On May 3rd, ACL-American Cruise Lines celebrated the christening of two sisterships - the 2020-built American Jazz and the 2023-built American Serenade, in Idaho and Louisiana, respectively. Jazz and Serenade are among ACL's 6 vessels from the new "American Riverboats" class.
The American Serenade was christened by the Honorable Julia Letlow, who is the U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 5th congressional district, during a ceremony held in Vidalia LA on the Mississippi River. Meanwhile, Stacia L. Morfin, CEO of Nez Perce Tourism and a member of the Nimiipuu Nation christened the American Jazz in Clarkston, WA, on the Snake River. Both godmothers were accompanied by the passengers and crew, as well as ACL's executives and VIP guests (state and local officials).
Charles B. Robertson (ACL's President and CEO) said the two christenings, one in a desert canyon and one on the bayou showed "the incredible breadth of river cruise options in the USA.”
“They also show the growth of American Cruise Lines and the range of places that we explore. We are so grateful to the communities who welcome us and look forward to a strong future together as we cruise the Snake and Mississippi Rivers.”
The two new riverboats have a maximum capacity of 180 passengers (plus 43 crew) and boast the river cruising industry's largest staterooms.
All ACL vessels from the American Riverboat series offer multiple dining and lounge/entertainment options, as well as spacious sundecks and lecture halls. The four-deck glass atrium (midship) is another signature architectural feature.
All six American Riverboats in the company's fleet were constructed at Chesapeake Shipbuilding, located in Salisbury MD. Currently, four additional ships are under construction at the same yard, with the first two scheduled to debut later this year.