Just Back from American Cruise Lines American Serenade

Table Of Content

• American Cruise Lines Makes the History of America Come Alive
• This New Ship Will Sail the U.S. on Some of the Country's Most Beautiful Rivers — Including a 22-day Mississippi Cruise
• ACL-American Cruise Lines starts Upper Mississippi 2023 season with 11 itineraries and 5 new...
• ACL-American Cruise Lines begins its biggest season ever on the Mississippi
• Grand Suite Private Balcony
• Decks and Cabins

And in that, American Cruise Lines is also modernizing the state of U.S.-based river cruising, which is finally getting away from the replica paddle wheelers that look cool but don't really contribute meaningfully to the overall cruise experience. American Cruise Lines recognizes the historic significance of these waterways, with onboard entertainment and programming that is meant to explore and highlight local culture, from music and song to historically-minded lectures and shore excursions. You can learn about the American Civil War -- in the region you are sailing through -- before you ever set foot on land. The lectures we had aboard prepared me for our visit to the Shiloh National Cemetery and the Tennessee River Museum. All staterooms feature a private, step-out balcony accessible from the living area via a sliding, floor-ceiling glass door. All cabin balconies are furnished with a small table and two deckchairs.

American Cruise Lines Makes the History of America Come Alive

The American Serenade introduces an updated modern interior design, integrating an elegant and refined aesthetic with a tradition for the spacious comfort found aboard all of American Cruise Lines ships. Drawing inspiration from the geography across America, the new interior design highlights natural textural elements and serene color palettes. She also showcases panoramic views throughout, including an impressive four-story glass atrium in the center of the ship. American Serenade also features an on board fitness center and many spacious lounges where you can relax after the day’s adventures. To that end, passengers will find cabins that all feature full private balconies and plenty of living space, with passenger corridors anchored by a four-story atrium topped by a skylight that lets in plenty of natural light.

This New Ship Will Sail the U.S. on Some of the Country's Most Beautiful Rivers — Including a 22-day Mississippi Cruise

Considered one of the finest staterooms on any cruise ship, guests will enjoy full-size bathrooms and a large living area complete with sliding glass door. Your in-suite mini-refrigerator will be fully stocked and replenished throughout your cruise with juices, waters, white and red wine. All suites include a private walk-out balcony where you can enjoy “suite treats” delivered to you each evening and take in the breathtaking views. After boarding, we were greeted by glasses of champagne and went directly to our staterooms, where our luggage had already been delivered. Not only does the smaller size make for a more personal experience, but also provides more interaction with both guests and crew.

ACL-American Cruise Lines starts Upper Mississippi 2023 season with 11 itineraries and 5 new...

The line's itineraries appeal to Americans who want to see more of their own country with ease, and thus, appeal to folks with mobility issues who may not be able to travel in comfort any other way. The ship has two elevators that traverse all decks but the uppermost Sun Deck, and one wheelchair-accessible motorcoach is available to passengers who require it for shore excursions. Two Sun Deck is fitted with sunbathing and shaded seating areas, but unlike the bigger sisterships, it lacks the deck-games area (with Putting Green and Shuffleboard). Located on the third deck, these spacious staterooms feature commanding views of the passing river landscapes. Ft., there is plenty of room to enjoy the tasteful comfort of your surroundings.

Cabins Aboard American Serenade Are Among the Most Spacious on the Rivers

Most of the entertainment on our sailing came from the onboard river experts, Steve and JoAnn. This couple has been lecturing and performing on ACL ships since 2012, and when they weren’t telling us about the river and wildlife, they were singing and playing piano in the River Lounge. Having been on two ACL cruises, I can say confidently that no cruise line does excursions better than ACL, starting with the ship’s excursions director, Mark. He was there at all times to make sure everyone gets on the right bus, handing out umbrellas if it’s raining and insuring everything is running smoothly. Overall, the service on Serenade, just as we found on Constellation, was excellent.

ACL-American Cruise Lines begins its biggest season ever on the Mississippi

I normally skip entertainment but find myself attending their lectures and shows each day. Cabins aboard American Serenade are generously sized, with the vast majority onboard measuring at least 315 square feet and going up in size from there. Each cabin offers a generously-sized bathroom, and ample storage space, though curiously beds are too low to allow luggage to be placed underneath them. The first modern riverboats ever in the United States are showcasing several pioneering innovations on America’s waters. With its clean and uncluttered décor, the Serenade looks more like a modern European river cruise ship than one of the old-fashioned paddlewheel boats seen on the mighty Mississippi. Passengers aboard American Serenade tend to be predominantly 70+ and exclusively American.

A Look at The Mississippi River Fleet for 2024 - Cruise Industry News

A Look at The Mississippi River Fleet for 2024.

Posted: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Grand Suite Private Balcony

These staterooms have all the comforts of a fine hotel and feature floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with a private balcony where you can sit back, relax and watch the rolling river views. All staterooms include individual climate control systems, in-room Keurig coffee brewers, ample storage, an array of toiletries, complimentary WiFi, Satellite TV, and a DVD player. Ft. of relaxing space, each Veranda suite provides the perfect balance of comfort and luxury. Be treated to a fruit and cheese plate when you arrive and cheers with a complimentary bottle of premium champagne as you begin your adventure.

This is where the river is the most scenic, flowing by tall bluffs and through habitats populated by bald eagles. And if the gorgeous new American Serenade is any indication, the company is only just getting started. Our weeklong voyage aboard the brand-new American Serenade was just one of many interesting itineraries the company offers that explore the far reaches of America's coastlines and waterways. Sure, ACL has a large presence on the Upper and Lower Mississippi and Columbia and Snake rivers, as one would expect.

American Cruise Lines builds its ships entirely within the United States at its own shipyard (Chesapeake Shipbuilding), and American Serenade is crewed with entirely American crewmembers, some of whom hail from the big-ship cruising world. The ship has a modern propulsion system consisting of 2x azimuth thrusters ("Z-drives") manufactured by Veth (Holland). These 360-degree rotating propellers (1x forward, 1x aft) provide the boat with greater maneuverability and berthing flexibility.

After the christening cruise, the ship will continue on the company’s eight-day Tennessee rivers itinerary, which travels between Nashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee, including stops in Decatur, Alabama; Florence, Alabama;  Savannah, Tennessee; and Paducah, Tennessee. Cruising on American Serenade, enjoy comfortable lounges and large observation decks that provide the perfect place for guests to relax and enjoy the company of fellow travelers who share their interest in American heritage. Glass enclosed dining salons provide panoramic views of the spectacular scenery you will see. The 175-passenger American Serenade is the newest modern riverboat sailing the Mississippi River. She is one of the most sophisticated and elegant riverboats available on U.S. waters and the sixth for American Cruise Lines. Unlike larger, ocean-going ships, you won’t find opulent theaters, casinos, virtual reality game rooms or water parks on ACL.

It's the kind of charming perks cruise lines used to offer, that are still alive and well aboard American Cruise Lines. In fact, the onboard lectures American Cruise Lines put together were as good, if not better, than their European counterparts. In speaking with other passengers, the quality of their resident and guest speakers and entertainers is one reason they keep booking with the line, time after time -- a process that nets them some pretty sweet past-passenger perks.

AAR cabins on Deck 1 have a steel door that opens to a private balcony and are slightly smaller, at 275 square feet. AAM and AAC categories are located on Decks 3 and 2, respectively, and include floor-to-ceiling glass sliding balcony doors. AAM rooms are 350 square feet, with AAC rooms coming in just a bit smaller at 315 square feet -- still plenty spacious for a couple travelling together.

The shipowner American Cruise Lines (ACL) is the USA's largest river cruise company (headquarters in Guilford Connecticut) operational since 1991. The company specializes in cruise shipping on the USA's largest navigable inland waterways (rivers and lakes) as well as in cruises along the US East Coast, US West Coast and Florida. American Cruise Lines offers a very interesting cruise following the path of Lewis and Clark on the Snake and Columbia rivers. Each day is filled with excursions and entertaining presentations of this historic adventure. There are a multitude of daily excursions to choose from some are complementary others are fee based. You also had time to peruse each historic port along the way including The Dalles and Astoria.

Air conditioning is strong enough to handle the excessive Tennessee heat and humidity, and the upper Sun Deck is among the nicest we've seen afloat on a river ship of this size. But with American Serenade and sisters American Symphony and American Melody, the line seems to have hit the design jackpot. Staterooms are spacious and wonderfully decorated, and the ship has a fabulous flow to it. The aft-situated Sky Lounge on Deck 4 helps take some of the pressure off of the main River Lounge on Deck 3, which on our sailing became so busy during cocktail hour that the event was offered in the Sky Lounge as well. If you live near one of American Cruise Lines' ports of call, the line will even invite you aboard for a complimentary lunch or dinner and tour -- even without a current reservation. If you're sailing, you can invite friends aboard in a port of call for lunch or dinner, gratis.

Lounges soar 40 feet above the water with triple the glass of other riverboats. Founded in 1991, American Cruise Lines specializes in small-ship coastal and river cruises throughout the United States. Each American Cruise Lines vessel is a traditional USA-built (at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland) as well as American-flagged and crewed. Cruise Director Brandon Wind said our weeklong Music Cities Cruise from Memphis to Nashville is fully booked with 172 passengers and 46 crew members.