American Cruise Lines: Unbiased Reviews and Tips
An American-flag coastal and inland river company manned by an all-American crew, American Cruise Lines operates a large and growing fleet (passenger capacities 100-190) offering a high level of comfort while undertaking a varied menu of over 35 itineraries. Routes explore the U.S. East Coast from Florida to New England, the Mississippi River, three other Midwest rivers, and the Columbia and Snake in the Pacific Northwest, and North to Alaska and cruises within Southeast Alaska.
American Cruise Lines has built all its vessels (except the acquired Queen of the West) in its Chesapeake Bay shipyard, hence there are many similarities between ships. Sister brand, Pearl Seas Cruises, operates the Pearl Mist on the Great Lakes, in eastern Canada and along the American East Coast. This vessel has undergone a major redesign for the 2023 season. Built in Canada, this vessel has an international crew and has a hull design to range wider than river and inland waters, hence the program of Great Lakes cruises.
The fastest growing cruise line under the U.S Flag also offers the largest cabins, many with balconies, and dedicated single cabins and operates along the Mississippi River system, U.S. East Coast, Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
Additional ships are due through 2026 onward from there. Some of the original fleet has been renamed.
In spring of 2024, American Cruise Lines bought the American Queen and three of her fleetmates, from defunct American Queen Voyages.
READ MORE: American Cruise Lines buys American Queen & fleetmates.
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Queen of the West. * Photo: American Cruise Lines
FLEET
Amid an impressive building spree, American Cruise Lines will have 24 ships by 2026, carrying between 90 and 180 passengers each.
Coastal Cats (with hybrid catamaran hulls)
- 100 passengers, built in 2023, 2024 and 2025
- 4 ships — Including the American Eagle (2023), American Glory (2023), American Liberty (2024) and American Legend (2024)
Patriot Class (with traditional hulls)
- 125 passengers, to be built in 2025 and 2026
- 4 ships — Including American Patriot (2025) and American Pioneer (2025)
American Riverboats
- 180 passengers, built between 2018 and 2023 (and one coming in 2026)
- 7 ships — Including American Harmony, American Song, American Jazz, American Melody, American Symphony and American Serenade
The 190-passenger American Harmony. * Photo: American Cruise Lines
Paddlewheel Riverboats
- 110 to 180 passengers, built between 1995 and 2016; and all refurbished in 2022
- 4 ships — American Splendor, American Heritage, American Pride, American West
Constellation Class
- 170 passengers, built in 2017 and 2018
- 2 ships —American Constitution, American Constellation
Independence Class
- 90 passengers, built from 2005 to 2010
- 3 ships — American Independence, American Star, American Spirit
American Pride. * Photo: American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines Passenger Profile
Mostly Americans, 55 and up, and a high rate of repeaters. Some British, mostly in groups, and a few Australians.
Price
$$$ — Pricey
The top deck of the new American Melody. * Photo: American Cruise Lines
Included Features
- Beer & wine at lunch & dinner
- Nightly pre-dinner cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres
- Wi-Fi
- Featured shore excursions
- One night pre-cruise + transfer to landing for some itineraries
American Cruise Line Itineraries
The line sails the Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers, Eastern Seaboard Maine to Florida, Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and offers themed food and wine and holiday cruises.
Mississippi River itineraries range from as few as 4 nights to as many as 21, with cruises in the Upper and Lower Mississippi, Cumberland/Tennessee Rivers and Ohio River. Themed cruises include the Grand Heartlands, Mark Twain Cruise and Music Cities Cruises.
Northeast: 7- to 10-night cruises ply the Maine coast, New England islands, Cape Cod, Hudson River, with themed Lobsterbake and Fall Foliage cruises.
Southeast: 6- to 14-night itineraries include Chesapeake Bay, the East Coast Inland Passage, the rivers of Florida, and other stops along the historic South as far as Key West, including Crabfest Cruises and a Civil War-themed cruise. A new 8-night itinerary will operate beginning December 20, 2023 and through January 2024. The round-trip from St. Peterburg with its art museums and botanical gardens is aboard the American Glory, one of the new Coastal Cats. Calls are made at Key West, Marco Island, Everglades National Park, and Punta Gorda, the last named known for its lovely mid-19th century houses.
Pacific Northwest and Alaska: cruises from between 4 to 14 nights tour the Cumberland and Snake Rivers, including a Lewis & Clark-themed cruise, as well as Grand Puget Sound and San Juan Islands, plus Southeast Alaska and the Inside Passage.
Jared Coffin House, named after a prominent Nantucket ship owner was built in 1845. * Photo: Ted Scull
Sample Itineraries
The 7-night Lower Mississippi River Cruise passengers may embark at Memphis, with stops at Vicksburg and Natchez, Mississippi and St. Francisville, Baton Rouge and Oak Alley, Louisiana, before disembarking at New Orleans.
The 7-night New England Islands Cruise starts at various ports calling at – sample ports – New Bedford, Massachusetts, Nantucket Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Block Island, Newport and Bristol, Rhode Island, Boston, and a half-dozen Maine coastal ports.
The Northwest Pioneers Cruise is a 10-night journey beginning at Portland and sailing to Astoria and Mount St. Helen’s, returning to Portland then sailing onward to Stevenson, Hood River, The Dalles, Richland, Pendelton and ending at Clarkson in Washington.
American Song, with its European-style profile, entered in 2018. * Photo: American Cruise Lines
RELATED: A New England Cruise by Small Ship. By Ted Scull.
Why Go?
East Coast America begs to be seen from a small ship whether it’s exploring Maine’s indented shore line, lovely New England islands, the beauty of the Hudson River in autumn, land of pleasant living in the Chesapeake Bay, charms of the Deep South, and the Intracoastal Waterway that ties it all together.
The mighty Mississippi and its tributaries take you to America’s heartland of small towns and large river cities. A passage up the Columbia and Snake rivers offers more variety of landscapes and shore-side attractions than any stretch of river in North America. Cruise the Inside Passage up the British Columbia coast to Alaskan wonders and for an indelible slice of American history and wonderment and an intro to coastal British Columbia.
When to Go?
The itineraries are scheduled for the best times of the year in most regions. However, the Mississippi and Columbia/Snake river valleys can be beastly hot in the summer months.
Sustainability Initiatives
American Cruise Lines riverboats and ships are mostly recent-builds, their engines designed for efficiency and to meet high emissions standards. Other measures include: onboard waste management protocols, advanced wastewater treatment, biodegradable products from shampoos to cleaning solutions, and reduction of single use plastics. Some engine rooms below the main dining venue are a bit noisy when the vessel is underway.
Activities & Entertainment
An historian, naturalist or scientist accompanies all cruises with special interest speakers in some ports. Entertainers and musicians also come on in many ports.
Dining
Each vessel has a dining room that can accommodate all passengers at one seating, mostly at communal tables of four to eight. Tables for two are not normally part of the lively social scene. Breakfast offers a window of time for getting your day started, while lunch and dinner are at set times, occasionally depending on port schedules.
The food is very good American fare with high quality ingredients and special regional offerings such as lobster in New England, Chesapeake blue crabs, Georgia shrimp, Florida oysters, Iowa pork chops, Wisconsin artisan cheeses, and fresh salmon and sturgeon in the Northwest. Fresh produce is often bought locally, and the food preparation is uniformly very good to excellent.
Passengers choose their lunch and dinner options at breakfast to give the galley a rough idea of what to prepare. Changing one’s mind later is no problem. The young American college and post-college-age staff (sometimes seen as temporary grandchildren to some passengers) provides friendly and efficient, if not always polished service.
Dress is always casual.
Ships
Across the fleet, riverboats and coastal ships share similar layouts, with variations described in individual reviews below.
In the evenings there’s a complimentary cocktail hour before dinner. For all vessels, the main observation lounge is furnished with comfy upholstered living room-style armchairs and settees. All ships also feature evening entertainment focusing on music and history.
The highest deck offers an open lounge with shade and deck chair seating, a small putting green, and on most ships, an open-air exercise area.
Cabins are amongst the largest of the small ship fleets, with the vast majority measuring between 200 to 450 sq. ft. Amenities on all vessels include windows that slide open, most cabin balconies furnished with two chairs and a small table and on the older vessels, some with narrow step out balconies, good-size bathrooms, writing desk, roomy closet and drawer storage.
All the vessels have dedicated single occupancy cabins, chargeable at 150% or 175% of the double occupancy rates, depending on category.
In cabin: en suite, individual climate control, TV, DVD, complimentary Wi-Fi.
American Pride suite.* Photo: American Cruise Lines
- American Spirit
- American Star
- Independence
These three ships, built for 100 passengers each, have four decks accessed by elevator.
Forward observation lounge aboard the Independence. * Photo: Ted Scull
- Queen of the Mississippi (now American Heritage as of 2022)
- Queen of the West
- American Pride
- America (now American Splendor as of 2022)
Paddlewheeler riverboats have four to six decks each to accommodate 150 passengers on American Heritage (formerly Queen of the Mississippi) and American Pride; 185 passengers aboard American Splendor (formerly America); and 100 passengers on Queen of the West). All offer breakfast room service, while American Pride also has afternoon tea service in the Sky Lounge.
American Heritage and American Splendor have a Mark Twain Library & Chart Room on board, plus evening jazz and musical entertainment. Queen of the West has a Lewis & Clark Library. All have laundry facilities.
American Pride – Paddlewheel Lounge.* Photo: American Cruise Lines
- American Constellation
- American Constitution
Sister ships built for 175 passengers, this pair has six decks connected by elevator, an exercise room, laundry facilities, and they offer breakfast room service.
- American Song
- American Harmony
- American Jazz
- American Melody
The most contemporary riverboats of the fleet, these are more akin to European-style riverboats rather than Mississippi sternwheelers. Each has a four-storey glass-enclosed atrium with domed skylight as a central focal point of the ship (American Harmony’s atrium spans five decks).
American Song carries 184 passengers, while it’s 190 for American Harmony & American Jazz, and 175 passengers aboard American Melody.
American Cruise Lines’ modern-style riverboats, including American Jazz and American Harmony, sport an airy atrium and lots of glass for great views. * Photo: American Cruise Lines
Special Notes
All ships have a small number of dedicated single cabins. Gratuities are now included in the fare.
Along the Same Lines
Pearl Seas Cruises (sister company); American Queen Steamboat Company on the Mississippi River system and the Columbia/Snake rivers.
American Cruise Lines Contact Info
www.americancruiselines.com; +1 (800) 460-4518
Based in Guilford, CT.
— TWS
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