Wildfires in OR-Columbia River Gorge Area

Has the current wildfire situation (as of 9/6/2017) caused cancellation of AQSC American Empress trips? Anyone heard anything? Weather service is posting air quality alerts and there does not seem to be any rain forecasted.

Hi - I just asked this question to AQSC this morning and they said no, nothing has been affected at this time (Wednesday morning). We'll see if the smoke gets worse.

Thanks, Chris. I sure wish we could transfer some of the rain from other parts of the country to the northwest! Hoping for the best all the way around.

AQSC seems to less than forthcoming on itinerary changes. Read that recent Mississippi River cruise was "changed" the day before sailing because of high water making it impossible to pass under bridges. The new schedule involves cruising in a circle with stops at nondescript ports. Also required changes in flights. Apparently only nominal reimbursements.

Apparently I-84 was closed because flames were crossing the highway. Also of concern are the record high temperatures in the area. Not sure how many alternatives there are in the area. Apparently the cruise already stops at every port.

We are scheduled to leave Monday going east to West. We have talked to 2 different agents. Neither has any info saying they are waiting to hear from superiors. Same thing was said to my friend's travel agent. The boat we are supposed to board in Clarkston on Monday is currently in Astoria according to the agent. That boat should be at the Dalles today. We have to fly out of Cinci. OH on Saturday morning and I do not want to wait until Friday to make a decision. We have been told by AQ they should know something by end of day 9:00 PM

This is the latest on the AQ web site: "At American Queen Steamboat Company, safety is always at the forefront of our operation. As you may have heard, wildfires in the Pacific Northwest have resulted in river closure so that planes can gather water to dump on the fires. We will be operating on a day-by-day schedule and will continue to work on memorable alternatives to preserve your cruise enjoyment. The American Empress is scheduled to leave Astoria, Oregon, this evening (September 6) and arrive in Vancouver, Washington, early tomorrow on September 7. A revised schedule of activities for tomorrow is outlined below. We will continue to keep you informed as we receive information from the U.S. Coast Guard." This is regarding the current west to east cruise. They were supposed to be at The Dalles today.

Thank you for referencing the info on the AQSC website. I finally found it and it looks like they're still figuring things out with the Empress. However, the Duchess has had lots of changes and they seem to be offering full refunds and air reimbursements if people are unwilling or unable to change to other sailings. For those that need to know, you'll find updates by clicking the "Contact Us" tab and then selecting "Alerts". Or you can call them, it says. Thanks to all my fellow Cruise Critic participants - you are all a great source of info!