Riverboat News

Captain Steve Jones is President of the Passenger Vessel Association for 2025. As his term comes to a close in February at the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2026 in Covington, KY, Captain Jones has achieved several long-sought-after successes during his term and set in motion other important association undertakings intended to deliver noteworthy benefits to PVA members in the coming year and beyond. Captain Jones has been with the Gateway Clipper Fleet since 1987. The Gateway Clipper Fleet…

American Cruise Lines has announced 10 new ships for the U.S. market beginning with American Pioneer debuting in Florida on October 31st. American Pioneer is the 2nd new Patriot Class ship the company has launched this year. All American’s new boats will continue to sail domestically, operating itineraries across the Line’s growing portfolio, including the Mississippi River, Alaska, and the East Coast. The new ships will also accelerate American’s expansion into new niche markets such as the Great Lakes, the Arkansas River, and National Parks cruises.

This week, RWE withdrew from a $10 billion Namibia green hydrogen project, the latest example of companies considering such investments.The German power utility said on Monday that it had withdrawn from Namibia's Hyphen green ammonia project because demand for hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives such as ammonia is developing slower than expected in Europe.The lack of new fuel availability for shipping is a problem that Accelleron has tackled in its newly released report Deadlock…

Marking a groundbreaking milestone in sustainable transport, the Sogestran Group launched the ZULU 06, France's first hydrogen-powered river vessel, on the Seine in Paris today.Valérie Bouillon-Delporte, Executive Director of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, was the vessel’s godmother: “The successful integration of fuel cells into the riverboat ZULU 06, soon to operate commercially in the heart of Paris, marks a significant technical and regulatory milestone. Building on the momentum of the FLAGSHIPS project…

American Cruise Lines announced the construction of American Maverick and American Ranger, the seventh and eighth vessels in the company’s Project Blue series of small ships for the U.S. market. Both vessels are slated to begin cruising in 2026, directly following the 2025 debuts of American Patriot, American Pioneer and new riverboat American Encore (2026).American’s Project Blue series began with four 100-passenger Coastal Cats introduced in 2023 and 2024. The newest Patriot Class ships…

American Cruise Lines has confirmed orders for three more newbuilds, extending its number of ships on order to seven.Scheduled delivery before the end of 2026, the new ships from Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md. include six Project Blue series ships and a brand-new American Riverboat.“The domestic cruise industry is the healthiest it has ever been. Demand for modern river products, new small ships, and unique exploration in the U.S.A. continues to grow,” said Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO of American Cruise Lines.

American Cruise Lines’ newest Coastal Cat, American Glory, completed sea trials and has been delivered from Chesapeake Shipbuilding on-time as scheduled.The the 100-passenger small ship is the newest ship in American’s ongoing series of 12 new Coastal Cats for exploring U.S. waterways. Additional ships in the series are already under construction, with the next two scheduled for delivery in 2024. American Glory will sail its inaugural cruise on November 28 from Maryland to Florida…

In a canyon at the Idaho border and alongside a bayou in Louisiana, two nearly identical cruise ships were just christened. American Cruise Lines announced the christening of sister ships American Jazz and American Serenade, two of the lines’ six new riverboats.“The two christenings, one in a desert canyon and one on the bayou, show the incredible breadth of river cruise options in the USA,” said Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO, American Cruise Lines. “They also show the growth of American Cruise Lines and the range of places that we explore.

The newest riverboat for the Mississippi River passed sea trials this week and is on its way to New Orleans for its inaugural season on the mighty river.American Cruise Lines announced today, that it has accepted delivery of the American Serenade from Chesapeake Shipbuilding as scheduled.American Serenade is the sixth riverboat in the line’s new series, and the 18th small ship built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding for the U.S. based small-ship cruise line.The 180-passenger boat will…

The newest riverboat for the Mississippi River passed sea trials late last week and is on its way to New Orleans for an on-time start to its inaugural season on the Mighty Mississippi. American Cruise Lines said it has accepted delivery of the American Symphony from Chesapeake Shipbuilding as scheduled. American Symphony is the fifth riverboat in the Line’s series and the 15th small ship built by Chesapeake for American. The 175-passenger new boat will immediately join the company’s expanding Mississippi River fleet.

American Cruise Lines announced it will begin offering California cruises starting in 2023.The U.S. river and small ship coastal cruise line will offer a new eight-day round tris from San Francisco exploring the San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, the Napa River and the San Joaquin River, with stops in San Francisco, Napa, Vallejo, Stockton and Sacramento.“American continues to expand the possibilities for exceptional domestic small ship cruises across the country. Exploring this…

American Cruise Lines announced its new river cruise ship American Symphony was launched last week at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md. The new riverboat was positioned in Chesapeake’s East Outfitting Basin where it will receive its upper decks and outfitting.The fifth ship in the new riverboat class American first introduced in 2018, American Symphony will begin cruising the Mississippi River in August 2022.A sister ship American Melody commissioned in 2021, American Symphony will accommodate 175-passengers…

The year just ended, 2021, might be described as being about “trying to get back to normal”, across the entire transportation spectrum, two years into the pandemic. During this time, the decarbonization and electrification waves have swept across maritime passenger transport. The passenger side of the business is dependent on multiple funding sources; increasingly, this money will be driven by environmental and social considerations.The long-awaited funding of “infrastructure”-related projects…

American Cruise Lines' new river cruise ship American Melody is ready to kick off its inaugural season on Friday along the line’s longest Mississippi River cruise.The 22-day complete Mississippi River cruise had originally been scheduled to operate from New Orleans, La., to St. Paul, Minn., but due to Hurricane Ida, guests will embark in Natchez, Miss.Through the end of December 2021, American Melody will also operate eight-day Upper Mississippi River cruises between St. Louis, Mo., and St.

American Cruise Lines Accepts Delivery of American Melody and Announces the Names of the 5th & 6th Modern RiverboatsAmerican Cruise Lines announced it has taken delivery of its newest riverboat, American Melody, from Chesapeake Shipbuilding. The vessel was handed over on time despite various challenges as the Maryland shipyard continued building through the pandemic.Immediately following last week’s successful Sea Trials, the brand new American Melody headed to New Orleans to ready for its inaugural cruise along the Mississippi River, an eight-day New Orleans-New Orleans itinerary.

The American Jazz riverboat, which ran aground near Canton, Kentucky on July 8 with 120 passengers and six crewmembers aboard, has finally been set free.The Lake Barkley Grounding Unified Command freed the riverboat, American Jazz, Friday from Lake Barkley in Cadiz, the U.S. Coast Guard said Saturday.At 3:22 p.m., salvage crews and the riverboat crew were able to free the riverboat from being ground by using a combination of a tug and barge setup along with the ship’s propulsion."Thanks to the amazing support of American Cruise Lines…

American Cruise Lines now has six ships in the Pacific Northwest for 2021, with four of them operating on the Columbia and Snake Rivers.One of the line’s riverboats American Harmony completed its recent journey from the East Coast to the Pacific Northwest via the Panama Canal. The newest addition to American’s Columbia River fleet comes at the same time that the line is preparing to introduce two more new riverboats to the Mississippi River.Upon arrival in Astoria, Ore., American Harmony joined modern series sister-ship American Song…

American Cruise Lines said its fourth new Modern Series riverboat launched last week at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md. is on schedule for its inaugural Mississippi River cruise season beginning in summer 2021.Once complete, American Melody will have five decks, and accommodate 175 guests in 91 staterooms. American Melody will highlight the Line’s new interior design, showcasing a multi-story glass atrium at the center of the ship, 100% private balcony accommodations…

American Cruise Lines says its next new ship is already being readied for launch, just two months after the U.S.-flag operator accepted delivery of its latest newbuild, American Jazz. The forward hull section of American Melody was moved from a hull fabrication building to the launch ways last week, where it will be joined to the aft section and launched into the Wicomico River.The hull section utilizes a heavy-lift ground-transfer system that distributes and levels the load as it moves.

American Cruise Lines announced it has taken delivery of a new riverboat from Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md.The 190-passenger American Jazz is the latest in American’s series of five new modern riverboats and will be added to the company’s fleet on the Mississippi River. American’s building plans have continued at full strength, despite this year’s pause in cruising.“American Jazz and the modern riverboats we currently have under construction demonstrate our commitment to leading the U.S. river cruise market by adding new small ships each year,” said Charles B.

American Cruise Lines announced that it will launch two additional modern riverboats for the 2021 season. Construction is already underway on the new riverboats and will ramp up as American Jazz, the Line’s third modern riverboat, is readied for its 2020 debut in New Orleans.The two riverboats coming next year will be sister ships to the American Harmony and American Jazz, but will feature new design elements that appeal to today’s discerning travelers. Further design enhancements…

When I came into office as the Passenger Vessel Association’s President for 2019 last January, I announced two strategic goals for our industry: to enhance safety and foster the professional growth of our next generation of leaders. I am proud to announce we have undertaken major initiatives and made progress on each. These goals match my lifelong professional commitment to safety as well as aligning with PVA’s true north: a responsibility to be ever vigilant and proactive in addressing safety.I have been a longtime member of PVA and served in its leadership for years.

American Cruise Lines announced that its second of a new class of modern riverboat, the American Harmony, moved under its own power to the shipyard’s outfitting pier for final touches. American Harmony was successfully launched at Chesapeake Shipbuilding this past November, 2018, and is well ahead of schedule for its August 17, 2019 inaugural cruise on the Mississippi River. American Harmony is the 2nd of 5 new ships in American’s revolutionary new modern riverboat series. The 1st ship, American Song, was the first modern riverboat in U.S. history and went into service last fall.