American Queen Lifts Mask Mandate and Pre-Cruise Testing
American Queen Steamboat Company announced that guests will no longer be required to wear masks onboard or undergo pre-cruise testing because the line requires vaccination of all guests and crew.
The company also said passengers can again take unrestricted hop-on, hop-off shore excursions starting July 1 on all Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland river sailings.
To celebrate, the company is rolling out the “Freedom” sale, which offers bonus savings of up to $2,000 per stateroom on select 2022 bookings made by Aug. 31, 2021.
“I want to thank our tireless crew, loyal guests, valued travel advisors and supportive port partners for their efforts as we have navigated this unique time in travel together,” said Shawn Bierdz, president of American Queen Steamboat Company. “Thanks to their unwavering commitment, we have been able to evolve our policies to further deliver an authentic river cruise experience without confusing restrictions.”
The brand-new American Countess and boutique riverboat American Duchess began sailing in March under SafeCruise protocols, calling on ports including New Orleans, Memphis, Louisville, and Pittsburgh. The American Empress, sailing the Pacific Northwest on the Columbia and Snake rivers, welcomed its first guests on June 14. American Empress guests will continue to get a PCR test at the pre-cruise hotel per Washington state guidelines.
“As we re-introduce our hop-on-hop off tours, it is exciting for guests to once again take in the cafés of Natchez, visit the antique shops of Cape Girardeau and stroll the Cincinnati waterfront ‘bubble-free’,” said Kari Tarnowski, the company’s senior vice president of marketing. “We can now see guests’ smiles onboard, and I encourage cruisers to take advantage of our ‘Freedom’ sale to secure a 2022 sailing with these savings.”
To adhere to the 100 percent vaccination policy onboard, all guests must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination by uploading an image of their vaccination card before checking into the pre-cruise hotel. Guests who fail to provide proof will be denied boarding and subject to full cancellation penalties. Masks are no longer required onboard after embarkation, but a face covering must be worn during boarding and on shore excursion motorcoaches per CDC transportation guidelines.
The “Freedom” sale also applies to Victory Cruise Lines’ 2022 itineraries, which include the Ocean Victory and its inaugural season in Alaska, as well as new itineraries to Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula and sailings along the U.S. southeastern seaboard.