American Song Launched Ahead of Schedule

American Cruise Lines launched its new riverboat American Song into the Wicomico River on November 17, seven weeks ahead of schedule.

The first ship in the Line’s Modern Riverboat Series, she was built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, MD. She has five decks, accommodates 190 passengers and has 102 staterooms. The bow of American Song is designed to open, allowing a retractable rotating gangway to extend from the ship’s main deck directly to a river bank or dock. The uniqueness of this advanced bow and nimble gangway gives the ship the ability to make “bow landings” wherever needed. This feature will give American Song an array of options for its itineraries unmatched by other ships, says the company. 

The new riverboat employs two Veth Propulsion Z-drives. These 360-degree azimuthing forward and aft propellers give American Song flexibility for docking and maneuvering. American Song is also equipped with two advanced main engines from Caterpillar. These twin, ultra-low-sulfur diesel engines require less fuel and produce lower emissions.

The Inaugural season on board American Song will begin in Fall 2018 on the Mississippi River and will continue on the West Coast in 2019.

American Cruise Lines visits 25 states in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, New England, the Southeast, and the Mississippi River regions. The Line has over 35 itineraries ranging from five to 22 days.