LDVinNC

We have taken several trips on the AQ on the Ohio River.  There are some lovely sights and towns along the river, and I think folks will enjoy these sailings.

It will be hot, as others have said, but you will be in and out of air conditioning all the time.  Depends on your personal tolerance for heat.  I hate heat, but we sailed in the lower Mississippi area in June/July two years ago (heading north on the full Mississippi cruise which due to low water was diverted, but that is another story) and I was not unhappy.

I cannot help specifically but since no one has answered you yet, I will chime in.  On the American Queen we once met a couple who had one of the "paddlewheel cabins" on the back of the boat and asked to be changed due to the noise.  Now, I think the Duchess' paddlewheel is not the same as on the AQ and it may not be as noisy.

52 minutes ago, uktog said:

As a matter of interest can you send a bag of laundry out to be done. We will have been traveling on land for a few weeks before we board. 

They provide laundry - one bag a week - on the longer trips.  We were on the Mighty Mississippi 3 week trip a couple of years ago and got to send out a bag every Monday.  You could cram a LOT into the bags they gave you.  Laundry is provided for people in suites and for some upper-level Steamboat Society members, again I think once a week.  Not sure if you can send a bag and pay for it.  So, I guess I did not answer your question, did I😄?  Best to call about that.

19 hours ago, denamo said:

  Wondering if the laundry facilities stay busy. I've never been a fan of doing laundry on vacation.  Just do it when I get home.

 

 

 

 

Can't speak for the Countess, but on the Queen the tiny laundry room - 2 washers, 2 dryers if I recall correctly - always seemed to be in use.

11 hours ago, TinCan782 said:

 

 

BTW...the app also has a "Motorcoach Tracker" - not active yet.

 

Hope they get that working better than it did a couple of years ago!

Where is the video that was to be posted early this week?  Did I miss it?

I sure hope they will change back to the HOHO system by the time of our October trip.  I hate long bus tours and enjoyed the ability to stop where we wanted or continue on.  

They called back and we are all set!

I did get through on a different number and left my number for a call back. Still waiting...maybe an hour and a half so I will be (somewhat) patient.

Trying to call and it rings a long time then goes to a fast busy.

One time I thought I got through, and entered the extension of the agent I booked with, but his voice mail says "today is November 13th" so I suspect he is no longer with the company.

Sure hope all goes well!

I don't think they are requiring COVID vaccination until the summer, are they?  That'd be enough to make me delay my trip, but again, personal opinion.

I still doubt there will be any sailings in the next couple of months, but I hope I am wrong!

Vaccine distribution is still iffy here.  I've had one shot, my husband both, but an 84 year old friend has been unable to get her first shot so far.  They talk about numbers going down, and that of course is good, but we have sadly just passed the 500k mark in deaths in this country.  I think things will be getting back to (a new) normal close to the end of the year.  We doubt our July trip will go - and even if it does we will not be on it due to health concerns, not just COVID.

I guess this doesn't really help you.  Personally I think AQSC will probably start up again in September or October.  However,  I'd hold off on purchasing your plane tickets for now...

We didn't call AQSC to link the reservations.  We just told them at the front desk when we checked in and we were always able to keep the same room.  But it is not a bad idea.

We have booked an extra night or two before almost all of our AQSC cruises.  The first few times I asked the AQSC agent about the cost of an extra night (not the package) and it was always well above what I could get by directly booking with the hotel.  The pre- and post-cruise packages always seemed very much overpriced.

8 hours ago, wandb said:

 

i wish AQ was beginning the vaccine requirement sooner—- like when they begin cruising again!

I guess they feel they cannot do it sooner than July 1st because of vaccine availability (or, should I say, lack thereof).  Frankly, I wonder if they will even be sailing before then.

22 hours ago, TinCan782 said:

Of course. That has already been stated in reports about the vaccines.

That recommendation is not specific to cruise ships.

Actually there is a new CDC order that is specific to cruise ships.

I am happy about the vaccine requirement.  Hate the idea of having to mask and socially distance, which may - for the time being - keep us from sailing AQSC.  Not that I don't think those are necessary measures, but I don't want to go on vacation, spending a bunch of money, and be uncomfortable trying to avoid people.  The AQSC boats are pretty small.

21 hours ago, graveytrain said:

What do you think are the chances for an April 2021 sailing?  If you think it is a possibility, how late can river cruises be booked?  March? We are looking  at the Columbia River cruise on the Empress, but I don’t want to book and be issued a FCC in the event of a cancellation. Opinions?  

I am dubious about April.  Even worried about our July trip at this point.  

I think you can book pretty much last minute.  However, if they are limiting capacity, you might be out of luck.

9 hours ago, ericosmith said:

Their promotions are almost impossible to decipher.  Lines and lines of mouse print, different from ship to ship, date to date, and category to category.  It's a pretty safe bet that the cruise you want has the lowest discount.

If there is some trip we are interested in, I have to get out the magnifying glass to try to find that sailing in the "mouse print".

11 hours ago, Calliope said:

I plan on getting my Covid vax as soon as I can, but as I am only 60 that could be problematic before my next booked cruise. That is also assuming another booked cruise of mine is not cancelled. Once cruising resumes and if a passenger is unable to have been vaccinated through no fault of their own and the booking was made in good faith before the cruise line instituted a total vaccine policy the cruise line might be opening itself up to legal issues.

Maybe, but if it is a privately owned business, they can set their own rules I should think.

My concern is only with AQSC as we will never take an ocean cruise again, due to our ages and health conditions.  We want to stay within the US.

11 hours ago, john2003 said:

With the current promo of $3000 per stateroom discount, can anyone tell me if this has already been subtracted when I look at the fares.

I am looking at Pacific Northwest in September and it shows $4199. Is this already discounted?

No, because not everyone will take advantage of that promotion.  Read carefully.  Often those promotional discounts apply to only the highest fare categories, and the discounts are lower for the less expensive fares.  We have never taken advantage of those promotions because you have to pay in full when you book.  These days more than ever, we think that risky.

12 hours ago, TinCan782 said:

Can't one still be a carrier (asymptomatic) even if successfully vaccinated? Don't know how this plays out with regard to testing.

 

Wearing of a mask is still recommended for those who have been vaccinated.

One can be a carrier after vaccination, but if everyone on the boat has been vaccinated, they cannot (or at least 94-94%) be infected.

Agreed, Dave.  Seems to me if vaccinations are required, that eliminates the rationale for testing.