Schlagwort: American Heritage

American Cruise Lines Opens 2022 Season

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

New Look and New Names for American’s Paddlewheel Fleet

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 designAmerican 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 AmericaQueen of the Mississippi and Queen of the West will be renamed American SplendorAmerican 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 riverboatsthe 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