Cruise Frog guide
American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines is a family-owned small-ship line based in Guilford, Connecticut, that sails only within the United States. Its riverboats and coastal ships carry between 90 and 180 guests, are built in the United States, most of them by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, fly the U.S. flag and are crewed by Americans.
Style
River
riverboats through towns and cities, a port most days
Best for
- Couples
- History and culture
- Solo travelers
Fleet rating
No ships rated yet.
About American Cruise Lines
Charles A. Robertson, a shipbuilder, started the company with his wife, Carol, in 1972. That first business failed in the late 1980s and its ships were sold; Robertson revived the line around 2000 with a new American Eagle. Growth since 2018 has been rapid: a series of modern American Riverboats with glass atriums, followed from 2023 by Coastal Cat catamarans and Patriot-class ships under a newbuild program the line calls Project Blue. It also runs four traditional paddlewheelers and five older coastal ships of the Independence and Constellation classes, and has further riverboats and coastal ships on order through 2029. Routes cover the Mississippi and its tributaries, the Columbia and Snake rivers, the East Coast from Maine to Florida, the Great Lakes, Puget Sound and Alaska's Inside Passage.
Fares are largely inclusive: meals, wine, beer and cocktails, a nightly cocktail hour, gratuities, port charges, a hotel night before embarkation and at least one shore excursion in each port, with premium tours sold separately. Most days include a port call, an onboard expert gives talks on the region, and evenings bring live music in a lounge. There is no casino, dinner is a single open seating, dress is casual, and most cabins have balconies.
What American Cruise Lines is known for
American Cruise Lines is known for roomy cabins by small-ship standards (the line quotes 250 to 1,500 square feet), inclusive fares and a young fleet: all but one of its ships were built in 2005 or later. Its ships have won recognition: Time magazine listed American Song among its World's Greatest Places in 2019, and Cruise Critic's editors named American Serenade the best new river cruise ship of 2023. Guest reviews are strongly positive; on Trustpilot the line holds an average of 4.8 out of 5 from more than 10,000 reviews as of October 2026, with recurring praise for friendly crew, good regional food, clean ships, and well-run excursions and onboard lectures.
The usual reservations concern price and pace. Fares listed on the line's site for its standard eight-night cruises mostly start between about $4,500 and $10,000 per person, and solo guests in a double cabin pay 150 percent of the fare. Some reviewers find excursions short or dining service slow at times. Entertainment is low-key, built around lectures and live music with no casino, and medical care aboard is limited to a trained first responder with defibrillators and oxygen, so anything serious means a transfer ashore.
Who it's for
The line suits travelers who want to see American history and scenery up close without flying overseas: Civil War and Mark Twain country on the Mississippi, the Lewis and Clark route on the Columbia and Snake, lighthouses and harbor towns in New England, or glaciers in Alaska. Couples and other travelers who like lectures, included excursions, spacious cabins and a quiet evening with live music fit in well, and solo travelers can book dedicated single cabins. Repeat guests are rewarded through the free Eagle Society.
Families will find the onboard program aimed at adults, centered on lectures and live music, and travelers who want casinos, big production shows, lively nightlife or foreign ports should look at large ocean lines instead; every port on this line is in the United States. Budget travelers will find the fares high, and travelers who need ready access to a doctor should note that medical care on board is limited.
- Couples
- romantic dining, quiet spaces, balcony cabins
- History and culture
- port-intensive itineraries, lectures, included excursions
- Solo travelers
- studio cabins, low or no single supplement, easy to meet people
How it rates
None of American Cruise Lines's ships has been rated yet. A line's rating is the average of its ships' scores.
Where American Cruise Lines sails
Ships
American Constellation2017 · 170 guests · Alaska · Pacific CoastAmerican Constellation is a 170-guest coastal cruise ship built in 2017 by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, the first of American Cruise Lines' two…
American Constitution2018 · 170 guests · Alaska · Pacific CoastAmerican Constitution is a 170-guest coastal cruise ship that Chesapeake Shipbuilding of Salisbury, Maryland, completed for American Cruise Lines in 2018, the second and last of…
American Eagle2023 · 100 guests · Canada and New EnglandAmerican Eagle is a 100-guest catamaran built in 2023 by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, one of four Coastal Cats that opened American Cruise Lines' Project Blue…American Encore2026 · 180 guestsAmerican Encore is the newest of American Cruise Lines' American Riverboats, a 180-guest ship that began sailing on the Columbia and Snake rivers in May 2026 and was christened…
American Glory2023 · 100 guests · Canada and New EnglandAmerican Glory is a 100-guest Coastal Cat catamaran delivered in 2023 by Chesapeake Shipbuilding, a sister of American Eagle and, like it, named after an earlier company ship…
American Harmony2019 · 180 guestsAmerican Harmony, delivered in 2019, is the second ship in American Cruise Lines' American Riverboat series and carries 180 guests. Compared with American Song it adds a deck of…
American Heritage2015 · 2,700 GT · 150 guests · MississippiAmerican Heritage is a 150-guest paddlewheeler built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, that entered service in 2015. It carried the name Queen of the Mississippi…
American Independence2010 · 90 guests · Canada and New EnglandAmerican Independence, built in 2010 by Chesapeake Shipbuilding, is the newest and longest of American Cruise Lines' three Independence-class ships at 226 feet, with room for 90…
American Jazz2020 · 180 guests · MississippiAmerican Jazz entered service in 2020 as the third of American Cruise Lines' American Riverboats, a 180-guest design built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland. Like…American Legend2024 · 100 guests · Canada and New EnglandAmerican Legend, completed in 2024, is the fourth Coastal Cat catamaran built for American Cruise Lines by Chesapeake Shipbuilding, with room for 100 guests on four decks. Like…American Liberty2024 · 100 guests · Canada and New EnglandAmerican Liberty is a 100-guest Coastal Cat catamaran that entered service with American Cruise Lines in 2024, built like its three sisters by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in…American Maverick2026 · 130 guests · Canada and New EnglandAmerican Maverick is a 130-guest Patriot-class coastal ship that entered service in June 2026, the second new ship American Cruise Lines launched that year. It was christened in…American Melody2021 · 180 guests · MississippiAmerican Melody, completed in 2021, is the fourth ship in American Cruise Lines' American Riverboat series and carries 180 guests on five decks. It brought a refreshed interior…
American Patriot2025 · 130 guestsAmerican Patriot is a 130-guest coastal cruise ship delivered in 2025, one of the first two Patriot-class ships that American Cruise Lines added to its Project Blue series, built…American Pioneer2025 · 130 guests · Canada and New England · Pacific CoastAmerican Pioneer is a 130-guest Patriot-class coastal cruise ship that joined American Cruise Lines in 2025 as the sister of American Patriot, built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in…
American Pride2012 · 150 guestsAmerican Pride is a paddlewheeler built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding that entered service in 2012 on the Mississippi as Queen of the Mississippi. When that name passed to a newer…American Ranger2026 · 130 guests · Alaska · Pacific CoastAmerican Ranger is the fourth Patriot-class coastal ship of American Cruise Lines, a 130-guest vessel built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, that began sailing…American Serenade2023 · 180 guests · MississippiAmerican Serenade, delivered in 2023, is the sixth American Riverboat and a sister of American Symphony, carrying 180 guests on five decks. Cruise Critic's editors named it the…
American Song2018 · 180 guestsAmerican Song is a 180-guest riverboat that American Cruise Lines introduced in 2018 as the first of its modern American Riverboat series, built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in…
American Spirit2005 · 90 guests · Pacific CoastAmerican Spirit is a 90-guest coastal cruise ship built in 2005 by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, the oldest of American Cruise Lines' three Independence-class…
American Splendor2016 · 180 guests · MississippiAmerican Splendor is a 180-guest paddlewheeler that American Cruise Lines introduced in 2016 as America and renamed in 2022, when the line redecorated its four classic…American Star2007 · 90 guests · Canada and New EnglandAmerican Star is a 90-guest Independence-class coastal ship completed in 2007 by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland. At 220 feet long it closely matches American…American Symphony2022 · 180 guests · MississippiAmerican Symphony is a 180-guest American Riverboat that joined the American Cruise Lines fleet in 2022 as the fifth ship of the series. It introduced a new interior scheme built…
American West1995 · 2,115 GT · 110 guestsAmerican West is a sternwheel riverboat built in 1995 by Nichols Bros. Boat Builders in Freeland, Washington, as Queen of the West for the American West Steamboat Company, and is…Coming soon
Where to fly in
- Portland International (PDX)5 American Cruise Lines ships sail from Portland, Oregon4 lounges on Lounge Frog
- Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)1 American Cruise Lines ship sails from Tacoma, Washington11 lounges on Lounge Frog
- Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD)1 American Cruise Lines ship sails from Providence, Rhode Island1 lounge on Lounge Frog
Quick answers
What is American Cruise Lines known for?
American Cruise Lines is known for roomy cabins by small-ship standards (the line quotes 250 to 1,500 square feet), inclusive fares and a young fleet: all but one of its ships were built in 2005 or later. Its ships have won recognition: Time magazine listed American Song among its World's Greatest Places in 2019, and Cruise Critic's editors named American Serenade the best new river cruise ship of 2023. Guest reviews are strongly positive; on Trustpilot the line holds an average of 4.8 out of 5 from more than 10,000 reviews as of October 2026, with recurring praise for friendly crew, good regional food, clean ships, and well-run excursions and onboard lectures.
Who is American Cruise Lines best for?
The line suits travelers who want to see American history and scenery up close without flying overseas: Civil War and Mark Twain country on the Mississippi, the Lewis and Clark route on the Columbia and Snake, lighthouses and harbor towns in New England, or glaciers in Alaska. Couples and other travelers who like lectures, included excursions, spacious cabins and a quiet evening with live music fit in well, and solo travelers can book dedicated single cabins. Repeat guests are rewarded through the free Eagle Society.
Where does American Cruise Lines sail?
American Cruise Lines's ships in service sail Canada and New England (9 ships), Mississippi (6 ships), Pacific Coast (5 ships) and Alaska (3 ships).
Does American Cruise Lines have new ships coming?
Yes: American Cruise Lines has 6 new ships on the way: American Anthem (due 2027), American Mariner (due 2027), American Navigator (due 2027), American Beauty (due 2028), American Grace (due 2028) and American Rhapsody (due 2029).
How many ships does American Cruise Lines have?
American Cruise Lines has 24 ships in service on Cruise Frog: American Constellation, American Constitution, American Eagle, American Encore, American Glory, American Harmony, American Heritage and American Independence, and 16 more.
Where is American Cruise Lines based?
American Cruise Lines is headquartered in Guilford, Connecticut, United States. It has operated since 1972.
What is American Cruise Lines's loyalty program called?
American Cruise Lines's past-guest loyalty program is Eagle Society.
What is the largest American Cruise Lines ship?
American Heritage is American Cruise Lines's largest ship at 2,700 gross tons, carrying 150 guests.
Cruising with children
An American Cruise Lines itinerary should be evaluated as a small-ship sightseeing trip with the family. Start with your child’s interest in the route, not a promise of resort-style entertainment.
Read the American Cruise Lines family guide →