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One in all America's most beloved cruise operators, American Queen Voyages, has closed.
The American river cruise specialist, finest recognized for working the long-lasting Mississippi River paddlewheeler American Queen, ceased operations on Tuesday, blaming ongoing monetary troubles associated to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Regardless of the nice efforts of our workforce, crew and companions, American Queen Voyages (AQV) was sadly unable to get well from the influence of the pandemic,” the corporate stated in an announcement posted on an online web page set as much as clarify the shutdown. Is.” ,
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“In a single day the cruise business was notably impacted by modifications in journey preferences and because of this, AQV has turn out to be financially untenable,” the corporate stated.
In a letter to workers on Tuesday, Line stated their positions could be eradicated at 5 p.m. native time throughout all places the place the corporate operates, and that the motion is anticipated to be everlasting.
All sailings on the three riverboats the corporate had deliberate to function this 12 months – American Queen, American Countess and American Duchess – have been canceled.
Cruise strains harm by pandemic
American Queen Voyages is the newest in a collection of greater than a dozen small cruise operators around the globe to shut for the reason that begin of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The shutdown of American Queen Voyages comes simply eight months after the collapse of smaller-ship rival Vantage Deluxe World Journey, which was blamed on pandemic-related monetary woes.
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Different cruise manufacturers which have closed over the previous 4 years, nearly all citing the monetary impacts of the pandemic, embody luxurious line Crystal Cruises and its two Asia-based sister manufacturers, Dream Cruises and Star Cruises; Japan-based Venus Cruises; India-based Jalesh Cruises; Swedish-based Birka Cruises; US-based small ship specialist Blount Small Ship Adventures; and UK-based cruises and cruises.
Cruises & Maritime Voyages was the second largest cruise model within the UK earlier than it collapsed in July 2020.
Germany-based FTI Cruises and Spain-based Pullmantur Cruises additionally ceased operations throughout the pandemic. Pullmantur, which was partly owned by Royal Caribbean's mother or father firm, Royal Caribbean Group, was the primary cruise firm to break down throughout the pandemic, simply three months after cruise ships stopped crusing in 2020.
Additionally closing in 2021 is Caribbean-focused Sail Windjammer, which operated a historic crusing ship as soon as owned by American financier E.F. Hutton and his spouse, Marjorie Meriwether Put up.
Of all these manufacturers, just one – luxurious line Cristal – has been in a position to resume operations. Crystal resumed operations in July beneath new house owners, high-end journey firm A&Okay Journey Group.
All main cruise strains around the globe halted sailings for a number of months initially of the pandemic and slowly returned to regular operations, leading to enormous quarterly losses which have solely just lately begun to say no. The manufacturers which have remained in enterprise have been pressured to take enormous quantities of debt to outlive.
American Queen Voyages guarantees refunds
In a web based assertion, American Queen Voyages stated prospects who paid for future voyages ought to count on a full refund by way of its insurance coverage firm, Argo Surety. It added that refunds is not going to come from American Queen Voyages, because the model is submitting for Chapter 11 chapter.
The corporate instructed prospects to fill out a declare kind and submit proof of fee to American Queen Voyages on a brand new internet web page it arrange for this course of, aqrefunds.com. The method could be considerably sophisticated, because the American Queen Voyages would first deny the declare because of the chapter submitting. In flip, a rejection letter might be generated which the client can later use to file a declare with the insurance coverage firm.
In an announcement posted on-line, American Queen Voyages expressed gratitude “for the privilege of serving our visitors, companions and brokers over time and being part of our unbelievable native communities.”
“It's an honor to carry pleasure to so many individuals's lives, and we're humbled by the relationships we've constructed and the memorable experiences we've created,” the corporate stated. “We sincerely remorse any inconvenience this choice might trigger. Our purpose is to make sure a easy course of for all AQV stakeholders.”
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