American Cruise Lines to add five riverboats to fleet

Dana Forsythe
·1 min read
UPI
The American Melody is part of American Cruise Lines' line of American Riverboats. Photo courtesy of American Cruise Lines

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- American Cruise Lines, which operates the most small ship and river cruise boats in the United States, announced Wednesday it has five new ships under construction, all scheduled for delivery over the next two years.

According to a release from the company, the river cruisers will include a mix of American Riverboats and Coastal Cats, focusing on exploring the Mississippi and Columbia rivers.

In a statement, the president and CEO of American Cruise Lines, Charles Robertson, called the new shipbuilding contract "an exciting expansion of the American Cruise Lines fleet."

"After several years building the coastal fleet, we are once again ready to begin building out the U.S. river cruise capacity," Robertson said in a statement.

The new ships are to be built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md.,

In 2024, the company said, American will operate 19 ships, each accommodating just 90 to 180 passengers, which cruise more than 50 domestic itineraries.

According to a 2023 report, the river cruise market was estimated to grow by $3.21 billion from 2022 to 2027, with an annual growth rate of 12.9%. Key to growth has been an expansion of onboard facilities and offerings, the report said.