Ally

Ambassadors Cruise Group will combine American West Steamboat Co. and Delta Queen Steamboat Co. into one brand, Majestic America Line. The combined companies, led by president and coo David Giersdorf, will begin operating under the new name later this year.

Ambassadors Cruise Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of the publicly traded Ambassadors International, Inc., based in Newport Beach, Calif.

Majestic America Line’s fleet will consist of six U.S.-flag ships plying the coastal and inland waterways and rivers of America, including Alaska’s Inside Passage. The ships are American Queen, Empress of the North, Queen of the West, Mississippi Queen, Delta Queen and the newly acquired Executive Explorer.

In 2007, the new brand will offer more than 215 departures and call at 70 port cities and communities in 19 states.