Staff Writer Cruise, InFocus:Cruise

AMERICAN QUEEN VOYAGES SHUTS DOWN

American Queen Voyages (AQV) says that “despite great efforts” it has been forced to shut down and all future cruises have been cancelled.

In a statement on its website, the cruise line explained, “AQV unfortunately has been unable to rebound from the effects of the pandemic. The overnight cruise industry was especially affected by changes in travel preferences and, as a result, AQV has become financially unsustainable.”

The company adds that it’s goal is “to ensure a smooth process for all AQV stakeholders.”

AQV launched in 2011 as the American Queen Steamboat Company and, after merging with Victory Cruise Lines in 2021, took its current moniker.

TICO

In Ontario, TICO issued the following statement:

On February 20, 2024, American Queen Voyages, a cruise line that primarily offered cruises in North America, filed for Chapter 11 to conduct its business shutdown. All future cruises have been cancelled.

American Queen Voyages has outlined a three-step process for consumers to follow to receive refunds from Argo Surety. You can find more information about this refund process at https://www.aqvinfo.com or https://aqvrefunds.com (please note: this website appears to be offline at times).

As it is not known how long the Argo Surety consumer claims process will take or what the level of reimbursement may be, we advise consumers to file a claim with the Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund at the same time to avoid missing the claim filing deadline of August 21, 2024.

Please see below for potential eligibility and details for filing a claim against the Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund.

Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund (Compensation Fund)

Consumers who purchased their American Queen Voyages travel services from a TICO registered travel agency or website:

  • Consumers who purchased American Queen Voyages travel services from a TICO registered travel agency or website and did not receive their travel services due to the closure of the cruise line, may file a claim with the Compensation Fund for reimbursement.
  • Consumers may request a claim form on TICO’s website or by contacting TICO at 1-888-451-8426 or tico@tico.ca. For more information about the Compensation Fund, click here.

Please note that there is a legislated six-month filing deadline for claims on the Compensation Fund. The filing deadline is August 21, 2024.

Filing a claim against the Compensation Fund:

Please note the claim filing deadline listed above. Claims received at TICO after the filing deadline date will not be valid. Therefore, it is important to submit your claim prior to the filing deadline.

Please be advised that the legislation requires claimants to explore all other possible options for reimbursement as part of the claims process. Please complete the following steps prior to filing a claim against the Compensation Fund.

Should you not be able to obtain all the required supporting documentation to substantiate your claim in a timely manner, please submit your claim to TICO with as much supporting information as possible prior to the filing deadline on August 21, 2024. Additional documentation can be submitted when it is obtained to avoid missing the deadline.

Credit cards:

  • All consumers who paid by credit card and were charged by the cruise line should contact their credit card company to request a chargeback (refund).
  • If your credit card company refuses to provide you with a refund, you will be required to obtain a letter from the credit card company stating that a credit refund will not be issued.
  • The letter from the credit card company must be submitted with your claim against the Compensation Fund.
  • If you are unable to obtain a refund (chargeback) from your credit card company or obtain all the documentation required to substantiate your claim in a timely manner, please submit your claim form to TICO prior to the deadline date.
  • Any additional documentation that is required to complete the claim can be sent to TICO when it is obtained.

Travel Insurance:

  • Consumers who have travel insurance must make a claim with their insurance company.
  • If the claim is refused, you must provide written proof of refusal of the claim.
  • If you are unable to obtain a reimbursement from your travel insurance company or obtain all the documentation required to substantiate your claim in a timely manner, please submit your claim form to TICO prior to the deadline date.
  • Any additional documentation that is required to complete the claim can be sent to TICO when it is obtained.

Argo Surety consumer claims process:

  • As there is a surety consumer claims process for American Queen Voyages, consumers must file a claim through the process listed on this website https://aqvrefunds.com.
  • We recommend filing your claim with the Compensation Fund at the same time as your Argo Surety consumer claim to ensure you don’t miss the filing deadline.
  • Any additional documentation that is required to complete the claim can be sent to TICO when it is obtained.

Consumers who have a future travel credit/voucher issued by American Queen Voyages that has not been redeemed:

UNREDEEMED future travel credits, vouchers or similar documents issued by a cruise line for future travel are not eligible for reimbursement from the Compensation Fund. You may wish to contact Argo Surety to determine if you have eligibility as part of their claims process.

Consumers who purchased other travel services (e.g., airfare to/from cruise port, hotel before/after cruise, etc.) from a registered Ontario travel agency or website:

Payments for travel services such as air fare, ground transportation, hotel expenses, or other travel services that are still available to be received are not eligible for reimbursement from the Compensation Fund.

Consumers who purchased American Queen Voyages travel services from a travel agency located outside of Ontario OR directly from American Queen Voyages:

Unfortunately, there is no provision under Ontario Regulation 26/05 of the Travel Industry Act, 2002 for a consumer to claim on the Compensation Fund when they purchased travel services from a travel agency outside of Ontario or directly from the supplier. You may wish to explore eligibility to file a claim through the Argo Surety consumer claims process (https://www.aqvinfo.com or https://aqvrefunds.com).

If you have any questions or require clarification after reviewing this Closure Advisory, please contact TICO. We can review your circumstances and offer guidance on whether you may have an eligible claim against the Compensation Fund.

 Consumers may contact TICO at 1-888-451-8426 or (905) 624-6241 or tico@tico.ca.