With Vaccines Essential, AQSC Restarts Hop-On, Hop-Off Touring

American Queen Steamboat Firm, element of the Hornblower Group, declared Thursday that as all guests and crew on all sailings are now essential to be vaccinated, it’s adopted various main health and fitness/security protocol variations.

River cruise guests will no for a longer period be essential to put on masks in any put within the vessel. Of class, guests can nevertheless “mask up” if they so wish. That reported, masks will continue on to be required for all persons on the line’s motorcoaches, as nicely as during the boarding system, for every U.S. Centers for Disease Management and Prevention (CDC) necessities.

The major information is that attendees on all sailings can once again head for the line’s branded “Hop-On, Hop-Off” motorcoaches and delight in unrestricted shore explorations. Only put, the “touring bubble” policy for shore tours is eliminated.

Also, the pre-cruise PCR exam needed the working day right before departure has been removed for all attendees on Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio River sailings. That pre-cruise PCR examination is nevertheless a mandate, nevertheless (provided Washington Condition rules), for all Columbia/Snake River sailings. And now that all guests ought to be vaccinated, they are going to be necessary to upload their proof of vaccination online, immediately after routinely getting an e mail from the line about how to do that.

These policy updates are a result of the cruise line’s vaccination need for both equally company and crew, first declared in February 2021. And as part of people changes, the line launched a “Independence Sale” (see under for facts).

Considering the fact that March, AQSC has operated two river boats, American Countess and American Duchess, together the Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio Rivers with phone calls at these kinds of ports as New Orleans, Memphis, Louisville and
Pittsburgh.

Mississippi River Bridge Photo courtesy of Visit Natchez. Editorial Use Only.

The Mississippi River at Natchez, MS, is shown previously mentioned. // Photo by Visit Natchez

Kari Tarnowski, AQSC senior vice president of advertising, instructed Journey Agent in an job interview this 7 days that port partners are pretty satisfied that river cruise guests will as soon as again patronize local retailers, places to eat and other compact businesses. And from the cruise line’s point of view, “we can now see guests’ smiles onboard,” she adds.

Ashore, “you may see smiles, mingling with community residents and hopping on and off the motorcoaches,” she says. Company are now out of that “bubble” that prevented them from having off on their have pursuits, these kinds of as procuring, eating or touring other web sites or sights.

For instance, a single “bubble tour” this previous spring in Paducah, KY, an AQSC motorcoach took visitors to the well-known quilt museum for a tour. That explained, tour-goers ended up required to right away get back on the bus when the tour concluded. So, there was no stopping at any community outlets or dining places or heading out for personalised touring. With restoration of the “Hop-On, Hop-Off” motorcoach touring, that is now achievable.

Those attendees who’ve taken the “Hop-On, Hop-Off” transport in the earlier will fortunately uncover that pick attraction admissions will even now be provided and there will nonetheless be—as in the past—designated coach decide-up points in downtown or tourism regions.

In the Pacific Northwest area on the Columbia/Snake rivers, AQSC’s American Empress grew to become the initially U.S. river boat with 100 percent fully vaccinated attendees and crew, starting June 14.

While that ship’s attendees also is not going to need to have masks within the ship and can enjoy the “Hop-On, Hop-Off” coach touring, they are going to still need to participate in a PCR test at the pre-cruise resort for each Washington state guidelines.

Independence Sale

To celebrate the vaccines and the further liberty that offers visitors, AQSC also introduced a new “Independence Sale,” which provides a bonus savings of up to $2,000 on decide on 2022 bookings.

Company ought to e-book by August 31, 2021. The sale also applies to pick sailings for sister brand, Victory Cruises. Visit www.americanqueensteamboatcompany.com/unique-offers.

Wellbeing and Safety

American Duchess // Photograph by American Queen Steamboat Business

In buy to adhere to AQSC’s 100 p.c vaccination coverage onboard, all visitors on all AQSC cruises now have to clearly show proof of COVID-19 vaccination by uploading an impression of their vaccination card prior to the pre-cruise resort verify-in. Attendees will obtain an e-mail with directions from the cruise line. Individuals attendees who fail to provide proof will be denied boarding and subject to comprehensive cancellation penalties.

AQSC’s “SafeCruise“ wellness and protection procedures will carry on throughout the full cruise expertise, and attribute pre-boarding, boarding and onboard processes to enhance overall health and safety. Guidance may alter at any time without the need of observe dependent on area laws.

For far more facts, check out www.americanqueensteamboatcompany.com.