American Cruise Lines Offers Vacations Like None Other

Image: PHOTO: American Cruise Lines' two styles of ship?modern and traditional. (photo courtesy of American Cruise Lines)

by Jason Leppert
Last updated: 10:00 PM ET, Wed October 25, 2017

<a href="/suppliers/cruise/american-cruise-lines.html" target="_self">American Cruise Lines</a> may be a lesser-known operator, but the company is definitely worth considering for a number of high-profile reasons.TravelPulse interviewed Susan Shultz-Gelino, the brand's Director of Sales, to better understand just what makes American Cruise Lines unique in the industry.TravelPulse: What sets American Cruise Lines apart from other brands?Susan Shultz-Gelino: American Cruise Lines builds its own ships, and we are the largest cruise line in the U.S. Our fleet of 100 to 200 passenger ships are new and custom designed-they are not refurbished casino or dinner ships. Our ships are all U.S. made, U.S. staffed and U.S. flagged, and they are all fully-stabilized with Rolls Royce stabilizers for maximum guest comfort. American Cruise Lines has both coastal cruisers and authentic paddlewheelers in our fleet.

American Cruise Lines has the largest staterooms in the river cruise industry and the largest staterooms in the American market as a whole. Staterooms are thoughtfully designed, including furnished balconies with sliding-glass doors. Our ships also have no inside staterooms, which allows all our staterooms to be larger.We cruise only in <a href="/destinations/north-america.html" target="_self">North America</a>, and we do it well-with over 35 itineraries to 30 states. American Cruise Lines curates each itinerary by incorporating onboard historians and experts, guided shore excursions and regionally inspired cuisine. American Cruise Lines appeals to an older, sophisticated traveler-our guests are more interested in our enriching cultural experiences and less interested in pools, buffets and casinos.Most importantly, our intimate small-ship size allows us to offer guests a level of personalized service that is the hallmark of our brand.TP: What benefits do guests get from an <a href="/news/cruise/is-this-old-law-hurting-america-s-cruise-industry.html" target="_self">American-flagged vessel</a>?S S-G: Our guests cruise on fully-American built ships that are registered in the U.S. This becomes a point of pride for many of our American passengers. Each ship has an all-American crew, and every crew member speaks English.There is also an added security benefit in emergency situations: Because we are U.S. flagged, we always have the full support of local and federal law enforcement, including the U.S. Coast Guard.TP: Why should someone consider an American river cruise over a European one?S S-G: America is one of the most visually beautiful and geographically diverse nations on earth. From desert canyons to Alaskan glaciers, to beaches lined with palm trees, we can cruise through it all. The scenery on our unique itineraries sets the perfect backdrop for the incredible history that each cruise offers our guests.From the Revolutionary War to Westward expansion, many guests find a deep personal interest in exploring American history and geography. They can see firsthand the things they first learned in elementary school and have heard or read about over the course of a lifetime.In addition, by traveling in the U.S., many of our guests avoid the extra expense of overseas flights and hassles. Many guests also simply prefer spending their money in the US and feel like they are contributing to local economies in the country. Our American guests avoid immigrations, customs and the difficulty of traveling internationally, and often can just drive to the ship, avoiding flights altogether.For many, there is also a sense of security in staying close to home, knowing that they can easily get back to doctors, family and friends. And for our international guests, we provide a thoughtful, genuine and welcoming all-American travel experience along with all the comforts and amenities travelers far from home would want.TP: What does the future evolution from paddlewheelers to modern riverboats mean for the company?S S-G: American Cruise Lines sees both types of riverboats running on a parallel track, rather than evolving from one to the other. Paddlewheelers are iconic and will always have a unique place in American river cruising. Our paddlewheelers, in particular, are all newly-built (not re-purposed) so we are able to offer the authentic paddlewheeler-experience along with the comforts of a newly-designed ship.American Cruise Lines' introduction of the Modern Riverboat Series to the American River cruising market offers passengers yet another new exciting choice in ship style. The Modern Riverboats will elevate the American River cruise industry as a whole, by providing a ship style similar to some newer European river cruising ships.We see a demand for modern design, and our new class of boats will allow us to offer this new chic style while remaining true to our core brand.The Modern Riverboats are better suited to a comparison of river cruising on a global scale and are the perfect option for our agent partners who have been selling modern riverboats in other countries for years. During 2018, American Cruise Lines will not only offer the most diverse selection of American itineraries but the most diverse selection of ships anywhere, guaranteeing our passengers the best variety to choose from in designing their ideal American cruise experience.TP: Where does Pearl Seas Cruises fit into the picture?S S-G: Pearl Seas Cruises is our affiliate company, offering international choices aboard a product that is similar to American Cruise Lines. Pearl Seas cruises to <a href="/news/features/why-a-cruise-is-the-best-way-to-experience-cuba.html" target="_self">Cuba</a>, the Great Lakes and the Canadian Maritimes.