ACL American Legend

The 2024-built MS American Legend cruise ship is the fourth in a 12-ship series (Project Blue, also known as Coastal Cat) of catamaran-designed newbuilds in the ACL-American Cruise Lines fleet. The ships in this new class are identical catamarans/sisterships, with two ships launched each year: in 2023 (Eagle in August, Glory in November), in 2024 (Liberty in June, Legend in November), in 2025 (Patriot in June, Pioneer in November), and continuing in 2026, 2027, and 2028.

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

The Coastal Cat American Legend is ACL's 19th vessel overall. Construction began in March 2023, and the ship was initially scheduled for completion and delivery/inauguration in October 2024.

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 in 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 and outdoor deck spaces, gourmet cuisine, top-quality enrichment programs with many complimentary land tours and excursions, and highly personalized service from all-American staff and crew.

In January 2022, ACL announced plans to grow its fleet to over 25 vessels by adding 12 units of a new class (Project Blue). Each ship will have a maximum passenger capacity of 109 (plus 50 crew/staff), a length of 241 ft (74 m), a beam/width of 56 ft (17 m), and 56 staterooms (~85% with balconies).

MS American Legend 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 tender boat, mounted at the stern, is used for passenger transportation and cruising close to shore and on shallow inland waterways.

American Legend was officially named on February 20, 2025, in Key West, FL. The christening ceremony took place at Mallory Square, led by godmother Danise Henriquez (Key West's Mayor) and attended by VIP guests, including ACL executives (Charles B. Robertson, the company's President), city and port officials, local tour companies, Key West Police and Fire representatives, and the ship’s passengers and crew.

Decks and Cabins

ACL American Legend 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 that opens onto a private step-out veranda. The ship has 3 single cabins, only 1 wheelchair-accessible cabin (ADA stateroom designed for passengers with disabilities), and no connecting rooms.

Only Deck 1 cabins (8 in category AAC) do not have balconies. The smallest staterooms, including the studios/single-occupancy cabins, are 230 ft² (21 m²). Standard Balcony cabins (AAM and Veranda) range from 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), including their terraces. These two-room suites (2 Grand and 4 Sky) feature a separate living room and bedroom, both with direct terrace access and two TVs, a dining area, and a marble bathroom with a double-sink vanity.

Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

The ship's interior design includes a 4-story vestibule (glass-walled atrium positioned midship on all cabin decks) that provides unobstructed portside and starboard views. Despite the ship’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 (padded sun loungers, low tables), a shaded seating area (hard roof-covered), a walking lane/track, open-air relaxation areas (2-seat tables, padded deckchairs, garden sofas), and live plants for decoration. Also aft on Deck 4 are the funnels (4 smokestacks).

The ship features 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 1, indoor, bow-facing with 270-degree views) with a Bow Terrace (4-seat tables, sofas), and a Sky Lounge (indoor, Deck 3-aft) with a Stern Terrace served by the Café (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, 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 freshly baked sweets (cookies and pastries). The Sky Lounge’s glass doors open to the Lookout Café (an alfresco dining venue) furnished 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 hosts 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, which also hosts 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 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, and bingo). Lectures have different themes (history, food and wine, literature, etc.) and depend on the current cruise itinerary.

The main public venues on American Legend include:

• (Deck 1) AAC Cabins/forward, Vestibule/lobby level, Ship's Office, Powder Room, Laundry Room, Forward Lounge, 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, Fitness Center/aft, The Study/Games Room/aft
• (Deck 3) Passenger Cabins/Veranda Suites and Single Balcony, Pilothouse/Wheelhouse, Sky Lounge/aft, Lookout Café/aft
• (Deck 4) Passenger Cabins/Grand Suites and Sky Suites, Sun Deck/aft, Funnels/aft
• (Deck 5) SkyLight, Helideck (helicopter-landing platform for 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 and 4 (Sky Lounge’s Café with Sun Deck).

Itineraries

ACL American Legend's itinerary program was initially planned to start in October 2025, with the "American Revolution Cruise" (Maiden Voyage) departing roundtrip from Washington, DC on October 5th. However, the inaugural cruise was postponed until November 25th, resulting in two canceled voyages.

Other itineraries for the American Legend’s inaugural season (2024) included:

• (canceled) The 11-night/12-day "Complete Southeast" itinerary (departure Nov 4th), an East Coast USA relocation voyage (RepositionCruises.com) to Florida, leaving from Washington, DC and ending in St. Petersburg, FL.
• (MAIDEN VOYAGE) The "Florida Gulf Coast & Keys" (first departure Nov 25th) is a 7-night/8-day itinerary departing roundtrip from St. Petersburg, visiting only Florida ports: Key West (day 3-4/overnight), at sea (day 5), Punta Gorda (day 6), and St. Petersburg (day 7-8/overnight, debarkation).
• The 10-night/11-day "American Revolution Cruise" itinerary is roundtrip from Baltimore, MD visiting Norfolk, VA (day 2), Williamsburg, VA (day 3), Yorktown, VA (day 4), Washington, DC (day 5), Mount Vernon, VA (day 6), Potomac River cruising (day 7), Cambridge, MD (day 8), St. Michaels, MD (day 9), Annapolis, MD (day 10), and ending in Baltimore, MD (day 11, debarkation).

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 shipwide Wi-Fi coverage.