A cruise ship with 120 passengers and 54 crewmembers on board ran aground in the Cumberland River near Canton, Kentucky, on Wednesday, July 7. All passengers and six crew ..
American Cruise Lines
Covid-19 has bludgeoned the U.S. passenger vessel industry
Covid-19 came down suddenly and hard on passenger vessels, which had been one of the very bright spots in the workboat market. Government shutdowns idling thousands of employees and vessels were followed by a barrage of new safety rules at every level.
Some operators lost the entire 2020 season. Others like ferries had to keep running, learning and adapting as they sailed with fewer riders. Some reopened when they could to a trickle of customers. Others may never reopen.
The Passenger Vessel...
Newbuild riverboat joins American Cruise Lines’ fleet
American Cruise Lines has taken delivery of a new riverboat from associate company Chesapeake Shipbuilding. The 190-passenger American Jazz was handed over to its new ..
American Cruise Lines takes delivery of 190-passenger overnight riverboat
American Cruise Lines (ACL) has taken delivery of the American Jazz after successful sea trials in late August on the Chesapeake Bay, ACL said Monday.
Built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding, Salisbury, Md., which shares ownership with ACL, the 345’x60’, 190-overnight passenger vessel is the third in the line’s modern riverboat series and will sail the Mississippi River. American Harmony debuted in 2019 and American Song in 2018.
American Jazz originally was expected to start sailing later this year,...
Oregon forces ACL to postpone overnight river cruises
Changes in Oregon’s coronavirus restrictions have forced American Cruise Lines (ACL) to postpone what would have been the first resumption of cruises by a U.S. overnight passenger ship after the shutdown.
The state notified ACL that overnight operations would not be allowed until at least the lifting of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) no-sail order at the end of July.
ACL had been scheduled to restart journeys on the Columbia and Snake rivers June 20 with the American Song....
WorkBoat webinar: Tough sledding ahead for passenger vessel operators
The last few months have been tough for passenger vessel operators shut down by the coronavirus pandemic. The months ahead could be even tougher as they tackle reopening under new rules that challenge their creativity and viability.
They must reduce capacity, meet social distancing mandates, protect passengers and crew and rev up sanitation procedures while meeting operating costs this year, next year and beyond.
These were just a few of the items discussed by passenger vessel operators during...
U.S. overnight small boat operators push Congress for help
Seattle-based UnCruise Adventures has stepped up discussions with Congress on behalf of the U.S. Overnight Passenger Small-Boat Operators Coalition. The coalition serves as a united voice to increase the visibility of domestic small boat operators, spotlight the industry’s differences, and address the outmoded definition of cruise lines.
The coalition was launched in March after UnCruise Adventures CEO Dan Blanchard recognized the need to bring the industry together to create a new definition...
https://www.workboat.com/news/passenger-vessels/us-overnight-small-passenger-vessels-push-congress/
American Cruise Lines reports rise in bookings
Guilford, Conn., headquartered American Cruise Lines reports that it is seeing a strong increase in demand across its domestic portfolio of river and coastal cruises. The company cites increased awareness of U.S. cruise options along with guests’ desire to support all-American businesses, as the primary reasons for the increase. Advance bookings for the 2021 season are robust, with next year’s passenger counts currently more than 25% ahead of the same time last year. American has also just...
https://www.marinelog.com/coastal/inland/american-cruise-lines-reports-rise-in-bookings/
Viking says it will start Mississippi River cruises in 2022
River cruise behemoth Viking Cruises will start cruising the Mississippi River in August 2022 with a 450’x75’ vessel being built at a shipyard owned by Edison Chouest Offshore, Galliano, La.
The 386-passenger, five-deck Viking Mississippi will sail between New Orleans and St. Paul, the company, which has 79 vessels operating worldwide, said this week.
Switzerland-based Viking’s plans to enter the booming U.S. market surfaced seven years ago soon after American Cruise Lines (ACL) and American...
https://www.workboat.com/news/passenger-vessels/viking-says-it-will-start-mississippi-river/
Passenger vessels may take $3 billion coronavirus-related hit
The economic damage for the U.S. passenger vessel industry from coronavirus will be between $2 billion and $3 billion, Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) preliminary estimates show.
PVA, which has asked that the industry be included in the Trump administration’s relief plans, represents 350 passenger vessel operators with about 1,600 vessels who employ thousands of U.S. citizens. The passenger vessel industry face months of little or no revenue.
The trade association, which is still tallying...