American Cruise Lines Plans to Add 12 Identical Ships for US Domestic Sailing

American Cruise Lines intends to construct 12 identical sister ships in order to more than double the capacity of domestic coastal cruises in the United States.

According to the business, the hybrid catamaran design vessels would have “exceptional” near-shore operational capability.

The ‘Project Blue’ fleet will have 109 passengers and 50 crew members on each ship.

They’ll be 241 feet long and 56 feet broad, with a shallow draft and reliable sailing capabilities along lakes, rivers, bays, and the US coastline.

The operator said, “Their go-anywhere agility combines the adventure of an expedition with the luxury of the finest river cruises”

The first two will be named American Eagle and American Glory, after the company’s first two modest US-built ships, and will launch in 2023 on east coast itineraries.

Each will have 56 cabins, with a variety of big standard, suite, and single cabins, almost all having private balconies.

Inside and outside, there will be observation and sitting places at the bow, and each ship will have a forward lounge with 270-degree views.

Kayaks, tenders, and other activity-related alternatives pertinent to the journey will be available on an adventure deck at the stern.

The ships will include two dining options as well as room service, which is unusual for such a small vessel.

The service now has 15 ships, each with a capacity of 100-190 passengers, that travel on more than 35 itineraries across 31 US states.

Charles Robertson, president of American Cruise Lines, said: “Project Blue started as a design challenge to create a boat small enough for New England harbors and stable enough for the Alaska Inside Passage, with a draft shallow enough for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

“These boats can run almost anywhere, and because there will be 12 of them, they will be deployed all over the United States.”