A US-based cruise line with a vaccine requirement says it's almost sold out for 2021 and already seeing high demand for 2022

• The American Queen Steamboat Company, a US-based cruise line, is already seeing demand for 2022 sailings.
• Its 2021 American Empress sailings out of Washington are almost sold out.
• In February, the cruise line announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all sailings beginning July 1.

US-based American Queen Steamboat Company, which announced a COVID-19 vaccine requirement earlier this year, is now seeing strong bookings into 2022, and is already almost sold out of its 2021 sailings.

In February, American Queen Steamboat Company and its sister company, Victory Cruise Lines, announced a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for sailings beginning July 1. But its upcoming recently announced American Empress sailings out of Washington - which will begin sailing on June 14, a few weeks before this vaccine deadline - will also be departing fully vaccinated. This includes both guests and crew.

American Queen Steamboat Company's vaccine mandate came well before the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that cruise lines could resume sailing in US waters in July if they follow updated CDC guidelines. One of these guidelines includes being able to bypass trial voyages if 98% of crew and 95% of passengers are vaccinated against covid.

The cruise line already began sailing in March, well before its own July 1 vaccine deadline, with a "successful" resumption of sailing at a reduced capacity aboard its American Countess and American Duchess ships. The cruise line's decision to add the new American Empress sailings was to "help meet the unprecedented guest demand to travel again," Shawn Bierdz, president of the American Queen Steamboat Company, said in a press release.

And despite its early vaccine requirement and pushback on other cruise lines for mandating vaccines, American Queen Steamboat Company's 2021 sailing season is almost sold out, Bierdz told Cruise Critic. And last week, the company had one of its strongest booking weeks.

There are only some availabilities left in November and December for the American Empress, and 2022 sailings have already been seeing a boost in bookings. In order to accommodate this rising demand, in February, the cruise line unveiled its 2023 sailings, which is the "furthest out a season has been offered," according to the cruise line.