Coastal Cats: a revolution

Expanding on further technical details, and on the environmentally friendly technology used, she says, “All the ships and riverboats are very small. They have excellent zero speed manoeuvrability, meet modern EPA emissions requirements, and can store and treat wastewater. We also do a lot of hydrodynamic testing on our hull forms, which allows us to design hulls to reduce underwater noise and vibration. All this technology is rare in small ships and makes ours the most advanced small cruise ships in the US.”

Furthermore, all American Cruise Lines’ newest ships are plug-in ready, meaning they can use shore power easily. “And from top-tier engines and fuel efficiency to new generators, advanced water systems and even the paint used on the hulls, everything meets modern environmental standards,” adds Ms Paolella.  

The ships can be customised to match each operating region. Ms Paolella says, “American Cruise Lines offers more than 50 US itineraries and only cruises on rivers and protected coastal waterways all over the USA. We also build all our own ships here in the USA, so we can plan itineraries and match them with the small ships in our fleet that are best suited to each region. For instance, a fully stabilised coastal ship may be even smaller than one of our riverboats, but it is also better able to cruise coastal routes because of its construction and features.”

Indeed, American Cruise Lines stands out from other cruise ship operators, as it builds its own vessels in the shipyard it owns – Chesapeake Shipbuilding, which is not only a shipyard but also a naval architecture firm. The Maryland, US-based shipyard has more than 30 years of direct industry experience and is a designer and builder of commercial ships up to 137 m in length. It specialises in the design and construction of passenger vessels, tugboats and ferries. 

The shipyard explains on its website, “Our naval architects work closely with clients to design a vessel that exactly matches their needs and requirements. We have numerous proven stock designs, can produce original designs to meet any need, or can work with a client’s own architect or designer. Because we design everything we build, we have the capability to produce carefully customised luxurious small cruise ships, tug boats, oil supply boats, restaurant boats, and passenger and vehicle ferries.” 

Ms Poella singles out the benefits of the company building its own cruise vessels. “We control our production cycle, from naval architecture to hotel management, so we know the ships and how they are best used better than anyone else. We can design them specifically for where they will sail, and with the space and specific amenities our guests most prize, and none of the spaces they don’t. You won’t find casinos or large swimming pools, instead, all our small ships offer 100% outward facing cabins and hotel-sized bathrooms, private furnished balconies, spacious lounges both inside and out, dining rooms with water views from every table, gorgeous walking tracks, and top sundecks with wrap-around views on every ship in the fleet.” 

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