Why American Cruise Lines

American Cruise Lines stands out with its focus on small-ship cruising, personalized service, and unique itineraries that explore America’s waterways, offering passengers an intimate and enriching travel experience.

Personalized Service

Our small ship design creates an intimate environment in which our guests are treated with the utmost care and attention. Our crewmembers take pride in knowing your name and understanding your preferences.

Our goal is simple; to provide you with the best possible cruise experience. Our accommodating, all-American crew will welcome you with an unequaled level of attention. Whether on board or ashore, we will work with you to accommodate specific interests and tastes, as well as respond to questions and requests efficiently and in a timely manner.

Warm Hospitality

Our crew will not only know your name but may even surprise you with your favorite snack or beverage when you return to the ship after a day of exploring. We can also help you celebrate a special occasion, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Set your own pace on your vacation and relax in the casual comfort and exceptional care that is the hallmark of cruising with American Cruise Lines.

Exploring America

100% American. Every port of call is in the U.S., every crewmember is American, and the story we tell along the way is about America. Each day is an opportunity to explore a new destination close to home.

Onshore Excursions

American Cruise Lines has over 400 shore excursions which are meticulously planned and supported by personal guides who are well-versed in each region. There are typically two to four excursion options at each port which cater to a variety of different interests and bring out the distinct flavor and unique culture of the destinations visited.

Unforgettable Small Group Adventures with Local Guides and Dedicated Support

Guided, small group excursions range from museums, historic landmarks, and culturally enriching sites to more active excursions such as hiking, kayaking, and bicycling. Every excursion is led by our local guide and accompanied by an American Cruise Lines’ team member who is always available to assist. With various onshore options, guests can tailor their cruise experiences according to their passions and interests.

Sophisticated Comfort

American Cruise Lines has always taken pride in building new ships and operating the world’s most modern fleet of small cruise ships and riverboats. Our well-appointed ships remain small by design and are a testament to both premier nautical engineering and luxurious comfort.

Regionally Inspired Entertainers and Experts

Carefully selected onboard experts with knowledge in and passion for American history, ecology, and culture join us on each of our cruises. Their informal presentations, open discussions, and activities bring each region to life. They are available throughout each day to add context to your journey and will also attend shore excursions to give our guests behind-the-scenes insight into some of America’s most treasured destinations.

Nightly entertainment ranges from interactive lectures to live musical performances in one of the ships’ inviting lounges. Resident entertainers provide light music in the afternoon, while local musicians join us in the evening to perform music born along America’s legendary rivers and waterways.

There are also a variety of onboard activities scheduled throughout the day, depending on the itinerary, including Art Classes, App-titude Classes (Tech Made Easy), Cooking Demonstrations, Fitness, Trivia, and more.

Spacious Staterooms

We take great pride in the generous size of our staterooms, which are the largest in the industry, ranging from 250 to 650 square feet. Each has an interior entrance allowing for unobstructed outside views of the breathtaking scenery of America.

Common Spaces

Comfortable lounges and large observation decks provide the perfect setting for guests to relax and enjoy the company of fellow travelers. Our midship lounges offer the ideal place to read a book, play a card game, or work on a puzzle.

All-Inclusive

On all our 50+ itineraries, we offer our guests an all-inclusive, value-added travel experience to the best destinations in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, Mississippi River region, New England, and the Southeast.

World-Class Cuisine

Our team of Master Chefs take great pride in offering a customized American-inspired menu, featuring the finest cuisine with a delightful regional twist. Each menu offers something for everyone and changes to complement the season.

Made in America

American Cruise Lines is an all-American family company. Every itinerary is domestic, every crewmember is American, the company is 100% American-owned, and each ship is designed and built here in the U.S.

A Smooth Journey

Unlike cruising on the open ocean, the riverboat journey is a smooth one, with land never far out of sight and beautiful landscapes nearly close enough to touch. A riverboat is able to dock in the heart of destinations inaccessible to large cruise ships, resulting in an up-close exploration of the small towns and unique cities that define America.

Environmentally Respectful

American Cruise Lines’ commitment to environmental stewardship is immediate, rigorous, and tangible. As the largest domestic cruise operator, we believe in leadership through clear standards for sustainable tourism. We are proud to have the most environmentally friendly cruise ships in the United States.

Emissions Control

American Cruise Lines has made a major commitment to emissions reductions by utilizing modern, electronically controlled engines and generators that deliver performance and efficiency. Ships meet or exceed EPA Tier 3 or EPA Tier 4 and Tier 4 Final emissions requirements, depending on vessel parameters. This includes main engines and generators. Tier 3 requirements cut nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions by as much as 80% over pre-tier levels. Tier 4 Final requirements reduce PM and NOx by an additional 90% from Tier 3 levels, bringing the total emissions reductions to about 99%.

Fuel

American Cruise Lines ships use only ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), which contains less than 15 ppm of sulfur (mg/kg). ULSD cuts sulfer content by more than 99.5% over heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine diesel oil (MDO).

Cold Ironing

Shore power allows vessels to shut down all shipboard carbon emitting equipment during port calls. American Cruise Lines ships are ready to “plug in” to any port with shoreside electrical infrastructure. New ships are built shore power ready and all other ships are retrofit ready as shoreside infrastructure becomes available.

Wastewater Management

Advanced wastewater treatment systems are integrated into all new ships and across the fleet. These systems treat, store, and discharge liquid waste in a manner that outperforms most land based waste treatment facilities. Systems can be tailored to state requirements as required and we are able to store treated wastewater to comply with no discharge zones as required.

Advanced Hull Design

American Cruise Lines, through its affiliate Chesapeake Shipbuilding, designs and builds the ships in its fleet. This close relationship with the shipyard allows advanced hull studies tailored to each ship’s operating requirements and the waterways where it will be deployed. This includes hydrodynamic studies for fuel efficiency, underwater noise transmission, and environmental disturbance, as well as comfort studies for stability, noise, and vibration.

Route Miles Minimization

Our domestic-only itineraries coupled with a commitment to operate in small towns allows for route miles to be minimized, particularly on coastal itineraries. Where larger, foreign-flagged ships need to make international voyages between large cities, American Cruise Lines can often cut route miles by more than 70% by focusing on small U.S. towns. We also plan our itineraries to work with, rather than against, the tides to move efficiently and quietly throughout the country. We minimize route miles and operate slowly to further reduce emissions.

Overtourism

American Cruise Lines is committed to keep all ships under 200 passengers. This allows responsible operation in the smallest towns, in harmony with the communities we visit. Our 200-passenger limit means that our port calls will not contribute to traffic or congestion in town centers, and because all guests arrive by ship, vehicular traffic is negligible. Low passenger volume allows for more meaningful interactions and higher per capita economic impact.

Single Use Plastics Elimination

Water bottles and bottle fill stations are provided throughout American Cruise Lines vessels. The line has replaced most single use products with reusable items, and where not possible, is working to provide biodegradable options.

Sustainable Cuisine

Food choices and menus educate about sustainability and prioritize region and seasonally appropriate ingredients, including seafood and produce. Cuisine is sourced locally wherever possible and excursion programs also enhance culinary impact awareness. New agritourism excursions allow guests to understand where and how their food is harvested prior to enjoying it on board.

Modernizing Our Fleet

American uses low-energy LED lighting throughout the fleet as well as EPA Energy Star equipment to reduce overall onboard energy consumption. This means less energy consumed and less electricity generated.

Operational Efficiency

Advanced route planning techniques and rigorous officer training standards ensure that we minimize our impact on wildlife and work with, rather than against, the tides to move efficiently and quietly throughout the country. We minimize route miles and operate slowly, often overnight, to further reduce emissions.