Schlagwort: American Cruise Lines

American Cruise Lines: Erweiterung der Flotte um bis zu 12 Katamaran-Neubauten geplant

25. November 2022
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Die in Guilford, Connor, ansässige Reederei American Cruise Lines (ACL), forciert ihr Blue-Projekt, das den Neubau von einem Dutzend 73,5 m langer und 17 m breiter Katamarane für Küstenkreuzfahrten mit einer Kapazität von jeweils 105 Gästen vorsieht.

Alle Schiffe werden von der Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md. erstellt, die gerade mit dem Bau der dritten Einheit begonnen hat, die als American Liberty im Mai 2024 in Fahrt kommen soll. Die ersten beiden Schiffe, die American Eagle und American Glory, sollen 2023 abgeliefert werden.

American Cruise Lines ist seit der Pandemie erheblich gewachsen und hat das Wiederaufleben des heimischen Flusskreuzfahrtmarktes dominiert. Allein in den letzten fünf Jahren hat das Unternehmen seine Flotte durch die Einführung seiner modernen Serie amerikanischer Flussschiffe mehr als verdoppelt.

Die Neubauten des Typs Coastal Cat 105 bieten unter anderem 56 Kabinen und Suiten mit eigenem Balkon, geräumige Lounges und mehrere Dining-Optionen. Der Katamaran-Rumpf des Schiffes ermöglicht außerdem eine breite Aktivitätsplattform am Heck, die mit Kajaks und einem großen Tender ausgestattet wird. JPM

American Cruise Lines Opens 2022 Season

9. März 2022
von an Bord - Redaktion

Pressemitteilung

American Cruise Lines has officially opened the 2022 cruise season. On Saturday, February 26th, riverboat American Heritage and small cruise ships American Independence and American Star, set sail on the Mississippi River and in the Southeast. The first cruises have been successful with excellent guest reviews and extraordinary feedback on the winter’s amenity upgrades.

The balance of American’s fleet, which includes modern riverboats, classic paddlewheelers, and small coastal cruise ships, will begin the season in the next few weeks. All the company’s ships received upgrades during the off-season, with the most extensive work done aboard American’s 4 paddlewheelers. 

American Cruise Lines operates the largest and only 100% U.S. flagged fleet in the country. The Line is proud of their unique small ship experiences from overnights in Glacier Bay, AK, to dockings in Washington, D.C. 

“After a successful season last year we are glad to be back and full speed ahead,” said Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO of American Cruise Lines. “The ships look great with a host of new upgrades and the guests are happy. This year, we are focused on growth with more ships under construction than ever before.” 

American is introducing 2 more new modern riverboats as well as 2 small cruise ships by the end of next year. In addition to their growing fleet of riverboats, the company recently announced plans to build the largest new class of U.S. small ships in decades — Project Blue.  

The first few cruises of American’s new season followed three of the Line’s popular week-long itineraries, a Lower Mississippi River cruise from New Orleans, LA to Memphis, TN; a Historic South & Golden Isles cruise from Amelia Island, FL to Charleston, SC; and a Great Rivers of Florida cruise from Green Cove Springs, FL to Jacksonville, FL. Guests on board enjoyed a range of exceptional small group experiences, from kayaking in the everglades and adventures to Alligator Farms and Zoological Parks, to visits to Fort Sumter and Horse Drawn Carriage Rides through historic neighborhoods, to a special Graceland Experience and a Candlelight Ghost Tour of Ellicott Hill.   

American’s specialization in cruising close to home with new small ships, continues to attract both new and seasoned guests who enjoy discovering and rediscovering the history, culture, and diverse geography of the United States. The Line’s cruises conveniently depart from 16 states, giving many guests the option to skip flights and drive straight to the ships.

American’s cruises also offer new Flat-Rate domestic airfare, complimentary pre-cruise hotel stays, extended post-cruise land packages, and an all-inclusive experience including private transportation, many shore excursions, fine dining, cocktails, and onboard entertainment. 

The Line’s small ships and riverboats offer spacious private balcony accommodations, multiple indoor and outdoor lounges, elegant restaurants and casual cafés, as well as expansive top sundecks with comfortable seating and open-air views.

Text: PM American Cruise Line

Typschiff kommt 2023 in Fahrt: American Cruise Line will Neubauserie auf ein Dutzend Einheiten ausweiten

21. Januar 2022
von an Bord - Redaktion

Die beiden ersten bei der amerikanischen Werft Chesapeake Shipuilding bereits in Bau befindlichen Einheiten eines neuen Serientyp sollen schon im nächsten Jahr unter den Namen American Eagle und American Glory in Fahrt kommen und damit an die ersten beiden kleinen Schiffe der American Cruise Lines erinnern. Jetzt hat die mit Hauptsitz in Guilford, Connecticut, ansässige Reederei Einzelheiten ihres Projekts Blue vorgestellt. Es umfasst eine Serie von zwölf 12 Schwesterschiffen im Katamaran-Design für jeweils 109 Passagiere und 50 Besatzungsmitglieder.

Abbildung: American Cruise Lines

„Das Project Blue startete als Herausforderung, ein Schiff zu entwerfen, das klein genug für die Häfen von New England und stabil genug für die Alaska Inside Passage ist, mit einem geringen Tiefgang, der das Befahren des Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway ermöglicht“, so Charles Robertson, Präsident und CEO von American Cruise Lines. „Diese Schiffe können fast überall fahren und sollen überall in den Vereinigten Staaten eingesetzt werden.“ Mit ihnen werde sich die derzeitige Kapazität für inländische Küstenkreuzfahrten mehr als verdoppeln.

Wie alle Neubauten von American Cruise Lines wird die gesamte Project Blue-Flotte von Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, gebaut. Die Katamaran-Bauweise der 73,46 m langen und 17,07 m breiten Schiffe, über deren Antriebsanlagen keine Angaben gemacht wurden, sollen aufgrund ihres geringen Tiefganges und hohen Stabilität optimal auf Seen, Flüssen, in Buchten und an den amerikanischen Küsten einsetzbar sein.

  • Bild: American Cruise Lines
  • Animation: American Cruise Lines
Foto: American Cruise Lines

Jedes Schiff wird über 56 geräumige Kabinen verfügen, – darunter eine Reihe von großen Standardkabinen, Suiten und Einzelkabinen – fast alle mit eigenem Balkon. Beobachtungs- und Sitzbereiche werden am Bug sowohl innen als auch außen zur Verfügung stehen. Die weitläufige vordere Lounge wird 270-Grad-Ansichten bieten. Das elegant-moderne Innendesign stammt vom Studio DADO aus Miami.

Im Achterschiffbereich erhalten die Neubauten ein neues Abenteuerdeck, das mit Kajaks, Tendern und anderen aktivitätsbezogenen Optionen ausgestattet wird, die für die jeweilige Reiseroute relevant sind. Amerikas neue „Go-Anywhere“-Schiffe sollen auch zwei Restaurants sowie einen Room Service bieten – bisher noch eine Seltenheit für kleine Schiffe dieser Größe.

„Zusammen mit Chesapeake Shipbuilding haben wir die ersten modernen Flusskreuzer des Landes gebaut. Jetzt sind wir stolz darauf, ein weiteres neues Schiffsdesign für inländische Explorationsreisen einzuführen. American CL ist seit über 30 Jahren auf Kreuzfahrten mit kleinen Schiffen spezialisiert und die weitere Innovation und Erweiterung der Möglichkeiten für Kreuzfahrten in der der heimischen Region ist von zentraler Bedeutung für unsere Mission“, so Robertson. JPM

New Look and New Names for American’s Paddlewheel Fleet

28. September 2021
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Pressemitteilung

American Cruise Lines announced today that its fleet of four classic paddlewheelers will be undergoing a major redesign, refit, and rebranding. The new interior design will bring paddlewheel cruising to the same sophisticated standard already exhibited on American’s newest modern riverboats, while retaining traditional elements true to steamboat history. 

The announcement follows the August 2021 unveiling of American Melody and its celebrated new interior design. “American Melody’s extraordinary reception, particularly by our loyalty program members, has inspired us to bring the same new aesthetic to our entire paddlewheel fleet,” said Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO of American Cruise Lines. 

As the paddlewheelers rise to American’s newest design standard, their names will be changed to include the American moniker that denotes other ships in the company’s fleet. The paddlewheelers America, Queen of the Mississippi and Queen of the West will be renamed American Splendor, American Heritage, and American West, while American Pride will retain its original name. “Both in designation and design, all four paddlewheelers will meet the sophisticated standard we set for U.S. River cruising,” said Robertson. 

The paddlewheel refurbishment will not change the company’s ambitious new-construction timeline. American Cruise Lines has expanded aggressively in the domestic cruise market, doubling the size of their U.S. fleet to 15 small ships, including the notable introduction of 6 new modern riverboats—the first and only modern riverboats available in the country. 

The new paddlewheel redesign project will be completed by Studio DADO of Miami, Florida. Studio DADO was recently commissioned to do the interior design for American Melody. Receiving design industry accolades since its debut in August, American Melody’s interiors reflect Studio DADO’s remarkable talent in delivering modern elegance, while evoking the history and culture of the places explored. Studio DADO will now bring this strategy to American’s paddlewheel fleet, reimagining their interiors while maintaining the nostalgic touches that are iconic to classic American paddlewheelers. 

American’s two Mississippi River paddlewheelers, American Splendor and American Heritage, will celebrate the musical genres of the River from Jazz and Blues to Country and Rock ‘n Roll, as well as historical literary figures, like Mark Twain. The Line’s two Columbia & Snake paddlewheelers, American Pride and American West, will highlight Western and Native American themes, including the famous Lewis & Clark expedition.  From the staterooms and suites to the lounges and dining rooms, each ship will be made-over with completely new color palates, luxurious textiles and linens, new furniture and carpets, and regionally inspired artwork and flourishes.

In 2000, American Cruise Lines pioneered the renaissance of U.S. River cruising by building brand new small ships in the U.S.A.; then furthered the sophistication and elegance of American river cruising in 2018, with the introduction of their revolutionary new modern riverboats. The 2022 redesign of the Line’s paddlewheel fleet will elevate those classic riverboats to the more cosmopolitan ambiance of American’s newest small ships, while still celebrating the traditional paddlewheel style that is as fundamentally American as the Rivers themselves. The project is slated for completion in early March next year, in time for the beginning of the 2022 cruise season.

Text: PM American Cruise Lines

American Cruise Lines Accepts Delivery of American Melody and Announces the Names of the 5th & 6th Modern Riverboats

4. August 2021
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Pressemitteilung

American Cruise Lines is pleased to announce it has accepted delivery of American Melody from Chesapeake Shipbuilding on time. Despite various challenges, the Maryland shipyard continued building through the pandemic and delivered American Melody, as promised and on schedule. In addition, American Cruise Lines also announced today the names of the 5th & 6th modern riverboats—American Symphony & American Serenade. The two riverboats are slated for delivery next year. 

American first introduced their revolutionary series in 2018, with the groundbreaking American Song, the 1st modern riverboat in the U.S.A.  Since then, the Line has rapidly expanded the popular series, introducing 6 of these new ships in just 4 years. American Cruise Lines is the only cruise line to offer these modern riverboats for cruises along both the Mississippi River and the Columbia & Snake Rivers.

Immediately following last week’s successful Sea Trials, the brand new American Melodyheaded to New Orleans to ready for its inaugural cruise along the Mississippi River, an 8-Day New Orleans-New Orleans itinerary. The sold-out cruise departs from Port of New Orleans on August 27th and then American Melody will continue to operate a selection of American’s most popular Mississippi River cruise itineraries through December, including an extraordinary 22-Day Complete Mississippi River Cruise between New Orleans, LA, and St. Paul, MN. 

American Melody and 2022 sister ships American Symphony and American Serenade will each accommodate 175-passengers and will be the most sophisticated and elegant riverboats available on U.S. waters. Showcasing gorgeous sky-lit atriums, multiple indoor and outdoor lounges, fitness centers, grand dining rooms, casual outdoor cafés, and dramatic open-air Skywalks, American’s 3 newest ships will also feature 100% private-balcony staterooms and suites, a hallmark of the brand. 

American Melody, American Symphony, and American Serenade bring American’s overall domestic U.S. fleet to 15 small ships: 10 riverboats and 5 cruise ships. Despite the rapid growth in fleet size, American has also maintained a strong commitment to keeping the size of each individual ship small—every one  of the 15 ships in their fleet accommodates fewer than 200 passengers. American is dedicated to delivering a highly personalized guest experience along all its domestic River and Coastal cruises which visit and explore in over 30 U.S. states. 

American Symphony and American Serenade are under construction at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, where all of the Line’s modern riverboats and small cruise ships are built. Following this year’s debut of American Melody on August 27th, American Symphony is expected for delivery next summer and American Serenade is expected at the end of 2022. 

2021-2023 cruise schedules, deck plans, and virtual tours for American Melody and American Symphony are available now on American’s website (schedules for American Serenade will follow next year). For more information or for a sneak peek tour of the Line’s newest modern riverboats please click HERE.

Text: PM American Cruise Lines

American Cruise Lines Confirms Two More New Builds for 2022 as American Melody Readies for August Mississippi Debut

15. Juni 2021
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Pressemitteilung

American Cruise Lines announced today that it has signed contracts with Chesapeake Shipbuilding of Salisbury, MD, to build 2 more modern riverboats in 2022. The new builds will be the 5th and 6th in American Cruise Lines revolutionary modern series, first introduced in 2018. Both new modern riverboats are yet to be named and will follow the 2021 debuts of American Jazz and American Melody on the Mississippi River.  

American Cruise Lines continues to lead the rapid expansion of the U.S. domestic cruise market, and has more than doubled in size since 2017. Including the 2 new builds announced today, American’s fleet has grown to 15 ships: 5 small cruise ships, 4 classic paddlewheelers, and 6 modern riverboats. In addition to the Line’s newest modern riverboats, American also plans to continue building new small cruise ships for their popular U.S. coastal itineraries. The Line’s river and coastal cruises operate in the same destination-focused style, cruising close to home and always in sight of land, along 100% domestic U.S. itineraries. 

“American’s two new builds are welcome news for the industry here at home. They closely follow the two riverboats we are introducing this year and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to growth and leading the U.S. small ship market,” said Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO of American. “While the pace of our new builds is increasing, we are committed to maintaining the small capacity of our ships, which continue to accommodate just 100-190 passengers. This distinction across our fleet truly enables us to deliver the personalized and sophisticated experience our guests have come to expect.”

American’s 5th and 6th modern riverboats will be sister ships to 175-passenger American Melody, beginning operations on the Mississippi this August. American Melody will showcase the Line’s newest interior design concept created by Studio DADO of Miami, Florida. 

American Melody and the new 2022 builds will also highlight exciting new architectural elements, including a new 5th deck Skywalk which features a walking track cantilevered above the 4th deck, and a beautiful elliptical cutout above the riverboat’s outdoor café & lounge — aptly named the Ellipse Café. American’s modern riverboats also offer 100% private balcony staterooms, enormous suites, and 5 spacious decks with sky-lit atriums, grand dining rooms, comfortable interior and exterior lounges, and the Line’s largest-ever fitness studios.

Text: PM American Cruise Lines