Travel is booming. And it's as chaotic as ever

Welcome back. We’ve just returned from the Pacific Northwest, and if our experience is any indication, the long-anticipated travel boom is in full swing. That’s a good thing, obviously, for airlines and other travel companies. But boy, we are not looking forward to seeing how much more crowded planes and airports will get as more business travel resumes.  

A few headlines from our most recent travels:

Airlines and airports may not be ready for the crowds. Both of our flights out of Spokane, Wash., on Monday March 21 were oversold. Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines scurried to find volunteers to give up their seats. In Delta's case, they offered a $600 credit card to spend on anything, not just a future flight. And just like TSA Pre-Check and elite airline member lines now snake nearly as long as regular security lines, airport lounge access seems to be the new norm rather than a perk for the lucky few.

Seattle's American Express Centurion Lounge was a mess. While Jeri was pleased to find one there for a long layover, it was quite small and packed before noon. To maximize occupancy, Centurion Lounge workers closely monitored seating, funneling solo travelers away from the most comfortable chairs and tables to bar seating that lines the walls and windows. The problem: the chairs were way too low to type normally, making it really uncomfortable to get any work done. We were amazed that such a simple design faux pas could be made in this day and age. And the bathrooms were a mess, with water and lord only knows what else sloshed everywhere, and trash cans near overflowing – kind of like coach-class restrooms at the end of a long-haul flight.

The new air rage? Loud, in-public Zooming: In the Spokane International Airport, which had no lounge, Barbara had to sit near the Starbucks while waiting four hours for a Delta flight. Unfortunately, she was surrounded by business travelers – three of whom were doing Zoom calls without headphones all at the same time. They were strangely public about their duties, demands and companies. It made us wonder if they forgot that they were no longer alone in the airport, though the crowds were kind of hard to ignore.

We have a new favorite airline: On a positive note, we discovered that Alaska Airlines is crushing it on the passenger experience front.  Jeri was offered a $95 upgrade on her way to Portland. And since it was a small regional jet, she decided it was worth the extra cash to get a little more leg room. But she got a whole lot more than she expected. Besides the very friendly crew, she was pleasantly surprised to find they delivered services and amenities that -- even before Covid-era cutbacks in service -- generally were reserved only for much longer flights. Living in Albuquerque, Jeri takes a lot of the small regional jets. And she’s never been served anything but snack boxes or bags of chips and cookies and drinks, even in the best seats. On the three-hour jaunt to Portland, she was served warm nuts, a generous fruit and cheese plate (both in real ceramic dishes!), even a fresh-from-the-oven cookie. And for the first time ever on a plane, she was served water from a box rather than a single-use plastic bottle. 

We were traveling from Washington, D.C., and Albuquerque for an American Queen Voyages river cruise, the first-ever cruise for Barbara. Read her first-hand experiences below.

But first, here’s the news we’re watching this week:

AmEx agrees: the boom is here. As we experienced first hand, American Express Travel President Aubrey Hendley says we're finally experiencing the long-predicted travel boom from pent-up demand. In releasing a new survey that shows three-fourths of respondents are booking trips for 2022 and 72% plan to spend more than before Covid.  Hendley told Travel Weekly that February was American Express Travel's "biggest month ever.” And that comes on the heels of a booming fourth-quarter, when she said global bookings were 24% higher than 2019.

Miami Beach announces a curfew. Fed up with spring break revelry that devolved into two shootings over the weekend, injuring five, Miami Beach is cracking down. The mayor has declared a state of emergency and a midnight-to-6 a.m. curfew, saying, “We can’t endure this anymore, we just simply can’t,” according to The New York Times.

Chinese air disaster. We read with horror about the China Eastern 737-800 that plunged into a remote mountainside on Monday. No clues yet as to what caused the plane to nosedive from 30,000 feet. But it sounds eerily like crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia by Boeing 737-Max jets in 2018 and 2019 that led to a nearly two-year grounding of that new generation of 737s. Investigators are looking for the black boxes for clues as to what happened, according to The Associated Press. 

Disney’s growing reputation crisis over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. On the heels of its second-best quarter in history, Disney's employees today are staging a national walkout over a polarizing political issue: Florida’s hotly contested “Don’t Say Gay” legislation. As the Popular Information newsletter recounts in its sweeping piece, the mess started when Disney donated nearly $300,000 to support the legislation, but declined to take a public stance. In an internal memo to staff on March 7, CEO Bob Chapek defended the lack of response, saying the company stands with its LGBTQ+ employees in Florida and will reassess its public advocacy positions, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  The walkouts are being staged in Florida, California and elsewhere to protest the bill and Disney leadership’s response, or lack thereof. It’s not clear how this will end and whether tourists or any of Disney's millions of customers will respond in some way. The issue's getting traction on social media. The just-launched @DisneyWalkout Twitter account as of 2 p.m. EST today had more than 4,700 followers.

Never thought I’d take a cruise. A first-timer’s experience.

By Barbara DeLollis

Even before Covid, taking a cruise had never been on my list of things to do. The idea of large crowds, fear of motion sickness and lines at buffets turned me off. And, on the flip side, I’ve never grown bored of exploring new destinations such as Ireland, Kauai, Rome and Buenos Aires. But like so many others, the pandemic has me re-examining some fundamental perspectives, including how I want to see and experience the world and people around me. 

So when American Queen Voyages offered to host us aboard the 223-passenger, U.S.-flagged American Empress paddle wheeler's first cruise of the season through the dramatic Columbia River Gorge, I thought: That’s something I’m ready to try! I liked the idea of digging deeper into the region’s rich history, tracing Lewis and Clark’s 1805 expedition and contemplating how steamships, railroads and paved highways transformed the West. The timing to explore a new-to-me part of the U.S. was good, given ongoing international testing requirements and uncertainties about European travel with war raging in the Ukraine. In today’s world, I was open to a slower pace. 

Price: from about $3,000 per person for eight days. Includes food, tips, and non-premium alcohol and excursions.

The 36,000-foot overview

• Pros: An inspired (and safe) experience. The American Empress itinerary focused on a part of the U.S. that I knew little about, and it made exploring off-the-beaten-path towns accessible. Exploring this historically rich area from the lens of the working Columbia and Willamette rivers ignited my curiosity. From the safety lens, the cruise operator followed strict Covid protocols. And unlike mega cruise ships, river cruise boats offer a more intimate experience and the ability to disembark easily.

• Cons: Slow pace. Limited physical activity. Sold out. The river cruise experiences force you to slow down, which can be a positive or a negative, depending on where you’re at in life and who you’re with. Normally, this would bug me, but I’d just skied Vail with my son, explored Miami with friends last month and needed some time to catch up on life. Also, some of the "slower pace" travel requires coach excursions (not our favorite), although destinations included fun stops like the dramatic, 620-foot high Multnomah Falls in he Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The other catch? The next six sailings are sold out, and domestic rivers operators say demand is booming. So if you want to try it this year, don't wait.

A deeper dive: Dealmakers and deal breakers

• Exhale. … No motion sickness! I was nervous because there’s nothing worse, and I’m prone to it on high-speed trains, cars and some boats. I admit I felt it for a fleeting moment when our boat first left the dock, but I was fine the rest of the trip.

• A rare, first-ever experience. I've spent many nights away from home over the years, in everything from spectacular oceanfront luxury resorts to humble tents from Target. But I've never stayed overnight on a commercial boat. I enjoyed having a brand new experience, and one I discovered I'd happily do again.

• Dramatic scenery, without the hassle. The Columbia River Gorge has the coveted classification of being a National Scenic Area, thanks to its diverse terrain. We rolled through lush rainforest climates with gushing waterfalls, parts of Oregon's famed wine country along with high-desert terrain that receives a tenth of the rainfall of the more soggy coastal areas.

• Unpacking once for eight days was a bigger perk than expected. At some point packing and repacking on the road gets tiresome. With each passing day on the American Empress, I increasingly found the value of never having to pull out my suitcase.

• Experienced interesting towns I’d probably never visit. The towns we visited were once thriving port communities reachable by steamboats, railroads or early Model T’s, via the region’s first paved highway. But as those modes of transportation gave way to the modern highway, many quaint towns got left behind. When we hopped off the boat in Astoria, for instance, we were just steps away from immersing ourselves in the oldest city in the state of Oregon that was established as a fur-trading outpost and the first American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. I enjoyed Astoria and Stevenson, but doubt I ever would have driven to see them “just because.”

• My modest cabin made me feel at home. It wasn’t large or fancy, but it had a thought-through design, comfortable queen bed, ample storage, outstanding waffle robes, slippers, complimentary water bottles, turn-down Godiva chocolates and a small but well-designed bathroom. I didn’t feel cramped, as I’d expected. The private balcony (including a door with a large window) and another large window made it feel bigger than it was and showcased the best perk: the ever-changing view. I was able to “work-cation” thanks to the sturdy desk, lamps and plentiful power outlets to charge gadgets. Wi-Fi, however, could be slow in desolate areas, which made using Zoom or other conferencing apps unpredictable.

• I couldn’t stop photographing that big, bold, red paddlewheel. C’mon! What’s not to love about watching this symbol of American trade dating back more than 200 years? As the wheel goes round and round, it sings a rhythmic churning sound and sprays a light drizzle on your face if you get close enough. I had to stop myself from posting videos of it every day on Instagram. As someone who grew up on power boats, I got a kick out of the much slower pace. 

• Food and wine blew me away. American Empress’s breakfast, lunch and dinner menus were delicious, and full of choices. The changing daily menus truly offered something for everyone, including serious foodies, the diet-conscious, even smash burger fans. The portions were modest, but you could try as many dishes as you wanted. I (sadly) finished everything on my plate. And each menu offered regionally focused wine, beer and cocktail pairings that rounded out the culinary journey.

• Up-close and personal with AQV’s culinary ambassador. American Queen Voyages collaborates with chef and cookbook author Regina Charboneau on all things culinary, from recipes that reflect the local flavors and culture of each stop, to in-person cooking and cocktail demonstrations. Regina has a cooking school in Natchez, Miss., that's known for her signature biscuit making. She's working with the river cruise company to spotlight the culture and ingredients of the communities that AQV's fleet visit, such as a traditional French-Canadian tourtiere (meat pie) for one of its small-ship coastal cruises between Montreal and Boston.

• Luxury service? There was not a single crew member who didn’t go out of his or her way to help a guest. I witnessed it every day personally or as a passerby. It stood out to me, since hotel companies keep talking about labor shortages. It’s gotten to the point where $1,000-a-night hotels are asking guests to practice “self service.” So I wasn't surprised that many American Empress crew members previously worked at places with names like Ritz-Carlton, Hilton, Marriott and InterContinental.

• Company culture. Founded about 10 years ago, American Queen Voyages created a company culture based on respect and relationships. I say that based on the consistently genuine interactions I had with employees during eight days. It’s hard to fake authenticity over such a prolonged period of time.

• Hard-core gym buffs? This isn’t for you. I love a good gym workout, but small river cruises aren’t designed for them. Instead, I walked around the boat's top deck as much as possible and made sure to use the stairs instead of the elevators. Most mornings, I’d go for a run along the river in each new town, and walk around later to explore. The most I walked or ran in one day was 5.6 miles in Astoria; the least, one. Let’s face it, most people aren’t going on a river cruise to get fit.

• Unlimited sunsets and sunrise. You get front-row access to Pacific Northwest sunrises and sunsets while transitioning from lush rainforest climates to dry woodlands. The Columbia River Gorge is a great setting for Mother Nature, regardless of the season.

It was an interesting trip, to say the least, and one that now has my thinking about future small ship cruises -- from the rivers of Europe to additional domestic destinations like Alaska and the Great Lakes.

Have a question, comment or fun idea? We'd love to hear from you! Reach us at [email protected] or [email protected]!