ACL American Constitution

The 2018-built MS American Constitution cruise ship is the second vessel in American Cruise Lines' "Coastal Class" fleet, following its sister ship, American Constellation (2017).

This "ocean ship" design was later modified for inland/river cruising, resulting in the company’s "Modern Riverboat" fleet, including American Song (2018), American Harmony (2019), American Jazz (2020), American Melody (2021), American Symphony (2022), and American Serenade (2022).

History - Construction and Ownership

The shipowner, American Cruise Lines (ACL), is the USA's largest river cruise company (headquartered in Guilford, Connecticut), operational since 1991. The company specializes in cruise shipping along the USA's largest navigable inland waterways (rivers and lakes), as well as voyages along the East Coast, New England, West Coast, and Florida.

All ACL vessels feature some of the industry’s largest passenger cabins with private balconies, spacious lounges, and outdoor deck spaces, gourmet cuisine, a top-quality enrichment program with many complimentary land tours and excursions, and highly personalized service from all-American staff and crew.

All ACL ships are USA-flagged and are built by the company-owned Chesapeake Shipbuilding Yard in Salisbury, Maryland.

The new coastal riverboat was inaugurated in 2018. The name "American Constitution" was inspired by the oldest vessel in service in the US Navy (USS Constitution), originally commissioned by George Washington (1732-1799, the USA’s first President) during his presidency (1789-1797).

Decks and Cabins

ACL's American Constitution ship has 6 passenger decks (accessible via one elevator) and a total of 85 staterooms, divided into 9 categories. Most accommodations are Balcony rooms, featuring floor-to-ceiling sliding doors leading to a private step-out veranda. There are no connecting rooms onboard.

Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

ACL's American Constitution ship offers a single-capacity, open-seating dining room, which is the main restaurant onboard. The dining room features floor-to-ceiling windows, crystal chandeliers, classy furniture, 4- and 8-seat tables, and luxury dining amenities. The cuisine primarily consists of American fare, with an itinerary-inspired menu offering gourmet specialties and fresh food. Breakfast is buffet-style, with made-to-order items. Lunch offers soup, a choice of 3 dishes, and a chef's salad. Dinner includes soup, salad, and 3 entrees. The wine list features a selection of domestic wines. Any dietary needs are catered for.

The ship, American Constitution, with full active wing stabilization, caters to vacationers seeking an intimate, high-end experience aboard a smaller vessel. Well-appointed rooms are the largest ever seen in service, with room service and tastefully furnished private balconies. Additional features include kayaks and Zodiacs, offering guests alternative ways to explore historic North American destinations.

The list of the ship's main public venues includes:

• (Deck 1) Vestibule/lobby level, Ship's Office, Dining Room Restaurant, Galley/Kitchen
• (Deck 2) Lounge/midship-starboard
• (Deck 3) Library Lounge/midship-starboard, Chesapeake Lounge/forward
• (Deck 4) Pilothouse/Wheelhouse, Upper Lounge & Library (midship-starboard), Sky Lounge (aft, with outdoor terrace seating)
• (Deck 5) Fitness Room/midship Gym, Lower Sun Deck/aft
• (Deck 6) Upper Sun Deck with outdoor seating and Mini-Golf/Putting Green

Itineraries

American Constitution’s itinerary program includes two new American Cruise Lines itineraries: one from the USA to New England, and the other along the southeast USA's Intracoastal Waterway.

• The 10-night / 11-day "Grand New England" cruise itinerary starts in Boston, MA and visits Provincetown, MA, Newport, RI, Martha's Vineyard, MA, Kennebunkport, ME, Camden, ME, Bar Harbor, ME, and Rockland, ME.
• The 10-night / 11-day "Grand Historic South" cruise itinerary is roundtrip from Charleston, SC and visits Wilmington, NC, Beaufort, NC, Savannah, GA, Sapelo Island, GA, Jekyll Island, GA, Amelia Island, FL (Fernandina Beach), and Beaufort, SC.
• The 11-day "Inaugural Cruise" itinerary (themed "American Revolution Cruise") took place on April 18, 2018, as a roundtrip from Baltimore, MD and included ports of call such as Norfolk, VA, Williamsburg, VA, Yorktown, VA, Washington, DC, Mount Vernon, VA (George Washington’s plantation house), Cambridge, MD, St. Michaels, MD, Annapolis, MD, and Chestertown, MD.

ACL cruise deals include a pre-cruise hotel package, all shore excursions (organized daily), cocktail hour (each evening), cruise accommodation, gourmet meals, Afternoon Tea service, room service (Breakfast only), onboard enrichment and entertainment programs, and Wi-Fi (shipwide coverage).

The newbuild vessel features a modern propulsion system with 2x azimuth thrusters ("Z-drives") manufactured by Veth (Holland). These 360-degree rotating propellers (1x forward, 1x aft) offer the ship enhanced maneuverability and flexibility when berthing.

The ship is powered by 2x Caterpillar marine engines running on low-sulfur diesel. These modern engines are more fuel-efficient and produce fewer emissions (COx, NOx, SOx) and soot particles compared to other vessels in the US river cruising market.

The vessel was launched (float-out) on June 20, 2017, at the Chesapeake shipyard (Salisbury, MD), where it was removed from drydock and slid into the Wicomico River.

The ship's Inaugural Cruise (maiden voyage) was scheduled for April 18, 2018. The 11-day itinerary, themed "American Revolution Cruise," was a round trip from Baltimore, MD, with ports of call including Norfolk, VA, Williamsburg, VA, Yorktown, VA, Washington, DC, Mount Vernon, VA (George Washington's plantation house), Cambridge, MD, St. Michaels, MD, Annapolis, MD, and Chestertown, MD.