In today's video, we dive a little deeper into the news this week from American Cruise Lines about their next generation of ships.
They've announced that their next 12 ships will be an all-new design with a capacity of just 109 passengers.
These new ships will have beautiful contemporary styling...
And ACL has provided me with artist's renderings and computer-generated graphics...
So that I can show you how gorgeous these new ships are going to be.
So, settle in for a few minutes and let me show you these beautiful new ships coming from American Cruise Lines.
Well, this is exciting to finally see what the next generation of American Cruise Lines ships is going to be all about.
They've been calling this "Project Blue" and it's been a big secret until just this week.
And a couple of big changes jump out at me right away.
First off, these ships will be smaller than the current ships in the ACL fleet.
I sailed on American Harmony last year and it has a capacity of 190 guests...
And I sailed on American Melody, which has a capacity of 175 guests.
But these next twelve ships that will be coming from ACL will have a capacity of just 109 passengers.
The other thing that jumps out at me right away about these new ships is that they use a catamaran-style hull design.
ACL says that this new hybrid catamaran design will allow for smoother sailing along rivers, lakes, bays, and protected coastlines all across America...
And that these ships will have an extremely shallow draft that will allow these ships to sail in very shallow waterways that bigger ships can't get to.
The first two of these twelve new nearly-identical sister ships will start cruising in 2023.
That will be American Eagle and American Glory, namesakes of the company’s first two small U.S.-built ships.
And they will be doing coastal cruises along the eastern seaboard of the United States...
Exploring places like the coast of Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, The Carolinas, and Georgia.
Once all 12 new ships are built it will more than double the nation's capacity for domestic coastal cruises.
And you'll see these new ships in lots more waterways than just the eastern seaboard.
Now take a look at this picture and focus in on the stern, the back end of the ship.
Notice that platform there on the aft... something totally different from the design of their current ships.
From that platform, they will be able to launch kayaks, allowing guests to explore the shoreline.
And from that platform, guests will also be able to board that tender you see there, to go ashore.
These are new elements of expedition adventure cruising that ACL will be bringing to their new ships.
But at the same time, there's a new refinement to the interior design of the ships...
Giving a greater element of luxury to the furnishings and the decor of the ships.
The ships will also have improved stability, thanks to the catamaran design of the hull...
As well as stabilizers by Rolls Royce.
Let's take a look at the very front end of the ship now.
This is an observation area that sits right up front, giving you fantastic views of everything ahead of the ship.
Notice all the tables and chairs so that you can sit and relax for as long as you want as you enjoy the beautiful views.
Notice those big windows there at the front of the ship.
Just behind those windows is the forward lounge.
If the weather is not cooperating, making it uncomfortable out on that big observation deck outside...
No problem, just sit inside here in the forward lounge for a panoramic view of everything not just in front of the ship, but around both sides, too.
And this is also where the entertainment will happen in the evenings.
There will be entertainers onboard that travel with the ship the entire way...
And ACL also brings aboard local entertainers in many of the places that the ship visits along the way.
Now this is another lounge onboard the new ships.
This is the Sky Lounge.
As we look around and admire the new interior design of these American Cruise Lines ships...
Keep in mind that all twelve of ACL's new ships were designed here in the United States...
And are being built here in the United States by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland.
All ACL ships are registered here in the United States, too... not in foreign countries...
All the other cruise lines do foreign registration to escape having to follow US regulations.
The crew on ACL ships is all American so, there's never a language barrier when you're talking to a crew member.
All the crew are paid American wages, and ACL follows American labor laws.
As we continue panning left here in this shot of the Sky Lounge...
You're going to see a very important feature of this lounge.
It's the bar, where ACL serves up drinks to the passengers, at no extra charge, during cocktail hour each evening.
Here's a look at a typical cabin aboard these new ships from American Cruise Lines.
I love the very soft color palette that they've used in the interior decoration of the new ships.
Warm, comfortable earth tones.
To me, it looks just fantastic!
Some of the cruises ACL offers are as long as 15 days.
I would have no trouble at all spending 15 days on these ships.
Wouldn't you like to get away for a while and have someone else do the cooking and the cleaning while you explore interesting destinations right here in the United States?
Here's the bathroom in a typical Verandah cabin.
Much nicer than the bathrooms on many of the cruises that I've been on.
If you're an affluent traveller...
Someone who has saved well and invested well over your lifetime...
And can now afford to travel in first-class style...
This is the stateroom that you're going to want to book.
This is a Grand Suite.
And this is just the living room!
There's more to this suite than what you see here.
Why book a regular cabin if you can afford a big luxurious suite, right?!?
It's good to splurge every now and then...
Make it a vacation that you and your spouse will talk about for the rest of your lives!
A cruise in the Grand Suite.
Here's the bedroom of the Grand Suite.
I absolutely love how they've decorated this.
The colors and materials just say elegance and comfort to me...
Without going over the top like a lot of cruise lines do with their suites.
And here's the bathroom to the Grand Suite.
This looks really good to me.
It's been a long winter. I really want to get back on a cruise ship!
And I definitely want to get onboard one of these new ships from American Cruise Lines when they make their debut in 2023.
Finally, this is what the restaurant is going to look like on the new generation of ships...
And the thing that jumps out at me is how they've put in much larger windows in the restaurant...
That makes the room seem so much more bright and airy...
You'll be able to enjoy the views more as you enjoy a good meal here in the restaurant.
I really like what I'm seeing in these artist's renderings of the new ship design that ACL will be using in the coming years.
I am really excited about these 12 new ships that will be coming to the ACL fleet...
And I am looking forward to cruising on them...
Small-ship cruising to some of the most amazing destinations across the United States.
With an elevated cruise experience that really fits my style...
They don't have black-tie affairs and formal gatherings...
They offer all the comforts of home, without the distractions of casinos and art auctions.
There's just a warm camaraderie among the small number of guests and crew members.
It's a totally unique vacation experience, not offered by the other cruise lines.