wandb

Bob, how much of an incentive did AQV offer if you book onboard? There was no future cruise consultant on board our last cruise, so we couldn't get any first hand info on that.

What a great review!! I’ve read every word, and you have answered many questions we had. One of my main concerns was the smoke impact from wildfires in much of the northwest. I’m terribly allergic to smoke, and yours is the first review I’ve seen that seems to address that. Do you think late September or sometime in October would be less smoky? Will it be too cold then? Surely hope someone can share thoughts on this. Barb

Hi, Edna and Steve, We never did hear hear how your cruise turned out, and I have a couple of questions. Hope you are still following, or someone else please jump in here and help. I’m trying to plan this cruise for next year (2023) and having a hard time deciding just when to cruise. —Was it too cool for this cruise by October? —Was there a problem with smoke from wildfires? —Did you take any premium excursions? If so, were they worth the money? —I’ve heard that there is “spectacular color” there in the Fall. True? Thanks, Barb

Thanks Bob. I forgot you were already on the first leg of your cruise when the new Covid regulations took effect on August first, so you had to test under the old rules. Hopefully, these new rules will be successful and we can continue to cruise without the ineffective Covid testing. A lot of folks on our last cruise (in June) got Covid by the end of the cruise, and a few got it a few days later. All tested negative the day before the cruise began. I'm looking forward to this Upper Mississippi/Mark Twain cruise in 3 weeks. Just wish someone else would sign in. It's always fun to meet up with the folks we have "met" on CC.

We love the Queen and can't wait to be on her again. But first the Duchess---in just 3 weeks. Can you tell us a bit about the procedure for checking in. Is there a health questionnaire in place of the Covid test? Or is health not addressed at all? Check-in should be pretty quick, I think.

Does anyone know the new protocol? Maybe “IamAlyce” or someone else cruising this week can tell us. A questionnaire? Sign a form that you don’t have Covid? Something that asks if you’d ever had COVID, or how long it’s been since you had COVID?

Wow!! You are right!! I'm not sure it ever helped "keep everyone safe" At least 3 of the people at our dinner table came down with Covid by the end of our last cruise in June (Ohio River). All tested negative on the day before the cruise.

That was our experience also on the Queen several years ago. More recently, on the Countess in June, the experience was the same. We were assigned to a table for eight, and had lovely tablemates.

When our documents finally arrived before our cruise, I was surprised how little necessary information was included: ----a brochure on port stops ----one page of Covid protocols ----luggage tags ----one page boarding document None of these are necessary before the cruise check-in at the hotel. I can't understand why AQV still mails them out. It would be so much cheaper and easier to just hand them out at check-in! I hope you and your parents enjoy the cruise. We love river cruising! You can be as active as you'd like. Some days we hop on and hop off at every stop the bus makes, some days we just ride the bus and listen to the tour guide, some days we sit in those big ole white rocking chairs and watch the river roll by! Enjoy!

Forgot to mention that this is from St. Louis (Alton) to Minneapolis (Red Wing)

We are booked on this cruise and hope to hear from others who will be joining us. It will be our 3rd AQV cruise, but the first on the Duchess.

Thanks everyone! I think I’ll skip summer, as the heat is no friend of mine! Here in south GA we are to have over 100 degrees for most of next week! 😳🥵

Need some help from those of you who have done this cruise. We are hoping to do this in 2023, but can't decide when! I'd like to miss spring storms, or the bad wildfire season if possible. What has been your experience? Is summer just way too hot? Is there good color in the Fsll? Just when is the worst of "fire season"? Thanks in advance for any help or advice!

We have just 2 weeks left before our Ohio River cruise. Have not heard a peep from AQV. When do the cruise documents usually arrive?