CRUISE
American Cruise Lines small ship river and coastal cruising in the Pacific Northwest By Alexa Paolella American Cruise Lines
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mall ship cruising close to home in the U.S.A. has become one of the most popular ways to explore our geographically and culturally diverse nation. Interest in river and small ship cruising continues to grow tremendously year after year, especially in the United States. American Cruise Lines is now the country’s largest alldomestic cruise line with 15 small ships, each accommodating just 100 to 190 passengers. The company builds all their small ships and riverboats new in the U.S. and offers remarkable cruises across the country — along both the West and East Coasts and all the great rivers in-between. American’s cruises follow 100-percent domestic itineraries, without any foreign ports of call, and several of the company’s most popular cruises explore the Pacific Northwest and depart from ports in Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR. In 2022, American sails in 33 states with four riverboats operating exclusively on the Columbia and Snake Rivers
All American’s river and coastal itineraries are done in river-cruise style —destination-focused and always sailing within sight of land, which provides more time for explorations on shore. between Hayden Island/Portland, OR, and Clarkston, WA. From Seattle, WA, American also offers two small cruise ships which explore the West Coast in river-cruise style, sailing in Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, and Alaska. From early spring through fall, guests on American’s Columbia and Snake Rivers cruises can embrace their inner pioneer and retrace the epic route of Lewis and Clark while relaxing aboard one of the Line’s newest modern riverboats or classic paddlewheelers. In 2022, American offers three different itineraries on the Columbia and Snake: a classic eight-day Columbia & Snake Rivers Cruise and a longer
11-day Northwest Pioneers Cruise (both between Hayden Island/Portland, OR, and Clarkston, WA); and a five-day Highlights of the Columbia River Cruise (roundtrip from Portland, OR). American’s Pacific Northwest itineraries also include amazing domestic coastal itineraries roundtrip from Seattle, WA, along two different Puget Sound itineraries; an eight-day Puget Sound & the San Juan Islands cruise and an 11-day Grand Puget Sound cruise. American even offers a few Alaska
