CANCELED: HIGH WATER TO KEEP RIVERBOAT AWAY

The American Queen, one of the largest riverboats on the inland waterways, has canceled two dockings at Cape Girardeau because of high water.

The boat, a 3,707-ton paddle-wheeler that is more than 400 feet long, is one of three riverboats of Delta Queen Steamboats Co. Inc. The American Queen, which is the largest of its fleet, was scheduled to dock on the Mississippi River here Friday and April 29.

The three boats were scheduled to make a total of 15 stops at Cape Girardeau this year.

The next scheduled Cape Girardeau stop for the American Queen is July 6.

The Mississippi Queen is scheduled to dock here May 10 and the Delta Queen May 11 and 14.

The Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen will both stop here July 2 during the annual New Orleans-to-St. Louis Steamboat Race. The two Queens will be here from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. that day.

The Delta Queen, a national, historic landmark and the oldest of the three paddle-wheelers in the company's fleet, will make four stops; the Mississippi Queen will dock here six times; and the newest boat in the fleet -- the American Queen -- will stop here three times, excluding the two canceled stops.

The Delta Queen, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970 and designated a national historic landmark in 1989, is the only authentic, fully-restored overnight steamboat in the world.

The 285-foot-long Delta Queen was built in 1926 and launched in 1927 at a cost of $875,000.

The Mississippi Queen was commissioned July 25, 1976. The twin-stacked vessel is 382 feet long

The American Queen was launched in 1995 at an approximate cost of $60 million.

DOCKING SCHEDULE

-- April 25 -- American Queen, canceled, high water.

-- April 29 -- American Queen, canceled, high water.

-- May 10 -- Mississippi Queen, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

-- May 11 -- Delta Queen, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

-- May 14 -- Delta Queen, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

-- July 2 -- Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen, 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., en route to St. Louis in the New Orleans-to-St. Louis Steamboat Race.

-- July 6 -- American Queen, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

-- July 9 -- Delta Queen, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

-- July 10 -- Mississippi Queen, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

-- July 19 -- American Queen, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

-- July 31 -- Mississippi Queen, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

-- Sept. 3 -- American Queen, noon to 5 p.m.

-- Nov. 6 -- Mississippi Queen, 8 a.m. to noon.

-- Dec. 25 -- Mississippi Queen, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.