American Cruise Lines has launched a new, epic itinerary, known as the “61-day, 20-state, Across the USA by River & Rail.”
Starting in Portland, Oregon in August 2024, The Great United States, a name for this grand adventure, is planned as a cross-country odyssey from west to east. From national parks to Civil War landmarks to sleepy rural landscapes to major urban hot-spots, travelers will encounter a little bit of everything, with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. The journey, which will span two months, will see the ship sailing on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the American West; a 1,400-mile stretch of the Mississippi River from New Orleans to St. Paul, Minn.; as well as the entirety of the New England coast. Guests will also tour Idaho, Montana and Wyoming by land and they will travel to each port by a number of connecting flights. The trip wraps up with a spectacular New York City greeting, including a sail past the Statue of Liberty.
“American Cruise Lines’ Great United States cruise is a fantastic example of our country and what American Cruise Lines is able to offer,” the company’s president and CEO Charles B. Robertson says in a statement to Travel + Leisure. “This is the first time anyone has tried anything close to this in the U.S., and only American Cruise Lines has the expertise and capabilities to do it right,” he continues.
The cruise will include three of the brand’s 18 ships, each of which is extraordinary: American Independence, American Jazz and American Symphony. Sailing in the Pacific Northwest, the ship provides 99 staterooms, every one with a veranda. The American Symphony, a 180-passenger ship fresh for 2022, will cruise the Mississippi portion of the trip. In October, 51-passenger the American Independence is scheduled to transport guests from Maine through New England and on New York’s Hudson River.
“We are the only cruise line to operate an entirely American-built and registered fleet, and the only line covering all the regions included in this itinerary,” Robertson tells T+L. “This new cruise offers an exceptional journey through America, made possible by the fleet we have established.”
Fares for the two-month expedition begin at $51,060 per person, an all-inclusive price that encompasses meals, beverages, activities, entertainment, Wi-Fi, connecting flights, hotel stays, crew gratuities, and port fees.
Though this is the longest voyage American Cruise Lines has ever organized, a company source suggests it might be the first of many. “These extended cruises are incredibly popular,” the source reveals to T+L. “We have plans to introduce more in the future.”
