Ray in NH

9 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Enjoy your cruise.  Are you able to have the balcony dividers opened if traveling with friend in two adjoins cabins?

 

Thanks.

Interesting question.  Prior to Covid-19, opening the dividers between balconies of adjoining cabins had not been an issue.

NRayH

36 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Good afternoon.  Did you fly home from Lewiston, ID or Spokane, WA?  I understand the fare includes a transfer to Lewiston.  Did the cruise offer transfers to Spokane?  I was wondering about costs and options to get to Spokane for a return flight.  
I see that Delta has connecting flights available to Chicago from Lewiston, but I was wondering about other options.

 

Thanks

Hi Jagoffee,

We flew home from Spokane, to Denver, and then on to Boston.  ACL provided transfer to Spokane airport, and/or Lewiston if I recall correctly,  ACL  offered the option to Lewiston, ID (complimentary).  We took the offered shuttle to Spokane Airport ($120.00 pp) and grabbed a hotel shuttle to a hotel for our "de-compression" stay prior to our flight home (Spokane - Denver - Boston) the next day.  We were flying on United, which is one of our "usual" airlines of choice.  Sounds like the Lewiston option would work for you, if the same options are available.

Hopefully, the same options may be available, for your cruise.

NRayH

3 hours ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

I did this cruise on the American Pride from Clarkston to Portland in July 2018 and it was fabulous. My first river cruise and first on ACL. They do a very nice cruise with good service, friendly crew, and local entertainment. Slow paced and relaxing. I liked the nightly cocktail hour and it will be interesting to see how it is handled with the new Covid rules.

 

You are correct - it is the only game in town. Since I love Alaska and cruise there every summer except 2020, I have signed on for the two week Juneau to Seattle in September. I have done one small ship sailing in Alaska before so know this one will be great.

We did the "flip-side" of this cruise (Portland to Clarksburg) in October 2019, before Covid started to "shut things down",  We did manage to also get in a cruise on Azamara in December 2019 -- boy, it HAS been a long time to be "land-locked".

We have done a number of cruises on ACL and very much enjoy the product they put forth.  Our next cruise is also with them -- the Ohio River, in September of this year (fingers crossed that nothing "un-toward" happens to this one)  -- we have had five cruises cancelled during this "ordeal".

We are very pleased with the product that ACL puts forth.  Our main reason for cruising is itinerary, not the "glitz" of the ship.

If there are any additional areas we can help with -- let us know.

NRayH

Jazzbeaux,

Thank you for the verification.  

Sounds as though we can (probably) rest assured (keeping fingers crossed) that our September cruise (Ohio River) should go as scheduled. ☺️

NRayH

5 hours ago, MSEm said:

Thank you. My husband will probably take a sport coat for warmth.  It will be a good change from wearing a vest all day.  In cooler temperatures such as Alaska we usually wear "layers" of long sleeve shirts, maybe a sweater vest and/or a  vest and always our rain/wind jackets on excursions.

He will probaby wear long sleeve collared shirt, sports coat and dress pants.  I usually wear black pants with colorful top and light jacket at night.

MSEm,

You both should be in fine shape (fashion-wise) with what you described.

Enjoy your cruise and let us know your opinions "Post-Cruise".

NRayH

21 hours ago, MSEm said:

Thank you. My husband may take a sports coat for wear at night. I guess the evening dress will be "country Club or business" dress not jeans.

We have been on some river cruises we worn (and everyone) jeans. We got back from a tour and it was time for dinner.

Know we will need to dress in layers during the day. The Alaskan waters will be cold and therefore the temperatures will be cooler.

I hope that I did not give you the impression that your husband will "need" to take a sport coat, for the ACL cruise.  I usually do not take one, and have never felt "under-dressed".  Actually, I did pack one for our first ACL cruise but did not wear it.  Since then, I do not pack one, unless I feel that I may want one for possible pre/post cruise events.

NRayH

Hi MSEm,

Welcome Aboard,

We have done six cruises aboard ACL ships, and cannot recall ever seeing any formal wear at any meals (except for ship's Officers, on a few rare occasions).  We have seen a couple of men wearing a sport coat or suit (rarely), usually when a birthday/anniversary cake was presented at dessert time, or when they thought it was "the right time".  There have not been any "Formal Nights".  Having said that there is nothing stopping you from "Going All Out" if that is your wish. 

Hoping you enjoy your "ACL Experience" as much as we have ours.

NRayH  

17 hours ago, Podie said:

• I've been living in Hawaii for the past 11 months and things are wonderful here except the tourists are back (20,000 per day) and my solitude is shattered!

Podie,

Please excuse me if I do not "feel your pain" living in Hawaii. 😇

Hope, for your case, that authorities are keeping a watchful eye for "unexpected" developments.

We have very much enjoyed our (too brief) visits to those wonderful islands.

NRayH

On 3/27/2021 at 12:52 PM, tipsygirl said:

Sounds good. We are Jamison's drinkers.

Hi tipsygirl,

You should be fine.  If there is no Jamison aboard, ask the hotel manager, it will probably appear after the next port stop.  You can even make your preference known before the cruise.  We have found ACL to be very accommodating.

NRayH

1 hour ago, dfb said:

I have been on Queen of Mississippi and Independence. Both had ice buckets available for in cabin use. I remember finding the bucket on the closet shelf aboard Independence and I think QoM's was by the TV. They do not fill them. It is easy enough to keep the bucket filled yourself from the ice machine in the lounge.

 

As dfb stated,

We have always had an ice bucket in our stateroom.  It is an easy "task" to fill it, as stated.  On a couple of occasions, our cabin attendant has noticed that we were using the ice and asked if we wished to have it replenished by them.  We thanked her and told her that we could easily get the ice when we needed it without any difficulty.  No problems there.

On our first ACL cruise (roundtrip New Orleans) I asked (pre-cruise) if, by chance, they would have a particular brand of a local area beer on board.  When we boarded we found an ice bucket with four bottles of Abita in our cabin, with a note from the Hotel Director saying if we needed (wanted) more to let him know -- It was also readily available in the lounges and dining room.  I thought that was a nice gesture, especially for a "newbie".

NRayH

41 minutes ago, MSEm said:

Are the breakfast and lunch buffets or order from "menu"

I understand the menu will be limited because for the small number of guest on board.

Thanks for any information for a new American Cruise Line guest.

 

MSEm,

On all of the cruises we have done aboard ACL, all meals have been "on order", with a pretty extensive selection.  Having said that at breakfast there is also an area with fresh fruit, cereals, and pastries available (BUT - that was pre-Covid).  Time will tell if that remains when cruising resumes.

NRayH

2 minutes ago, frickwg said:

Where does the American Constitution Dock in Boston?

I am confused as the American Cruise Lines website says “Boston/Charlestown.”

Which is it?  The main cruise port in Boston is Black Falcon Cruise Terminal, but that is NOT in Charlestown.

???

Hi Frickwg,

Unless they have changed things, ACL cruises out of Boston leave from near to where the USS Constitution is docked.

I think Boston prefers to keep Black Falcon for the "biggies".

 Although, we did do a New England cruise on ACL that did dock at Black Falcon, but that was just a day stop for touring Boston.

If you book the cruise - the cruise documents will tell you exactly where the ship will be docked.

NRayH

Hi Ray and Teresia,

We have booked seven cruises aboard ACL (various ships) but have not cruised specifically aboard American Jazz.  We have also done two river cruises in Europe (with Viking) -- and well over 120 total cruises (river and/or ocean).

If large shows, with large song & dance companies, are  required for your cruise experience, you may be disappointed.  The on-board entertainment has met our "needs".  "Entertainment" ,in this case, includes guest speakers/performers from the locales of the ship's itineraries -- one of the "differences" we find most welcome.  The nightly "Happy Hours" are also nice opportunities to meet fellow passengers.

The travel scooter should not be a "problem," depending upon it's size.  I believe the Jazz has only two elevators, so there can be some bottle necking, at times, but most folks seem to use the stairs (there aren't that many decks.

When exiting and boarding the ship there have always been crew members willing and able to assist anyone with mobility "issues".

We find both the large ship and smaller river ships both wonderful venues to enjoy very different "cruising aspects".

We enjoy both very much.  If you have addition questions, send them along.  I'll try my best to help you out.

NRayH 

5 hours ago, BaumD said:

From the FAQ section of the ACL website:

What is included in fare?

American Cruise Lines’ per person fare includes passage, dining service, snacks, complimentary cocktail parties, and entertainment aboard the ship. Fares do not include shore tours (unless otherwise noted) or port charges and fees.  Guests are not expected to leave a gratuity on board.

They (ACL) does state, "Guests are not expected to leave a gratuity on board",  However, if you feel one is warranted the crew will most likely not refuse them (nor should they).  It is a "gratuity", not a "service charge", therefore "not required".

We have never felt that crew members were "appealing" for tips.

NRayH

1 hour ago, MSEm said:

Is tripping expected by crew on American Cruise Line.  Is tipping allowed.  I read about 1 cruiseline where crew  could not accept tips. The salaries for the crew member was much higher than on the mass market cruises.

Are passengers allowed to bring wine or other beverages on board?  There have been occasions where I would like to purchase a "local" bottle or 2 of wine to consume while on board.

 

Thanks for any information on taking an American Cruise line trip.

Hi MSEm,

We have not seen the topic of "tipping" referenced in any of the "official" information pages of ACL's  brochures (nor have we asked about it).  We have presented various  staff members "token$ of our appreciation", and they have not been refused.

We have also seen some passengers bringing bags/boxes back on board, with no questioning by staff as to the contents (no x-ray machines).  A bottle or two of wine should not present any problem, based on our experience over seven ACL cruises.

I hope this helps.  "Happy Cruising"  ACL style

NRayH

17 hours ago, Cathy p said:

I am so sorry to hear about everyone's problems. We live in Florida and have all 3 shots available. My hubby and I had the 1st Pfizer shot the 3rd week of February and now will get the 2nd on March 11th. Right now they are doing 1st responders and over 65. Considering everyone in Florida is over 65 it may take a while. No just kidding, but a lot are. 

We received our first shot this week and are scheduled for the follow-up second dose on 31 March.  Despite some earlier "hiccups" the system is finally looking as though it is working as planned -- at least in our area.

NRayH

On 2/18/2021 at 11:57 PM, Izena said:

I hope all who have been dealing with freezing temps, power outages,frozen pipes are safe and warm.  I’m in Houston area  it has been challenging.  Random power outages that are from a couple of hours to days,  I think are behind us.  We have a hard freeze again tonight and Friday then hopefully it will be over.

 

Not to make light of your present situation (been there done that), but "Frosty" New England is at fifty degrees (above zero) this afternoon.  ☺️

We had snow earlier this week and are expecting more later this week.  Mother Nature can be very "unpredictable".

We hope you are back to whatever is "normal" or at least "bearable"

NRayH

2 hours ago, BaumD said:

Typically, the AM excursions are timed so people are back on board for lunch before the PM excursions start. I've seen where they slide the time for lunch by 30 or 60 minutes to coordinate with the excursions.  Have never missed cocktail hour, depends on how long you need to get ready for dinner.

Additionally, if the tour/excursion is a lengthy one, lunch would often be included as part of the "package".  We have not "missed" any meals, nor the start of cocktail time on any of our previous seven ACL cruises.

The staff "aims to please" and seldom miss the target.

NRayH

22 hours ago, Izena said:

I have only been on one ACL cruise.  I went with my son.  We took turns choosing a table.   Everyone was friendly.  We ended up at tables for 8.   Met many interesting people.   I’m not shy so asking people if we can join them is not a problem and I don’t take it personally if they say no.   Meal time was best opportunity to meet the travelers.  

I can drink to that -- then again, I can say that about MOST topics. 😇

In a more serious vein, I also concur with your rationale.

NRayH

14 hours ago, Lorey2007 said:

Are you seated at a different  table each night or at the same table with the same tablemates? 

We have been on seven ACL Cruises, and never had an assigned table for dining.  We just show up at the Dining area at the appointed time and are seated, or pick our own seating.  We do not recall seeing any "two-tops" -- mostly 4, 6, or 8 tops.  On a few "rare occasions" we have seen some times where they have placed a couple/few tables together to make for a large "together grouping".

If you meet someone you wish to dine with just arrive together, or inform the host/hostess that you are expecting someone to join you.  We have found the staff to be very accommodating.  We have never "felt forced" to seat anywhere that were not comfortable.

If you have particular "requirements" for dining preference, make them known to the host/hostess, and they will make an effort to accommodate your requests.

Enjoy your cruise.

NRayH

13 hours ago, Suitcasefull said:

Thanks for this.  Thought I was right about it not having to worry re: number of people on board.  Guess there were other reasons that weren't shared.  Having never sailed with them, I'm disappointed but now won't have a chance to experience them until 2022.  Will look forward to reports from those of you who sail with them in 2021.

We have sailed with ACL six times (next scheduled with them for 19 September 2021). I guess you probably figured out that we are than satisfied with their product. We are keeping fingers, toes, whatever, crossed that this one sails as scheduled.  Of course, we are also still awaiting confirmation of our vaccination schedule. 🙄

NRayH

NRayH

Hi All,

Interesting thread -- just stumbled upon it today.  This is one of those threads where it is "difficult" to find much consensus.

For whatever it may be worth, here is my "two-cents" worth, based upon over 125 cruises, on 12 different cruise lines (ocean and/or river), covering in excess of over 1300 cruise-days

I'll limit my ranking to the four named cruise lines.

1) Celebrity (15 cruises/141 days)

2) Holland America (20 cruises/295 days)

3) NCL (3 cruises/29 days)

4) Princess (3 cruises/36 days)

I guess the number of cruises/days on each of these four rated lines is somewhat telling?  We do enjoy variety, and trying new lines/itineraries.

The best part of something like this survey is going back and re-living some very enjoyable places, people, and experiences.

Of course, what we have most enjoyable/memorable, may have no impact on your personal experience.  The beauty of cruising is the memories we retain for future remembrances.

Hoping you enjoy whatever cruise you decide to enjoy.

NRayH

14 hours ago, Laurab23 said:

In New York state I finally was able to make an appt. March 16. 2 months away. On a good note my husband who is an essential worker and has been sent home 3 times for possible exposure was able to get his first shot today. With both of us over 65 I am grateful he could at least get it.

 

Laura

 

Hi Laura,

We just received notice that we can schedule our vaccine administration on 22 January.  that should place us in good stead for our next scheduled cruise -- 19 September, 2021 (aboard American cruise Line).  

Keeping our fingers crossed.

NRayH

Saw a notice last night (on state Covid web-site) that our scheduled group (1-B, those over 75 years of age), will now include those over 65 years of age (starting 26 January, and expected to last until into March.

We are still waiting for our appointments, from before they lowered the age limit.  Hopefully they actually have a viable plan that will allow most folks, who want/need to get the vaccine  -- soon.

NRayH

Hi All,

We just received the brochure for the 2021-2022 Eagle Society Cruises.  Anyone here planning on doing any of these itineraries?

NRayH