Heidi Sarna is the co-founder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising.
In business for decades, family-owned American Cruise Lines (ACL), which devotes itself exclusively to the rivers and coastal areas of the United States, is well known for small-ship voyages in traditional U.S. cruising territory—the mighty Mississippi River, coastal Maine, and the Columbia and Snake Rivers of the Pacific Northwest.
But ACL continually innovates by coming up with other enticing itineraries, too. The company combines cruises with hotel-based tours of national parks; explores the waterways of Florida; and does a deep dive in the Chesapeake Bay region, which I recently sampled and highly recommend, especially for history buffs. The cruise travels round-trip from Washington, D.C.
On every sailing, a pre-cruise hotel night in the city of embarkation is included—in our case, we stayed at the elegant Four Seasons in Georgetown. This allows everyone to arrive the day before setting sail so that all passengers have plenty of time to board as a group the next day.
Boarding is preceded by a city tour—we went to the National Mall and the National Museum of American History—aboard the two excursion buses that follow the cruise along the whole route. Passengers, most in their 70s and 80s, are given lanyards with their names and stars for the number of cruises they’ve taken with ACL. In this loyal crowd, multiple folks had done more than 10.
The Ship: American Glory
Launched earlier this year, the 100-passenger American Glory was our home base. A friend and I occupied a bright, spacious 310-square-foot Vista cabin, similar to most on board, with a large bathroom and private balcony. All decks are accessible by elevator—vital for the many folks traveling with canes and walkers.
(Vista cabin on American Cruise Lines' American Glory ship | Credit: Heidi Sarna)
American Glory is one of ACL's four nearly identical “Coastal Cats.” These vessels have hybrid catamaran-style hulls that have a shallow draft so that the ships can access tighter spots than bigger cruising behemoths can reach.
The downside to the Coastal Cats' design: On windy days waves can slap between the twin hulls, creating an unpleasant thumping sound. Avoid booking cabins near the bow on the lower decks to escape the pounding.
Chesapeake Bay Cruise Excursions
Nearly every day of the cruise we docked at ports along the Virginia and Maryland shores of the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the U.S. Guided excursions focus on the region’s 18th- and 19th-century Revolutionary and Civil War history.
(Map of American Cruise Lines' Chesapeake Bay cruise itinerary)
At least one tour per port is included in the fare. Others cost extra, such as bicycling in Maryland's Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge for $120 and the breathtaking "Monuments by Moonlight" bus tour in D.C. for $90.
From the port of Cambridge, Maryland, guide Linda Harris led an excellent Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad tour, taking us to several sites in rural areas where Tubman spent part of her enslaved childhood. The guide, accompanied by her banjo-strumming husband, combined commentary about the abolitionist with performances of moving folk songs.
A walking tour of historical Portsmouth, Virginia, just across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk, was guided by a theatrical husband-wife duo dressed in period garb and speaking in the vernacular of the day as they showed us homes and churches dating back several hundred years. In a similar vein, a guide in a tricorn and breeches showed us around Annapolis, Maryland, including the famous Naval Academy.
(L–R: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C.; historical tour of Annapolis, Maryland | Credit: Heidi Sarna)
In Yorktown, the Virginia spot where the decisive 1781 battle that ended the Revolutionary War took place, our guide took us to the towering Victory Monument that commemorates the colonists' win.
In both Norfolk and Yorktown, the American Glory docked for 2 days, giving passengers time to explore on their own.
On Board the American Glory: Dining, Entertainment, and Amenities
Dining in the ship's main restaurant comes with three entree choices for lunch and dinner. Since we were in Maryland crab territory, I was delighted to find that delicacy incorporated into numerous dishes, including standout crab cakes and a tasty crab salad. Passengers with a modicum of self-discipline can order half portions. Rich, creamy desserts seem to focus on cheesecake, including our favorite, a sweet potato version.
The ship's inviting, U-shaped dining room with large windows offers open-seating tables for two, four, and six. We gravitated toward the larger tables and made many new friends that way. There's no dress code to worry about; fashions on our cruise ranged from blazers and silk blouses to fleeces, jean jackets, and Harley-Davidson sweatshirts.
(Food and entertainment aboard American Cruise Lines' American Glory ship | Credit: Heidi Sarna)
The all-American crew was pleasant and efficient (shout-out to the excellent restaurant server Amanda). Overall, though, don’t expect the sort of over-the-top, eager-to-please hospitality typically evinced by the international career crew members on river and ocean cruises in Europe and other parts of the world.
Other available activities in the lounge during our sailing: fascinating, in-depth history talks by lecturer Brad Berger on topics like George Washington, the Civil War, and the Chesapeake Bay itself (did you know the average depth is just 20 feet?). Additionally, an actor impersonating Frederick Douglass delivered an interesting monologue, two high schoolers played the fife and drums, and chefs led culinary demos.
Elsewhere on board, you'll find a small gym and sun deck—though the ship's loud stacks don't make this the most relaxing place to chill out. A secondary lounge has snacks, coffee, and tea. An adjacent café serves a limited menu of breakfast and lunch options as an alternative to the main restaurant.
(American Cruise Lines' American Glory ship | Credit: Heidi Sarna)
American Cruise Lines’ 10-night American Revolution Chesapeake Bay cruise (plus a pre-cruise hotel night) starts at $7,765 per person, including excursions; wine, beer, and cocktails; and evening musical entertainment with dancing.
