ACL-American Cruise Lines is preparing to expand its operations on the Mississippi River system with three new itineraries, including its first voyage on the Arkansas River. The additions bring the company’s total number of Mississippi River itineraries to 14, excluding themed and holiday cruises.
The Arkansas River itinerary will be a 9-day voyage between Memphis and Tulsa, scheduled for November 2026. Ports of call include Catoosa and Muskogee in Oklahoma, as well as Fort Smith, Van Buren, Russellville, Little Rock, and Pendleton in Arkansas. The program incorporates cultural and historical visits, such as the Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan Centers, Native American heritage in Muskogee, and an excursion on the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad.
An 11-day “Great Smoky Mountains” itinerary is planned between Knoxville, Tennessee, and Huntsville, Alabama, on the Tennessee River. The voyage includes stops at Pigeon Forge, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Fort Southwest Point, Chattanooga, and Decatur. Highlights include two days in the national park, visits connected with regional music and culture, and sites linked to the Manhattan Project. These sailings are scheduled for July through October 2027.
The third addition is an 8-day Gulf Coast voyage between New Orleans and Pensacola. Scheduled for March and December in both 2026 and 2027, the itinerary combines a short section of the Mississippi River with the Intracoastal Waterway. Calls include Mobile, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, and Gulfport, with activities ranging from ecological excursions to cultural and historical visits.
American Cruise Lines indicated that these new routes reflect an ongoing strategy to broaden domestic offerings across U.S. rivers and coastal waterways. The company has recently undertaken infrastructure projects to support this expansion, including new docking facilities on the Columbia and Snake rivers and additional developments along the Mississippi and its tributaries.