American Introduces Exclusive New Extended Cruises: 32 to 55-Day U.S. River Cruises Honoring the Country’s 250th Birthday

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Guilford, CT—April 8, 2025—American Cruise Lines is pleased to announce a new slate of Extended Cruises for 2026—32 to 55-Day U.S. River cruises exploring all over the country. These new Bucket List itineraries celebrate and honor the country’s 250th birthday and are the longest U.S. River cruises on the market. Next year, American will feature a 52-Day Great United States Cruise; a 32-Day Revolutionary War Cruise, a 55-Day Great American Fall Foliage Cruise, and a 36-Day Civil War Battlefields Cruise.

As the country commemorates its Semiquincentennial, American Cruise Lines will celebrate America the Beautiful by cruising its most magnificent waterways from sea to shining sea. These itineraries are not available with any other cruise line in the world. American’s unique fleet blends riverboats and small ships that can cruise from the Alaska Inside Passage to the Mississippi River and even into the heart of the nation’s capital; up the Potomac River and docking in Washington D.C. American Cruise Lines has the only 100% U.S. flagged fleet of riverboats and small ships in the world.

Honoring America’s past, present, and future, these extraordinary 2026 itineraries will enable guests to discover and re-discover America’s many blessings, from its astonishingly varied geography to its exceptional blend of peoples, cultures, and histories. American’s Extended Cruises highlight the United States, illuminating its vast treasures while honoring its most closely held promise—the unyielding commitment to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Cruising the country’s legendary rivers and picturesque coastlines aboard the newest fleet of small ships in the world, guests on American’s 250th cruises will enjoy curated and authentic all-American experiences. Please see below for itinerary highlights and links to the full details for each new 2026 adventure.

The Great United States Cruise 2026: 52-Days/51-Nights - Sailing from Portland, Oregon to Boston, Massachusetts - May 29, 2026, to July 19, 2026

Highlights: Exploring 18 states aboard 3 small ships, including brand new American Pioneer-the newest cruise ship in the U.S.A. Visiting 3 National Parks: Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Teton. Cruising through U.S. destinations from the Pacific Northwest coast in Portland and Astoria, OR; to the country’s western rivers, the Columbia and Snake. Sailing the length of the Mississippi River. Cruising up the picturesque New England coast as far as Bangor, Maine; also including the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Cruise guests will spend the 4th of July in Boston, MA, at the Four Seasons Hotel and will enjoy the City’s 250th celebrations and fireworks display over Boston Harbor.

Civil War Battlefields Cruise 2026: 36-Days/35-Nights – Sailing from New Orleans, Louisiana to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania– May 5, 2026, to June 9, 2026

Highlights: Perhaps the most poignant itinerary of all…exploring 12 states aboard 3 small ships. Delving deeply into the battles and theatres of the Civil War, from the Capture of New Orleans to the Siege of Vicksburg to the Battle of Gettysburg. From Fort Sumter to Shiloh to Chickamauga and Antietam, guests will visit the hallowed grounds where history was made, and the Tree of Liberty was watered with blood– forever changing the course of American history and reminding us of the sacrifices made in the country’s ongoing pursuit of freedom for all and a more perfect Union.

Revolutionary War Cruise 2026: 32-Days/31-Nights – Sailing from Albany, New York to Washington, D.C. – October 8, 2026, to November 8, 2026

Highlights: Exploring 7 states aboard 2 small ships, including brand new American Pioneer. Sailing between Albany, NY and Washington, D.C. Featuring Revolutionary War experts on board, this patriotic adventure will tell the story of America’s fight for independence as guests sail the Hudson River and sections of the East Coast during the region’s peak fall foliage season. Throughout the cruise, American’s small ships will dock directly in the heart of famous destinations like New York City, Boston, Annapolis, Yorktown, Sleepy Hollow, Newport, Plymouth, and Philadelphia.

Great American Fall Foliage Cruise 2026: 55-Days/54-Nights – Sailing from Juneau, Alaska to Washington, D.C. – September 5, 2026, to October 29, 2026

Highlights: Exploring 18 states aboard 4 small ships, including brand new American Patriot. Sailing throughout Alaska including Glacier Bay National Park, then down the Inside Passage, including Frederick Sound, the Queen Charlotte Strait, and the Strait of Georgia. Cruising through Puget Sound and Friday Harbor to the Columbia and Snake Rivers, then onward to the Upper Mississippi River. Cruising the New England coastline, plus sailing Chesapeake Bay. Concluding the adventure cruising up the Potomac River to the nation’s capital city of Washington, D.C. (American’s small cruise ships are the only cruise ships visiting D.C. in 70+ years, docking just steps from many of our most treasured national monuments).

Cruising through it all guests will also relax in complete comfort aboard the newest riverboats and small ships in the country—each one, well-appointed with large spacious staterooms, private balconies, elegant restaurants and casual cafés, and multiple indoor and outdoor lounges including wide-open top decks for breathtaking views of the passing scenery.

All elements of the travel experience will be fully curated, and all arrangements will be handled with care by American Cruise Lines’ dedicated travel team. Pricing for all the 2026 Extended Cruises is dependent on itinerary and stateroom selection (for example: price per person for the Great United States Cruise starts at $45,645 per person). A deposit of $5,000 per person is due upon reservation.

2026 Extended Cruises include: all flights and hotels between cruise segments; daily excursions & entertainment; all meals & beverages, including alcohol on board; Wi-Fi; as well as Tips & Gratuities, and Port Charges & Fees. Reservations for these unparalleled domestic cruise adventures are open to book now.

Hop aboard with American Cruise Lines in 2026 to experience America like never before. Celebrate the country’s 250th birthday while you discover or re-discover the remarkable beauty and diversity of the United States—from the country’s breathtaking national parks and majestic glaciers to its glorious mountain ranges, and from its sunny Midwestern Heartland to its quaint New England villages and glimmering golden shores.

About American Cruise Lines:

American Cruise Lines is the largest river cruise line in the U.S.A., with 28 small ships and 50+ domestic itineraries on the Mississippi River, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, and protected waterways around the country, from Alaska to Florida. The company has a 50-year history of introducing award-winning small ships that sail exclusively in the United States. Today, American has the only 100% U.S.-flagged fleet of riverboats and small ships in the world. Operating in 35+ states year-round, American’s 2026 itineraries include bucket-list National Parks cruises and Extended Cruises honoring the country’s 250th birthday.