On Sunday morning, while docked at Oak Alley, LA, American Queen Steamboat Company's American Queen experienced a gasket failure in one of her stacks, according to a company spokesperson.
Even though the ship was adjacent to the shoreline at Oak Alley, "safety procedures were followed with passengers reporting to their muster stations at 5:45 a.m. and returned to staterooms at 6 a.m.," the company's statement said. "There were no injuries to crew or passengers."
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) came onboard the vessel Sunday to inspect it and investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. American Queen Steamboat Company said all dining operations and guest tours of Oak Alley took place as scheduled. Guests in five staterooms were temporarily relocated.
On Sunday afternoon, the (USCG) and American Queen Steamboat Company officials determined that American Queen could safely continue on to Baton Rouge, LA, the next port of call, as scheduled at 5 p.m. Sunday.
Passengers embarked the vessel on Saturday in New Orleans for the eight-day "Southern Culture & Spring Pilgrimage" itinerary, which is scheduled to end in Memphis, TN.
Coincidentally, several of the line’s executives including John Waggoner, chairman of American Queen Steamboat Company, are sailing on this itinerary. Travel Agent attended a luncheon meeting with Waggoner last Thursday at Cruise Shipping Miami just before he headed out for meetings onboard the vessel.