American Cruise Lines has overnight confirmed it will add two new small ships to its fleet in 2025, American Patriot and American Pioneer – foreshadowed exclusively by LATTE last month.
The 125-passenger sister ships represent the fifth and sixth ships in the company’s Project Blue series of 12 new small ships for the US market. The ships will be built at the company’s affiliated shipyard, Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Maryland.
American Patriot will begin sailing in June 2025, and American Pioneer in November 2025. Both new ships will operate a host of American’s exclusive US itineraries up and down the East Coast, including all-new 15-Day Grand Florida Coast & Keys cruises, beginning in 2025. This new longer Florida itinerary follows the 2024 launch of American’s 8-Day Florida Gulf Coast & Keys cruises, which are offered on several of the Line’s first four Project Blue ships, 100-passenger Coastal Cats: American Eagle and American Glory (2023), and American Liberty and American Legend (2024).
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American Patriot and American Pioneer will feature 5 decks and 56 staterooms. They will offer a more traditional bow construction and slightly deeper draft with full stabilisation, enhancing coastwise capabilities for smooth sailing. These new ships will further broaden the itinerary possibilities for the company’s growing array of US coastal itineraries.
The new vessels will showcase elegant interior design and spacious 100% private balcony accommodations—including a range of large standard staterooms, suites, and singles. The ships’ 4th decks will offer all-suite accommodations.
Both new ships will feature an expansive Main Lounge and Restaurant on deck 1, offering guests water views from every seat. On the 5th deck, American Patriot and American Pioneer will offer sitting, dining, and fitness areas including a 360-degree Skywalk walking track, an indoor Sky Lounge, outside Sun Deck, and casual café. The new ships also offer a Bow Terrace and Horizon Lounge on deck 3, as well as indoor fitness centre on deck 4.
When American Patriot and American Pioneer begin sailing in 2025, American Cruise Lines will operate 21 small ships across the country, sailing the largest collection of US River and coastal itineraries ever offered before in America.
“Coastally, this category of cruise has never been available in so many regions of the country before,” American Cruise Lines said. “American continues to respond to the demand for 100% domestic itineraries by introducing new small ships with world-class amenities—unlocking amazing new opportunities for cruising closer to home year after year.”
Pictured on this page are renders of American Pioneer. View renders of American Patriot on LATTE‘s previous article, here.
More details on American Cruise Lines’ Patriot Class ships at americancruiselines.com/usa-riverboat-cruise-ships/patriot-class
