ACL American Eagle

The 2023-built MS American Eagle cruise ship is the first in a 12-ship series (Project Blue/aka Coastal Cat) of catamaran-designed newbuilds in the ACL-American Cruise Lines fleet. This class, new for ACL, features the same catamaran design in sister ships launched two per year: in 2023 (Eagle/August, Glory/November), 2024 (Liberty/June, Legend/November), 2025 (Patriot/June, Pioneer/November), 2026, 2027, and 2028.

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

Note: The 2023-built vessel (IMO/MMSI numbers 368317840) should not be confused with the namesake "MS American Eagle" (2000-built paddlewheeler, IMO 8972340, MMSI 367448490).

The Coastal Cat American Eagle is ACL's 16th vessel overall.

ACL's American Eagle was officially named at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy campus on August 14, 2023, in Buzzards Bay, MA. The christening ceremony was led by godmother Carol Ann Robertson (born 1954, wife of Charles A. Robertson (1920-2020/ACL's Founder)). The special event was also attended by Charles B. Robertson (ACL's CEO and President since 2014) and William Richard Keating (born 1952, American lawyer and Congressman for Massachusetts's 9th district/since 2013), as well as captains from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, state representatives, and local officials.

After the naming ceremony, the ship embarked on its 8-day Maiden Voyage (Cape Codder itinerary roundtrip from Boston).

History - Construction and Ownership

The shipowner American Cruise Lines/ACL is the USA's largest river cruise company (headquartered in Guilford, Connecticut) and has been operational since 1991. The company specializes in cruising on 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 step-out balconies, spacious lounges, outdoor deck spaces, gourmet cuisine, a top-quality enrichment program with many complimentary land tours and excursions, and highly personalized service from an all-American staff and crew.

In January 2022, ACL announced a plan to grow its fleet to 25+ vessels by adding 12 units of a new class (Project Blue), each with a maximum passenger capacity of 109 (plus 50 crew/staff), a length of 241 ft (74 m), and a beam/width of 56 ft (17 m), with 56 staterooms (~85% balconies). The first two boats (American Glory and American Eagle) were scheduled for inauguration in 2023. The current plans call for two units to be launched each year.

MS American Eagle features an innovative catamaran design that ensures a smaller capacity (providing a more comfortable and intimate vacation experience) along with stable navigation in both inland waterways (rivers and lakes) and close-to-coast/expedition-style cruising.

The catamaran hull features an aft activity platform/Marina (at the stern), from which the ship's kayaks are launched. The stern also houses the tender boat, used for passenger transportation and for cruising close to shore and on shallow inland waterways.

Decks and Cabins

ACL American Eagle has 5 passenger decks (4 of which are accessible via two midship elevators) and a total of 56 staterooms. There are 6 cabin categories. Most accommodations have balconies (~85% of all), each with a floor-to-ceiling sliding door opening onto a private step-out veranda. The boat has 3 single cabins, only 1 wheelchair-accessible (ADA) cabin designed for passengers with disabilities, and no connecting rooms.

Only Deck 1 cabins (8x in category AAC) lack balconies. The smallest staterooms (including the studios / single-occupancy cabins) are 230 ft² (21 m²). Standard Balcony cabins (AAM and Veranda) are 270-280 ft² (25-26 m²), including the veranda.

The largest accommodations are located forward on Deck 4: the Sky Suite (425 ft² / 40 m²) and Grand Suite (550 ft² / 51 m²), with sizes including their terraces. These staterooms (2 Grand Suites and 4 Sky Suites) are two-room suites with separate living rooms and bedrooms (both with direct terrace access, 2 TVs), a dining area, and a marble bathroom with a double-sink vanity.

Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

The ship's interior design is characterized by a 4-story Vestibule (glass-walled Atrium positioned midship on all cabin decks) that allows unobstructed portside and starboard views. Despite the ship's dimensions, all indoor and outdoor areas are spacious and very well designed, with floor-to-ceiling windows. Deck 5's SkyLight is a transparent glass roof that allows natural light into the Vestibule/Atrium.

The top deck (Deck 5) is a crew-only area with a SkyLight (glass-roof cover over the Atrium) and a Helideck.

The Sun Deck (Deck 4-aft) is all teak and fitted with two sunbathing areas (padded sun loungers, low tables), a shaded seating area (covered with a hard roof), a walking lane/track, and open-air relaxation areas (2-seat tables, padded deck chairs, garden sofas), along with live plants for decoration. Also aft on Deck 4 are the funnels (4 smokestacks).

The ship has one Restaurant (a complimentary, glass-enclosed Main Dining Room with Galley/kitchen), a Games Room/Library, a Fitness Center (indoor Gym/Exercise Room), a Forward Lounge (Deck 2, indoor, bow-facing/with 270-degree views) with a Bow Terrace (4-seat tables, sofas), a Sky Lounge (indoor, Deck 3-aft) with a Stern Terrace served by the Cafe (covered outdoor lounge with 4-seat tables, cushioned armchairs, and sofas).

Both bar lounges (Forward Lounge and Sky Lounge) feature comfortable furniture (plush sofas, 4-seat round tables, glass-top coffee tables, armchairs), wall-to-wall windows, full bar service, and direct access to an open-air Terrace (for relaxation and alfresco dining/weather permitting). Throughout the day, beverages, light snacks, and fresh-baked sweets (cookies and pastries) are served at both venues. The Sky Lounge's glass doors open to the Terrace Cafe (alfresco dining venue) fitted with premium wicker furniture (sofas with low tables and 4-seat tables with armchairs). The lounges' bars serve water, soda, and light snacks throughout the day. Afternoon Tea is complimentary and offered between 3:30-4:30 pm. In the evenings, ACL offers a complimentary cocktail hour.

The bow-facing (on Deck 2) Forward Lounge is the main lounge, with large wall-to-wall windows on all its three sides (bow, portside, starboard). This is the boat's show lounge that also serves ACL's onboard enrichment program (port talks, media presentations, lectures, live entertainment, etc.). Warm cookies (starting at 10 am) and complimentary Afternoon Tea with fresh pastries (starting at 3:30 pm) are served here. The free-drinks cocktail hour takes place at 5:30 pm. Root beer and ice cream are offered during the evening shows (solo performances, music tributes, themed music, movie trivia, bingo). Lectures are themed (on history, food and wine, literature, etc.) and depend on the current cruise itinerary.

The list of American Eagle ship's main public venues includes:

• (Deck 1) AAC Cabins/forward, Vestibule/lobby level, Ship's Office, Powder Room, Laundry Room, Dining Room Restaurant, Galley (Kitchen and Storage Rooms), Staff & Crew Cabins/forward, motorized Rescue Boat/aft
• (Deck 2) Passenger Cabins/AAM and Single Balcony, Bow Terrace/observation area with seating, Forward Lounge, Fitness Center/aft, Games Room/aft
• (Deck 3) Passenger Cabins/Veranda Suites and Single Balcony, Pilothouse/Wheelhouse, Sky Lounge/aft, Terrace Cafe/aft
• (Deck 4) Passenger Cabins/Grand Suites and Sky Suites, Sun Deck/aft, Funnels/aft
• (Deck 5) SkyLight, Helideck (helicopter landing platform used in cases of emergencies)

Two lifts (passenger elevators in the Atrium/midship) and indoor stairs (forward and midship) connect all cabin decks (1 through 4). Aft outdoor staircases interconnect decks 3-4 (Sky Lounge's Cafe with Sun Deck).

Itineraries

Chesapeake Shipbuilding delivered the boat to ACL on August 1, 2023, after successfully completing sea trials.

ACL American Eagle's itinerary program was initially planned to start on July 15, 2023, with the 8-day inaugural cruise ("Chesapeake Bay Cruise" itinerary roundtrip from Baltimore, MD). However, the maiden voyage was postponed to August 14th (8-day roundtrip from Boston). The inaugural sailing visited destinations in Massachusetts (Gloucester, Maritime Academy, Martha’s Vineyard), Rhode Island (Newport), and Massachusetts again (Provincetown and Plymouth).

Other itineraries that ACL listed for the American Eagle's maiden season (2023-2024) included:

(Maiden Voyage/canceled) 8-day / 7-night "Chesapeake Bay Cruise" is a roundtrip from Baltimore, MD. Call ports include Yorktown-Williamsburg, VA, Crisfield, MD (Tangier, VA), Cambridge, MD (Oxford, MD), St Michaels, MD, Annapolis, MD. Prices started from $6200 (AAC), $6740 (AAM), $6830 (Single), $7500 (Veranda Suite), $8470 (Sky Suite), $10430 (Grand Suite).

(Maiden Voyage) 8-day / 7-night "Cape Codder Cruise" (visiting 8 ports, navigating the Cape Cod Canal) is roundtrip from Boston, MA/Charlestown. Call ports include Gloucester, MA, Plymouth, MA, Martha's Vineyard Island, MA, Falmouth, MA, New Bedford, MA, Provincetown, MA. Prices started from $6200 (AAC), $6740 (AAM), $6830 (Single), $7500 (Veranda Suite), $8470 (Sky Suite), $10430 (Grand Suite).

8-day / 7-night "Maine Coast and Harbors Cruise" (visiting 8 ports) is a roundtrip from Portland, ME. Call ports include Bar Harbor, ME, Belfast, ME, Camden, ME, Rockland, ME, Boothbay Harbor, ME, Bath, ME. Prices started from $6945 (AAC), $7550 (AAM), $7650 (Single), $8400 (Veranda Suite), $9485 (Sky Suite), $11680 (Grand Suite).

8-day / 7-night "Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise" (visiting 8 ports) is a one-way itinerary operated between homeports Charleston, SC and Jacksonville, FL (Amelia Island). Call ports include Charleston, SC, Beaufort, SC, Hilton Head Island, SC, Savannah, GA, Jekyll Island, St Simons Island (GA), Amelia Island, FL (overnight). Prices started from $5455 (AAC), $5930 (AAM), $6010 (Single), $6600 (Veranda Suite), $7455 (Sky Suite), $9180 (Grand Suite).

15-day / 14-night "East Coast Inland Passage Cruise" (visiting 15 ports) is a one-way itinerary operated between homeports Baltimore, MD and Jacksonville/Amelia Island, FL. Call ports include Baltimore, MD, St Michaels, MD, Norfolk, VA, Kitty Hawk, NC, Beaufort, NC (Morehead City, NC), Wilmington, NC, Charleston, SC, Beaufort, SC, Hilton Head, SC, Savannah, GA, St Simons Island, GA, Jekyll Island, GA, Amelia Island, FL (Fernandina Beach). Prices started from $10255 (AAC), $11150 (AAM), $11300 (Single), $12300 (Veranda Suite), $13895 (Sky Suite), $17105 (Grand Suite).

Note: The above-listed prices are early-booking rates (in USD and per person) with double occupancy, excluding single cabins.

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