Small cruise done PERFECTLY! Everything was outstanding! The cabin and lounge areas were spacious and clean. The bathrooms were well appointed and clean. The staff was friendly, very accommodating, knowledgable and always smiling! The tours and shore excursions were well organized and planned. The embarkation was easy and very welcoming. The food was absolutely delicious and great variety of choices. The pastry chef was awesome! The entire crew, staff and management catered to each individual passenger's needs and requests. The activities and entertainment were wonderful. There is a fitness room and complimentary laundry. The public rooms were all well appointed, clean and the views were amazing from each lounge area, dining and all areas of the ship. There were snacks, fresh fruit and beverages always available; as well as fresh, warm cookies everyday at 10:00! :) The service-hotel managers and cruise /tour directors, crew and staff were amazing- they were very personable and empathetic to each passengers needs, abilities and preferences. The pilot and speaker would alert us of wildlife- orcas, humpback whales, bears, seal lions, eagles - it was absolutely an amazing cruise! Like I said "Small cruise done PERFECTLY!!!! Read Less

We were hoping to see Orcas and Humpback whales, but we only saw a couple of Humpbacks from a long distance and no Orcas, so this was the only disappointment. This was our third cruise with American Cruise Lines so we were pretty familiar with the way this cruise line operates. We’ve really enjoyed cruising with them because it’s small ship cruising, only about 153 passengers on this trip, and it’s really nice to get to know many of our fellow passengers. Dining is very casual, which is just the way we like it. All the ships in ACL’s fleet are made in the USA and all the employees are Americans, so we love supporting an all American business. The staterooms are really nice, the lounges are attractive and comfortable, as are the decks. The food is delicious, with adequate choices, however, we both agreed that the kitchen on this trip wasn’t quite up to the standards set on the previous two cruises. Still, we really enjoyed the ports we stopped in and especially liked our visit to Victoria, BC in Canada, where we visited Buchert Gardens. Fabulous! Read Less

I have been investigating American Cruise Lines since we took a Mississippi River Cruise with American Queen. I think everyone should travel on American Rivers more and they were offering some appealing options. We loved our small ship Cruise with American Queen, so I really wanted to love this company. We took the San Juan islands trip. The ship was new and their staff is very young and inexperienced, although they worked hard and were very sweet. However, these trips are very expensive. And, since that is the case, there Are many areas that need improvement. First, there was a lack of communication. They just couldn’t get messages out for changes,etc. While they did post on the message board by the dining room, we shouldn’t have to go there to get information. Dining room service was friendly but confusingly spotty. On two occasions we had to rush through meals when we had allowed plenty of time before excursions. Also, while they say they work on dietary needs, we did not find them helpful with my husbands diabetes. Unlike American Queen, there really are no paid excursions. On the last day they did offer transport into Seattle to visit Pike Market while American Queen offers a bus at every stop. Entertainment was really disappointing and the largest Lounge available was too small and poorly arranged for any real program. Finally, they must work on safety for the Ramps off the boat. They need hand rails on the ramps and on the stairs. I don’t want to sound negative, but these trips attract elderly and handicapped people and they must do a better job if they want to flourish. My hope is that they improve, but until they do, I can’t recommend them nor will I travel with them again. Read Less

The Constellation is a lovely, small ship and our cabin was spacious, clean, and very comfortable. The young American staff was delightful, warm, enthusiastic, and helpful. We chose the cruise primarily for the itinerary, and enjoyed the tours and the scenery. Some of the guides were terrific. Getting off the ship at some ports was a bit difficult because of the steep gangplank. Another negative was that we sometimes had to walk quite a distance to the tour buses. The soups were the best parts of the meals. All were delicious. The entrees were a bit uneven, however, and the fish often over-cooked. The entertainment was pretty pedestrian, but OK for the older crowd these cruises attract. Actually, we had a pleasant cruise. But …..we will never travel on the American Cruise Line again and this is why. Before we even left on the cruise, we signed up, paid for, and then canceled a trip to Victoria, B.C. and Butchart Gardens when we realized it conflicted with another trip we preferred. On ship, we also had to cancel the transfer from the dock to the airport because our airline changed our fights necessitating using a cab. So, we had a total of $330 to be refunded and it took 4 calls and 6 ½ weeks to get a check in the mail. Although they used my credit card for additional charges incurred on ship, they said “security reasons” kept them from using my credit card for a refund. Didn’t keep the credit card number, they said, and a refund typically takes 5 weeks, requiring multiple signatures! Hello? This is the digital age. How about crediting my VISA account like everyone else? “This is our policy,” was the only explanation I got. So, that ruined the experience for us and we’ll go back to the American Queen Steamboat Company which we have used before with 100% satisfaction. Read Less

very comfortable state rooms with plenty of room. Meal service as excellent and the food outstanding. They provide for half-order options for most entrees at lunch and dinner so you are not overwhelmed with food. If they didn't have the beer or liquor you wanted they would make an effort to get it for at the next stop. I asked for Red Hook ESB beer at lunch, they didn't have it, but had for me the next day. The cocktail hour was stocked with premium brands, not low cost brands. The lecturer gave great history and pre tour lectures that were very well done. She also took photos during the trip and provided every cabin with a free DVD of the entire trip and the tours with an effort to be sure everyone got their picture in the presentation. The whale watching tour from Friday Harbor did the same thing, provided a link to pictures taken during the tour as well as the participants on the tour. Amazing. Tips are included in the cruise fare so there is no worrying about what to do at the end of the cruise. No surprises. We will definitely use ACL again. Read Less

Have been on 4 of their cruises. They are great, wonderful crews, clean ships, and great itineraries. I would recommend them to anyone. It is an older crowd but I’m old too! Our cabin was always very clean with night time turn down. The food was excellent. You could have a half order of something if you would not very hungry or you could do a half of 2 different entrees to try a couple of things. The entertainment was good but it could have had a little bit more of a verity. Our cabin was above the kitchen, so we did hear them in early morning getting things prepared and late evening doing clean up. I have no complaints and looking forward to going on one of their curises again in near future. Spend 2 nights in Seattle before getting on ship. Great city with a lot to see. The Boeing Factory and the Museum of Flight are a must when in Seattle. Read Less

This was our first trip aboard ACL and the small ship experience was totally perfect for us. Staff were friendly and helpful. Loved the food by Chef Jose - tried almost all the seafood they had to offer each meal. Happy hour in the lounge included drinks and appetizers. Sometimes those appetizers were enough to be a dinner by themselves! Being from the west coast the history of each port was fascinating to both of us. We had never heard of "tabby" as a building material nor the "Gullah" community in the low country. Our docent on that trip was extremely knowledgeable about the history/people/culture of the Southeast. The rear cabins can get a little noisy when sailing / docking since they're over the props/engine & thrusters. Otherwise we loved the room and balcony. Be aware the Jacksonville dock isn't available currently, we had to disembark in Fernandina, Fla and bus ride to the airport / hotels after that. Read Less

This was our first trip with American Cruise Line and we were very pleased. The cabin was larger than on any but the luxury lines. The food choices were limited but the quality was excellent - cocktail hour drinks and appetizers are a very nice touch as were the ice cream sundaes during evening entertainment. The staff was very attentive and cordial. We picked this trip along coastal South Carolina, Georgia and Florida to see the small towns and barrier islands. November was a good time to go - no crowds. The weather was cool with one day with light. The shore excursions were limited due the nature of the area and small towns, but were well planned and interesting. The shrimp boat excursion was a highlight. Local musicians provided good entertainment, unfortunately few guests attended which reflected the age of the passengers this time of year (almost all retired). Read Less

We booked our 4th trip with ACL on their newest ship with high expectations which certainly were not met. The itinerary we were originally given was changed several times including by phone the afternoon before sailing. Perhaps that should have indicated potential problems. Although we were supposed to sail on inland waterways, we found out when we embarked that we would have to go out to sea sometimes because of problems on the previous voyage, problems that were not adequately explained in several different versions. We did find out that many people, including crew, were seasick on that voyage and people did get seasick on our trip as well. Because of high winds somewhere in the area, we were stuck in Brunswick, Georgia for 3 nights--we couldn't continue on inland water and the ocean was too rough for the ship. Unfortunately, the staff on the Constellation included several new and inexperienced members and also several changes in staff were made during our 10 days. Perhaps this was why they were unable to adequately adapt to and cope with the changing conditions. On a previous trip with ACL, itinerary changes were made because of river conditions, but that staff made lemonade out of lemons and we were pleased with the trip in spite of not going where originally planned. Has ACL expanded too rapidly? In addition to an overextended staff, other aspects of the trip were not up to the standards we previously experienced. During the cocktail hour the hors dourvres were significantly less plentiful than on previous trips, there was only 1 lecturer (a nice man, but not up to par) whereas other trips had more, second rate entertainment in the evening. Read Less

This is a nice new ship. Cabin and bathroom are large. The service is excellent. The food is basic American, good but fewer choices than on the larger cruise lines. My husband and I liked everything but I would have liked the food to be more upscale. The cocktail hour was disappointing. You can only get basic drinks. The staff needs to go to bartending classes and the ship needs to be stocked with everything needed to make all drinks. The entertainment was various piano and guitar players. There are no activities onboard. these need to be added. There is a guest lecturer on board. Shore excursions were fine. The big problem was being stuck in the same port for three days due to high winds. This was extremely boring. We had to be bussed to the excursions and that took a very long time. Had the cruise gone to all the ports on the itinerary I would probably have given this a very good. There were no children on this cruise. We live near Charleston and highly recommend exploring this departure city. Read Less