ACL American Encore

The 2026-built MS American Encore cruise ship is the seventh/last newbuild in the American Cruise Lines' "Modern Riverboat" fleet.

From this class/with the same design are the sisterships American Song (2018), American Harmony (2019), American Jazz (2020), American Melody (2021), American Symphony (2022), American Serenade (2023). Unlike the sisterships, ACL's ship Encore has a slightly modified design to allow more staterooms, including the two-room Signature Suite (fleet's biggest accommodation so far).

American Serenade is identified by an IMO number tba and is USA-flagged (MMSI tba).

History - construction and ownership

The shipowner American Cruise Lines (ACL) is the USA's largest river cruise company (headquarters in Guilford Connecticut) operational since 1991. The company specializes in cruise shipping on the USA's largest navigable inland waterways (rivers and lakes) as well as in cruises along the US East Coast, US West Coast and Florida. All ACL vessels feature some of the industry's largest passenger cabins with private balconies, spacious lounges and outdoor deck spaces, gourmet cuisine, top-quality enrichment program with many complimentary land tours and excursions, highly-personalized service by all-American staff and crew.

All ACL cruise ships are USA-flagged and built by the company-owned Chesapeake Shipbuilding Yard in Salisbury (Maryland USA).

Traditionally for large-sized USA riverboats, American Encore has a fore-located boarding ramp (bow-location on Deck 1) that allows passengers to go ashore at any place along the ACL's cruisetour itinerary. The ramp has an innovative design being constructed as a retractable gangway (passenger bridge). The technology is often implemented on some of the largest ferries and features an opening bow door.

While other small cruise lines purchase second-hand vessels/older ships, American Cruise Lines made brand expansion with new boats to maintain the company's reputation for premium quality and services. Each of the ACL newbuilds features an innovative design and spacious indoor and outdoor areas.

Decks and Cabins

American Encore staterooms (94 total) are all outside, some of the industry's biggest, all with full-size bathrooms and private step-out balconies, and providing modern hotel amenities.

All staterooms are balconied. The smallest are the Studios (single-occupancy cabins for solo travelers) sized 250 ft2 (23 m2). Double stateroom sizes range between 275-315-350-370 ft2 (26-29-33-34 m2), balcony size included.

American Encore has three suite categories - Sky Suite (470 ft2 / 44 m2), Grand Suite (650 ft2 / 60 m2) and the largest accommodation is the bow-facing Signature Suite with Wraparound Terrace (1010 ft2 / 94 m2).

All suites are on Deck 4 (with top-deck locations).

The boat has 5 passenger-accessible decks, of which 3 are with cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

MS American Encore's interior features a 4-story Vestibule (glass-walled Atrium), spacious indoor and outdoor lounges, large open-deck spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the vessel. The 4-deck Atrium has floor-ceiling windows (portside and starboard) and two SkyLights (transparent glass-roof covers) allowing natural light into the interior.

Two Sun Deck is fitted with sunbathing and shaded seating areas, but lacks the deck-games area (with Putting Green and Shuffleboard).

aaaThe ship has 6 lounges (3 with outdoor terraces), Grand Dining Room (complimentary, glass-enclosed restaurant), Chart Room & Library, fore-located Main Lounge (with a central stage for live shows and musical productions, and with a glass-roof cover), aft-located Sky Lounge (with glass-roof cover and access to an alfresco dining terrace/Ellipse Cafe), Fitness Room (indoor Gym), Yog Studio (for group classes and private lessons).

The Sun Deck (top-deck) is furnished with plenty of outdoor furniture - padded sun loungers, padded wicker sofas and deckchairs, 2-seat and 4-seat tables, live plants. The Sundeck has all 3x large-sized shaded seating areas (covered by 9x retractable canopies) and 2x SkyLights (glass roof covers) over the Sky Lounge (aft) and the Atrium/Vestibule (midship-portside).

The list of the ACL Encore ship's main public venues includes:

• (Deck 1) Boarding Ramp/bow, Vestibule/lobby level, Ship's Office, River Lounge, Dining Room Restaurant, Galley/Kitchen & Storage Rooms
• (Deck 2) Bow Terrace/observation area with seating, Horizon Lounge/forward, Lyric Lounge/midship-starboard, wellness facilities/aft (Fitness Center/indoor Gym, Guest Laundry Room)
• (Deck 3) The Study & Library/midship-starboard, Pilothouse/Wheelhouse
• (Deck 4) High Note Lounge/midship-starboard, Sky Lounge (indoor, aft), Ellipse Cafe (aft, outdoor terrace serving as an alfresco dining venue)
• (Deck 5) Sun Deck with plenty of outdoor seating (premium patio furniture) and a Sky Walk (wraparound 2-lane Walking/Jogging Track)

The Gym is fitted with modern exercise equipment, including treadmills, elliptical machines, resistance training equipment, free weights.

The Guest Laundry is a self-service facility equipped with washers and dryers (detergent is provided).

Lyric Lounge is a small room perfect for relaxation and reading, also used for playing cards and popular board games.

The Horizon Lounge has direct access to the Bow Terrace.

Two Lifts (passenger elevators in the Atrium) connect all decks.

Deck 1's fore-located River Lounge is the main lounge with floor-ceiling windows. It also serves as the boat's show lounge with a central stage, grand piano, ample comfortable seating (comfy armchairs and plush sofas). Here are served warm cookies starting at 10 am. The complimentary Afternoon Tea service (with fresh pastries) is at 3:30 pm. The free-drinks cocktail hour is at 5:30 pm. Root beer and ice cream are passed around during the evening show. The evening entertainment includes one show (beginning at 8:15 pm) lasting about 1 hour. The show program could be a live concert, solo performances, music tribute, themed music, movie trivia. The large space for the evening shows is in the room's center. Furniture is daily rearranged (sometimes 2 or 3 times a day) to suit the themed entertainment. This is also the place for the American Cruise Lines' enrichment program, consisting of differently-themed lectures (history, food and wine, literature, etc). Also hosted here are media presentations and the current ACL cruise itinerary and tours-related multimedia presentations and port talks.

Deck 4's aft-located Sky Lounge is an indoor venue with premium furniture, floor-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows (allowing 270-degree views), glass-roof cover (SkyLight) and direct access to an open-air Terrace (Ellipse Cafe). Throughout the day, there are served beverages, snacks, freshly-baked cookies, pastries, beverages. Sky Lounge's opening glass doors allow it to expand by including the furnished Terrace/Ellipse Cafe. Throughout the day, the Cafe's Bar serves complimentary water, soda, light snacks. Complimentary Afternoon Tea service is available between 3:30-4:30 pm. In the evening, there is a cocktail hour with free drinks.

Sky Lounge's Ellipse Cafe's staff serves the entire Sun Deck (relaxation and sunbathing top-deck area) with drinks and snacks.

Itineraries

American Encore itinerary program starts with the Maiden Voyage departing from Portland Oregon on May 5, 2026. Early booking prices varied between USD 6600-11300 per stateroom.

The 8-night/9-day "Columbia and Snake Rivers Cruise" itinerary (between Portland OR and Clarkston WA) visits Astoria OR (DAY3), Kalama WA (DAY4), The Dalles OR (DAY5), Columbia River Gorge (DAY6/cruising), Richland WA/Pendleton OR (DAY7), and Clarkston WA (DAYs 8-9/overnight).

For the ACL Encore ship's inaugural season was also scheduled the "National Parks & Legendary Rivers" cruisetour itinerary (15-night/16-day from Portland OR to Jackson WY) visiting Astoria OR (DAY3), Kalama WA (DAY4), The Dalles OR (DAY5), Columbia River Gorge (DAY6/cruising), Richland WA (DAY7), and Clarkston WA (DAY 8/debarkation). From Clarkston starts the voyage's land portion - DAY9 (Coeur d'Alene Lake cruise, Kalispell overnight hotel stay), DAY10 (Glacier National Park), DAY11 (Yellowstone National Park, Butte MT, Ennis MT), DAY12 (Yellowstone National Park/Yellowstone's Grand Loop, Norris Geyser Basin, Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Fall), DAY13 (Yellowstone National Park/Yellowstone Lake, Grant Village Dining Room, Yellowstone Playhouse, Meadow Vue Ranch), DAY14 (Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park/Jackson Lake Lodge), DAY15 (Grand Teton National Park/Craig Thomas Discovery Center, Jenny Lake Visitor Center, Jackson Hole's National Museum of Wildlife Art), and DAY16 (Jackson WY/transfer to Jackson Hole Airport

ACL cruise deals are inclusive of a pre-cruise hotel package, all shore excursions (organized daily), cocktail hour (each evening), cruise accommodation, gourmet meals, Afternoon Tea service, room service (Breakfast only), onboard enrichment and entertainment programs, Wi-Fi (shipwide coverage).