American Cruise Lines Unveils New 50-Plus-Day U.S. River Cruises
by Dori Saltzman
ACL ship docked at The Wharf in Washington, D.C. Photo: American Cruise Lines
In honor of the United States’ 250th birthday in 2026, American Cruise Lines (ACL) will offer three 50-plus-day itineraries that highlight large sections of the country.
The 52-day Great United States, 51-day Spring Across America, and 55-day Great American Fall Foliage, each visit multiple states and combine river and coastal cruising on both coasts and internally. For instance, the Great United States, which takes guests from Portland, Oregon to Boston, will visit 18 states aboard three ships, including the line’s newest ship, American Pioneer.
Highlights of each itinerary are:
Great United States (52 days, Portland, Oregon to Boston, May 29, 2026)
- Visit three national parks: Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Teton
- Sail the full length of the Mississippi River from New Orleans to St. Paul
- Cruise the New England coast from Boston, up the Penobscot River to Bangor
- Spend July 4 in Boston at the Four Seasons Hotel
Spring Across America (51 days, Charleston to Juneau, April 3, 2026)
- 10 states, five ships
- Cruise from Charleston, along the Gold Coast to the Gulf Coast of Florida and the Keys
- Cruise the lower Mississippi, as well as Columbia and Snake rivers
- Cruise from Seattle up the Inside Passage to Alaska, including Glacier Bay National Park
Great American Fall Foliage (55 days, Juneau to Washington, D.C., Sept. 5, 2026)
- 18 states, four ships
- Sail throughout Alaska, including Glacier Bay National Park, down the Inside Passage
- Cruise through the Puget Sound, and on the Columbia and Snake rives
- Sail the Upper Mississippi
- Cruise the New England coastline, plus sail Chesapeake Bay
- Sail up the Potomac River to D.C.
ACL will also reprise its Civil War Battlefields cruise in 2026. The 36-day itinerary will sail from New Orleans and end in Gettysburg, departing May 5, visiting 12 states on three ships and visit every major battlefield of the Civil War.
All of the 2026 extended cruises will include access to a dedicated Cruise Concierge, all flights and hotels between cruise segments, daily excursions and entertainment, all meals and beverages onboard, Wi-Fi, tips and gratuities, and port charges and fees.
