AQ back in Madison, Indiana today!

[LHT28]

There was no possible way for the boat to get under the Eads Bridge in St. Louis, so it's either the boat is too big, the water too high or the bridges are too low! Take your pick. ;)

 

LOL :D

 

Thanks

Too bad for those on the cruise but Mother Nature has more control than the cruise line

 

I would be happy just to be on the boat, disappointed but happy

[lake_wannabees]

There was flooding again on the Missouri which was going to raise the water level to 33 ft. The Captain said they it to be 25 ft or less to make it under the bridge. I think we had some whiners. We just Paducah and passing the Tennessee so steaming on.

 

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[LHT28]

There was flooding again on the Missouri which was going to raise the water level to 33 ft. The Captain said they it to be 25 ft or less to make it under the bridge. I think we had some whiners. We just Paducah and passing the Tennessee so steaming on.

 

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

 

Enjoy the cruise

[Calliope]

There was flooding again on the Missouri which was going to raise the water level to 33 ft. The Captain said they it to be 25 ft or less to make it under the bridge. I think we had some whiners. We just Paducah and passing the Tennessee so steaming on.

 

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

 

 

Thanks for the update!

 

The Illinois River which enters the Miss. above Alton, Illinois at Grafton is at record flood levels. All that water has to go somewhere!

[riversights]

Hey, we are envious of all those folk who are now on the Ohio in flood. We love to watch a big river in motion and to wait for what's around the next bend. Maybe it will be cows standing in the water or turtles on a log or folk on the bank astonished to see a steamboat 478 feet long. Doesn't matter, it's all good. Cancel because our itinerary changed? We are tempted to book another week now...wherever she goes.:D

[Calliope]

Hey, we are envious of all those folk who are now on the Ohio in flood. We love to watch a big river in motion and to wait for what's around the next bend. Maybe it will be cows standing in the water or turtles on a log or folk on the bank astonished to see a steamboat 478 feet long. Doesn't matter, it's all good. Cancel because our itinerary changed? We are tempted to book another week now...wherever she goes.:D

 

 

Got that right!

[debiking]

for those of you who are on the AQ right now, or planning to arrive on Sunday... have any of you asked the AQ to assist with your transportation because of the change? Their policy clearly states:

"If the scheduled port of embarkation or final destination is changed, we will arrange transportation to the new port from the originally scheduled port."

Yet we are being told it is up to us to figure out how to get to Cincinnati by Sunday. I have contacted the media who will be at the boat on Sunday to talk to guests and find out why the AQ is not acting with integrity in this situation. I have also contacted a class action attorney if anyone is interested in being involved in the suit. This is NOT about the change of itinerary... I understand that can happen with any cruise and is stated in your contract. This is about the AQ company not helping their clients with the change as their contract says they will.

[padrek]

Last yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon I called AQ and asked about my trip on August 2nd, which CC indicates has a changed itinerary. The very condescending sales person denied that any changes have been made to the 8/2 trip itinerary, said none were contemplated, and then said I was the FIRST person who had called with this question. Since I knew that my TA had previously inquired, and now reading all of these posts from people who have also called, it is obvious that he was barefaced lying to me. For what purpose I wonder? Lying to passengers seems to be part of the cruise line culture - always cover up, ignore all that you can, dissemble, etc. rather than telling people "up front" which virtually every company which advises on customer relations says is the most important part of a companies relationship with their customers.

[LHT28]

Last yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon I called AQ and asked about my trip on August 2nd, which CC indicates has a changed itinerary.

I think the news on CC is up to the Aug 2nd sailing maybe not including it ..that is the way I read it

 

It also says you can cancel without penalty ...would be a good option for you since you are so unhappy with them

 

There is not much they can do if the rivers are high & the ship cannot sail under the bridges

They are probably waiting to see if the water levels go down in the next week or so

 

[Calliope]

Last yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon I called AQ and asked about my trip on August 2nd, which CC indicates has a changed itinerary. The very condescending sales person denied that any changes have been made to the 8/2 trip itinerary, said none were contemplated, and then said I was the FIRST person who had called with this question. Since I knew that my TA had previously inquired, and now reading all of these posts from people who have also called, it is obvious that he was barefaced lying to me. For what purpose I wonder? Lying to passengers seems to be part of the cruise line culture - always cover up, ignore all that you can, dissemble, etc. rather than telling people "up front" which virtually every company which advises on customer relations says is the most important part of a companies relationship with their customers.

 

I think it's way too early for AQSC management to know how the river conditions will be for the August 2 sailing. It's still over a week away, and in the world of river transportation much can happen. Nobody on this board has mentioned anything about a deviation to the trip sailing August 2; right now there is every indication that it's a go! The river at St. Louis is falling, and there is more sunshine than rain clouds.

 

I must admit that the reservationist that you contacted could have answered your questions in a much better way. There is no need for anyone to be condescending. I would have explained that yes, due to unseasonably high water on the Mississippi River the boat could not make the this week's Upper Mississippi cruise as planned and had to detour over to the Ohio River. Furthermore, I would have stated that if the Upper Mississippi returns to pool stage that the boat will indeed make her scheduled trip to St. Paul(Redwing), BUT if there are further rains in the mid-west and the flooding continues there will have to be changes to the schedule. Honestly, at this time the exact conditions of the river and possible changes are unknown for your trip.

 

I don't know about the other cruise lines, but it doesn't sound to me as if there was any lying on the person's part that you spoke with. I think it was poor communications skills and perhaps upper management's fault on not giving the reservationist more direction in handling calls about possible schedule changes.

[Calliope]

My advice is to enjoy the Ohio River. There is a reason it's called The Beautiful Ohio! Henderson is a nice little town, Louisville has interesting sites, and Madison, Indiana is a jewel box of a town with lovely homes, and a main street that looks like a Hollywood set. Perhaps the boat will even steam above Cincinnati to Augusta, Kentucky and land. Augusta is the home of George Clooney and his aunt Rosie kept a vacation home there which is now open to the public. Last year in a similar situation they traveled there, so it is possible.

 

Since it's Brandenburg, Kentucky today there's no Augusta on Saturday! :(

[steamboats]

Here´s the news by CC and it says:

 

"Due to unseasonably high water conditions on the Upper Mississippi River, the American Queen is deviating from its current and upcoming planned itineraries between St. Louis and St. Paul through August 2, 2015," a cruise line spokesman told Cruise Critic.

 

And this makes sense as she´s going upriver on the Ohio river right now with a turn around in Cincinnati and then back to St. Louis/Alton (or whereever the river conditions allow a turn around). So she´d be in the St. Louis area for the August 2nd trip. Whether this cruise is going as scheduled - no one can say this right now!

 

steamboats

[hondorner]

Here´s the news by CC and it says:

 

"Due to unseasonably high water conditions on the Upper Mississippi River, the American Queen is deviating from its current and upcoming planned itineraries between St. Louis and St. Paul through August 2, 2015," a cruise line spokesman told Cruise Critic.

 

And this makes sense as she´s going upriver on the Ohio river right now with a turn around in Cincinnati and then back to St. Louis/Alton (or whereever the river conditions allow a turn around). So she´d be in the St. Louis area for the August 2nd trip. Whether this cruise is going as scheduled - no one can say this right now!

 

steamboats

 

Heck, I'm concerned about the Aug 23 sailing out of Alton and back. We're celebrating our 50th anniversary aboard. We've been up the Ohio, but any day, anywhere on a cruise is a good day. We'll show up in St. Louis and see what happens.

[riversights]

We've already spent our two weeks voyaging on the flood waters, but I wish we were going back for more, whether on the Ohio or the Big Muddy. Unfortunately, our parched flowers and vegetables are whining for attention at home. Next time we'll allow for the romance of "deviating from the itinerary" and stay aboard for another week. Remember when taking the long way home was romance? Hey, still is, right, baby?:D

[irishgirltravels]

Right on! Always ready for a romantic cruise ;)