njhoo

It will be interesting to see the intentions of ACL in the deployment of these four acquired vessels.  My immediate reaction is focused on the Pacific Northwest Columbia River cruises.  Will that market support two vessels, certainly different styles, floor plans, etc.?  As to the Mississippi and connecting rivers, will it be to ACLs advantage to reduce competition ie. passengers, therefore adjust prices accordingly?  Nice to sit back and consider the possibilities.  Happy cruising CC friends.  

The end of AQ Voyages was not unexpected as it was becoming increasingly aware that the manner in how they were delaying refunds on cancelled cruises increasing longer and longer.  We got caught up in this several years ago and when told it would take 90 business days, I filled a dispute with Visa and was refunded the next day.  Equally disappointing was that we never received notice from AQ, heard it from another customer.

We look back on many voyages as we travelled the rivers of America, mighty Mississippi from St Paul to New Orleans (in segments), Columbia, Cumberland, Tennessee and Ohio.  We think of sailing with Phyllis Dale, Greg and Lindy, Curtis Field as General Grant, Anthony the bartender on the Countess and Erik the manager upstairs.  Enjoying early morning coffee with Holland Ware in the front porch, meeting Dave from Charlotte and Doug &Carol who will still travel with.  Yes this is the end of an era, inevitable as their shoreside management and downward on board experience forced the sad ending.  

PSA for folks booked and then cancelled, immediately file a dispute with your credit card, they drag out refunds for 6+ months!  They used to be a great cruise line; however, between a horrible back office, money issues and a deteriorating onboard experience it’s best to avoid.  

We are seriously considering the Rhapsody out of Colon to the ABC islands.  Appreciate the guidance of Zu Concierge.  We would arrive in PTY mid afternoon, which would be better, go over to the Port that day or stay in Panama City overnight?  Also at the end, the flight home leaves at 6:41 pm.  Any suggestions for how to spend the 1/2 day?  Have already previously transit the canal and visited a lock?  We could always look for a hotel day room close to the airport.  

When you are told 90 days…they mean 90 business days!   As soon as I was told that, I filed a dispute through my credit card and received the credit right away.  

Be prepared to not receive a response to your reaching out to AQ.  We did from a post on Facebook, never responded.  

The Tauck “gift of time” has a cut off date to encourage earlier depositing.  I believe that for 2023 trips it was like July 31, 2022.  

LakeLife, we were scheduled to sail on the Countess early December.  Beginning of September we heard through a third party that the cruise was canceled, never received a notification.  Upon inquiry we were offered a cabin on the AQ leaving a day earlier for an additional $3,000!  We declined the offer and was told the refund would take 90 days.  I immediately disputed the charge with Visa and was promptly credited back.  Of course we’re out the airfares. 

We had the same no notice cancellation for the December 6th sailing, found out when our companions went to make their final payment.  They would transfer our booking to the AQ departing a day earlier in the same category for $3,000 more!  Was told it would take 12 weeks for refund.  Called Visa and disputed the original charge.  Was processed immediately with the completion of paperwork supporting the claim.  Very poor handling of this by AQ.  

jebbs, while I wholeheartedly agree with you, the rep we spoke with works a Tuesday-Saturday week, we’ve previously  booked two cruises through her.  Just disappointed on how it’s being handled.  Appreciate your kind words 

We are definitely supporters of AQ, been on five cruises so far enjoying each of their riverboats.  We love  the product, the meals, staff, entertainment and American river itineraries.  You get the picture….fans 🙂.  We and another couple that we actually met on the AQ seven years ago, booked the Countess for Christmas markets on the Mississippi the beginning of December.  They offered a good deal if you would pay in full.  
 

This morning we get a call from our companions, when they went to make final payment, they were advised that the sailing was canceled because of low number of bookings.  Neither of us received the supposed email notification giving us our options, one of which is to transfer to another cruise.  Fortunately, the AQ does the similar sailing a day earlier and they have availability…..not bad, just deal with flight changes.  Okay, let’s just transfer category to category, or something close to similar. Nope, if you transfer it’s at current pricing and we want approximately $3,000 more!  No choice but to sadly cancel; here’s the kicker, your refund will take 45-60 business days!  Very disappointed with how AQ is handling this 😕

Seaspray, we sailed the Queen upstream once in March, fought a heavy current the entire trip.  We are actually sailing the Countess from Memphis to NO in early December and our hotel is the Peabody.  

We sailed her last November on the Tennessee River, the signal was pretty weak for the most part.    You will probably have issues streaming 

Another suggestion, we did this last fall on a Memphis to Chattanooga cruise.  Leave your car in Louisville and then make your way (bus, flight or rental car) to Clarksville (Nashville) to begin your cruise.  This way you just retrieve your vehicle at the end and head home from there.  

Thank you Mary for taking us along on your trip.  We were scheduled for Tauck’s rendezvous on the Seine the beginning of June 2020, but alas, it was canceled.  I’m personally a history buff and was very interested in the day at Normandy. Could you please share your experience, assuming that your cruise included heading to the coast.  

Dave, this is off the PDF shore excursion brochure, it's an included tour: 

Join us as we travel to one of the most informative and interesting Civil War National Parks. Shiloh National Military Park contains a wide array of historic sites.Located within the boundaries of Shiloh Park, there is also a United States National Cemetery, holding around 4,000 soldiers and their family members. A National Historic Landmark in its own right, the Shiloh Indian Mounds are also located within the park boundaries.“No soldier who took part in the two day’s engagement at Shiloh ever spoiled for a fight again,”recalled one Union veteran. “We wanted a square,stand-up fight [and] got all we wanted of it.” Besides preserving the site of the bloody April 1862’s battle in Tennessee, the park commemorates the subsequent siege, battle, and occupation of the key railroad junction at nearby Corinth, Mississippi. Join us as we continue on to one of the most informative and interesting Civil War National Parks. Shiloh National Military Park contains a wide array of historic sites. In addition to the battlefield of Shiloh itself, the park contains a separate unit at Corinth, Mississippi, that preserves and interprets the Siege and Battle of Corinth. Located within the boundaries of Shiloh Park,there is also a United States National Cemetery, which contains around 4,000 soldiers and their family members. A National Historic Landmark in its own right, the Shiloh Indian Mounds are also located within the park boundaries. 

We're sailing on the 10/31/21 Memphis to Chattanooga....Russ

Thank you NavyVeteran for where to find the PDF for both included and premium excursions; I was looking all over the website for the information.  We’re sailing on the Countess the end of October on the Tennessee River.  This is a rollover from the cancelled 2020 trip.  

Here’s the link to the thread, you may want to read it in it’s entirety, a lot of helpful information, just not current as to covid protocol.

Cyberchomp, like Tincan, we did this trip several years ago.  He is accurate about the ho-ho buses in the various ports.  We like to walk a lot and in many cases walked between the in-port sights that are included.  Of course, the bus circles around the stops and you just pick up the next bus as it comes along.  The evening before you select which bus you would want to start your day around town.  I think I recall that the initial buses start at 15-20 minute intervals.  We went on the optional tour in Richland to the Hanford Reactor, it was extremely interesting.  Our touring buddies went to Multnomah Falls (we’d been there previously). 

I kind of did a day by day on cruise critic.  I will try to find it and post the link, it was embedded on another thread.  

Last week our October 2020 cruise was canceled and we chose to rebook for 2021.  The agent advised us that the unused FCC could be used for excursions; I do not have that in writing, just verbal.  

10 hours ago, adstz said:

UPDATE - 

Notified by my travel agent today that AQSC has canceled our September 20, 2020 cruise.

They are giving us an extra 25% as compensation. We will rebook for October 10, 2021. Hopefully we can sail by then.

Now to deal with the airline. Supposedly we will get credit that can be used for our next trip.

What boat are you on?  The AQ website still just show suspension thru 8/31/20.

Opps, my bad...you are correct with August 31st.  It’s another travel company with which we have a January trip booked that canceled thru September 30th.  Still don’t think we’ll be sailing in October though. 

We have the end of October on the Countess from Memphis to Chattanooga.  All along I’ve tried to be optimistic and give it a 50-50 odds of sailing.  With yesterday’s new update delaying their restart until the end of September, guess have to admit that we won’t be sailing.  Now we wait for AQ to announce so we can make our decision on what to do with the fully paid fares last December. 

Hi Dave, this is Russ...we did the Dutchess together in 2018.  We’re trying to be optimistic about this, we already had a Seine River cruise canceled on us and we should be in Scotland now.  Each AQ announcement of suspension I keep with the Vegas odds of 50-50.  Recognize that once we get into September I will have to lower my expectations.  We’re traveling with another couple that we met on that AQ, this time we’re driving to Chattanooga and then the four of us will rent a van to get us to Memphis.  

We’re booked on the Countess the end of October on the Tennessee River, for a while now I’ve been giving it 50-50 odds of sailing.  Paid in full last December.