For Countess pax: Seamless tests, masks and the luxury of space – Travel Weekly

When the American Queen Steamboat Co. launched its first ships on the Mississippi this month, it was among the first to sail since the pandemic under new health and safety protocols.

While the company will begin requiring all guests and crew to be vaccinated beginning in July, guests until then will only have to test negative for the virus before boarding.

To ease stress and confusion over which tests are accepted and ensure those tests are conducted as close to the sailing as possible, the company conducts PCR tests free of charge the day before the sailing at the hotel where guests stay overnight presailing as part of their normal itineraries.

That process for the American Countesschristening and preview sailing was indeed stress-free and seamless. We arrived in New Orleans Saturday afternoon, checked into the Hilton Riverside, then walked down the hall where their partners from Vikand Solutions had representatives waiting to conduct our preboarding health screenings and tests.

Onboard, most guests and crew on our sailing had already been vaccinated. Still, everyone is required to wear masks in public spaces when social distancing isn't possible, except of course when eating and drinking. And masks are required on coaches and excursions.

A year ago that might have seemed restrictive. But after a year of social distancing and mask-wearing, it hardly seemed odd to have to continue that on the ship.

In fact, the only thing that really felt different between this sailing and cruises prior to the pandemic was the luxury of space, thanks to reduced capacity.

Go here to see the original:

For Countess pax: Seamless tests, masks and the luxury of space - Travel Weekly