More than 130 passengers aboard the Queen of the Mississippi were given a glimpse on Maysville on Saturday.

The boat was originally scheduled to dock in the city around 6 a.m. on Saturday, but was delayed and did not arrive until 4:15 p.m. It left at noon on Sunday for Huntington, W. Va.

The boat is a on a 10-day tour that began in St. Louis, Mo., will stop in Pittsburgh, Pa. before returning to St. Louis.

Captain Robert Hopkins said the boat is scheduled to return to Maysville on Friday, June 29, but may return earlier due to high water.

“We may not make it to Pittsburgh,” he said. “There’s a lot of high water up North, so we most likely won’t make it all the way to Pittsburgh. We’re trying to figure out exactly where our last stop will be.”

According to Hopkins, the passengers on the boat travel from all over the country to take the cruise.

“They fly in from all over,” he said. “They land in St. Louis, board the ship and when we return, they fly home.”

Maysville Mayor David Cartmell greet the boat as it docked at the landing unexpectedly on Saturday.

“We didn’t expect them until (Sunday),” he said. “They were supposed to be here this morning, but they had a delay, so we figured it would be tomorrow before they arrived.”

Cartmell said it is always a treat to have the boat dock in town.

“I get a lot of comments from people about how beautiful the town is,” he said. “They love it and we love having them.”

Several people could be heard asking “What is the name of this beautiful little town?” as they left the boat.

“We get that a lot. I tell them ‘this is Maysville.’” Cartmell said. “We usually have at least one visit to the town. It’s the highlight of the year, especially for the kids. This is a formidable boat and the folks are so appreciative when they come into this town. The Maysville experience is walking the streets and soaking up all of the culture here. We’re always happy to have visitors.”

Among the stops for the cruise were St. Louis, Paducah, Henderson, Louisville, Cincinnati and Huntington.

After being delayed for mechanical problems, the Queen of the Mississippi finally made it to Maysville for an overnight stay Saturday. The vessel arrived and docked at Limestone Landing around 3:30 p.m. It will return later in the week after departing its destination, Pittsburgh.
https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_062518-news-royality-1.jpgAfter being delayed for mechanical problems, the Queen of the Mississippi finally made it to Maysville for an overnight stay Saturday. The vessel arrived and docked at Limestone Landing around 3:30 p.m. It will return later in the week after departing its destination, Pittsburgh.

Christy Howell-Hoots

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