ACL American Harmony

The 2019-built MS American Harmony cruise ship is the second newbuild in the American Cruise Lines' "Modern Riverboat" fleet.

The sisterships from this class, sharing the same design, include American Song (2018), American Jazz (2020), American Melody (2021), American Symphony (2022), American Serenade (2023), American Encore (2026), and American Anthem (2027).

American Harmony is identified by IMO number 9901673 and is USA-flagged (MMSI 368082970).

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) and offers 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 balconies, spacious lounges, and outdoor deck spaces. The ships also offer gourmet cuisine, top-quality enrichment programs with many complimentary land tours and excursions, and highly personalized service by an all-American staff and crew.

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

Unlike anything seen before along American waterways, this innovative vessel brings a new dimension to river cruising in the USA. American Harmony integrates contemporary design without sacrificing the comfort that American Cruise Lines is known for. Quieter, wider, and faster than any other river ship, it is also the most environmentally friendly in the industry.

Traditionally for large-sized US riverboats, American Harmony features a fore-located boarding ramp (at the bow on Deck 1) that allows passengers to go ashore at any location along the ship's cruise route. The ramp features an innovative design and is constructed as a retractable gangway (passenger bridge), a technology often seen on some of the largest ferries. It also includes an opening bow door.

While other small cruise lines repurpose old casino ships, American Cruise Lines decided to build brand-new boats to maintain the company's reputation for premium quality and service. Each new build features the most innovative design, with spacious indoor and outdoor areas. Each vessel is traditionally US-built (at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland), as well as American-flagged and crewed.

Decks and Cabins

ACL's American Harmony has 6 passenger decks (accessible via two elevators) and a total of 102 staterooms. There are 8 cabin categories. All accommodations are Balcony cabins, with floor-to-ceiling sliding doors opening onto a private step-out veranda. The ship does not have connecting rooms.

The smallest staterooms (including studios/single-occupancy cabins) start at 250 ft² (23 m²). Other staterooms range from 305-330 ft² (28-31 m²). Veranda Suites are 405 ft² (38 m²). Owner's Suites are 445 ft² (41 m²). The ship's largest staterooms are the two Grand Suites located aft on deck 3. Each measures 900 ft² (84 m²) and features two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, sliding doors opening to a wrap-around balcony, a separate bedroom/lounge area, and a marble bathroom with a double-sink vanity.

Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

MS American Harmony features innovative interior design concepts, from the 4-story glass-walled Vestibule (Atrium) to spacious indoor and outdoor lounges, large open-deck spaces, and floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the vessel. The 4-deck-high Vestibule has floor-to-ceiling windows on both the port and starboard sides, as well as a skylight (transparent glass-roof cover) that allows natural light into the ship's interior.

Two Sun Decks (Lower on Deck 5-aft, and Upper on Deck 6) are fitted with sunbathing and shaded seating areas, a putting green, and a deck-game area (shuffleboard). The ship has 5 lounges (2 with large outdoor terraces), a Grand Dining Room (complimentary, glass-enclosed restaurant), a Chart Room (Library Lounge), the fore-located Main Lounge (Deck 4), the aft-located Sky Lounge (Deck 4), and an indoor Gym/Exercise Room. The Upper Sun Deck (top-deck) is furnished with comfortable deckchairs and has 3 shaded seating areas, plus one skylight (glass-roof cover).

The aft-located (on Deck 4) Sky Lounge features premium furniture, floor-to-ceiling windows, a glass-roof cover (skylight), and direct access to an open-air terrace (for relaxation and alfresco dining at the Back Porch Cafe). Throughout the day, beverages, snacks, freshly-baked cookies, and pastries are served. The Sky Lounge's glass doors open to the Back Porch Cafe (alfresco dining venue)—a spacious terrace furnished with wicker furniture (armchairs and 4-seat tables). The lounge bar serves water, soda, and light snacks throughout the day. A complimentary Afternoon Tea service is offered between 3:30-4:30 pm. In the evening, there is a complimentary cocktail hour.

The fore-located (on Deck 4) Cascade Lounge (also known as River Lounge) is the ship's main lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass-roof cover. It also serves as the ship's show lounge with a central stage, grand piano, and ample comfortable seating with armchairs and plush sofas. Warm cookies are served starting at 10 am. The complimentary Afternoon Tea service (with fresh pastries) is at 3:30 pm. The free-drinks cocktail hour is at 5:30 pm. Root beer and ice cream are served during the evening show. The evening entertainment includes one show (beginning at 8:15 pm) lasting about 1 hour. The show program may include live concerts, solo performances, music tributes, themed music, or movie trivia. The large space for the evening shows is in the center of the room, and furniture is rearranged daily (sometimes 2 or 3 times a day) to suit the themed entertainment. This lounge also hosts American Cruise Lines' enrichment program, consisting of themed lectures (on topics like history, food and wine, literature, etc.), as well as media presentations and the current ACL cruise itinerary and tour-related multimedia presentations and port talks.

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

• (Deck 1) Boarding Ramp/bow, Vestibule/lobby level, Ship's Office, Powder Room, Dining Room Restaurant, Galley/Kitchen & Storage Rooms, Staff & Crew cabins/forward
• (Deck 2) Bow Terrace/observation area with seating, Laundry Room, Lounge/midship-starboard, wellness facilities/aft (Yoga Studio, Fitness Room/indoor Gym)
• (Deck 3) Pilothouse/Wheelhouse, Chart Room Lounge/midship-starboard
• (Deck 4) Cascade Lounge/forward, with a wraparound terrace, Library Lounge/midship-starboard, Sky Lounge (indoor, aft), Back Porch Cafe (aft, outdoor terrace serving as an alfresco dining venue)
• (Deck 5) Lounge/midship-starboard, Lower Sun Deck/aft
• (Deck 6) Sun Deck with outdoor seating (premium patio furniture) and Mini-Golf Putting Green

Two lifts (passenger elevators in the Atrium) connect all cabin decks.

Itineraries

The American Harmony itinerary program began on September 29, 2018, with an 8-day inaugural cruise on the Mississippi River, roundtrip from New Orleans. Other itineraries include the 8-day/7-night Lower Mississippi River cruise from Memphis, TN to New Orleans and the reverse itinerary from New Orleans to Memphis.

• 8-day "Lower Mississippi River" from Memphis to New Orleans itinerary's ports of call include Memphis (Day 1 / embarkation), river cruising (Day 2), Vicksburg, MS (Day 3), Natchez, MS (Day 4), St. Francisville, LA (Day 5), Baton Rouge, LA (Day 6), Oak Alley Plantation, LA (Day 7), and New Orleans, LA (Day 8, disembarkation).
• 8-day "Mississippi River" roundtrip from New Orleans itinerary's ports of call include New Orleans, LA (Day 1 / embarkation), Oak Alley Plantation, LA (Day 2), Natchez, MS (Day 3), Vicksburg, MS (Day 4), St. Francisville, LA (Day 5), Baton Rouge, LA (Day 6), Houmas House Plantation, LA (Day 7), and New Orleans, LA (Day 8, disembarkation).

In 2019, the ship was deployed on the US West Coast for Columbia and Snake river cruises.

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).