ACL Announces New Itinerary, Encore Passes Sea Trials

American Cruise Lines (ACL) recently announced that its newest cruise vessel, the American Encore, has successfully passed its sea trails. The vessel has left Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Maryland and is en route to the west coast with Capt. Andrew Gillilan at the helm.

The American Encore is the first of three large cruise liners set for launch by ACL in the next three years. The new vessel has a 180-passenger capacity and features five passenger decks and 84 outside rooms. According to ACL, the Encore provides private balcony accommodations to all suites, the largest in the industry.

The Encore is also ushering in a new accommodation, the Signature Suite. The 1,500-square-foot space boasts a wrap-around balcony, separate living room, bedroom and dining areas, a bathroom with a soaking tub and heated floors and panoramic views. Guests can also experience the Encore’s multiple lounges and dining opportunities, gym, walking track and more. These features, along with an array of others, have led ACL to call the Encore the “finest new riverboat on the market.”

The Encore will begin its service in May to host guests on ACL’s seven-night cruise of the Columbia and Snake rivers. Ports of call will include Astoria, Ore., Kalama, Wash., and The Dalles, Ore., among several others.

Twenty-eight ACL ships cruise America’s rivers across the country, and eight vessels specifically sail the Columbia and Snake rivers. The company has released 20 new vessels in the last 10 years. According to ACL, a third riverboat, the American Grace, will follow the American Encore and American Anthem in 2028 and join the others to sail the Columbia and Snake rivers. It is currently slated to host passengers on the nine-day cruise.

ACL is also expecting the arrival of four smaller vessels, sister ships to the American Patriot and American Pioneer, which were launched in 2025. The American Maverick and American Ranger are expected in 2026, and the American Mariner and American Navigator are slated for 2027. All six vessels accommodate up to 130 passengers.

The American Anthem, which will launch in 2027, will host ACL’s brand-new 16-Day Grand Columbia & Snake River cruise itinerary to be offered the same year. While Columbia and Snake River cruises are already a staple at ACL, the new itinerary offers passengers extended time to fully explore the region.

“This itinerary allows for extra time along both the Columbia and Snake rivers,” ACL said. “It also offers new ports, like Walla Walla, and a host of new activities.”

Guests will begin their trip with a hotel stay in Portland before setting sail from Stevenson, Wash. The American Anthem will take guests through Astoria on the Columbia River before traversing near Richland, Wash., into Clarkston and Hells Canyon. The extended timeline will allow passengers the opportunity to enjoy excursions in cities such as Portland, Hood River and Burbank. Guests will also have the opportunity to visit Mount Saint Helens, Multnomah Falls, Cape Disappointment State Park, Boonville Dam, Fort Clatsop and various vineyards.

“American Cruise Lines’ new 16-Day Grand Columbia & Snake Rivers cruise presents one of the most memorable ways to explore America’s beautiful western states and offers one of the finest river cruise experiences anywhere in the world,” ACL said in its press release.

The trip will highlight Native American culture as well as the Lewis & Clark expedition. Like all ACL cruises, passengers are promised the opportunity to experience America’s diverse landscape. ACL advertises sights such as “desert canyons, alpine meadows, lush forests, dormant volcanoes and the blue mountains of the Cascade Range.”

“Come cruise with us and experience the wonderous geography and history of the United States, one of the most diverse and beautiful countries in the world,” ACL said.

Featured image caption: American Cruise Lines’ newest vessel, the American Encore, has passed its sea trials and is expected to host guests on Columbia and Snake River tours in May. (Photo courtesy of American Cruise Lines)