ACL American Song

The 2018-built MS American Song cruise ship is the first newbuild in the American Cruise Lines' "Modern Riverboat" fleet.

The sisterships from this class/design include American Harmony (2019), American Jazz (2020), American Melody (2021), American Symphony (2022), American Serenade (2023), American Encore (2026), and American Anthem (2027).

American Song is identified by IMO number 9871713 and is USA-flagged (MMSI 368046350).

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 on 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 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.

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, the innovative vessel brings a new dimension to river cruising in the United States. American Song combines 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 Song has a fore-located boarding ramp (on Deck 1) that allows passengers to go ashore at any place along the ship's cruise itinerary route. The ramp features an innovative retractable gangway (passenger bridge) design, which is often used on some of the largest ferries and features an opening bow door.

While other small cruise lines repurpose old casino ships, American Cruise Lines decided to build brand new vessels to maintain its reputation for premium quality and services. Each of these new builds features the most innovative design, spacious indoor and outdoor areas. Every vessel is traditionally built in the USA (at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland), as well as being American-flagged and crewed.

Decks and Cabins

American Song has 5 passenger decks (accessible via two elevators) and a total of 94 staterooms. The ship offers 7 cabin categories. All accommodations are Balcony cabins, featuring floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that open onto a private step-out veranda. The ship does not have connecting rooms.

The smallest staterooms (including the studios/single-occupancy cabins) start at 250 ft² (23 m²). Other staterooms range between 305-330 ft² (28-31 m²). Veranda Suites are 405 ft² (38 m²). Owner's Suites are 445 ft² (41 m²). The largest staterooms on board 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 Song 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 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), a fore-located Main Lounge (Deck 4), an aft-located Sky Lounge (Deck 4), and an indoor Gym/Exercise Room. The Upper Sun Deck (top-deck) is furnished with comfortable deck chairs and has 3 shaded seating areas (canopies) and 2 skylights (glass-roof cover).

The aft-located Sky Lounge (on Deck 4) 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. Sky Lounge's glass doors open to the Back Porch Cafe, an alfresco dining venue located on 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, a complimentary cocktail hour is available.

The fore-located Cascade Lounge (on Deck 4) is the ship's main lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass-roof cover. It also serves as the show lounge, with a central stage, grand piano, and ample comfortable seating filled 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, and the free-drinks cocktail hour begins at 5:30 pm. Root beer and ice cream are passed around during the evening show. Evening entertainment includes one show (beginning at 8:15 pm) lasting about an hour. The show program may feature a live concert, solo performances, music tributes, themed music, or movie trivia. The room’s central space is used for these evening shows, and furniture is rearranged daily (sometimes multiple times a day) to suit the themed entertainment. This is also where the American Cruise Lines' enrichment program is hosted, featuring lectures on various themes such as history, food and wine, and literature. Media presentations and multimedia port talks related to the current ACL cruise itinerary and tours are also held here.

The list of American Song's main public venues includes:

• (Deck 1) Boarding Ramp/bow, Vestibule/lobby level, Ship's Office, Lounge/midship-starboard, Dining Room Restaurant, Galley/Kitchen & Storage Rooms, Staff & Crew Cabins/forward
• (Deck 2) Bow Terrace/observation area with seating, Lounge/midship-starboard, River Lounge/aft
• (Deck 3) Pilothouse/Wheelhouse, Library Lounge/midship-starboard
• (Deck 4) Cascade Lounge/forward with a wraparound terrace, Fitness (indoor Gym) and Laundry Room/midship-starboard, Sky Lounge (indoor, aft), Back Porch Cafe (aft, outdoor terrace serving as an alfresco dining venue)
• (Deck 5) 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

American Song's itinerary program began on October 6, 2018, with an 8-day inaugural cruise on the Mississippi River, leaving roundtrip from New Orleans. Other itineraries include an 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 are 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), New Orleans, LA (Day 8, disembarkation).
• 8-day "Mississippi River" roundtrip from New Orleans itinerary's ports of call are 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), 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 are inclusive of 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).

The improved ship design enables "bow landings" via a retractable and rotating gangway (passenger bridge) that extends from the Main Deck (Deck 1) to the dock or directly onto the riverbank. This feature is common on traditional US paddlewheel riverboats and provides expanded options for river cruise itineraries, unmatched by most newbuild river cruise ships.

The ship features a modern propulsion system, consisting of two azimuth thrusters ("Z-drives") manufactured by Veth (Holland). These 360-degree rotating propellers (one forward and one aft) provide the vessel with enhanced maneuverability and berthing flexibility.

Powered by two Caterpillar marine engines running on low-sulfur diesel, the ship requires less fuel and produces fewer emissions (COx, NOx, SOx) and soot particles compared to other boats on the US river cruising market.

The vessel was launched on November 17, 2017, seven weeks ahead of schedule. The ceremony took place at the Chesapeake Shipbuilding yard in Salisbury, MD. During the launch, the hull was floated out of drydock into the Wicomico River, then positioned in the shipyard's East Outfitting Basin to receive the superstructure (upper decks) and outfitting.

On February 27, 2018, shipowner American Cruise Lines announced the start of construction on the second riverboat in this series, American Harmony, part of a five-ship series. Chesapeake Shipbuilding (Salisbury, MD) was once again contracted to build the vessels.

MS American Song's "inaugural cruise" (maiden voyage) was initially scheduled for September 29 but was later rescheduled to October 6, 2018. The 8-day/7-night "Mississippi River" itinerary was a roundtrip from New Orleans, with prices starting at USD 4,800 (Category AAR balcony cabin) and reaching up to USD 7,100 (Owner's Suite).