American Queen Steamboat Company AWFUL!!!

[DLovel]

Awful customer service! We paid in full June 2018( yes over a year ago) for an Upper Mississippi River Cruise from July 13th to July 23, 2019. On the 8th of July, 2019, I got an email telling us that due to flooding on the Mississippi our cruise was changed to the Ohio/Cumberland Rivers starting in Cincinnati with ports in about 5 places in Kentucky . If we had wanted to cruise this river, we would have booked it. 5 ports in Kentucky is not worth what we paid to cruise the Upper Mississippi as I have seen Kentucky as my sister lived in Paducah. We decided to not go as it was not what we paid $9758.00 for. We did not get a refund nor credit for a future cruise on the upper Mississippi. We did not even get a refund of the post and pre hotels I booked through the AQSC. We are only getting a refund of the port charges and the prepaid gratuities! AQSC has $9121.00 of our money for a cruise we paid for they couldn’t provide with no way to get it back. They care nothing for their customers- awful customer service. They can’t provide what we paid for and are keeping the money. I highly recommend you NOT book with American Queen Steamboat Company! They do not promise what you paid for and basically take your money and run! 
 

[LDVinNC]

Well,  we booked in February 2018 for the full "Mighty Mississippi" cruise.  We disembarked yesterday.  Heading north from New Orleans, we had to divert over to the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers, ending up in Cincinnati instead of Red Wing, MN.

 

Were we disappointed?  Heck, yes.  Could we blame AQSC for what Mother Nature did?  No.  We, along with most of our fellow passengers to whom we spoke, made the best of it.  

 

AQSC revised our return travel plans at their expense, did not charge us for the airport bus (which they usually do), and gave us a 25% credit for another trip, as well as a 5 or 10% discount for booking that future trip on board.  We booked a Victory Cruise Line Great Lakes trip for 2020.

 

I understand your displeasure.  But why would you not take the trip instead of letting all that money go to waste?  It is a lovely experience even if the ports are not what you planned.

[uktog]

If our cruise next year is not as advertised due to Mother Nature we will be disappointed but not half as upset as the folks whose lives onshore are badly affected and may be less able to take another  of life’s hard knocks

oh and if we did need a complete cancellation due to a significant change we are insured 

[adstz]

Personally I would never spend almost $10,000 on a trip and not spend a few more dollars to insure it.

We are booked for September 2020. We have paid our deposit and took out a small policy to cover the part of the deposit that is not refundable. 

[LDVinNC]

10 minutes ago, adstz said:

Personally I would never spend almost $10,000 on a trip and not spend a few more dollars to insure it.

We are booked for September 2020. We have paid our deposit and took out a small policy to cover the part of the deposit that is not refundable. 

 

I am not sure that "regular" travel insurance would cover refusal to take the trip because of a revised itinerary.  Cancel for any reason insurance would, of course.

 

I do agree that insurance is essential for a variety of reasons.

 

I was prompted to look at the "passage contract" for AQSC.  If I read it correctly, they have the right to put you off the boat anywhere, and even to not reimburse you if they cancel a trip and you have already paid for it.  I think other cruise lines have the same sort of contract.  Little or no protections for the customer.

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 7/16/2019 at 7:19 AM, DLovel said:

Awful customer service! We paid in full June 2018( yes over a year ago) for an Upper Mississippi River Cruise from July 13th to July 23, 2019. On the 8th of July, 2019, I got an email telling us that due to flooding on the Mississippi our cruise was changed to the Ohio/Cumberland Rivers starting in Cincinnati with ports in about 5 places in Kentucky . If we had wanted to cruise this river, we would have booked it. 5 ports in Kentucky is not worth what we paid to cruise the Upper Mississippi as I have seen Kentucky as my sister lived in Paducah. We decided to not go as it was not what we paid $9758.00 for. We did not get a refund nor credit for a future cruise on the upper Mississippi. We did not even get a refund of the post and pre hotels I booked through the AQSC. We are only getting a refund of the port charges and the prepaid gratuities! AQSC has $9121.00 of our money for a cruise we paid for they couldn’t provide with no way to get it back. They care nothing for their customers- awful customer service. They can’t provide what we paid for and are keeping the money. I highly recommend you NOT book with American Queen Steamboat Company! They do not promise what you paid for and basically take your money and run! 
 

 

Next time read the terms and conditions.  This is entirely self-inflicted, the way you describe it.

[uktog]

15 hours ago, LDVinNC said:

 

I am not sure that "regular" travel insurance would cover refusal to take the trip because of a revised itinerary.  Cancel for any reason insurance would, of course.

 

I do agree that insurance is essential for a variety of reasons.

 

I was prompted to look at the "passage contract" for AQSC.  If I read it correctly, they have the right to put you off the boat anywhere, and even to not reimburse you if they cancel a trip and you have already paid for it.  I think other cruise lines have the same sort of contract.  Little or no protections for the customer.

Our policy covers us, it’s not cancel for any reason (cannot get these in UK) but it does allow cancel if significant change. If I keep the cruise it pays a sum per missed port, even if it’s substituted so I sure can make lemonade on a changed itinerary 

its not a cheap policy - also gives medical cover etc - it’s an annual policy but as we travel and cruise a lot, it’s well worth it! 

[fudgbug]

On 7/16/2019 at 9:19 AM, DLovel said:

Awful customer service! We paid in full June 2018( yes over a year ago) for an Upper Mississippi River Cruise from July 13th to July 23, 2019. On the 8th of July, 2019, I got an email telling us that due to flooding on the Mississippi our cruise was changed to the Ohio/Cumberland Rivers starting in Cincinnati with ports in about 5 places in Kentucky . If we had wanted to cruise this river, we would have booked it. 5 ports in Kentucky is not worth what we paid to cruise the Upper Mississippi as I have seen Kentucky as my sister lived in Paducah. We decided to not go as it was not what we paid $9758.00 for. We did not get a refund nor credit for a future cruise on the upper Mississippi. We did not even get a refund of the post and pre hotels I booked through the AQSC. We are only getting a refund of the port charges and the prepaid gratuities! AQSC has $9121.00 of our money for a cruise we paid for they couldn’t provide with no way to get it back. They care nothing for their customers- awful customer service. They can’t provide what we paid for and are keeping the money. I highly recommend you NOT book with American Queen Steamboat Company! They do not promise what you paid for and basically take your money and run! 
 

You can't blame AQSC for high water.  High or low water is a chance that you take on any river cruise.  And DO get full travel insurance.

 

Edited July 22, 2019 by fudgbug

[LDVinNC]

When you booked, you agreed to their terms and conditions, and one of them is that cancellation is subject to a $250/pp administrative fee.  Most of the smaller cruise lines have such fees.

 

We switched our Mighty Mississippi cruise booking to next year and it is about the same price we would have been paying this year.

 

Did you have trip insurance?  That might help you recoup the fee.

[adstz]

4 hours ago, LDVinNC said:

When you booked, you agreed to their terms and conditions, and one of them is that cancellation is subject to a $250/pp administrative fee.  Most of the smaller cruise lines have such fees.

 

We switched our Mighty Mississippi cruise booking to next year and it is about the same price we would have been paying this year.

 

Did you have trip insurance?  That might help you recoup the fee.

 

We bought trip insurance for $25 per person to cover the $500 cancellation fee "just in case". And then increased our coverage when we bought airfare and made final payment for our cruise.

We are booked for September 2020. Waiting until August to make our final decision (if AQSC haven't already cancelled by then)

[TinCan782]

We were booked on the "Mighty Mississippi" which was to happen right now. AQSC pulled the plug which was to our advantage. The trip was fully insured but, as the insurance was not needed/used and the trip cancelled, we are getting a full refund of the premium from Allianz.

[crusinbanjo]

On 7/17/2019 at 1:38 PM, LDVinNC said:

 

I am not sure that "regular" travel insurance would cover refusal to take the trip because of a revised itinerary.  Cancel for any reason insurance would, of course.

 

I do agree that insurance is essential for a variety of reasons.

 

I was prompted to look at the "passage contract" for AQSC.  If I read it correctly, they have the right to put you off the boat anywhere, and even to not reimburse you if they cancel a trip and you have already paid for it.  I think other cruise lines have the same sort of contract.  Little or no protections for the customer.

That, IMHO means that you sign "Under Duress" because there is no opportunity for a negotiation of  mutually agreed terms.  All the cruise lines are a take it or leave it contract.  

Mrs Banjo and I, on one occasion, (Not on AQSC), were delayed by days to start a cruise, at the time we had to pay for our own housing costs.  We got to the ship 3 days later, there was no extension on the end and no refund for lost time. That is just how these things are.  So if I were in the OP's spot, I would ask to be rescheduled with no uncharge and if that didn't work I would take the cruise so as not to loose the money.  Then I would enjoy the time as best I could.