The Four Advantages of Small Ship River Cruises
I hope this message finds you happy, healthy, and excited to explore this great country.
People always ask me about the benefits of small ship cruising with American Cruise Lines, as compared to traveling on large ocean liners. Aside from obvious benefits like more personal space, less crowds, and more attentive service, the real differentiating factor to me is that we can offer not just a vacation, but a meaningful and authentic travel experience. We are cruising from the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast aboard our fleet of modern riverboats, small ships, traditional paddlewheelers, and, new this year, catamaran-inspired small ships.
Small Ships Offer Intimate and Meaningful Travel Experiences
Whether cruising the Columbia and Snake Rivers, Puget Sound, Alaska, New England, the Southeast or the Mississippi River region, our guests can truly get to know the culture and history of each destination, as we visit small ports, quaint towns, and places the larger ships cannot.
When on shore, guests travel in small groups, led by a local expert guide who gives them an “insider’s perspective,” allowing them to ask questions and get the most out of each exploration. Our onboard experts don’t just lecture, they spend time with guests aboard and on shore, giving real insight and depth to each destination visited. Many even dine with our guests.
The small number of passengers on board, less than 180, enables our crew to get to know our guests’ names, preferences, and even some of their personal stories. Guests become well acquainted with each other as well, often forming lasting friendships, with many signing up on board to travel together on future cruises with us. It’s so great seeing the familiar faces of those who have cruised with us before.
Newest Fleet of Small Ships in the U.S.
Our ships are the newest in the country, built right here in the U.S. Each is designed with our guests in mind, offering large well-appointed staterooms with private balconies, a variety of spacious lounges, sun decks, and shaded outdoor spaces - a very comfortable and ideal way to explore the U.S.
All-Inclusive Gourmet Dining & Drinks
Unlike large cruise lines, there are no buffets, but rather meals made to order in our Grand Dining Room. Our chefs use locally sourced ingredients to prepare gourmet dishes both traditional and influenced by the region in which we are traveling. Also unlike many of our competitors, we offer an all-inclusive experience, with complimentary wine and beer at both lunch and dinner. We also host a complimentary cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres each evening before dinner.
Cruising Close to Home
With people reluctant to travel internationally, the demand for domestic cruising is high and our modern riverboat series has folks re-imagining luxury travel here at home. Guests are able to avoid flights and other travel hassles and leave their passports behind. As with all American Cruise Lines itineraries, land is never out of sight and our guests can feel comfortable knowing they are close to shore.
These are just some of the reasons that domestic small ship and riverboat cruising is the way to travel. So if you have cruised with us before, we thank you. If you haven’t, why not give Cruising Close to Home with American Cruise Lines a try.
