American Cruise Line - Small Ship Cruising With A Passion.

• In early October I had the pleasure of visiting American Cruise Line's Independence and American Star.  I was very surprised and impressed with these small ships and the cruising experience they offer their guests.

• Both the American Star and the Independence are smaller ships carrying approximately 100 passengers and have an enthusiastic and energetic crew of approximately 20 .

• The American Star and Independence (as well as the other ships in the American Cruise Line Fleet) are registered in the United States.

• I found the crew on theses smaller ships to be incredibly pleasant, attentive and willing to accommodate a passenger's every need. The crew  greeted guests with a positive attitude and everyone had a can do attitude.

• All meals are served in the main Dining Salon which is spacious, cheerful, elegant, yet simple.

• The breakfast buffet is prepared from 6:30 to 11:00 AM daily. It features all of the breakfast items you desire,  including freshly made omelets, muffins, pancakes and more. There is also the breakfast special of the day.

• Lunch and dinner are  served in a single seating and feature unique menus geared toward the cuisine of the regions being visited. For example lobster and seafood are plentiful on Maine itineraries.

• Located in the Main Lounge is a refreshment area.  At this station, coffee, tea, juice, muffins, fruit, snacks and more are available all day. In the afternoon, there are also snacks and small sandwiches.

• Beer and Wine is included with Lunch and Dinner. (Mixed Drinks are available at an added cost.)

• Another nice touch,  each evening, before dinner, there is a happy hour gathering where guests can meet and greet other passengers. During happy-hour appetizers are served and all drink during the happy-hour are included in the cruise fare.

• Depending on the sailing and on special occasions,  outdoor meals are prepared, like the lobster bake, clam bake or barbeque.

• The America Cruise Line ships have a yacht like feel and the decor is very casual Americana.

• The seating in the ship's main lounge are free standing sofas and arms chairs with coffee tables. The furniture is arranged for socializing during the day and more formally arranged for that night's entertainment or guest speaker. There is a piano in the room for passengers or the entertainers to use.

• The main lounge overlooks the bow of the vessel and allows great sea views forward and to either side.

• Across from the Independence and American  Star's entry lobby is the intimate Mid-Ship Lounge which is ideal for gathering before or after dinner. The room feels like a colonial American living room.  This modest sized lounge offers comfortable seating and is an idea location for conversing about the day's adventures.

•  In all of the lounges, coffee table books and educational materials are prominently displayed. These books showcase the ports of call being visited on the itinerary and provide passengers the opportunity to learn more about the destinations.

• There are two computers for passenger use. One is located in the Mid-Ship Lounge and the other in the Lobby. The American Star, American Spirit and Independence are internet enabled. Internet access is available at an added fee.

• The Independence and American Star have a small library - again featuring a selection of books and magazines related to the particular itinerary. In addition there is a small selection of videos available for your viewing pleasure in the privacy of your stateroom.

• The American Star and Independence are equipped with a single elevator which accesses all decks of the ship including the observation deck.

• The Independence has Roll Royce stabilizers because she does sometimes sails on deep sea cruises. The American Star and American Spirit do not have stabilizers and primarily sail inland rivers.

               OUTSIDE AREAS - Observation Deck on American Cruise Line's Independence. - copyright NYCRUISEINFO.com

• I was incredibly surprised by the vast amount of outdoor spaces located on the American Star and Independence.

• The top deck - known as the Observation Deck - offers lounge chairs and table seating as well. There are shaded areas as well as full sun areas.

• Further back on the Observation Deck is the putting green, exercise equipment and a ping-pong table (American Star only).

• The exercise area is outdoor and shaded. It consists of 3 exercise machines for passenger use.

• Forward on the Lounge Deck, the bow area is open for passenger relaxation. This area offers great views forward and is sometimes used for select dining events and activities.

• Located all the way aft is another small but secluded area overlooking the wake of the ship. This area is very quiet and great place to escape from your fellow passengers.

• The American Star and Independence both have a small public balcony on the side of the ship for use by passengers. The balconies are located outside of the Library, Mid-Ship Lounge and Lobby.

• I was very surprised at the size of the staterooms on both the Independence and American Star. The standard staterooms are more spacious than those found on most large cruise ships. There is plenty of room to move around and the accommodations resemble a land hotel in size and decor rather than a cruise ship.

• The cabin sizes are comparable between outside and balcony accommodations. Actually the outside cabins are slightly larger since square-footage was not taken away from the room itself to accommodate the balcony.

• The Independence is slightly wider than the American Star and American Spirit so the balconies on the Independence are larger than those on the other ships.

• The balconies on the American Star and American Spirit are small. They are just big enough for 2 people to sit. Although the balconies are small, they are sufficient.

• The bathrooms are surprisingly large for a ship and resemble a bathroom found ashore rather than the compact types found onboard most ships.

• Staterooms feature a desk, mirror, comfortable chair, hair dryer, closet, Flat Screen TV with DVD player, individual climate control and spacious private bath. Beds can be configured to two twins or a King Size bed.

• The ships also features an owners suite which is marginally larger than the standard balcony stateroom. The owners suite has a larger closet and the same bathroom configuration as the other staterooms. If you choose to reserve the cabin next door, there is an interconnecting door. This is ideal if you are traveling with friends or extended family.

ITINERARIES  - Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise - One of Many Itineraries offered by American Cruise Line - Copyright American Cruise Line.

• American Cruise Line Specializes in River and Coastal Cruises though out the US.

• Depending on the time of year, the American Star and Independence sail to:  Coastal Maine; Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruises; Chesapeake Bay and Colonial South Cruises; and inland Florida Rivers cruises.

• American Cruise Line does alter the order ports are experienced on the cruise  since they sometimes have multiple ships operating on the same itinerary and want to limit the number of ships in port at a given time.

• The cruise director on board prided himself on the fact that all passengers can be accommodated on any shore excursion they choose. (Excursions are available at an additional cost). In addition, attendance is taken at each tour and if for some reason you cannot make the tour, American Cruise Line does not charge  the passenger for the excursion.

• When I visited the Independence and American Star at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan NY, there were numerous American Cruise Line personnel on the pier and in front of the complex welcoming and directing passengers. The crew greeted passengers at the curb and brought their luggage to the ship.

• Another unique feature about American Cruise Line is that the ships will sail when all of the passengers arrive on the day of embarkation. If all passengers are onboard early, the ships will sail early.  If you are late, they will call you on your cell phone to see when you will arrive. They will hold the ship for you if will be at the pier within a reasonable amount of time.

• Northeast sailings depart various ports including New York (Chelsea Piers); Providence  RI; Bangor ME; or Portland ME;  depending on the sailing.

• Other Ships within the American Cruise Line fleet sail in Alaska (new for 2012), A new  Sternwheeler on the Mississippi (new for 2012); and the Columbia and Snake Rivers cruises.

• The American Cruise Line experience is different than that found on larger ships. The American Cruise Line ships do not have pools, whirlpools, casinos, rock-climbing walls, nor the glitz and neon of traditional cruise ships.

• American Cruise Line offers a warm and friendly cruise experience in a very classic home-like environment.  The decor of the ships are very traditional Americana and feel very much like a private yacht.

• The American Cruise Line  experience is geared toward seasoned travelers, with the desire to learn and explore. The ships offer port intensive itineraries, usually visiting a new port each day.

• The American Cruise Line ships offer entertainment geared toward the ports of call (local entertainers) and educational speakers. There will not be any Las Vegas type reviews, comedians or other mainstream entertainment.

• American Cruise Line experience is not geared toward families with young children. There are no planned children activities and since the American Cruise Line clientele tend to be older, overly active children do not fit in.

• There were an incredible amount of repeat passengers onboard so American Cruise Line has a very successful formula.

• There is an extended effort to get passengers and crew to mingle together. All passengers wear name tags which have their name and city of origin. It helps facilitate passenger interaction and helps to foster new friends. The passengers are also surprised, when the crew greet them by name.

• The American Cruise Line ships - Independence and American Star are registered in the United States.