American Cruise Lines officials said on June 12 that the company has seven new ships on order, all scheduled for delivery before the end of 2026.
“The domestic cruise industry is the healthiest it has ever been. Demand for modern river products, new small ships, and unique exploration in the U.S.A. continues to grow,” said Charles B. Robertson, president and CEO of American Cruise Lines, said in the company's update. “That demand is powered by destinations brimming with history and ships that provide the best onboard experience in the world.”
Three of the seven new ACL boats on order are yet to be named; the company says additional details about each boat will be announced over summer 2024. The new ships include six in the company’s Project Blue series ships and a brand-new American Riverboat.
The new American Riverboat “will be similar to its award-winning sisterships and will feature several new design elements that will continue to raise the standard for the global river cruise community,” according to ACL.
The series include American Patriot and the American Pioneer,125-passenger sisterships representing the fifth and sixth ships Project Blue’s 12 small ships for the U.S. market. The ships are to be built at the company’s affiliated shipyard, Chesapeake Shipbuilding, Salisbury, Md.
The company plans to operate 21 small ships in 2025 and 24 ships in 2026, all exclusively sailing 100% U.S. itineraries along U.S. rivers and coasts.
