ACL American Liberty

The 2024-built MS American Liberty cruise ship is the third in a 12-ship series (Project Blue/aka Coastal Cat) of catamaran-design newbuilds in the ACL-American Cruise Lines fleet. This class of ships, new to ACL, features catamarans/sisterships 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).

The Coastal Cat American Liberty is ACL's 18th vessel overall. It was delivered in 2024 and inaugurated on August 15th (maiden voyage).

American Liberty's christening ceremony took place on August 20, 2024, in Newport, Rhode Island, USA, while the ship was docked at Fort Adams State Park. The special event was attended by local community members, representatives from Sail Newport (Brad Read), RI state (Lauren Carson), and Fort Adams State Park, along with a VIP group of ACL executives and crew, including Charles B. Robertson (ACL's President and CEO). The ceremony was led by godmother Clare Harrington (New York Yacht Club's Vice Commodore). The event featured live onboard performances (by The Victory Belles/vocal trio performing music from the 1940s) and concluded with a traditional New England Lobster Bake (at Fort Adams Park), including a live demonstration of Native American cooking methods.

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 cruise shipping 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 and outdoor deck spaces, gourmet cuisine, a top-quality enrichment program with many complimentary land tours and excursions, and highly personalized service by 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), length of 241 ft (74 m), beam/width of 56 ft (17 m), and 56 staterooms (~85% with balconies).

MS American Liberty features an innovative catamaran ship design that guarantees smaller capacity (offering a more comfortable and intimate vacation travel experience) along with stable navigation in both inland waterways (rivers and lakes) as well as close-to-coast/expedition-style cruising.

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

Decks and Cabins

ACL American Liberty has 5 passenger decks (4 of which are accessible via two midship elevators) and a total of 56 staterooms. The ship offers 6 cabin categories. Most accommodations are balconied (~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 cabin (ADA stateroom designed for passengers with disabilities), and no connecting rooms.

Only Deck 1 cabins (8x in category AAC) are without balconies. The smallest staterooms (including the studios/single-occupancy cabins) are sized 230 ft² (21 m²). Standard Balcony cabins (AAM and Veranda) are sized 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 (2x Grand and 4x Sky) are two-room suites with a separate living room and bedroom (both with direct terrace access, 2x TVs), dining area, and marble bathroom (double-sink vanity).

Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

The ship's interior design is marked by a 4-story vestibule (glass-walled atrium positioned midship on all cabin decks), allowing 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 fitted with 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 (4x 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 1, 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 (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 fresh-baked sweets (cookies and pastries). Sky Lounge's glass doors open to the Lookout 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 service is complimentary and offered between 3:30-4:30 pm. In the evenings, ACL hosts a complimentary cocktail hour.

The bow-facing (on Deck 2) Forward Lounge is the main lounge with large wall-to-wall windows on all 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.). Here, 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 begins 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 a variety of themes (history, food and wine, literature, etc.), depending on the current cruise itinerary.

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

• (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 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 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

ACL American Liberty's itinerary program began in August 2024 with the "Christening Cruise" (maiden voyage) roundtrip from Providence, Rhode Island on August 15th. The 7-night/8-day "New England Islands" itinerary visited New Bedford, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Block Island, Newport, and Bristol.

Other itineraries listed for the American Liberty's maiden season (2024) included:

8-day / 7-night "New England Islands Cruise" (visiting 8 ports), a roundtrip itinerary departing from Providence, RI. 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 $8490 (AAM), $8745 (Single), $9615 (Veranda Suite), $10845 (Sky Suite), $13360 (Grand Suite).

8-day / 7-night "Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise" (visiting 8 ports), a roundtrip itinerary departing from NYC/New York City, NY. All call ports are in New York state and include Catskill, Albany, Kingston/Hyde Park, West Point, Sleepy Hollow, and NYC (overnight stay before debarkation). Prices started from $8490 (AAM), $8745 (Single), $9615 (Veranda Suite), $10845 (Sky Suite), $13360 (Grand Suite).

8-day / 7-night "Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise" (visiting 8 ports), 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); Amelia Island, FL (overnight). Prices started from $6960 (AAM), $7170 (Single), $7880 (Veranda Suite), $8890 (Sky Suite), $10950 (Grand Suite).

15-day / 14-night "East Coast Inland Passage Cruise" (visiting 15 ports), 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 $13085 (AAM), $13480 (Single), $14690 (Veranda Suite), $16570 (Sky Suite), $20410 (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).