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Riverboats Dock At Cape Girardeau Riverfront

Brittany Myers
/
KRCU
The Queen of the Mississippi docked at Cape Girardeau on Thursday, July 31, 2014.

The Queen of the Mississippi and the American Queen riverboats made pit stops in downtown Cape Girardeau on Thursday.

The Queen of the Mississippi riverboat arrived at around 8 a.m. Passengers were greeted with onlookers along the river walkway.

Chuck Martin, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, greeted passengers as they walked off the boat.

“It gives me an opportunity to visit with some of the folks with the boat to make sure we are doing things right and that we’re extending the welcome that they are certainly due,” Martin said.

Crews began securing the riverboat when it arrived.

Riverboat deckhand Michael Faigenblum says he loves being a part and working for the Queen of the Mississippi.

“The hours are long but it’s pleasant work. This is my first maritime job. I’m going on my sixth day. I’m having a lot of fun. I’m working with good people and the passengers are good people,” Faigenblum said.

Fans waved as the Queen of the Mississippi riverboat departed at noon and headed north.

The American Queen riverboat arrived about an hour later from the south.

Passengers were welcomed by the Jerry Ford Combo band and were transported to the American Queen tour bus.

Brian Roney, second command of the captain, has been working for the American Queen riverboat since March.

“This is a three-day cruise. We started yesterday in Paducah. We’re going up to St. Louis on Saturday, and then we will start seven-day trips between St. Louis and St. Paul in the upper Mississippi,” Roney said.

The American Queen riverboat departed from Cape Girardeau around six yesterday evening.