days without ever feeling seasick! Mild vibration, which made for sound, deep sleep, was the only motion I experienced. During the transition time in the locks, the ship did move slightly from side to side, but it was barely noticeable. Many passengers I queried slept right through it, as did I, after the first one. Our server at breakfast jokingly said, “I’m so used to the feeling of the locks now, I don’t think I could sleep if we didn’t go through them.”
Similar to other ships, the Queen sails primarily in the night and is docked during the day, while the passengers are off, seeing the regional sights.
As the Queen of the West makes her way up and down the river, three state-of-the-art motorcoaches follow along, providing daily transportation for excursions. Knowledgeable bus drivers supply anecdotes about the area, interspersed with in-depth video presentations. These jaunts are optional, of course, so you can always hang back if you want a lazy day.
A light mist was in the air when we arrived for a look at Multnomah Falls, one of our early stops. At 620 feet, this natural wonder is amazing. If you feel motivated, you can climb uphill for about 10 minutes and get an even better view. Whether draped in the green of summer or white of winter, the falls are magnificent any time of year.
Representing the confederated tribes of the Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla Indians, the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute was a memorable outing. The institute provided our buffet lunch, and afterward we had time to browse the displays before the Native American dancing. The camera shutters were snapping like mad as the presentation began. A variety of dance styles were presented with a drumming circle for accompaniment. The feathers and finery of the tribal garb were worth seeing, even if there was no dancing.
Another day was spent learning about Mount St. Helens and the devastating eruption of 1980.
Although we traveled up the mountain quite a distance, cloud cover and snow blocked our view of the top. We were able to see some of the trees still flattened to the ground after all these years. Our driver announced in a subdued voice when we drove into the area known as the blast zone: “If you were here on the morning of May 18, 1980, you’d be dead now.” We were all contemplative at that moment, since we knew 57 people had lost their lives as a result of the eruption.
A stop at the Mount St. Helens Visitors Center did a thorough job of explaining exactly what transpired. We rounded out the day with a movie at the IMAX, where Mount St. Helens roared to life on the gigantic screen. The more I learned about Mount St. Helens, the more respect I gained for the power of a volcano.
A unique feature on the Queen of the West was our onboard historian. Every morning he greeted us at breakfast with a cheerful, “Good morning, fellow historians!” During the week, he pointed out interesting tidbits along the river and discussed the individual locks as we approached them.
The vessel’s audio system allowed us to hear the commentary in our staterooms. In addition, the historian conducted two formal lectures. We learned about the challenges faced by Merriweather Lewis and William Clark, the importance of salmon to the Columbia River and details about the Oregon Trail.
Meal service was both efficient and tasty, with one seating per meal. The dining is all open seating, so I managed to park myself at just about every table at least once. Unlike standard cruise ships with set assignments at every meal, this arrangement allows passengers to meet and mingle more. For dinner, three different entrees were available. The grand finale on our last evening was lobster and steak or both. As I rarely get this sumptuous an opportunity, I opted for both. As an alternative, sandwiches, snacks and drinks were available topside in the Calliope Grill.
Each evening we were treated to a different entertainer, in an early time slot from about 8:30 to 9:30. Because of the space limitations onboard, these folks usually boarded during the day and were let off the vessel after their performances. Here’s yet another contrast from the larger cruise ships – we could pull over to the side of the river without much difficulty.
One evening, we were entertained by Matt “The Maverick” Burton, who goes by the colorful title Magician and Cheat. He dressed the part, like a true riverboat hustler. On Wednesday, a trio of gals called String of Pearls, including a lovely mother and daughter, sang golden oldies.
The Queen of the West has enjoyed great popularity since she began her life on the rivers of Pacific Northwest. She has no casino and no late night disco, but I heard no complaints. This is a cruise for relaxing and learning and an opportunity to see a part of our country many people miss.
