American Cruise Lines Bullish on Growth with 10 New Ships on the Way
by Bruce Parkinson
American Cruise Lines Patriot Class: American Pioneer.
American Cruise Lines is in expansion mode with 10 new ships entering the U.S. river cruise market over the next three years, beginning with American Pioneer debuting in Florida on October 31.
American Pioneer is the second new Patriot Class ship the company has launched this year. The rest of the massive ship order will follow at regular intervals.
All American’s new boats will continue to sail domestically, operating itineraries across routes including the Mississippi River, Alaska, and the East Coast. The new ships will also accelerate the cruise line’s expansion into new niche markets such as the Great Lakes, the Arkansas River, and National Parks cruises.
“American’s order book reflects our confidence in the domestic cruise market and the product we have pioneered in the U.S.,” said president and CEO Charles B. Robertson. “The new ships will roll out at an average pace of one every four months and keep us on a disciplined growth trajectory.”
Following American Pioneer’s inaugural sailing, the company’s orderbook will feature 5 new American Riverboats, and 4 more Patriot Class ships which are a part of the Line’s ongoing Project Blue series. The Project Blue ships to date have included four innovative new Coastal Cats and Patriot Class flagship, American Patriot, which launched in June 2025.
American Cruise Lines 10 New Ships Through 2028:
- American Pioneer, small Patriot Class ship, 2025
- American Encore, modern American Riverboat, 2026
- American Maverick, small Patriot Class ship, 2026
- American Ranger, small Patriot Class ship, 2026
- American Anthem, modern American Riverboat, 2027
- American Mariner, small Patriot Class ship, 2027
- American Navigator, small Patriot Class ship, 2027
- American Grace, modern American Riverboat, 2028
- (American’s 29th ship): modern American Riverboat, 2028
- (American’s 30th ship): modern American Riverboat, 2028
New Patriot Class Ships
This week, American Pioneer will begin sailing the company’s new 16-Day Grand Florida Coast & Keys cruise, from Amelia Island to St. Petersburg, Florida. Both American Pioneer and American Patriot will sail several of the company’s new Florida coastal itineraries through April 2026.
The next four new Patriot Class ships are American Maverick and American Ranger, launching in 2026, and American Mariner and American Navigator, launching in 2027. American Maverick and American Ranger will begin sailing the company’s domestic East Coast itineraries in June and September 2026, respectively. American Mariner and American Navigator will also sail an array of the company’s East Coast itineraries beginning in June and July 2027.
Featured amenities include: 130 guest capacity; 5 decks; Singles, Doubles, and Suites with private balconies; multiple guest lounges, including a top deck lounge with fresh-air walking track; bow terrace/observation area; fitness centre; a grand dining room and casual café; complimentary laundry room; and elevator access to all decks.
New Modern American Riverboats:
American Cruise Lines launched American Song in 2018, the flagship in the company’s acclaimed American Riverboat™ series and the first modern riverboat in the country. Following its debut, American Songwas lauded by TIME Magazine as one of The World’s Greatest Places.
Since then, the company has introduced five more American Riverboats, including 2023’s American Encore — the first U.S. built riverboat to be named Best New Riverboat of the Year by Cruise Critic.
2026 will mark the debut of American’s seventh new modern riverboat, American Encore. The 180-guest riverboat will sail the Columbia and Snake Rivers beginning in May 2026. It will be quickly followed by sister ships American Anthem in 2027 and American Grace in 2028. Two more presently unnamed American Riverboats will follow American Grace in 2028.
Featured amenities include: 180 guest capacity; 5 decks; multi-story glass atrium at the centre of the ship; 100% private balcony accommodations, including the first-ever Signature Suite (1,000 sq/ft); a grand dining room and casual café; multiple indoor and outdoor lounges, including top deck lounge and outdoor walking track; fitness centre; complimentary laundry room; and elevator access to all passenger decks.
