American Serenade Cabins & Staterooms on Cruise Critic

Table Of Content

• Deck Plans
• We would love to have you subscribe for travel updates, news and great offers directly from the cruise lines!
• Grand Suite Private Balcony
• AAR Private Balcony
• ACL-American Cruise Lines opens summer season with new Tennessee River voyages
• American Serenade Itineraries Sail the Tennessee, Ohio, Cumberland and Mississippi Rivers
• Can American Serenade Compare to European River Cruising? Yes.

The Sundeck has all 3x large-sized shaded seating areas (covered by retractable canopies) and 2x SkyLights (glass roof covers) over the Sky Lounge (aft) and the Atrium/Vestibule (midship-portside). Yet every step of the way, I've seen gracious crewmembers help them up the stairs, off the ship's bow ramp, and into the motorcoach. There's even a little golf cart that travels in the ship (in the retractable bow) to help get passengers up the often steep boat ramps and to the motorcoaches, where drivers are willing to help them onboard. American Cruise Lines makes exploring these places easy, thanks to its fleet of three branded motorcoaches that travel with the ship on its route. ACL offers a complimentary local bus loop in most ports of call, along with premium shore excursions that can be purchased for a reasonable price -- between $20 and $195 on our particular itinerary, with most coming in well under $100 per person.

Deck Plans

While other small cruise lines repurpose old casino ships, American Cruise Lines decided to build brand new boats to maintain the company's reputation for premium quality and services. Each of the newbuilds features most innovative design, spacious indoor and outdoor areas. Each vessel is a traditional US built (at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury Maryland), as well as American-flagged and crewed.

We would love to have you subscribe for travel updates, news and great offers directly from the cruise lines!

The ship has only one wheelchair-accessible cabin (AAR-category room #124) located forward-starboard on Deck 1 (Lobby Deck). The stateroom is designed specifically for disabled passengers and has wider doors and an ADA-compliant bathroom. Free of charge Wi-Fi Internet access (shipwide coverage) and several Internet computers are located around the cruise ship.

Grand Suite Private Balcony

Like the sisterships, ACL's Serenade boat is homeported in New Orleans for Mississippi River voyages, visiting ports in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota - all the way to Saint Paul. It is bathed in stereotypes, both accurate and inaccurate, oft-overshadowed by its bloody Civil War history and an uncomfortable relationship with slavery that endures to this day. And while the Tennessee might not be the Mississippi, passage along it is every bit as dramatic as Twain's classic tales of riverboating -- something I really only know from reading Twain and watching shows like Disney's Adventures of Huck Finn as a kid. There's something eerie and dramatic about hearing crickets and frogs and gosh-knows-what at night along the Tennessee river, while thunder rolls in the distance and dark storm clouds build up dramatically over the lit, cozy interior of the ship. Cabins, too, are comfortable, thanks to some overly plush beds that passengers will find hard to crawl out of each morning, plus floor-to-ceiling windows in nearly every cabin, and step-out balconies for all.

American Cruise Lines will continue to offer the longest river cruise itinerary in the U.S., its 22-day Complete Mississippi River trip, which traverses 10 states as it travels almost the entire length of the river. Dates for that itinerary kick off in June and August aboard the American Serenade in August 2023. As mentioned, American Serenade is one of the newest ships in the fleet, launched in 2023 from the line’s own shipyard in Salisbury, Maryland.

The Best Mississippi River Cruises to Discover America's Heartland - Condé Nast Traveler

The Best Mississippi River Cruises to Discover America's Heartland.

Posted: Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The 4-deck Vestibule has floor-ceiling windows (portside and starboard) and a SkyLight (transparent glass-roof cover) that allows natural light into the ship's interior. The ship's travel-aboard entertainers and lecturers are also top-notch. American Serenade lacks a traditional show lounge, but instead offers evening performances from the husband-and-wife duo of Bill Wiemuth and Laura Sable in the cozy, forward-facing River Lounge on Deck 3. Both perform musical acts nearly every night, and Bill offers insightful lectures on the history of steamboating in the United States, the Civil War, and everything in between. Both are the talk of the ship, and are some of the best I've encountered on a river cruise.

American Serenade Itineraries Sail the Tennessee, Ohio, Cumberland and Mississippi Rivers

For those who like to be in the heart of the action, forward-facing observation decks are located on Deck 2 (the Bow Terrace) and on Deck 3 in front of the River Lounge. Passengers can also admire the ship's wake from a series of open decks all the way aft on Decks 2, 3 and 4. American Serenade has two small Fitness Centers located on Deck 2 aft that seemed lonely and neglected on our voyage, though passengers did make use of the Jogging Track on Deck 4. There is no spa onboard, and American Serenade does not have either pools nor hot tubs -- so leave the bathing suit at home. Itineraries aboard American Serenade typically include a complimentary pre-cruise hotel stay in the port of embarkation. American Cruise Line's "Modern Riverboats" are all constructed at Chesapeake Shipbuilding (shipyard in Salisbury MA).

Featured are floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with a private balcony where you can sit and enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. Ft., these staterooms also offer a sitting area, desk, and full-size bathrooms. Through sliding glass doors visit your private balcony complete with a sitting area, the perfect place to enjoy breakfast room service or watch the sun set. Each Grand Suite features a lavish bedroom and a separate living room ideal for gathering with family and friends after an invigorating day of exploration. All Grand suites include double sinks in the bathroom complete with plush robes for your comfort. Your in-suite mini-refrigerator will be fully stocked and replenished throughout the week with juices, waters, white and red wine.

ACL-American Cruise Lines' 5th & 6th "modern riverboats" named American Symphony & American Serenade

American Cruise Lines' American Serenade ship has a total of 91 staterooms (for 175 passengers) in 3x types and all 6 cabin categories - Suites (GS, VS), Verandas (AAM, AAC, AAR), Studios (SB). Bathrooms are uniformly spacious across all categories and come complete with attractive vanities and uncomplicated showers that offer both wand and standard showerhead fixtures. Toiletries by Beekman 1802 are pleasantly-scented, and include bars of soap, body wash, shampoo, and moisturizer. Unlike many cruise ship bathrooms, there is no "step up" that has to be navigated here -- bathroom floors are flush with the cabin floor. Fitness Centers on Deck 2 aft are available for workouts but the Deck 4 Jogging Track seems to be most popular for passenger exercise. The ship has two speedy elevators that serve all decks but the uppermost Sun Deck.

Expert Review of American Serenade River Cruise Ship - Cruise Critic

Expert Review of American Serenade River Cruise Ship.

Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 17:09:18 GMT [source]

Launched in 2023, American Serenade is the sixth member of American Cruise Lines' fleet of modern riverboats. Eschewing the Mark Twain-era paddlewheeler look sported by so many U.S. river cruise lines (including ACL), American Serenade is sleek and spacious, channeling a European-style river cruise ambiance and bringing it to the waterways of America. I am the only interloper on this river cruise who is not an American citizen. American Cruise Lines proudly attracts passengers predominantly from the United States who are eager to see their own country. I, as the lone Canadian (and foreigner) onboard, am interested to see it with them. AAC staterooms are conveniently located on the second deck and provide maximized comfort.

The ship itself is quite comfortable with ample cabins on 3 decks, 2 lounges, an open-air 5th deck, and a large dining area. We enjoyed the small ship cruising ambience and will certainly consider another river cruise in the future with American Cruise Lines. “Like American Symphony, the 180-passenger American Serenade introduces an updated modern interior design, integrating an elegant and refined aesthetic with our tradition for the spacious comfort found aboard all of our ships,” the company says of the new ship on its website. “Drawing inspiration from the geography across America, the new interior design highlights natural textural elements and serene color palettes.” Rooms range in size from 250 to 650 square feet, and all include full-size baths, closets, and private balconies. Beyond the rooms, the new ship also allows guests to drink in the views from every angle in its four-story glass atrium, located in the middle of the ship. American Serenade cruise ship deck plan shows a total of 91 staterooms for 175 passengers served by 43 crew/staff.

(6 p.m. EDT) -- It's been nearly a week since I stepped off American Cruise Lines' American Serenade in Chattanooga, Tennessee -- but the experience has stayed with me every day since. Over the course of a week, I set sail on the rapidly-expanding U.S.-based river cruise line for a voyage through the heart of America, sailing from Nashville to Chattanooga by way of Paducah, Kentucky; Savannah, Tennessee, and the Alabama towns of Florence and Decatur. Along with that unusual bow, the American Serenade features a welcoming modern interior design with a serene color palette, lovely woodwork and well-planned lighting.

Guests are pampered and given the staff’s full attention from the time you board to when you leave. We have never cruised on ships where the managers and crew, including the captain, make such a special effort to mingle and interact with the guests. There was a seating area at the foot of our king-size bed, a desk and plenty of storage for our week’s worth of clothing and gear. With a little extra maneuvering, we managed to get our suitcases under the bed. Like most newer ships, it offers a good number of electrical outlets and USB ports, which is always welcome. But its greatest strength lies in its more obscure itineraries -- a journey up the Hudson from New York to Albany.

Complimentary are alcohol (beer and wine at lunch/dinner), unlimited drinks (soda, water, juices, coffee, tea), snacks, room service. American Cruise Lines deals are non-inclusive of gratuities, shore excursions/tours, port fees. The American Serenade cruise ship cabins page is conveniently interlinked with its deck plans showing deck layouts combined with a legend and review of all onboard venues. Most passengers will gravitate to the forward-facing River Lounge on Deck 3 forward. Functioning as the ship's main social space, the River Lounge plays host to informative and engaging lectures; fun diversions like Name that Tune; and evening Cocktail Hours that take place before dinner each night. Post-dinner, the lounge offers vocal entertainment by onboard or local performers -- our voyage included a fantastic tribute to Patsy Cline and even a full-blown Elvis impersonator who embarked in Paducah, Kentucky.

The improved ship design of the Modern Riverboat series allows "bow landings" via a retractable and rotating gangway (passenger bridge) that extends from Main Deck (deck 1) to the dock or directly onto the river bank. This feature is available on all traditional-design US paddlewheel riverboats and provides expanded options for river cruise itineraries unmatched by most newbuild river cruise ships. MS American Serenade features innovative interior design concepts - from the 4-story glass-walled Vestibule (Atrium) to spacious indoor and outdoor lounges, large open-deck spaces, floor-ceiling windows throughout the vessel.