“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
Charles Dickens wasn’t talking about a pandemic when he wrote A Tale of Two Cities, but the quote holds true for those of us in the travel industry.
There are two simultaneous (and seemingly paradoxical) things occurring right now. In the United States, we are seeing the worst days of the covid crisis right now. At the same time, we are seeing unbelievably strong travel booking activity – particularly for domestic leisure travel.
This does make sense. The vaccine rollout started this week. There is also a lot of positive news regarding both treatment and detection of the virus.
We don’t have an “all clear” signal yet, but the medium-term news is more positive than it’s been in months.
The pent-up demand for travel is starting to reveal itself.
There’s still a lot of uncertainty regarding international travel, so many clients are looking for something closer to home in 2021.
A few months ago, we suggested American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) for journeys on either the Mississippi River, or the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. The uptake was strong then, so we thought we’d revisit this domestic favorite.
River cruising offers the unique feature of being able to cover a fair bit of ground in a one or two week cruise, WITHOUT having to continually pack and unpack. Here are some of the other things we really like about AQSC:
- Shore Excursions: AQSC has hop-on/hop-off buses that follow the ship along the river. If you’re a person who doesn’t like being herded around in groups, you’ll love exploring each port on your own terms.
- Riverlorian: On every sailing there is a resident expert who sails with you and helps you better understand the history, geography, and culture of the places you’re visiting.
- Accessibility: On the AQSC, all mobility levels are easily accommodated both onboard and on the motor coaches.
- Families & Children: There are no kids’ clubs on board, but children and teenagers are certainly welcome on AQSC. What a great way to experience American History with your kids or grandchildren!
- Entertainment: I love the local musicians on the European river ships, and you get those same sorts of entertainers on AQSC. There is also a larger theatre with Broadway quality production shows. So, you get both.
- Pre-cruise Hotel Night: I think all the cruise lines should do this. With American Queen, a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay in your city of embarkation is included in your fare.
- History: The history of the Mississippi (and even the Columbia) is the history of our country. It is certainly more recent history than you experience in Europe, and the events that occurred particularly along the Mississippi River are those events that shaped the country as it is today. A better understanding of that history is nothing but good.
The vibe on board AQSC vessels is very casual, and the food and service are outstanding.
To learn a bit more about this domestic travel option, you can watch our video, “7 Things You Need to Know About River Cruising in the US”:
The video has been updated to reflect even better prices that are now available through American Queen’s “Come Home to America in 2021” promotion.
We also have a private sale running with American Queen right now.
You’ll receive a $200 onboard credit ($100 per person) when you book any American Queen river cruise between now and the end of the month – but only if you book with us.
What better way to cope with “the worst of times” than by planning a trip for when we return to the “the best of times”.
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I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
