At a time when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning against all worldwide cruising regardless of vaccination status, river cruises are still sailing smoothly around the globe with few to no incidents.
In fact, Avalon Waterways recently reported that after operating more than 100 voyages during the summer and fall in Europe, Egypt and the Galapagos Islands, there were absolutely no guest or crew cases of COVID-19 detected on its vessels for the entire 2021 season.
“Very early in the pandemic, Avalon put together a robust list of Avalon Assurance health and safety protocols — including being among the first cruise lines to require vaccination for all guests and crew — that were instrumental in our operating success in 2021,” said Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon. “We’re so proud to have operated over 100 departures with zero COVID-19 cases onboard. That success is a true testament to both our crew and our guests following protocols. Throughout the cruise season, we tested every guest onboard in preparation for their return home — at our expense — and were happy to send them back to their friends and families as healthy as they were when they arrived for their Avalon Waterways vacation.”
I can personally attest to this. I traveled on the Avalon Poetry II several months ago and was given a rapid antigen test prior to departure for my return to the U.S.
Meanwhile, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is addressing the CDC’s latest messaging head on.
“As these announcements were primarily based on ocean cruising and cruises in U.S. waters, we can confirm that Uniworld guests will not be affected,” said Ellen Bettridge, CEO and president of Uniworld. “We are operating our scheduled 2022 cruises as planned. It is important to note that river cruising is quite different from ocean cruising.”
Bettridge points out that one of the key differences is far fewer passengers — with Uniworld’s ships averaging only 120 guests — which makes physical distancing easier to achieve. The line also touts a high crew-to-guest ratio of 1-to-2.3, meaning there’s greater attention to the health and safety of each passenger, as well as a greater ability to make sure spaces are frequently sanitized. What’s more, riverboats are always near shore and any medical resources that may be needed.
We are operating our scheduled 2022 cruises as planned. It is important to note that river cruising is quite different from ocean cruising.
“Thankfully, the vast majority of our 2021 sailings, almost 200, were without incident, and we’re looking forward to welcoming guests onboard our 2022 cruises,” Bettridge said. “Our crew is 100% vaccinated, and all guests are required to be fully vaccinated to travel with us in 2022. The health and well-being of our guests and crew have always been our top priority, and we plan to keep it that way.”
Meanwhile, according to European Waterways, hotel barge cruising has proven to be especially attractive during this time because it offers the ideal travel bubble for families and small groups. They can charter the entire vessel and have it all to themselves — cruising together through the less populated countryside.
“European Waterways has been fortunate in that none of the barges we operate has ever reported an instance of infection,” said John Wood-Dow, director of European Waterways. “We have strict protocols in place that include crew and passenger checks prior to boarding. We also perform deep cleaning and disinfecting of all cabins and surfaces, as well as ongoing testing of the crew during the cruise.”
River cruise safety is not just a priority internationally, but also domestically. American Queen Voyages has operated under SafeCruise protocols since March without changing a single cruise itinerary because of COVID-19.
“While no system can eliminate all risk, our protocols ensure pre-cruise testing, a fully vaccinated travel environment, rapidly identifying cases with onboard equipment and efficiently implementing contact tracing,” said Shawn Bierdz, COO of American Queen. “These protocols have been approved by the CDC and meet or exceed cruise industry standards.”
Not only are travel advisors able to point out the increased safety of a river cruise, but there is a good chance they are talking to a receptive audience. According to a recent TravelStyles survey shared by Avalon, 37 million Americans are interested in booking a river cruise — three times more than are likely to try an ocean cruise for the first time. This is in addition to 16 million Americans who have taken a river cruise and would like to do so again. In short, nine in 10 American outbound leisure travelers are strong potential candidates for a river cruise.
At a time when it feels like everything is going against advisors, you have to love those odds.
