September /October Sailings

[Evesham]

Hi folks.  We are based in the UK, and would appreciate your more localised thoughts, on how likely it is that the American Queen 4th October Lower Mississippi cruise will go ahead.   I accept there are no guarantees, but it is difficult to get a ‘real’ handle on the situation over in the USA from cruise adverts.  Any input would be helpful please.

 

[LDVinNC]

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...

[Evesham]

Thanks LDV.  Good info & I hope the vaccination system improves for you all.  
 

[Host Jazzbeau]

What are airlines offering by way of cancellation flexibility for UK passengers?  I feel free to book flights from the US to Europe as soon as booking opens, because Delta has waived change fees and they almost always offer the best routes for us – so I figure I can always cancel use the Delta credit on a later trip.

[califsealion]

I listen to a travel show on the radio on Sundays, and I swear they said AQSC was starting up again March 15th.  I expected to see something about that on the boards, but since I don't see anything, I'm wondering if I heard right.

 

edit to add: I went back and relistened and they definitely said AQSC, but don't see anything on their website or anything.

Edited February 24, 2021 by califsealion
added information

[Evesham]

Thanks all.  Airline has a ‘flexible booking’ with no charge for changes.  They are the only airline that does a non-stop flight to New Orleans & return from Nashville, and we book Premium, so also limited availability.  I’m teetering on booking flight 😂😉.  Cruise & hotels already booked - cancelled from last year. Just dislike the uncertainty of it all, but we are all in the same boat - forgive the pun😄.  Thanks again.

 

 

[uktog]

3 hours ago, Evesham said:

Thanks all.  Airline has a ‘flexible booking’ with no charge for changes.  They are the only airline that does a non-stop flight to New Orleans & return from Nashville, and we book Premium, so also limited availability.  I’m teetering on booking flight 😂😉.  Cruise & hotels already booked - cancelled from last year. Just dislike the uncertainty of it all, but we are all in the same boat - forgive the pun😄.  Thanks again.

 

 

Difficult decision, we pushed to next year (our third move) when April was lost.  You are right BA was flying those non stop and that is what we hope for next year however they may not release these routes back once gateways open up (New Orleans and Nashville are currently not agreed entry points for UK guests).  Probably worth a gamble, you might have to do a transit en route if travel is allowed then but that would be preferable to not getting the holiday you have been dreaming of.  Look forward to hearing how it goes for you, we will be doing it in to Nashville and cruising from Memphis and out of NO.  Where are you planning to stay in each place?

[Floriduh]

12 hours ago, califsealion said:

I listen to a travel show on the radio on Sundays, and I swear they said AQSC was starting up again March 15th.  I expected to see something about that on the boards, but since I don't see anything, I'm wondering if I heard right.

 

edit to add: I went back and relistened and they definitely said AQSC, but don't see anything on their website or anything.

The Countess starts on March 27 and the Duchess on March 28, 2021. My family is booked on the Countess April 3. 

[TinCan782]

Don't know how "up-to-date" this is.

From their website:

• American Duchess™
  The American Duchess, which sails on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers, will extend its suspension through March 14, 2021.
• NEW: American Countess™
  The American Countess, the latest paddlewheeler to join the AQSC fleet on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers, will extend its suspension through March 27, 2021.
• American Empress®
  The American Empress, which sails the Columbia and Snake rivers, will extend its suspension through April 11, 2021.
• American Queen®
  The iconic American Queen, which sails on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers, will extend its suspension through May 16, 2021. 

 

https://www.americanqueensteamboatcompany.com/alerts/

 

[Travellingtaff]

4 hours ago, uktog said:

Difficult decision, we pushed to next year (our third move) when April was lost.  You are right BA was flying those non stop and that is what we hope for next year however they may not release these routes back once gateways open up (New Orleans and Nashville are currently not agreed entry points for UK guests).  Probably worth a gamble, you might have to do a transit en route if travel is allowed then but that would be preferable to not getting the holiday you have been dreaming of.  Look forward to hearing how it goes for you, we will be doing it in to Nashville and cruising from Memphis and out of NO.  Where are you planning to stay in each place?

Just wondering whether our experience was as a result of possible gateway changes.

Having had last September's trip cancelled, we re-booked a package for this September, from Memphis to New Orleans,  with hotel stays and tours in Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans . As with last year, flights were with BA into Nashville out of New Orleans. We booked Club Class and had booked our seats out and back.

 

We then found out in January that  BA had cancelled our flight and our TA had re-booked us onto Virgin flights into and out of Atlanta, with internal connecting flights of around an hour or so with Delta. 

 

[Floriduh]

 

Then April has much more.

[LDVinNC]

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

 

[Floriduh]

1 hour ago, LDVinNC said:

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

 

As we are booked on April 3 I have been talking to them on a regular basis. They are saying we will be getting our luggage tags and info in about 10 days and they are a "Go".

 

They are not bound by the CDC guidelines because they are launching with less than 250 people on board and not leaving the country.

 

From Cruise Critic article about a different river boat line (ACL), but seems to support this:

 

The line is not bound by restrictions on cruise put forth by Transport Canada, as the line is flagged in the United States and does not (and would not) need to stop in a foreign port of call. American Cruise Line's vessels are also not covered under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s "Framework for Conditional Sailing", as the small-ship fleet falls below the guidance set forth by the CDC.

[LDVinNC]

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.

 

[TinCan782]

13 minutes ago, LDVinNC said:

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.

 

"VACCINATIONS 
COVID-19 vaccination is required for all guests and crew for all sailings beginning July 1, 2021."

[40yearcruiser]

We just booked the Minneapolis to New Orleans cruise on the Duchess for August 1 so are hoping that all the fleet will be cruising by then. Of course, we hope all the major cruise lines will also be sailing by then. We have been fortunate to already have both doses of the vaccine so that is not a worry for us. AQSC must feel that by July anyone who wants the vaccine should be able to get it.

[uktog]

13 hours ago, 40yearcruiser said:

We just booked the Minneapolis to New Orleans cruise on the Duchess for August 1 so are hoping that all the fleet will be cruising by then. Of course, we hope all the major cruise lines will also be sailing by then. We have been fortunate to already have both doses of the vaccine so that is not a worry for us. AQSC must feel that by July anyone who wants the vaccine should be able to get it.

Works for some countries where money buys you a place in the vaccine queue but would not work for those countries who are prioritising roll out of vaccine based on need and risk. In the UK anyone under 50 might struggle to meet this ruling, however we are proud to say in Scotland everyone over 80 (apart from a few who can’t or won’t have) and almost everyone over 70 has had their first dose, from the richest to the poorest. 
But I do agree vaccines are the route to safe travel 

Edited February 26, 2021 by uktog

[Shineson]

On 2/24/2021 at 1:41 PM, uktog said:

Difficult decision, we pushed to next year (our third move) when April was lost.  You are right BA was flying those non stop and that is what we hope for next year however they may not release these routes back once gateways open up (New Orleans and Nashville are currently not agreed entry points for UK guests).  Probably worth a gamble, you might have to do a transit en route if travel is allowed then but that would be preferable to not getting the holiday you have been dreaming of.  Look forward to hearing how it goes for you, we will be doing it in to Nashville and cruising from Memphis and out of NO.  Where are you planning to stay in each place?

Hi uktog.  For some reason, I can only now log on to Cruise Critic under a previous user name Shineson !!!! But actually its me - Evesham.  We have decided to gamble on booking flights, based on the fact that we will still want to do the holiday next year & knowing they will let us change them.  If we are moved to an indirect route - then we will go with the flow.   BA have changed the days on which they operate the non-stop flights to New Orleans, so we have added another day at the beginning of our holiday.  Originally we were doing 5 nights at the Hotel Mazarin and then going straight to boarding the cruise on the 4th.  We are still doing 5 nights at the Mazarin, but are taking up the AQSC 1 night pre-cruise Hotel offer which will benefit us by being on the spot in relation to all the pre-cruise health checks etc.  In Memphis, we are at The Peabody for 3 nights before transferring to Nashville and have a hold on the 154 Luxury Lofts with a balcony overlooking the Mississippi for 3 nights.  

Who would have thought, when we booked our cruises back in 2019, that we would still be waiting!!!  Good luck on your planned holiday.

[uktog]

Sounds great, yes I noticed the day changes on the BA flights. We will need an extra day at the end of our holiday next year, I think we’d booked three this year so can easily do 4. Will be interested in how the Peabody is for you. Our confirmation for next year shows the Peabody as our included pre cruise night. Previously because I wasn’t too keen on the Sheraton we were going to use the Indigo first and go to the Sheraton for the pre cruise night (for exactly the same reason get the formalities done). However we may do all our Memphis time in the Peabody