American Empress 9/22/2019 Sailing

[Bop]

1 hour ago, LEAFEATER said:

My husband and I are early risers. Our room was perfectly situated a few doors down from the River Grill where we chose to eat breakfast and lunch because the weather was spectacular and we could eat outside. In the morning we got their fresh brewed coffee by 6 AM, nice and strong , and we watched the sunrise with a few other regular early birds.

   We never went to an evening show, choosing instead the spectacular star show on the top deck..... the first time I’ve seen The Milky Way in 50 years. I envy you your trip. We have done 2 Viking river cruises and were  worried we’d be disappointed , but we thoroughly enjoyed the trip

 

[Buck1949]

5 hours ago, LEAFEATER said:

My husband and I are early risers. Our room was perfectly situated a few doors down from the River Grill where we chose to eat breakfast and lunch because the weather was spectacular and we could eat outside. In the morning we got their fresh brewed coffee by 6 AM, nice and strong , and we watched the sunrise with a few other regular early birds.

   We never went to an evening show, choosing instead the spectacular star show on the top deck..... the first time I’ve seen The Milky Way in 50 years. I envy you your trip. We have done 2 Viking river cruises and were  worried we’d be disappointed , but we thoroughly enjoyed the trip

 

I am ‘sometimes’ the early riser - depending on what the day/night before was like (smile) ! 

 

Appreciate the great photos, and as BOP said makes me really get in the mood.  We too did a Rhine River Cruise - on Uniworld - so will be comparing this upcoming cruise against the previous one.  Hoping we really like American Queen - as we might like to do some of the Midwest / Mississippi type cruises also. 

 

Thanks again, 

[califsealion]

14 hours ago, Buck1949 said:

Quick question.....

Does Am. Queen provide cruise doc’s and luggage tags online to be printed?  Any idea how long before the cruise they are available if so?   I’m not near a computer to check online and trying to do anything from my phone is a pain. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

 

They will mail out the cruise documents about 3 weeks prior to the cruise.  I'm pretty sure they mail out some luggage tags, but they also had them at the hotel.  To check in, all you really need is your identification of choice, and they will do that at the hotel.

[Buck1949]

3 hours ago, califsealion said:

 

They will mail out the cruise documents about 3 weeks prior to the cruise.  I'm pretty sure they mail out some luggage tags, but they also had them at the hotel.  To check in, all you really need is your identification of choice, and they will do that at the hotel.

 

Thank you for that information.  A bit surprised that they still mail out documents.  Haven’t had that type of service in many years, as all of the cruise lines have you print them nowadays it seems. 

 

Take care, 

Edited June 24, 2019 by Buck1949

[Bop]

Maybe AQSC is staying in character for the itinerary and we will have pony express delivery.

[Buck1949]

10 hours ago, Bop said:

Maybe AQSC is staying in character for the itinerary and we will have pony express delivery.

 

Ha ha. Never know !!

[Bop]

Nice photos!  It's steamy hot in VA now and a cruise sounds delightful.

 

Just had a random thought.  Antifa protesters in Portland are becoming a concern.  I wonder if the riots and thuggery wil have any impact on the cruise itinerary?  Anyone have any info from AQSC on the issue?

Bop

[Buck1949]

9 hours ago, Bop said:

Nice photos!  It's steamy hot in VA now and a cruise sounds delightful.

 

Just had a random thought.  Antifa protesters in Portland are becoming a concern.  I wonder if the riots and thuggery wil have any impact on the cruise itinerary?  Anyone have any info from AQSC on the issue?

Bop

 

Wow - hadn’t thought about the issues with Antifa.  Hopefully things will settle down some over the next 2 1/2 months.  We are taking the Portland tour when we dock that ends with us and our luggage at the airport around noonish, so hopefully the tour will avoid any trouble spots along the way. 

 

Wont be long now !

[Bop]

Hey Buck,

 

We wanted to do the Portland tour/transfer but our flight is scheduled for 12:30 pm so we won't have time.  Maybe Portland is better left unseen and we won't have to worry about being maimed or worse to end our tour.  Hopefully, the Antifa conflicts will fade in the heat of summer but we have no control over that situation.  I intend to have a great vacation regardless of the goings on in the vicinity.  

We're hot and stormy in VA for the 4th.  Nature's fireworks forecast for tonight!  Happy birthday USA!

 

Bop

[Buck1949]

53 minutes ago, Bop said:

Hey Buck,

 

We wanted to do the Portland tour/transfer but our flight is scheduled for 12:30 pm so we won't have time.  Maybe Portland is better left unseen and we won't have to worry about being maimed or worse to end our tour.  Hopefully, the Antifa conflicts will fade in the heat of summer but we have no control over that situation.  I intend to have a great vacation regardless of the goings on in the vicinity.  

We're hot and stormy in VA for the 4th.  Nature's fireworks forecast for tonight!  Happy birthday USA!

 

Bop

 

Bop, 

Our flight back to Hot Phoenix is 3pm so the tour kind of works for us.  And I agree I am really ready to try this river cruise - a little to compare to our Rhine River Cruise and maybe to entice us to try the Mississippi in the future.  We have 3 cruises booked right now - so probably would not be until 2021 if we were to do another river cruise.  

 

This summer we are cheating - we came up to the much much cooler mountain area of Northern Arizona in May and will stay at our cabin until just after Labor Day then head back to Phoenix to get ready for this cruise.  Up here in the mountains they are doing the 4th festivities on the 6th and 7th when hundreds of people come up for a parade, and to watch one of the largest fireworks shows in this area.  We stay home away from the crowds though  ! !   Grin !

 

Having some friends over today to eat and play cards/dominoes, so will still celebrate a little on the right day !!

 

Take Care - and Happy 4th !!!

 

 

[Bop]

Hey Buck,

Your 4th sounds good to me.  We sold our property on Chesapeake  Bay in Feb.  It has been in the family for 71 years. A difficult decision but necessary.  Kids and grandkids moved out of the area and maintenance became too much for us.  The fourth of July was a favorite holiday.  We were surrounded by several big fireworks displays across the water and they often continued for hours.  Will miss that, for sure. 

 

Have a cool fourth!

Bop 

[Bop]

Happy 5th!

Good show last night.

Who is ready to go now?

[Buck1949]

2 hours ago, Bop said:

Happy 5th!

Good show last night.

Who is ready to go now?

 

Me !

[Bop]

ME2!

 

Sounds like kids before Christmas!  We must grow old but we never have to grow up!

[Bop]

[Bop]

Just now, Bop said:

Sunset in Venice!  From ship terminal dock.

[Buck1949]

32 minutes ago, Bop said:

ME2!

 

Sounds like kids before Christmas!  We must grow old but we never have to grow up!

 

For sure !

[Buck1949]

36 minutes ago, Bop said:

Sunset in Venice!  From ship terminal dock.

 

36 minutes ago, Bop said:

Sunset in Venice!  From ship terminal dock.

 

Pretty cool photo...too bad there has been and continues to be so much controversy over the big ships coming to Venice.   Not only the concern about potential damage by big ships to the canal and the environment,  but they (locals) say the mass of people is causing issues with the infrastructure also.  I have a friend who is a professional photographer from Venice and he is becoming strongly against the big ships coming there now.  

 

Seems to be a toss up - much needed money for the local economy versus concerns as mentioned above.  Sounds like there could be some restrictions on visitation in the future if some common ground is not found to satisfy all parties involved.  Too bad as this is my most favorite trip/destination I have ever been to.  And nope not by cruise ship.....we flew into Venice and then later took the train down to Rome & the seaport. 

 

Hope everyone enjoys the long extended weekend !

  

Edited July 5, 2019 by Buck1949

[Bop]

Me2!

Sounds like kids before Christmas.

We have to grow old but we never have to grow up.😊

[Bop]

All quiet here.  Congrats to the USA women's soccer team!  World championship #4.

[Buck1949]

4 hours ago, Bop said:

All quiet here.  Congrats to the USA women's soccer team!  World championship #4.

 

I don't do politics..... but did not follow the women's soccer team due to the attitude of Megan Rapinoe.  Thankfully she was made to comply with a couple of the soccer rules.  

 

It was relatively quiet here over the weekend (when our little mountain town celebrated the 4th) but had a lot of out of towner's in the area.  There is a huge forest for camping, and lots of cabins up here..... so that brings a lot of people from the Phoenix area to get out of the heat.  I just went to the local small store and surprisingly there were still a number of things on the shelves.  Most times up here Milk, Bread, and the essentials including toilet paper are gone !   Ha ha.

 

Right this minute as I am typing this we are getting a much needed rain storm...... things have been very dry, this will help a lot.   I have someone coming to clean up my almost acre of land here tomorrow, (I think) I hope it is not too wet for them to start. 

 

We have again been looking at the offerings for excursions on this cruise....and I think we are pretty well set for what we intend to do.   My neighbors, whom we recently cruised with.....asked that we give them our impression of the river cruise when we get back as they have an interest.  They are big time RV'ers so really have to squeeze other activities in, since they are gone several months at a time.  We have discussed doing something along the Mississippi / Ohio rivers in 2021 together (which would be the earliest we probably could both get together for a cruise.)

 

76 days till Spokane !!!!!

 

[Bop]

I avoid political  debates.  I agree re: Rapinoe but still support the USA team.  I really enjoyed the finale.

 

Bop 

[Buck1949]

3 hours ago, Bop said:

I avoid political  debates.  I agree re: Rapinoe but still support the USA team.  I really enjoyed the finale.

 

Bop 

 

My love is of Baseball...have followed it all my life.....and played as a kid.  Don’t agree with the money these pro athletes make...but do love the game.  

[Bop]

I prefer college sports, football, Bball, and basketball.  Also like the Steelers and pro teams that have UVA players.  My Dad was soccer phenom in college and was a catcher on the baseball team. I am just now beginning to enjoy soccer.  Grandkids played it, but not for long.

 

Bop

[Bop]

On 7/7/2019 at 6:33 PM, Buck1949 said:

 

I don't do politics..... 

 

76 days till Spokane !!!!!