My River Cruise Was Cancelled, Now What? & Historic Franklin, Tennessee

Travel Expert Onanta Forbes was supposed to be leaving for a river cruise in Europe next week but the cruise was cancelled at the last minute, so now what? On this week's show we'll discuss what happens with a last minute river cruise cancellation. Then we'll head to Franklin, Tennessee, a historic town located only minutes south of Nashville, known for its beautifully preserved Main Street, Civil War history, vibrant music scene, boutique shopping, and outstanding Southern dining.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:06

Well, hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler Podcast, a weekly travel podcast where our goal is to help you become a more informed traveler. And I'm your host, Randy Sharman. Travel expert Onata Forbes was supposed to be leaving for a river cruise in Europe next week, but the cruise was canceled at the last minute. So now what? We'll discuss what happens with a last-minute river cruise cancellation, and then we'll head to Franklin, Tennessee, a historic town located only minutes south of Nashville, known for its beautifully preserved main street, Civil War history, vibrant music scene, boutique shopping, and outstanding southern dining. It's got a lot going for it, so I'm excited to hear more later in the podcast.

My River Cruise Was Cancelled, Now What?

SPEAKER_02 0:47

But first, let's kick things off. Chatting with travel expert Onanta Forbes, who joins us each week to talk about the latest travel news, trends, and travel tips in general. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and X at Onanta Forbes. OnantaForbes.com is her website. Hello, Onanta.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

How are you enjoying the heat?

SPEAKER_02 1:06

I love it. I love the heat. Yes. Yes. I will take plus 30 over minus 30 any day of the year.

SPEAKER_03 1:15

So it's all good.

SPEAKER_02 1:17

So you were supposed to be going on a river cruise soon, but uh unfortunately that got canceled. So let's start with uh the whole story of where you were gonna go and who you were cruising with and why you got canceled, and what do you do after that?

SPEAKER_00 1:36

Right. So um, and the reason why I asked you how you're enjoying the heat is because Europe has experienced a heat wave, and the heat wave is um affecting the water levels on the Rhine and on the Danube. So um the reason why our ship couldn't go is they couldn't go further than Koblenz in Germany, and we were going further into um in Slovenia and Serbia and um it and then ending up in near um Munich, uh starting off in Bucharest. So it is what it is. Things happen in travel, as we all know, and what I'm grateful for, I got told before I left Canada because I was supposed to leave a couple of days before the cruise started. So this way I was able to um figure out things and cancel things um before I left Canada because there are some people um because that were affected for cruises that were going out of Budapest that got there, then they told because so that's a little tough sometimes, right?

SPEAKER_02 2:47

Well, it's interesting you say that just to uh interrupt. Uh my um brother-in-law and his wife were in Europe and um they were there a couple weeks before. They were there for about a month and they were doing a river cruise. Fortunately, they the river cruise did not get canceled, but that's a good point. You like I never even thought of that. Like, if you're uh making a river cruise part of a longer journey and suddenly it's canceled now, it's like, oh my gosh, I'm already in Europe or wherever. Now you gotta scramble to get accommodations and things.

SPEAKER_00 3:20

Yeah, and it's busy, it's it's high season right now as well. So you have to consider costs, you have to consider availability, and you just have to um, you know, either if you've done it on your own, do it on your own, but if you have a travel agent, they can help you along the way. And I have to say, um, European river cruises are one of the most relaxing ways to travel. You unpack once, you sail into historic city centers, you you know, you can sit uh, you know, in your cabin if you have a nice balcony, uh window or balcony or on deck, and just watch castles and you know central villages just drift by. But it it does happen that things are affected. It's not a lot, but it does happen. And unlike ocean cruises, river cruise depends entirely on water levels. And the most effective rivers are the Rhine, the Danube, the Elby, Maine, and Moselle. And it usually occurs between July and October, but you can also get high water from spring flooding, so the opposite that occasionally can disrupt itineraries. Um, so just remember one thing the cruises they cancel because of one bad day. The cruise line monitors the river conditions and adjusts itineraries where are necessary. And in my cancellation notice, it said that they didn't see any change for the foreseeable future. So I think for I'm going with Avalon, they cancel their July sailings for this route and for other routes as well.

SPEAKER_03 4:54

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 4:54

So if low water is your biggest concern and you're going in summer, you know one of the most dependable rivers is the Seine in France. And it's it's regulated water levels, has reliable rainfalls, and it makes low water disruptions relatively uncommon. Saying that there's always a caveat or a disclaimer, right?

SPEAKER_03 5:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:18

And you know, these ships aren't very big, so you know, you're looking at only maybe two to three hundred passengers, so you should book in advance to get the best cabins in pricing. So nine to eighteen months, um, May and September are the most popular months. Suites disappear first, and then um if you book early, airfare is often cheaper. And right now, airfare is affected, right? Because of the different scenarios in the world. So it is um if you are flexible and adventurous, last-minute deals can appear, but then availability is more limited. So I can attest to that. I look for other alternatives. And then, you know, for the best time to cruise, each season is different. So spring, a lot of people go for tulip time and the blossoms, cooler temperatures, and fewer crowds. Earlier, early summer, it's it's nice to have those long daylight hours. The weather is pleasant and the the vineyards are blue, beautiful. And then autumn, fall colors, food festivals, and again, um, another season to enjoy is Christmas barkets. If you're a shopper, Christmas in Europe is mean it maybe feels a little bit more authentic, more traditional, more history behind it. And and um, so it it's a fun way to go, but it is cooler. Um, so you just have to prepare accordingly. And then, you know, for me, I'm glad I had um travel insurance because it covers me for trip cancellation, delay, and misconnections as well as cancellations. So it it's good to have insurance. Now, my cruise was canceled by the cruise line, so I get a full refund. They also offered me the opportunity to rebook at a different time or um go to Avalon is part of Globus family of brands. So they said if you wanted to look at um at the bus tour, I could as well. So there was opportunities, right? Yeah to look at um and then you know when you go on a river cruise, you just have to consider those cabins are smaller than hotel rooms. So consider that for how you pack. Um, and then when you're at destination, always wear comfortable walking shoes because you're gonna be over um cobblestone streets, because that's what Europe is built on. Um pack in layers because it could get the weather can change, get a rain jacket, a portable charger. Um saying that a lot of the cruise ships have good Wi-Fi, but it depends on where you are, because the Wi-Fi might not be as um reliable um as always. And then a small day pat for when you go out. Um so so you know, you the question you ask is what is my what happens if my cruise cancels?

SPEAKER_03 8:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

Um, and so you know, when I was doing my research with complete cancellations are relatively uncommon. I go, I'm the I'm that person that had the complete cancellations.

SPEAKER_02 8:21

You're your first client that got cancelled.

SPEAKER_00 8:24

And it's true. In all my years of travel, I've and I sell a lot of river cruises. I've never had um any of my my clients can get have to redirect because of a cancellation, but it's okay. Life goes on.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

I'm not in my uh uh with the airfare, did you book it all in one kind of package, or did you do your airfare separately? Because that would be an incident where um trip interruption or cancellation would come in uh separately, or how did that work?

SPEAKER_00 8:57

Right. So I actually booked my um uh flights with airplanes. So I cancel, got my points back, but then airplan now charges you a cancellation penalty. When I booked um the the going to Europe on a one itinerary and coming back on a different um itinerary. So two bookings, right? So they charge me twice for cancellation. Oh my goodness. Thank you, Airplan. You're a doll. But anyway, but some people book, and this is why they book it, um, their their air with the cruise line, because then the cruise line is, I'm gonna use this word very loosely, liable to either help you with uh the changes or a refund because they cancel their cruise. Yeah, some people book independently the air for what whatever reason. So then we're gonna have to look at the cancellation policy of the airline because they honestly don't care that your cruise cancel because it's a separate cancel.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

Yeah, I was that's what I was thinking too, because it's you're not canceling because of illness or whatever under the conditions of trip interruption or cancellation. You're just canceling because your cruise got cancelled, and so what, as far as they're concerned, right?

SPEAKER_00 10:15

Yeah, that's right. So there's a few things that can happen um when your cruise is affected. The the ship could change its itinerary um totally. You could skip one port and visit another. They could do a ship swap. So passengers are transferred to a um a sister ship, uh which is an identical ship, waiting on the other side of the shallow section. Um and that sounds inconvenient, but the cruise lines are pretty efficient at organizing these transfers, and it's the crew that does it. You don't have to be lugging your stuff. They do a bus bridge, so this is where um you can board a coach and travel around the affected affected section of the water and then rejoin another ship. So your vacation continues. And then you could get a modified cruise, which is in set instead of sailing through one section, you'll spend additional time docked in another city, which with included excursions. So um, you know, it it you what what should you do when you're notified? So if you booked with a travel agent, they will tell you and they will help you. So you don't panic, you have help. And then um River Cruise companies, they they deal with I guess these situations regularly. So you you should be waiting for the official communication. So what happened with me, they phoned me and I didn't wasn't able to grab the phone. So they left me a message, and I still hadn't gotten any written official communication, and then I had to phone to find out what was happening. But still, it it's uh it you know, it takes time to manage it. And then avoid relying on social media because it's just not gonna help you. It's just gonna it'd be a rumor, you know. Um, and so if you book directly with the um cruise line or your travel agent will ask you, is the sailing still operating? Will there be a ship swap? Will hotels be provided? Are excursions um changing? Will flights need adjustment? So lots of other things that could happen. So, depending on the situation, they may offer you an alternative sailing date, partial refund or full refund, future cruise credits, hotel accommodation, and ground transportation. So you do need, and I do recommend it because it's it's a lengthy document. Read your booking conditions before you travel so there's no surprises. And nobody does, really.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

Well, yeah, who does that? Yeah, lawyers do, I guess. I don't know.

unknown 12:49

Right.

SPEAKER_00 12:50

Yes. So it it is it is um a situation that does happen, but it can happen in other forms of travel. That you know, we all know that, we've talked about it. Um, so you you just have to you can't get crazed because what's gonna h you're just gonna yell at your partner, what's happening? You know, and you don't want that.

SPEAKER_02 13:15

Well, it's out of your control, right? So you know, you can only do so much. Just plan for the next one, that's all.

SPEAKER_00 13:22

Well, that's it exactly. And you know, um, yes, it's hard sometimes if you're working and you have set holidays, you might not be as flexible. Um, but you know, if you can be flexible, I think, you know, maybe there's another opportunity that's even better than what you had originally planned. So look at it that way.

SPEAKER_02 13:43

Always look on the bright side, right?

SPEAKER_00 13:45

That's it.

SPEAKER_02 13:46

That's it exactly. Onanta Forbes is a travel expert. You can follow her. You could have followed her on her river cruise, but not now. On Instagram, Facebook, and X at Onanta Forbes at OnantaForbes.com is her website. Uh, good chatting, good advice to Onanta. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

Take care. Have a good week.

SPEAKER_02 14:13

This is the Informed Traveler Podcast. I'm Randy Sharman. Just want to remind you of our website, theinformedraveler.org. That's where you can find our contact page if you have any questions or comments about the podcast. You can also email me too with any questions you might have. My email address is randy at the informed traveler.org. You can check out our social media pages too at facebook.com slash informed traveler, Instagram at informed traveler, or on X at InformTraveler. That's where you'll find a number of videos and photos from our recent and past interviews and stories. Plus, you can sign up for our monthly newsletter. It's released at the beginning of every month. Our July issue is available now. Just go to our website, the informedtraveler.org, click on the newsletter button, and it will take you right there. Or better yet, you can subscribe to it and have it arrive in your inbox each month.

Historic Franklin, Tennessee

SPEAKER_02 15:07

So let's head to Franklin, Tennessee now, a historic town located only minutes south of Nashville, known for its Civil War history, vibrant music scene, boutique shopping, and outstanding southern dining. It's got a lot going for it. So joining us now to share more about Franklin is Matthew Maxie. He is the Senior Director of Public Relations with Visit Franklin, Tennessee. Hello, Matthew. Hello, thanks for having me, Randy. Well, I'm pretty excited to learn about uh Franklin, Tennessee. Um I'm also pretty sure that most people have heard about Nashville, but uh maybe not uh Franklin, which is not far from Nashville, which is uh uh I think is a is a pretty good blessing because uh people can kind of get the best of both worlds, visit Franklin and explore all the great things you have to offer, and then uh scoot over and and see what Nashville has to showcase, too, right?

SPEAKER_01 16:00

I completely agree. Uh, for just to orient folks, we're really only 15 minutes from downtown Nashville from downtown Franklin. And uh because we are in a music part of the country. I use the analogy uh a lot. Like think of Nashville as like the big arena show with all the lights and neon and and stuff like that. Franklin's a little bit more of the slower, almost acoustic version of that. So it's it's a little slower paced, and uh, but the the music is still kind of permeating everything that we do around here, too.

SPEAKER_02 16:29

Mm-hmm. Well, perfect analogy, I think. Uh lots of history, music, as you mentioned, culture. Uh just talk in general about Franklin. Give me uh sort of an overview. I know you already did. It's like very close to Nashville, but slower paced, which I like, and I think maybe uh a lot of people might like.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

Yeah, uh overall Franklin just kind of touched on that sense of place a little bit more. You know, 25 years ago, if you said, Oh, that's just another little suburb of Nashville, you would have been totally right. But kind of on the uh the corporate side of life, about 25 years ago, corporate headquarters started relocating to Franklin, and now there's over 200 national international corporate headquarters here. So that has helped spark a lot of the growth overall of Franklin. And with that has come kind of the the lifestyle and tourism aspect of that as well. We've uh we are a Civil War town. The Battle of Franklin happened in our historic downtown area, which is uh kind of separated from our corporate part of town. And it's a when people come, they can experience all the kind of the fresh and new and like largest malls in Tennessee kind of stuff if they want to in the corporate side of town. Or if you come into the historic downtown, which is just five minutes away, kind of from that corporate center area, you're gonna see 16 square blocks of really what looks like a Norman Rockwell painting come to life, or Hallmark movies come to in real life. You're gonna experience that with the Civil War history that is that is baked in here as well. That battle happening in our downtown really left some scars around here that are are still visible. So I like to say you know, history folks can come and visit, and you can you can experience the history in Franklin in three hours or three days, kind of depending on how how deep you want to go. There's enough to to come and dive in really deep for three days and go to different homes and battlefields and and see what it was like. Or if you're kind of a little more casual history fan, you're gonna see placards and it's gonna be throughout the downtown and the area, and you're gonna kind of notice it and see it whether you're looking for it or not.

SPEAKER_02 18:37

Well, I am one of those history folk, and as soon as you said civil war, it's like my ears perked up because uh I'm a bit of a Civil War uh buff. So amazing. I could probably spend a whole week there and and bore my family with uh wanting to visit all the sites. But if you go on your website, visit Franklin.com, uh there is uh so many of those uh historic homes and mansions and battle sites and things like that you can explore. You can also, if you're a music buff, which I am, especially country music, uh that's right there as well, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 19:08

It is. Music really, I say it permeates everything we do because it really is just kind of woven into the fabric. Just so many of those names that make Nashville famous actually live here, and so do their producers and songwriters, and just so many connected to the music world are around here. So you know, people playing the lunch hour at the barbecue restaurant on Main Street, many of them have gone on to play, you know, arenas and are on the radio daily now. So it's it it just is everywhere. There are studios around, kind of really uniquely in Franklin. There are music studios where you can go stay. So there's a a place called Dark Horse Recording Studio. It's half the names of music that you can think of have probably recorded there at some point over the last 30 years. It's still an active studio now, but because of the way uh music recording has changed, the bands and artists don't have to come and stay for days or weeks on end to record an album now. But this place still has all the lodging for when they did. So they opened it up on Airbnb and said, let's invite the world to come stay in this really unique place. So you can literally book a room or up to seven rooms on Airbnb, and you've got full run of the place while recording's happening. So the one bedroom option literally like shares a wall with the studio to while people are there recording. You just stand on the other side of the glass and and can see it happen. You know, that would be so cool. You might be there for you know serial in the morning together.

SPEAKER_02 20:40

That would be so cool. You never you never know who you might run into, right? Uh as you mentioned, uh some some pretty big names uh still uh might be lurking in the hallways uh haphazardly, right?

SPEAKER_01 20:51

Yeah, this is the the studio Taylor Swift did most of her uh first album there, and that's coming up on its 20-year anniversary, but it's you know the Dolly Partons, Keith Urbans, Carrie Underwoods of the World have recorded there, and it's it's far from just country. Um it's their Dave Mustaine kind of folks have have recorded there and Rock and Roll Legends and you know Neil Diamond. So it's far more than just country as well.

SPEAKER_02 21:17

Mm-hmm. And well, exactly. Yeah, you there's much more uh um music genres uh available there than just country music. So if I'm not a Civil War buff and I don't really care much for music, uh what are some of the other attractions that people could enjoy uh when they're in Franklin?

SPEAKER_01 21:36

One of the best things about Franklin is it's just a place you can slow down and just kind of do things at a slow, leisurely pace, whether that's kind of in the historic downtown, just meandering throughout Main Street, popping in and out of shops and and coffee shops and just taking things at a a slow, slow pace. You know, it's one of the things I really noticed around our offices here in the downtown core when you Walk around downtown, people aren't looking down at phones, and like they're not distracted. Their heads are up, they're chatting with with neighbors, and it it really is just a sense of people are enjoying the environment around them. And it's you can you can just kind of feel that vibe, and it's it's almost hard to describe without just you know your feet being here and everyone's being present, which is kind of different in a lot of places these days. For sure. That's that's one aspect. And then you know, we can certainly go out to the the whiskey distilleries and you know the the second largest winery in Tennessee is here in Franklin. So there's there's lots of outdoor options. If people want to rent a fancy car and go on a drive down a protected scenic byway, the Natchez Trace Parkway runs right through Franklin, so that makes a great kind of road trip option, or you just want to roll the windows down, turn some of that music up loud and see beautiful scenery, you can do that as well.

SPEAKER_02 22:58

Very nice. How easy is it to get to Nashville? Or sorry, yeah, to get to Nashville. Um if I didn't want to drive a car, do is there like transport back and forth uh that way?

SPEAKER_01 23:08

Yeah, so we're uh 35 minutes from the terminal at Nashville International Airport. So there are hundreds of direct flights in and out of there every day. It's one of the fastest growing airports in the country. And then once getting here, you can rent a car to get around is probably easiest, but lift Uber options are are certainly available as well.

SPEAKER_02 23:28

Well, yeah, and if you're only 15 minutes away, that can't be a huge cost either, right?

SPEAKER_01 23:33

Correct, yes. I think the last time I took an an Uber to the airport, it was like 35 bucks, and that was during Right now.

SPEAKER_02 23:41

Nice. Okay, so we talked about history, music. What are some of the uh cultural events that uh Franklin has uh coming up or year-round?

SPEAKER_01 23:50

I think some of the year-round ones that we're really known for is our downtown kind of converts into a festival haven a couple times a year. The the 16 square blocks of our historic downtown each April, there is just a classic Main Street festival where it's everything you would expect if you've watched a Hallmark movie and they have those town festivals. This is really it come to life with different live music happening. There's taste of the town all all over. Local artisans and craft makers are are there and just entertainment talent around and community coming together. That happens each April. We do it again in October, kind of with a fall theme, so it's kind of the same thing, and orange and pumpkin spiced variety of that. But then the the largest one is in December each year. It's a uh Dickens of a Christmas. So Charles Dickens care hundreds of Charles Dickens characters come to life. It's a Victorian village throughout the downtown area, and you can just interact with all things holiday throughout the year. Or sorry, throughout the festival there.

SPEAKER_02 24:56

Yeah. Cool. So if you're uh taking me for lunch somewhere, what's uh what's one of your favorite spots and what do I gotta try? I'm putting you on the spot here, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 25:07

If it's your first time and we have to have a little story with with some taste, we're gonna go to Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant. It's a place that uh started as a grocery 50 plus years ago. They started making a little barbecue out front to draw in a few more customers. Then that when that started working, they had uh some musicians show up, start playing a little music. Fast forward 50 years, it's now a uh a place that has expanded across Tennessee and into Alabama and is known for where stars get discovered. So it's guys like Thomas Rhett, Walker Hayes, nice, early peers have all all got their start on that the little stage at the barbecue restaurant in downtown Franklin.

SPEAKER_02 25:47

So you never know you might be seeing the next superstar of of me of the music world.

SPEAKER_01 25:53

That's that's very true. And it's just last week I was having lunch at Puckett's, and there was a you know a top five contestant from American Idol was literally playing at lunch hour.

SPEAKER_02 26:03

Cool. Lots of cool stuff to do. Uh anything I uh missed you might want to add?

SPEAKER_01 26:09

What's kind of on the the history front, uh I would say it's uh as a Civil War town, we're a little different than most, and it's because our battle happened in the downtown, it's not just going out to a large field and kind of looking at what might have used to be there and things like that. In the downtown, you're gonna find a lot of stuff as you're walking to the pizza place or the coffee shop, you're gonna walk past these spots and these monuments that are uh kind of teaching along the way. And Franklin has really become known as the the Southern Civil War town doing things differently because you're gonna see the markers from the time there there is a Confederate marker still in our downtown that has been there since shortly after the Civil War. But what you're also gonna find right next to it is the first statue that was on public land in America honoring the U.S. Colored Troop Divisions of the U.S. Army. So there's a statue honoring a USCT soldier and telling the story of of those men who went to sign up for the U.S. Army right after they were emancipated in the Battle of Franklin. And just this last week we unveiled uh some new markers that acknowledge and honor the uh the various lynchings that happened in downtown Franklin during the the Jim Crow and Reconstruction eras. So it's uh it's not the the rosiest of history that we have, but you're going to find it told very honestly and and truthfully here.

SPEAKER_02 27:36

I like that though. I like the how communities do that and just sort of face the history, right?

SPEAKER_01 27:43

Yeah, and it's uh it's at the Civil War homes, kind of one of the more notable ones, a place called the Carter House that's here in downtown Franklin. This summer they're going to be unveiling a new uh visitor center that's very interactive, and it's their initial uh exhibit part of the museum will be entitled All Men Are Created Equal, and it will walk you through history in an interactive way from revolutionary period to the years right after the Civil War because that was all connected. It's not just the four years of the Civil War that led us. There's a lot of context around on either side of those four years of that battle, and they're looking to tell it in an honest open way.

SPEAKER_02 28:23

Lots of history, music, culture, whiskey, wine. You got it all. And you're close to Nashville if that's not enough. So absolutely. Matthew Moxie is the uh senior director of public relations for Visit Franklin, Tennessee. Visit Franklin.com is where you can find out all the information on your visit. I uh do appreciate your time, Matt. It was uh great chatting with you.

SPEAKER_01 28:48

Absolutely. Anytime, Randy, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 28:54

And that is our show for this week. If you have comments or questions, we'd love to hear from you. If you have a show idea, send that along as well. My email is Randy at theinformed traveler.org. And if you like what you heard, tell a friend. You can check out our website too at theinformtraveler.org. In the meantime, thanks for listening. Travel safe and be an informed traveler.