American Cruise Lines, which had hoped to operate the first cruise in the U.S. since mid-March, said a last-minute change in Oregon's reopening plan scuttled the voyage.
The U.S.-flagged, small-ship company planned to operate the June 20 cruise on the 184-guest American Song on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest. However, the voyage was canceled the evening of June 18.
"Today, Oregon's Phased Reopening Plan was modified to exclude all overnight river cruises, even aboard ships as small as ours. COVID-19 presents unprecedented challenges for community and state leaders across the country and we are very empathetic to the situation in Oregon," the company said in a statement. "We were surprised and disappointed by the last-minute changes but understand the difficulty leaders face in that state. We hope to participate in reviving the state's economy, and still believe we are uniquely positioned to do so. We will continue to do our best to support all our local partners throughout the region and look forward to resuming small-ship cruising in the Pacific Northwest in the very near future."
The company maintains it is exempt from the no-sail order issued by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention because it applies to ships with 250 or more passengers and crew on board. The no-sail order is in effect through July 24 or until the coronavirus outbreak is no longer considered an emergency. To further comply, American planned to operate the American Song at 75 percent capacity to allow for distancing.
The Pacific Northwest itinerary begins in Portland, Ore., and also includes two other Oregon towns as well as several places in Washington.
American Cruise Lines has worked for weeks with the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Oregon Public Health, the Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs), local hospitals, and local community leadership in each of the ports the ship planned to visit.
"These partnerships have been integral in developing our COVID-19 Operating Protocol," the company said. "Working together, we formulated a comprehensive plan for our small 100- to 180-passenger, U.S.-flagged ships to operate safely."
The cruises in the Pacific Northwest region will remain suspended, but American said it hopes to restart there as soon as possible. The company does have plans to begin operating July 12 on the Mississippi River with the 190-guest American Harmony, also at 75 percent capacity.
Guests booked on the cancelled June 20 cruise were offered a full refund or a voucher good on a future cruise worth 125 percent of what they paid.
To sweeten the offer, guests who choose the voucher are invited to sail - for free - on the July 12 Mississippi River cruise.
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