American Cruise Lines announced it's building two new river cruise ships, due in 2022. They are the fifth and sixth in the company's series of modern river cruise ships, first introduced in 2018, for the line's U.S. itineraries.
The two new ships, made in contract with Chesapeake Shipbuilding of Salisbury, still have yet to be named and will follow the 2021 debuts of the American Jazz and American Melody on the Mississippi River as their sister ships.
The American Melody and the new 2022 ships will feature a "Skywalk" as a fifth deck, a walking track cantilevered above the fourth deck, and more.
With this new announcement, ACL's fleet has grown to 15 ships: five small cruise ships, four classic paddle wheelers, and six modern riverboats. Their fleet growth has more than doubled since 2017, and the cruise line still plans to build new small cruise ships for their coastal 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 Cruise Lines. “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.”
