In December of 2019, I had been fortunate to have an absolutely amazing trip aboard the American Duchess. We had sailed from Memphis to New Orleans, and although there were only 100 people or so on board, everything felt lively and populated, but not overly populated like on an ocean-going cruise ship.
The boat had Christmas theming since it was the holidays, and everything felt warm and inviting, and everyone really enjoyed the decorations and caroling as well. The entertainment during each evening also had holiday theming and plenty of guests (including myself) ended up singing along in some cases and having a wonderful time!
We thoroughly enjoyed the dining options, with the main dining room being our preference since it was sit-down dining and quite nice with attentive staff and delicious food from the area. We did get to enjoy some meals at the River Grille at the back of the boat, which were nice when needing something quicker than the main dining room. That being said, sometimes the River Grille was a bit louder than the main dining room despite having fewer people, likely since it is a more enclosed space.
Response from BriannaH, Guest Relations @American Queen Voyages