American Cruise Lines Continues Expansion with Constitution Inaugural

The newest ship from American Cruise Lines (ACL), American Constitution, has officially completed its inaugural Chesapeake Bay sailing, marking another step in ACL’s three-ship expansion that was launched in 2016.

The 175-passenger ship left Baltimore on Apr. 18 on an 11-day American Revolution itinerary, including a day docked on Washington D.C.’s Southwest waterfront, the first time a ship has done so in 60 years.

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Constitution follows American Constellation, which debuted in May 2017, as one of the line’s newest ships. The third ship in its 2016 three-ship order is American Song, which will be the first ship in the line’s Modern Riverboat Series. Song will debut in fall 2018 on the Mississippi River.

According to ACL’s Director of Sales Susan Shultz, ACL is hoping to “revolutionize modern river cruising in the United States” with its expansion.

“We see ourselves as changing how people think about cruising in the United States,” she told Travel Market Report. She added that while there’s a ton of domestic travel in the U.S., there’s not a lot happening on the nation’s rivers.

“You see land at all times, but you can’t see this on the highway,” she added.

Shultz said that Constitution will sail 35 different itineraries in its first year. All of its spring American Revolution sailings are already sold out.

For travel agents, the line has also added its first business development managers — one for the Northwest U.S. and one for the Southwest, with more to possibly come. The BDM development works in conjunction with ACL’s travel agent online training and the new 15 percent agent commissions that the company announced in January.

“It’s all about educating these travel agents,” she said. “Our product is not for everyone, but it is for that niche.” 

There is also a client loyalty program that will allow agents to give travelers some incentives to return to the line, which Shultz said is a big part of ACL’s business.

“We have big repeat business, and that helps the travel agents, because if you’re smart, you will call your clients and tell them to rebook onboard and ask them if they have friends that want to go with them,” she said. 

For agents wanting to break into the domestic small ship market now, Shultz said that ACL does a lot of themed sailings — including American Revolution itineraries or wine-themed sailings—that are easier to sell to guests who have been properly qualified.

There are also opportunities for group business and full-ship charters. ACL can accommodate private cocktail hours and dinners for groups.