Many of our guests have expressed interest in finding out what happens between the time a new ship leaves the shipyard and before it is christened for its inaugural season.
What are Sea Trials?
One of the last steps in the construction and positioning of a vessel is the Sea Trial or test run. Approximately a month before a new ship is scheduled to travel with our guests, representatives from American Cruise Lines and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as Chesapeake Shipbuilding, where all our vessels are built, come on board to measure a new vessel's performance and general “seaworthiness.” Despite its name, these tests take place on the intracoastal waterways and rivers on which we travel.
During this time, which typically runs between 12 and 24 hours, the new ship is tested in the fields below:
- Speed
- Maneuverability
- Equipment
- Safety features
- Propulsion
- Navigational systems
- Fuel flow
- Exhaust
Though this is called a “Sea” Trial, our fleet is vetted on the intracoastal waterways and rivers in which we travel.
Most recently, American Liberty, passed an extensive sea trial and is sailing it's inaugural season starting in mid-August in New England and the Southeast.
