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When May River Cruise Lines Resume Service? [July 27, 2020 edition]

Host Jazzbeau

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Host Jazzbeau

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This thread is locked – for newer information see:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2759602-when-may-river-cruise-lines-resume-service-sep-1-2020-edition/

 

When May River Cruise Lines Resume Service?

[verified at cruise line websites July 27 – note that each cruise line name is now a link to the page with this information]

 

Amadeus:  July 1

AmaWaterways:  limited sailings for Germans have begun; general sailings may resume September 16

American Cruise Lines:  began sailing July 23

American Queen Steamboat Company:  August 17

APT:  October 1

Arena Travel:  September 1

A-ROSA River Cruises:  began sailing June 17

Avalon Waterways:  November 1

 

Botanica:  began sailing July 1

Captain Cook Cruises (Murray River):  began sailing in July

CroisiEurope:

Crystal River Cruises:  October 1

Emerald Waterways/Evergreen Cruises:  November 1

Gate1 Travel:  April 1, 2021

Grand Circle:  October 1

Nicko:  began sailing June 1

Pandaw:  September 1

Phoenix Reisen:  began sailing [per @notamermaid]

Riviera Travel:  August 17

Scenic:  November 1

Tauck:  September 16

Teeming River Cruises:  October 8, 2021

Titan:  November 1

Travelmarvel:  [can't decipher website]

TUI River Cruises:  November 26

Uniworld:  August 16

Vantage:  September 8

Victory Cruise Lines:  January 2021

Viking River Cruises:  October 1

VIVA: began sailing June 26

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Host Jazzbeau

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32 minutes ago, Roz said:

I can't believe Uniworld still says August 16.  

 

It's right there in black and white.  [Since last Tuesday.  Maybe it will be updated tomorrow...]

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gnome12 Excellent Advice! Rare

gnome12

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1 hour ago, Roz said:

I can't believe Uniworld still says August 16.  

Me too. I hope at least that they weren't expecting people to make final payment in advance, but I expect they did.

 

I have a trip to Africa with Vantage (not a cruise) scheduled for next February, and I don't think that I will make final payment. If they cancel before, I might put my deposit to a trip in 2022, but otherwise I will just lose the deposit. There is no way that I will put any more money into it unless there is a vaccine.

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travlr21

travlr21

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As an FYI, the information shown with the Scenic link  applies only to Australia and New Zealand.  The Scenic site for Canadians has not been updated since May 13.  It announces cancellation only up to Aug 31 for their river cruises, so far.

 

Reference https://www.scenic.ca/coronavirus-update

 

After getting our final payment delayed for a month, we have since moved our September Scenic river cruise to August 2021.

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terry&mike Great Review Rare

terry&mike

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19 hours ago, travlr21 said:

As an FYI, the information shown with the Scenic link  applies only to Australia and New Zealand.  The Scenic site for Canadians has not been updated since May 13.  It announces cancellation only up to Aug 31 for their river cruises, so far.

 

Reference https://www.scenic.ca/coronavirus-update

 

After getting our final payment delayed for a month, we have since moved our September Scenic river cruise to August 2021.

Good call on your part. Last night I received emails from Scenic/Emerald cancelling all of their sailings for September and October 2020. I am in the U.S. market. 

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travlr21

travlr21

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4 hours ago, terry&mike said:

Good call on your part.

Better the money in my pocket, less the down payment we made. I see the Canadian website has been updated as of today's date to reflect cancellation though October/December. 

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cruisr

cruisr

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Crystal shows all river cruises for this year as “call for availability”.  This is what they always do before they cancel the cruises.  Look foran announcement soon.

 

With the spikes in Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain the chance of any river cruise line going (with any but locals, which now looks also risky) this year are slim to None.

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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It is so sad.

 

Money isn't everything, health always takes precedence, but it helps to have a bit of cash. Or as we say in German "Geld macht nicht glücklich, aber es beruhigt." While German and other European operators can sail their ships, albeit with fewer guests and no customers from the US (and Canada), those that rely on the North-American market for European cruising are in trouble. In other - not so appropriate IMHO - words by the vice president of IG River Cruise, see this report in German, from Basel: https://www.srf.ch/news/regional/basel-baselland/flussreisen-in-corona-zeiten-erste-passagierschiffe-ankern-wieder-in-basel

 

Do not get me wrong, Basel is a relatively rich city, but they feel the pain. More than a city like Koblenz or Cologne that are not embarkation ports for American cruise lines (in general).

 

Crystal cancelling and Hurtigruten reporting positive cases among the crew of one ship (again resulting in quarantine and mass tracing of passengers) has dampened my hopes for Christmas market cruising.

 

British operators might restart in August/September, but I am now doubtful of APT. The North-American lines ... no comment, no tempting fate.

 

notamermaid

Edited by notamermaid
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Azamarajunkie

Azamarajunkie

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On 8/3/2020 at 7:36 PM, thptrek said:

We have Christmas market cruise for late November and are expecting it to be cancelled soon.


we too are booked on a Christmas market cruise on Nov 26th with Tui. Like you we awaiting it’s cancellation as final payment is due soon.

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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Hello Azamarajunkie,

 

My heart bleeds as at this time of year I am usually in the Garden of England.

 

But to your case. I regard this as a special one as TUI are only launching their river cruising business, i.e. the first sailings, in November - after a postponement of several months. I was a bit surprised about the date but now I get that this a good way to cash in on the busy "British people to German Christmas markets travelling season".

 

The way things stand at the moment my gut feeling is that they will not cancel. Question for you is whether to wait and let them come to you or you contact them before final payment is due if you prefer not to go. Thankfully you can consult ABTA with any problem.

 

Would like to hear how your "case" progresses. Do keep us posted.

 

For an uncrowded beach (relatively) I recommend Seasalter with views of the Isle of Sheppey (shingles, not sand). Avoid Whitstable (full of Londoners these days). Or go to the desert, i.e. Dungeness. What a weird place!

 

notamermaid

 

Edited by notamermaid
Grammar
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Azamarajunkie

Azamarajunkie

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4 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Hello Azamarajunkie,

 

My heart bleeds as at this time of year I am usually in the Garden of England.

 

But to your case. I regard this as a special one as TUI are only launching their river cruising business, i.e. the first sailings, in November - after a postponement of several months. I was a bit surprised about the date but now I get that this a good way to cash in on the busy "British people to German Christmas markets travelling season".

 

The way things stand at the moment my gut feeling is that they will not cancel. Question for you is whether to wait and let them come to you or you contact them before final payment is due if you prefer not to go. Thankfully you can consult ABTA with any problem.

 

Would like to hear how your "case" progresses. Do keep us posted.

 

For an uncrowded beach (relatively) I recommend Seasalter with views of the Isle of Sheppey (shingles, not sand). Avoid Whitstable (full of Londoners these days). Or go to the desert, i.e. Dungeness. What a weird place!

 

notamermaid

 


thank you for your kind words, this was planned to be a celebration river cruise with a couple of good friends, so we will hang on for a while. All our other cruises (Ocean) have been shifted to next year and are keeping our fingers crossed that a vaccination is successful before next summer.

 

we are off to the lovely and quiet seaside tomorrow for a family beach day at Greatstone, near the Dungeness desert. 

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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18 minutes ago, Azamarajunkie said:


we are off to the lovely and quiet seaside tomorrow for a family beach day at Greatstone, near the Dungeness desert. 

Used to regularly visit Hythe and Dymchurch. Playing pool at the Ocean Inn. Memories... Hope all the lovely pubs can make enough money to keep them going.

 

Anyway, have a nice day tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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We are a good two months into the return of river cruising, time for IG RiverCruise to have a look at how it has been so far and they are pleased (German article): https://binnenschifffahrt-online.de/2020/08/schifffahrt/15916/ig-rivercruise-zieht-positive-zwischenbilanz/

 

30 percent of a fleet of over 300 ships are running again, 2 crew members have tested positive and been isolated. Surveyed passengers describe their experience as positive.

 

notamermaid

 

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gnome12 Excellent Advice! Rare

gnome12

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Vantage has cancelled all departures until December 31.

My Africa trip (not a cruise) is scheduled for February and I expect it will also be cancelled. I’m certainly not going to make final payment unless it is moved much closer to departure.


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Canal archive

Canal archive

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Whitstable has always been full of Londoners! Think of their oysters. Even the Romney Hythe & Dimchurch isn’t running. We’re off the Scotland in September hopefully, it’ll be a drive at speed through the north midlands.

if you look at the BBC report of a successful lifesaving effort by many people at Durdle Door in the background you can see some of the moored cruise ships, the channel is a cruise ship park. CA

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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On 8/18/2020 at 12:35 AM, RedTexGal said:

Question... does anyone know if Riviera started cruising today? Thanks

Unfortunately they have postponed their restart. See website: https://www.rivierarivercruises.com/about/useful-information/health

 

Two of the ships that sail for them are currently busy on the Danube though, one can find the Thomas Hardy in Bratislava today for example - spotted on marinetraffic.com

Via a YouTube video I was able to find out that they are on itineraries offered by German operators/TA's.

 

notamermaid

 

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