ACL American Glory

The 2023-built MS American Glory cruise ship is the second in a 12-ship series (Project Blue/aka Coastal Cat) of catamaran-design newbuilds in the ACL-American Cruise Lines fleet. This new class of catamarans/sisterships is being 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 USA-flagged and built by the company-owned Chesapeake Shipbuilding Yard in Salisbury, MD (Maryland, USA).

Note: The 2023-built vessel (IMO 1033418, MMSI 368317880) should not be confused with the earlier MS American Glory (2002-built/2019-decommissioned).

The Coastal Cat American Glory is ACL's 17th vessel overall.

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 cruises along the USA's largest navigable inland waterways (rivers and lakes), as well as voyages along the East Coast USA/New England, West Coast USA, 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 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 vessel will have a max 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% featuring balconies). The first two ships (American Glory and American Eagle) were scheduled for launch in 2023, with plans to launch two units each year thereafter.

MS American Glory features an innovative catamaran design, offering smaller capacity for 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, which is used for passenger transport as well as cruising close to shore and in shallow inland waterways.

Sea trials were successfully completed on November 13, 2023.

The ship was officially christened on January 15, 2024, in Key West, Florida. The naming ceremony (held dockside at Mallory Square) was attended by godmother Teri Johnston (Mayor of Key West), Charles B. Robertson (ACL's President & CEO), and local dignitaries, port and marina officials, community members, and passengers from the current voyage. VIP guests included Arlo Haskell (Safer Cleaner Ships) and Albert Childress (Key West City Manager). The Victory Belles band performed live patriotic music.

Decks and Cabins

ACL American Glory 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 feature balconies (~85% of all), with each room equipped with a floor-to-ceiling sliding door that opens onto a private step-out veranda. The ship has 3 single cabins, only 1 wheelchair-accessible ADA cabin (designed for passengers with disabilities), and no connecting rooms.

Only Deck 1 cabins (8 in category AAC) are without balconies. The smallest staterooms (including studios and single-occupancy cabins) measure 230 ft² (21 m²). Standard Balcony cabins (AAM and Veranda) range in size from 270 to 280 ft² (25-26 m²), including the veranda.

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

Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

The ship's interior design features a 4-story vestibule (a glass-walled atrium positioned midship on all cabin decks) that allows unobstructed portside and starboard views. Despite the boat's dimensions, all indoor and outdoor areas are spacious and 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 features two sunbathing areas (with padded sun loungers and low tables), a shaded seating area (covered with a hard roof), a walking track, open-air relaxation areas (2-seat tables, padded deck chairs, and garden sofas), and live plants for decoration. Also aft on Deck 4 are the funnels (4 smokestacks).

The ship has one restaurant (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 and sofas), a Sky Lounge (indoor, Deck 3-aft) with a Stern Terrace served by the Café (a hard-roof-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, and 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, both venues serve beverages, light snacks, and fresh-baked sweets (cookies and pastries). The Sky Lounge’s glass doors open to the Terrace Café (an 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 Forward Lounge (Deck 2) is the main lounge with large wall-to-wall windows on all three sides (bow, portside, and starboard). This is the ship's show lounge, also hosting ACL's onboard enrichment program (port talks, media presentations, lectures, live entertainment, etc.). Warm cookies are served starting at 10 am, and complimentary Afternoon Tea with fresh pastries is served starting at 3:30 pm. The cocktail hour is 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 cover various topics (history, food and wine, literature, etc.) depending on the current cruise itinerary.

The list of the American Glory 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 Café/aft
• (Deck 4) Passenger Cabins/Grand Suites and Sky Suites, Sun Deck/aft, Funnels/aft
• (Deck 5) SkyLight, Helideck (helicopter-landing platform used in 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 Café with Sun Deck).

Itineraries

The ACL American Glory itinerary program was initially planned to start on October 29, 2023, with the 11-day maiden voyage ("American Revolution Cruise" itinerary roundtrip from Baltimore, MD). However, the inaugural cruise was postponed twice—first to November 18th (11-day "American Revolution Cruise" roundtrip from Baltimore) and eventually to November 28th (22-day "Complete Southeast Cruise"/relocation itinerary from Baltimore to St. Petersburg, Florida).

Below are other itineraries scheduled for American Glory’s maiden season in 2023-2024.

11-day / 10-night "American Revolution Cruise" is a roundtrip from Baltimore, MD. Call ports include Norfolk, VA, Williamsburg, VA, Yorktown, VA, Washington, DC, Mount Vernon, VA, Potomac River cruising, Cambridge, MD, St. Michaels, MD, and Annapolis, MD. Prices started from $7005 (AAC), $7580 (AAM), $7720 (Single), $8435 (Veranda Suite), $9525 (Sky Suite), $11730 (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, and St. Simons Island (GA), and 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, and 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).