For the first time since Hurricane Katrina blew through, the American Queen docked Under-the-Hill Monday.

The red, white and blue beauty brought in hundreds of guests — visitors who city officials and business owners were glad to see.

“We’re ecstatic,” Natchez Tourism Director Walter Tipton said. “It’s great to have the riverboats back. That’s another mode of transportation that’s bringing in large groups. That’s just great for us.”

The American Queen, which has roughly 400 rooms, Tipton said, is one of several riverboats that suspended their tours after hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Big Easy.

“Most of the tours either originated or terminated in New Orleans,” Tipton said.

The Mississippi Queen and the Delta Queen started docking again in Natchez in the fall.

The boats are scheduled to make about 16 stops in Natchez between March and the end of May.

The American Queen’s arrival was timed right, Natchez Pilgrimage Tours Director Dr. Jim Coy said Monday. The riverboats are a consistent source of tourists, especially during Pilgrimage, he said.

“It increases the number of people buying tickets, and it increases the money coming into the city,” Coy said. “It’s another avenue they have to get here.”

The boats have special schedules during Pilgrimage, leaving later in the evening to give guests a chance to attend the Pageant, he said.

Annette Holder, owner of Mrs. Holder’s Antiques, and her husband, Larry, who owns the pharmacy next door, both said they noticed when the boats came in.

“They do affect business,” Annette Holder said. “I’m so glad they’re back. I’m thrilled. It will be wonderful to have them back and filling the streets. I hope they’ll keep coming.”

Larry Holder said he saw a good number of visitors from the riverboats picking up medicines for coughs, colds, and tired feet — “the normal tourist stuff,” he said.

He said he was looking forward to having more customers from the boats.

“It makes a big difference,” he said. “The more people that are on the streets, the more things you sell.”

Ricky Smith, owner of Natchez Antiques, said he noticed a difference after the storms when the boats stopped coming.

“We knew immediately when they weren’t here anymore,” Smith said.

He said he was looking forward to having new floods of tourists.

Jonathan Wood, owner of the Old South Trading Post, said he was very excited about the riverboat coming. He and his staff even welcomed the boat when it docked Monday morning, he said.

“It gives us a major boost,” Wood said. “What the boats do for business is provide an influx of people from all over the world. When the boats stop here, it makes ambassadors of all those people. They go home and tell their friends and their friends’ friends about us. That’s why it’s important to show them Southern hospitality.”

Wood said that he was looking forward to better times and more visitors now that the boats were back.

“We’ve been here four years,” Wood said. “We’ve seen the good days, and we’ve seen the lean days. We think the good days are back.”