American Countess Dec 20 sailing cancelled

[LakeLife58]

We were booked on this sailing and it was cancelled with no email to us. We were not given a chance to transfer to another ship because out room type was already taken. Now our travel agent says it may be 90 days on our refund. 

[DaveinCharlotte]

How did AQV notify you or TA cruise was cancelled?  Or did you just go on their website and see that it was no longer there?  Since it's not on their website now, I can't tell where this cruise was supposed to have been.  What a big disappointment, and on such short (or no) notice!  We're booked on the Countess end of this month, guess now I'll have to check almost daily to make sure it's still on.

[LakeLife58]

I booked through a travel agent and called her with a question and was told that the departure was going to be cancelled. Took another 2.5 weeks for her to verify it had actually been cancelled. I have received zero confirmation from the line regarding this. 

[LakeLife58]

This was Memphis to New Orleans and airfare back to departure port included.

[Av8tor]

13 hours ago, LakeLife58 said:

This was Memphis to New Orleans and airfare back to departure port included.

I assume you've already purchased the airfare (not only from NOLA back to MEM but also RT to/from your home to MEM if that was required) and chances are that's non-refundable.  But be sure to check with the airline to see if they can give you a CREDIT to use for other flight if they can't refund to your original payment method.  It's worth a try, some airlines will do this...

 

Paul

[DaveinCharlotte]

I see that Countess is running Memphis/NOLA throughout November, but I can't see anything scheduled through Dec, Jan, Feb, or Mar.  Wonder if AQV is pulling it out of service for major repairs.  Wasn't it the Countess that was photographed being pushed by a tug this summer, and word was engine had failed?

[ericosmith]

That is about the only route that would sell during the winter.  I wonder if there's enough demand to support 3 boats considering the competition from ACL and Viking.

[njhoo]

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.  

[DaveinCharlotte]

Heads up to anyone booked on the three November cruises I mentioned above.  Just received this e-mail from AQV:
 

"Due to historic low water on the Mississippi River, we must change the itinerary for your upcoming voyage due to river traffic and closures beyond our control. Your voyage on the American Countess^®  departing Chattanooga on October 29 will now conclude in Louisville, KY on November 8, 2022 instead of Memphis, TN."
 

I fear those November Memphis/New Orleans cruises are in jeopardy too, unless the low-water problem magically goes away.

[ericosmith]

12 hours ago, DaveinCharlotte said:

Heads up to anyone booked on the three November cruises I mentioned above.  Just received this e-mail from AQV:
 

"Due to historic low water on the Mississippi River, we must change the itinerary for your upcoming voyage due to river traffic and closures beyond our control. Your voyage on the American Countess^®  departing Chattanooga on October 29 will now conclude in Louisville, KY on November 8, 2022 instead of Memphis, TN."
 

I fear those November Memphis/New Orleans cruises are in jeopardy too, unless the low-water problem magically goes away.

It's going to be really difficult to do a Memphis to New Orleans cruise when the boat is in Louisville.  

[Gypsygirl100%]

I posted this on roll call forum, but for different sailing date since ours was not listed. Maybe a little whiny, but will try to keep it factual:

 

I was notified of a change for our American Countess Nov 8th Mississippi River cruise less than 2 weeks before departure. It was not just the arrival or departure ports that changed - all ports changed, and it is no longer a Mississippi River cruise at all. No information on cancelling for future cruise credit or change of date, so I contacted AQV.

 

I inquired about both options in a call and was told there was no provision for either refund or change of date, and if I cancelled, since it was within 14 days, I would lose all of my money. I pointed out the notice was less than 14 days, but this did not make an impact. I asked about an upgraded cabin, onboard credit or complimentary excursion as consideration for the complete change of itinerary. The answer was no, they were not offering anything to me or any other passenger except for change fees for air. 

 

I asked to speak with a supervisor. After sometime on hold, the agent returned and said the supervisor offered a one time change of date, but I would have to pay for any change in fare. I assured her I got a very good rate when booking and paying in full 18 months ago. She said there were some sales going on currently. However, when I checked, none of the sales included our cabin category, and it would cost twice as much to re-book our same cruise on a date next year, even on the least expensive sailing.

 

Approximately a week later I called again to inquire whether anything besides what I had been offered had been offered to any other guest,  and was assured emphatically no; no onboard credit, no upgrade, no complimentary premium experience.

 

So my DH and I have decided to go on this revised itinerary, as the alternatives are not acceptable. All I can say is I hope they do everything they can to make this a darn good cruise. Any thoughts? What would you do? Oh, and if anyone on these revised cruises has been offered any kind of consideration for the changes, please let the rest of us know. Thanks!

[Gypsygirl100%]

Oh, and they are not even bothering to send out revised/new cruise documents with ports and descriptions of the stops. No way that could cause confusion.

 

[ericosmith]

I'm really not sure what they can do.  We're ending up in Louisville on the 8th rather than in Memphis.  From what the officers are saying on board there is just no way to insure that they can count on being able to travel on the lower Mississippi.  Their revised itineraries are on rivers that are controlled depth so that there is no concern about water levels.  

 

If you go to:

 

 https://www.reservemyexcursions.com/booking/BookingTourList/0/AC110822/Web Booking Closed/

 

You'll find your itinerary.  Usually you can click on the print this page in the upper left and it will download a pdf that shows all of the hop on hop off stops also.  Hope that helps

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

We have been dealing with low water problems on European river cruises all summer.  Cruise lines there have tried four different ways of coping:  (1) if the low water is in a small area, sail close to it then bus the passengers to another ship on the other side of the blockage – that wouldn't work with the large areas of low water on the Mississippi; (2) keep the ship moored at the starting port and bus increasingly long distances to the excursions, then move the luggage to another ship at the other end and keep busing – this works on the Elbe because the entire length isn't very long, but I don't think you would like that on the lengthy Mississippi; (3) change the itinerary to work with Mother Nature – as AQ seems to be doing; (4) cancel – oh wait, nobody did that this year.  

 

So based on the European river experience, AQ is offering you the least worst option.  I realize that this is a huge disappointment to you, but they are offering you the choice to roll your payment forward to a future cruise when there may be water in the river.  Many passengers on the European river cruises did not even have that option.

[DaveinCharlotte]

Just got off the Oct 27 Chattanooga-to-Memphis cruise that got changed to Chattanooga-to-Louisville.  The ship is sailing to Nashville next.

[Gypsygirl100%]

On 11/6/2022 at 12:54 AM, Host Jazzbeau said:

 ...

So based on the European river experience, AQ is offering you the least worst option.  I realize that this is a huge disappointment to you, but they are offering you the choice to roll your payment forward to a future cruise when there may be water in the river.  Many passengers on the European river cruises did not even have that option.

 

The option of rolling the payment to another sailing was only offered when I asked to speak with a supervisor after being told there was no option being offered to me or any other passenger (which was a lie - I verified that other passengers were offered the same thing); and, it would have doubled the cost of the cruise. That was not an acceptable offer for me. Not sure if you would mind paying double though.