Many cruise lines were there last year still months Cruises in the United States were far from any hope of reopening can restart. And new developments in the cruise industry’s forgotten stepchild show that riverboats’ pandemic popularity may not be accidental.
Viking, known for its European river cruises, will enter the US market this summer when it begins navigating the Mississippi River. Their entry into the market corresponds to a stunning reinterpretation by one of the lesser-known lines in the industry.
American Cruise Lines has cruised US waterways for more than thirty years, but has added six new cruise lines and river vessels in the past five years. The fleet now includes four paddlewheels, all of them are updated to better meet the demands of today’s increasingly demanding cruisers.
The Connecticut-based cruise line has announced the next big step in the evolution of river cruising with the unveiling of Project Blue. Featuring a hybrid catamaran design, the new fleet allows for easier access to shallow American waterways.
“Project Blue began as a design challenge to create a boat small enough for New England ports, strong enough for the Alaska Inside Passage, with a draft shallow enough for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway,” explained Charles B. Robertson, President and CEO of American Cruise Lines in a prepared statement. “These boats can be deployed almost anywhere, and since there will be 12 of these, they will be deployed throughout the United States.”
With a dozen new ships and a total of 672 cabins, American will nearly double its fleet (which currently consists of five small cruise ships and 10 river vessels) while more than doubling capacity for domestic coastal cruises. The new fleet features modern interiors designed by a Miami-based design firm Studio GIVEN, the same company behind some of the most popular areas on Carnival and Norwegian ships. Design highlights include a forward lounge offering 270-degree views, two onboard restaurants, multiple seating areas and 56 spacious cabins of various sizes.
The first two ships, American Eagle and American Glory (named after the company’s first two small ships built in the United States), are scheduled for delivery in 2023. The first ship in the Project Blue fleet, American Eagle, is scheduled to ply several itineraries on the East Coast including: Cape Codder Cruises Round-Trip from Boston. MA; Maine Coast & Harbors Cruises round-trip from Portland; Round trip with Chesapeake Bay Cruises from Baltimore; Cruises on the East Coast Inland Passage from Baltimore, Maryland to Jacksonville/Amelia Island, FL; and the popular Historic South & Golden Isles cruise between Charleston, SC and Jacksonville/Amelia Island, FL. This last cruise helped bring the line back into service after its closure in 2020.
click image 
While talking with Travel Weekly, Robertson pointed to Florida as one of the potential areas in which the new ships would operate, noting that they “can go further south in Florida on the waterway.” American already offers a few cruises that include Florida’s intercostal and northern sections of the northbound St. Johns River.
click image 
American could use the new vessels to travel farther up the St. Johns River, allowing cruise ships to explore local communities, including Downtown Sanford and Hontoon Island State Park. Sailing along the shoreline could also bring more exposure to some of the smaller communities on Central Florida’s Atlantic Seaboard.
click image 
The higher cost of complying with US labor regulations has meant that many people still see river cruising as an unattainable luxury. However, new competition and interest in the market could soon change that. In early 2021, while many cruise lines were months away from new sailings, American restarted with a cruise along the South Coast with ports of call in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The cruise brought additional attention to the cruise line, which has been able to reopen more quickly thanks to its all-US-based cast and crew. After strong interest in his cruises, American rolled his longest river cruise still. A 22-day cruise that offers passengers a complete tour of the Mississippi River.
At the time, Robertson again mentioned Florida, saying the company was looking at ways to allow guests to “move seamlessly between our existing cruises.”
After two years of little international travel, American is betting that many people have recognized the beauty in their own backyards and want a cruise experience that explores that beauty without it the blame coupled with the low-paying, international-flagged mega-ships currently dominating the cruise industry.
–
Keep up with the latest Central Florida news and views with our weekly newspaper Newsletter, and consider support for this free publication. Our small but mighty team works tirelessly to bring you news from Central Florida, and every little helps.
