American Melody

AMERICAN CRUISE LINES

ON DECK Route: Mississippi River Maiden Voyage: 2021 Owner / Operator: American Cruise Lines Interior Design: Studio Dado Shipyard: Chesapeake Shipbuilding www.americancruiselines.com

Studio Dado – the Miami-based hospitality design firm founded in 2016 – has been named as the sole interior architect for American Melody, a new riverboat from American Cruise Lines set to debut on the Mississippi in 2021. The venture marks Studio Dado’s first foray into the domestic river cruise industry, while it’s the first time American Cruise Lines has partnered with an external firm to design its ships.

“The magnitude of the American Melody build reaches beyond the normal anticipation we see with clients celebrating the expansion of their fleet,” comments Jorge Mesa, Studio Dado’s Founding Partner. “From our first insightful meeting through the entirety of the collaborative design process, our team was honoured to step into the moment with American Cruise Lines and create a fresh, but still cultured atmosphere aboard its new ship.”

American Melody is designed around a fourstorey glass atrium with encircling stairway leading to a series of intimate lounges, each with its own unique atmosphere, while the 91 staterooms – ranging in size from 250-650ft2 – all come with full-size bathrooms and private balconies. Studio Dado’s interiors feature an elegant yet approachable palette with a refined selection of textiles, finishes and furniture to create spaces that encourage comfort, relaxation and the enjoyment of the river views.

“Studio Dado has a remarkable ability to blend the sophisticated and the modern. Their design vision closely aligns with our mission to provide sophisticated experiences on modern ships,” notes Charles B. Robertson, President and CEO of American Cruise Lines. “We have been proud to partner with them in creating the new class of modern riverboats. American Melody and its sister ships will be the biggest step forward in American Cruise Lines design history, but will still offer the same great experience that has defined us since our founding.”