American Cruise Lines

ACL-American Cruise Lines Inc (AmericanCruiseLines.com) is a USA-based travel company founded in 1991 and headquartered in Guilford, Connecticut. Currently ranked as the USA's largest river cruise company, ACL operates traditional stern-paddlewheel riverboats and several small-sized oceangoing ships. ACL vessels primarily cruise within the USA, including Alaska, the West and East Coasts, major rivers such as the Mississippi, Tennessee, Potomac, Columbia, Snake, and Hudson, as well as in Florida (St. George River).

The company's current President and CEO is Charles B. Robertson, who succeeded ACL's founder, Charles A. Robertson (1948–2020).

ACL's management team includes:

• Dawn Lancaster (Accounts Payable Lead / Groton, CT)
• Kayleigh Yates (Pastry Chef / New Roads, LA)
• Brad Csuka (VP of Marketing / Stratford, CT)
• Susan Shultz (Director of Sales / Guilford, CT)
• Shelly Hartfield (Director of Product Development / New Albany, IN)
• Meghan Sturgeon (Creative Director / Guilford, CT)
• John Foley (Director of Information & Technology / Bethel, CT)
• Makena Hoyt (Travel Coordinator / Salt Lake City, UT)
• Matthew Kelley (First Mate / Kingston, MA)
• Marcus Lemon (Line Cook / Orlando, FL)

In August 2021, ACL announced a major refurbishment of its entire paddlewheeler fleet. The redesigned vessels were renamed "American Splendor" (formerly America), "American Heritage" (formerly Queen of the Mississippi), and "American West" (formerly Queen of the West), while only American Pride retained her name. The refurbishment, completed by March 2022, was carried out in partnership with Studio DADO (Miami-based interior design firm), which also designed the interior of American Melody. The project included complete redesigns of staterooms, bars and lounges, dining venues, and public spaces, featuring new color schemes, artwork, furniture, carpets, textiles, and accessories.

Since January 2022, ACL has offered flat-rate domestic airfares for all deals that include flights between airports in the USA, covering the company’s 19 ports across 16 US states. Prices for river cruises include a pre-cruise hotel overnight stay.

Since December 2022, all ACL cruise deals include port charges and fees (commissionable for travel agents).

ACL's main competitor is Viking Cruises USA.

A key feature of ACL ships is that they are all USA-flagged. This means the company hires only American citizens as crew and hotel staff and pays taxes in the USA on all cruise deals.

ACL’s offerings are premium-priced and include:

• Larger-than-average staterooms (featuring the first balcony cabins in the US coastal cruise market)
• Spacious public areas (bars and lounges)
• Gourmet cuisine and highly personalized service
• Hassle-free experiences, complimentary pre-dinner drinks, and a relaxed, intimate atmosphere
• Itineraries with daily port stops at charming destinations inaccessible to larger vessels
• Evening enrichment programs with professional onboard lecturers
• The "Queen of the Mississippi" debuted in 2012 as the largest ACL ship; her sistership "American Eagle" launched in March 2015

All ACL ships are built/refurbished in the USA by Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corporation (Salisbury, Maryland).

Next infographic of the Queen of the Mississippi (now American Heritage) shows what is what and where on this unique riverboat.

In mid-February 2020, ACL signed a 20-year agreement with Vicksburg, MS for preferential berthing rights and to invest in upgrading the riverfront docking facilities. Under the deal, ACL pays per-passenger fees to the city and receives priority mooring access. The company also provides shuttle transportation to local attractions and downtown businesses.

In January 2023, ACL announced fleetwide implementation of high-speed satellite Internet and Wi-Fi services powered by Starlink. Following beta testing in 2022, the service was launched in 2023, offering stable and fast connectivity via LEO satellites. As part of the promotion, both Starlink Wi-Fi and shipboard Room Service were complimentary.

ACL AQV assets acquisition (2024)

In a March 2024 auction held in Texas, ACL became the highest bidder and purchased four riverboats and additional assets of AQV-American Queen Voyages (formerly AQSC), following the bankruptcy of parent company Hornblower Holdings.

The acquired paddlewheelers were: American Queen (US$2.15 million), American Empress and American Countess (each US$1.6 million), and American Duchess (US$0.2 million). In May, three of the ships (Countess, Duchess, Queen) were sold for scrapping.

ACL also acquired the trademarks "American Queen Voyages" and "AQV," related website domains, and business records for US$0.75 million.

According to court documents filed in Houston, ACL paid a total of US$6.3 million in cash for all AQV assets. A hearing to finalize the sale was scheduled for April 4th.

New ships

In late October 2015, ACL announced the construction of a new coastal cruiser at Chesapeake Shipbuilding (Salisbury, Maryland), with delivery scheduled for Q1 2017. The vessel, American Constellation, was followed by sistership American Constitution in 2018.

These ships accommodate 170 passengers and are slightly larger than ACL’s previous coastal vessels. They feature active wing stabilizers (by Rolls-Royce Marine) and the largest and most luxurious staterooms in the US river cruise industry. All cabins have marble-tiled bathrooms and floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening onto step-out balconies.

American Song, like other large US riverboats, has a bow-mounted boarding ramp located on Deck 1, allowing passengers to disembark at nearly any location along the cruise route. The retractable gangway (passenger bridge) features a bow-opening design often used on large ferries.

In November 2016, ACL began construction of a third, larger-class "Modern Riverboat" with a capacity of 195 passengers. In February 2017, ACL announced plans for a fleet of five newbuilds.

• The first of the series, American Song, debuted in 2018. She was followed by American Harmony (2019), American Jazz (2020), American Melody (2021), American Symphony (2022), American Serenade (2023), American Encore (2026), and American Anthem (2027).
• In June 2021, ACL signed a contract with Chesapeake Shipbuilding for two additional "Modern Riverboats," scheduled for delivery in 2022, bringing the fleet to 15 vessels (5 small ships, 4 paddlewheelers, 6 modern riverboats).

In January 2022, ACL announced plans to expand its fleet to 25+ vessels by adding 12 ships under a new class (Project Blue). Each ship will accommodate up to 109 passengers and 50 crew, measuring 241 ft (74 m) in length and 56 ft (17 m) in beam, with 56 staterooms (approximately 85% featuring balconies).

ACL’s Coastal Cats (catamarans) and PATRIOT-class coastal ships are scheduled to launch two units per year: in 2023 (Eagle, Glory), 2024 (Liberty, Legend), 2025 (Patriot, Pioneer), 2026 (Maverick, Ranger), and continuing through 2027 and 2028.

The next video reviews the best features of ACL’s 2021–2022-built Modern Riverboats (Melody, Symphony, Serenade).

USA river cruise excursions for free

All ACL guests booking Mississippi or Columbia River cruises receive complimentary shore excursions in every port of call—offered year-round.

The tour list includes:

• "Battle of Vicksburg" (Vicksburg, Mississippi)
• "Oak Valley Plantation" (Oak Alley, Louisiana)
• "Mark Twain Boyhood Home-Museum" (Hannibal, Missouri)
• "Mount St. Helens" (Rainier, Washington)
• "Winery" (Richland, Washington)

In January 2020, ACL signed a 5-year preferential berthing agreement with Port NOLA (New Orleans) for use of Thalia Street Wharf. The agreement includes two optional 5-year renewals and grants ACL preferential homeporting for a minimum of 50 voyages annually. In 2020, ACL scheduled 68 calls at Port NOLA.

In 2023 (March–December), ACL operated its largest-ever Mississippi River program, with five ships (Melody, Heritage, Serenade, Splendor, Symphony) and 12 itineraries between homeports St. Paul, MN, and New Orleans, LA. The season featured a new ship (American Serenade) and a new 8-day itinerary, "The Tennessee Rivers Cruise," between Chattanooga, TN and Nashville, TN. All Mississippi voyages included a complimentary pre-cruise 1-night hotel stay.

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020–2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ACL suspended operations fleetwide, canceling all voyages scheduled from March 14, 2020, through May 2021.

Fleet operations resumed on the following dates in 2021:

• American Independence – May 1 (from Charleston, SC)
• MS America – May 4 (from New Orleans)
• Queen of the Mississippi – May 1 (from Memphis, TN)
• Queen of the West – May 15 (from Clarkston, WA)
• American Star – May 8 (from Charleston, SC)
• American Song – May 9 (from Clarkston, MI)
• American Pride – May 1 (from Portland, OR)
• American Constellation – May 7 (Alaska from Seattle, WA)
• American Constitution – May 10 (from Boston)
• American Spirit – May 8 (Alaska from Seattle, WA)
• American Harmony – May 1 (from New Orleans)
• American Jazz – May 2 (from New Orleans)
• American Melody – August 27 (Maiden Voyage from New Orleans)

Note: Under the CERTS (Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act), in August 2021, ACL received a grant of USD 42.7 million from the US government. CERTS provided financial support to eligible American-crewed transportation companies that experienced 25% or greater annual revenue losses due to the pandemic.

ACL ships initially operated at reduced capacity (75%). All canceled bookings were fully refunded (100% monetary refund). Guests choosing to rebook received 125% FCC (Future Cruise Credit), valid through December 31, 2021.

ACL-American Cruise Lines' itinerary program covers the USA’s Eastern and Western coasts. ACL also offers Alaskan cruises during the summer, along with river cruise itineraries on the Mississippi-Ohio (northbound and southbound) and Columbia-Snake (eastbound and westbound) river systems.

ACL ships and riverboats' deployment

Below is the list of all ACL ships and riverboats, with their year of construction in brackets:

• American Heritage (2015, formerly Queen of the Mississippi)
• American West (1995, formerly Queen of the West)
• American Splendor (2016, formerly America)
• American Constellation (2017) – features two new Canada/USA itineraries: "Grand New England" and "Grand Historic South"
• American Constitution (2018) – also operates the "Grand New England" and "Grand Historic South" itineraries
• American Pride (2015, formerly American Eagle) – operates 8-day Columbia and Snake River cruises (one-way) departing from Portland, Oregon or Clarkston, Washington
• Modern Riverboat class: American Song (2018), American Harmony (2019), American Jazz (2020), American Melody (2021), American Symphony (2022), American Serenade (2023), American Encore (2026), American Anthem (2027)
• American Spirit (2004) – operates 7- and 11-day Alaskan cruises from Juneau, AK and Seattle, WA
• American Independence (2010)

ACL's Coastal Cats (Project Blue catamarans) and PATRIOT-class coastal ships comprise a separate fleet of 12 newbuilds scheduled for delivery as follows: 2023 (American Eagle, American Glory), 2024 (American Liberty, American Legend), 2025 (American Patriot, American Pioneer), 2026 (American Maverick, American Ranger), 2027 and 2028 (TBN).

In 2021, ACL introduced three new itineraries: "Cape Codder" (New England / Cape Cod Canal), "Music Cities" (8-day music-themed cruise between Nashville and Memphis), and "Alaskan Explorers" (11-day Glacier Bay cruise). The brand also launched 50 new land tours and added more pre-cruise hotel packages, including Four Seasons Hotel stays in select river ports.

The classic 10-night "Grand Puget Sound Cruise" visits Washington's San Juan Islands.

In 2023, ACL added new ports to its schedule, including San Francisco and New York City (with calls at Sag Harbor and Port Jefferson, Long Island). ACL’s 2023–2024 catamaran cruises also added Florida destinations: Key West, St. Petersburg, Key Biscayne, and Fort Myers Beach / Estero Island.

ACL itineraries scheduled for the Coastal Cats/catamarans

Below are all currently announced itineraries (themes, duration, homeports, and call ports) scheduled for ACL’s Coastal Cats (Project Blue catamarans).

8-day/7-night "Chesapeake Bay Cruise" – roundtrip from Baltimore, MD. Ports: Yorktown-Williamsburg VA, Crisfield MD (Tangier VA), Cambridge MD (Oxford MD), St. Michaels MD, Annapolis MD.

8-day/7-night "Cape Codder Cruise" – roundtrip from Boston, MA. Ports: Gloucester, Plymouth, Martha’s Vineyard, Falmouth, New Bedford, Provincetown.

8-day/7-night "Maine Coast and Harbors Cruise" – roundtrip from Portland, ME. Ports: Bar Harbor, Belfast, Camden, Rockland, Boothbay Harbor, Bath.

8-day/7-night "New England Islands Cruise" – roundtrip from Providence, RI. Ports: Baltimore MD, St. Michaels MD, Norfolk VA, Kitty Hawk NC, Beaufort NC, Wilmington NC, Charleston SC, Beaufort SC, Hilton Head SC, Savannah GA, St. Simons Island GA, Jekyll Island GA, Amelia Island FL (Fernandina Beach).

8-day/7-night "Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise" – roundtrip from New York City, NY. Ports: Catskill, Albany, Kingston/Hyde Park, West Point, Sleepy Hollow, with overnight in NYC.

8-day/7-night "Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise" – one-way between Charleston, SC and Jacksonville, FL (Amelia Island). Ports: Charleston, Beaufort, Hilton Head, Savannah, Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, Amelia Island (overnight).

8-day/7-night "Yankee Seaports Cruise" – one-way between NYC and Boston. Ports: Long Island (Sag Harbor, Port Jefferson), New London CT (Mystic Seaport), Newport RI, Plymouth MA.

15-day/14-night "East Coast Inland Passage Cruise" – one-way between Baltimore and Jacksonville FL / Amelia Island. Ports: Baltimore, St. Michaels, Norfolk, Kitty Hawk, Beaufort, Wilmington, Charleston, Beaufort SC, Hilton Head, Savannah, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Amelia Island.

8-day/7-night "Hudson River Summer Classic Cruise" (introduced in 2024) – roundtrip from NYC, visiting Catskill, Albany, Kingston/Hyde Park, West Point, Sleepy Hollow, with overnight in New York City.

14-night/15-day "Grand New England Cruise" (introduced in 2024 with American Glory) – roundtrip from Boston, visiting Portland, Bath, Boothbay Harbor, Bar Harbor, Bangor, Rockland/Camden, Portsmouth NH, Gloucester, Provincetown, Newport RI, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Plymouth, and returning to Boston.

Florida Gulf Coast and Keys

In 2023, ACL introduced the 8-day/7-night "Florida Gulf Coast & Keys" itinerary.

This roundtrip from Tampa is specially designed for ACL’s catamarans and debuted with the ship American Glory.

On this ACL ex-Florida voyage, the ship remains overnight in Key West on Days 3 and 4. This allows guests to explore Key West City on Day 3, including a complimentary guided tour of the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, and to visit Dry Tortugas National Park on Day 4, with an excursion to Fort Jefferson, a former Civil War prison.

"The Civil War Battlefields Cruise" (2024)

In May 2023, ACL announced the launch of the 34-night/35-day "Civil War Battlefields Cruise," visiting major battlefields from the American Civil War (1861–1865) across 13 U.S. states.

Departing on May 4, 2024, from New Orleans, the itinerary concludes in Gettysburg on June 6. This B2B (back-to-back) cruise involves three ships—American Melody, American Symphony, and American Eagle—sailing on three rivers (Mississippi, Tennessee, Potomac) and along the Intracoastal Waterway and Chesapeake Bay.

Prices started at USD 24,700 per person (USD 726 per night). Fares include a pre-cruise hotel stay in New Orleans, daily shore excursions, onboard entertainment, meals, beverages, Wi-Fi, gratuities, all land transportation and hotels between cruise segments, and all port charges.

Itinerary segments and vessels:

• Days 1–8 (American Melody) – “The Anaconda Plan and the Vicksburg Campaign” from New Orleans to Memphis
• Days 9–14 (American Symphony) – “Major Land Campaigns of the Civil War’s Western Theater” from Nashville to Chattanooga
• Days 15–17 (American Symphony) – “Scorched Earth”
• Days 18–26 (American Eagle) – “The Union Advantage: A Focus on Naval Power” from Jacksonville to Norfolk
• Days 27–33 (American Eagle) – “Eastern Theater of the Civil War” from Norfolk to Washington, followed by ground transport to Antietam (Sharpsburg, MD)
• Days 34–35 – “Battle of Gettysburg: The Turning Point for the North” (land package in Gettysburg, PA)

Day-by-day highlights:

• Days 1–2: Pre-cruise hotel stay in New Orleans
• Day 3: Houmas House, LA
• Day 4: Baton Rouge, LA
• Day 5: Siege of Port Hudson – St. Francisville, LA
• Day 6: Battle of Port Gibson – Natchez, MS
• Day 7: Siege of Vicksburg – Vicksburg, MS
• Day 8: The Anaconda Plan – day of river cruising
• Day 9: Memphis Naval Battle – Memphis, TN
• Day 10: Battle of Stones River – Nashville, TN
• Day 11: Battle of Fort Donelson – Clarksville, TN
• Day 12: Paducah, KY
• Day 13: Battle of Shiloh – Savannah, TN
• Day 14: Florence, AL
• Day 15: Battles for Chattanooga – Chattanooga, TN
• Day 16: Battle of Chickamauga – Atlanta, GA
• Day 17: Sherman's March to the Sea – Atlanta to Jacksonville
• Day 18: Battle of Olustee – Jacksonville, FL
• Day 19: Brunswick, GA
• Day 20: Savannah, GA
• Day 21: Hilton Head, SC
• Day 22: Beaufort, SC
• Day 23: Day of cruising
• Day 24: Fort Sumter – Charleston, SC
• Day 25: Beaufort, NC
• Day 26: Kitty Hawk, NC
• Day 27: Battle of the "Monitor" and the "Merrimac" – Norfolk, VA
• Day 28: The Peninsula Campaign – Yorktown, VA
• Day 29: Battle of Fredericksburg – Washington, D.C.
• Day 30: Alexandria, VA
• Day 31: St. Michaels, MD
• Day 32: First Blood of the Civil War – Baltimore, MD
• Day 33: Antietam – Sharpsburg, MD
• Day 34: Battle of Gettysburg – Gettysburg, PA
• Day 35: Transfer to airport from Gettysburg

"The Great United States Cruise" (2024)

In late March 2023, ACL announced the 60-day B2B/back-to-back "Great United States Cruise". This unique itinerary combines four rivers and coast-to-coast travel on three ships, making it ACL's longest-ever domestic voyage.

The cruise departs from Portland, OR on August 14, 2024, and visits 20 U.S. states across four time zones. The itinerary includes a National Parks package featuring visits to Grand Teton, Glacier, and Yellowstone National Parks.

The first leg cruises the Columbia and Snake rivers (ship American Jazz). The second leg sails the Mississippi River (ship American Symphony) from New Orleans to Saint Paul. The final leg travels from Maine to New York via the Hudson River (ship American Independence).

The 60-day voyage ends in New York City on October 14, 2024.

Included are flights from Jackson, Wyoming to New Orleans and from Saint Paul to Portland, ME.

Prices range between USD 51,060 and 77,945 per person. Fares include all flights, a pre-cruise hotel stay, hotels between cruise segments, all meals and beverages, daily land tours, Internet, port charges, and gratuities.

San Francisco Bay Cruise itinerary (2023-introduced)

ACL's 2023 schedule (ship American Jazz) featured the company's first California voyage.

The 7-night/8-day "San Francisco Bay Cruise" (roundtrip from San Francisco) visits four additional California ports—Stockton, Sacramento, Napa, and Vallejo—and ends with an overnight in San Francisco. Overnight stays are in either Sacramento or Napa. A pre-cruise hotel package (optional) includes a stay at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco.

This itinerary features scenic cruising through San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Napa River, and San Joaquin River. Highlights include passing the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and Treasure Island. A guided San Francisco city tour visits Ghirardelli Square and Fisherman's Wharf. Signature experiences include NASCAR-style driving at Stockton 99 Speedway and a wine-tasting tour in Napa Valley. A guided Old Sacramento tour includes the underground city, port, and California State Railroad Museum.

"Grand New England" itinerary

The 10-night / 11-day "Grand New England" cruise explores scenic New England islands and coastal towns in the U.S. Northeast.

Ports of call:

• Day 1 – Boston, MA
• Day 2 – Provincetown, MA
• Day 3 – Newport, RI
• Day 4 – Martha’s Vineyard, MA
• Day 5 – Kennebunkport, ME
• Day 6 – Camden, ME
• Day 7 – Bar Harbor, ME
• Day 8 – Rockland, ME
• Before arriving in Rockland, the ship passes through the 6-mile Merchants Row passage

This itinerary is operated by American Constellation and American Constitution.

"Grand Historic South" itinerary

The 10-night / 11-day "Grand Historic South" itinerary is a roundtrip from Charleston, SC, exploring southeastern U.S. destinations along the Intracoastal Waterway.

Ports of call:

• Day 1 – Charleston, SC
• Day 2 – Wilmington, NC
• Day 3 – Beaufort, NC (horse-drawn carriage tour)
• Days 4–5 – Savannah, GA
• Day 6 – Sapelo Island, GA (Oyster Roast)
• Day 7 – Jekyll Island, GA ("Millionaires Village")
• Day 8 – Fernandina Beach, FL (Amelia Island)
• Day 9 – Day of cruising
• Day 10 – Beaufort, SC
• Day 11 – Charleston, SC

The cruise features historic homes, plantations, wildlife, and coastal scenery. Meals are inspired by regional cuisine and prepared by the onboard executive chef. Operated by American Constellation and American Constitution.

"American Revolution" itinerary

The 12-day "American Revolution Cruise" visits key historical cities along the Chesapeake Bay.

• Includes new ports such as Washington, D.C., Chestertown, MD, and Mount Vernon, VA
• In Washington, guests enjoy private Smithsonian tours or a guided visit to the National Mall
• In Chestertown, guests visit Schooner Sultana (a replica of the 18th-century British Royal Navy frigate)
• At Mount Vernon, guests enjoy a private guided tour of George Washington’s estate
• Includes visits to the last Revolutionary War battlefield in Yorktown and Jamestown’s first English settlement
• Shipboard enrichment led by Dr. Harold Cones, emeritus biology professor at Christopher Newport University

This itinerary is roundtrip from Baltimore, MD and is operated by American Constitution. Voyages began in spring 2018, with departures including October 29 and November 8.

American Cruise Lines ship tracker

Our American Cruise Lines ship tracker is integrated into all ship review pages. At the bottom of each page, you’ll find a real-time AIS map showing the vessel’s current location along its itinerary, powered by VesselFinder.

For a full list of river cruise ships and riverboats, visit the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub, where all river cruise companies and their fleets are listed.