I chose this cruise line because they had the itinerary we were interested in. The seaside towns and islands visited were quaint and picturesque. Everything we were hoping for. The ship, however, was horrible. I found the crew to be uncaring and lazy. I brought our issues to the attention of the hotel manager early in our cruise, and while she was friendly, and said she would correct our issues, she did not. Our cabin steward did not clean our bathroom, and it was disgusting. I had requested our ice bucket be filled daily, and was told I could fill it in the lounge. The dining room was a total fiasco. The quality of food was deplorable. I suspect the food is prepared and frozen food that is simply re-heated. Not acceptable at all. Service was slow, and totally inept. Not a single order was correct. Not a single meal was hot. Items that should have been cold were lukewarm. When brought to the wait staff's attention they either ignored our requests or in one case, pitched a hissy fit and left the dining room. One explanation for cold food was that the food is prepared when the dining room opens, and then "just sits back there until it is served". WOW! One day the assistant dining room manager argued with a fellow passenger about whether or not her coffee was hot. I was appalled that a crew member would argue with a passenger about anything! The gangway crew did not know where we were docked, how to get into town, how long the shuttles were running, where we could find a map of the port, etc., etc., etc. The cruise director did not appear to understand what her job is. I don't know if this cruise line trains any employees before they cruise. Do yourself a favor, and book a European river cruise. THEY do small ship cruising perfectly, especially Grand Circle Travel. American Cruise Lines should be ashamed of their shoddy service! CEO Charles Robertson - CLEAN UP YOUR CRUISE LINES! So disappointing. Read Less

This was our fifth cruise with this company. We did the cruise called, "New England Islands". As usual the food was memorable. And as usual service at meals goes at a slow pace. For the first time on a cruise I had servers dump food on me - twice! They also had a specific problem at breakfast. I believe most people are eager for the first cup of coffee in the morning. That was very very slow. They have a self-service buffet with fresh fruit available. I would take some fruit on my way to be seated for breakfast. Wait staff is in no hurry to approach the table. When they get there they have order pad in hand - but no coffee. They will take orders for food and drink - coffee. They MIGHT come back with coffee before the food is available (or they might not). The boat is one of the smaller and oldest in the American Cruise Lines fleet. When I asked if they had any note pads available I was told those are only available on the larger ships. They also have only one on-board "expert" while the larger ships (in my experience) have two of them. The larger ships have more staff and will serve you breakfast in your cabin. The other four cruises we took with this company were all on US rivers and the scenery was far superior to this trip. We saw fishing boats. We saw pleasure boats. We saw water. We saw islands. We had bus rides where we heard the names of wealthy folks who owned the houses along the road. Information about the shore excursions was limited and often wrong. Most of the passengers were (as usual) very senior citizens. Most of us would like to know: 1) how much walking on this excursion? 2) How challenging is the walk? 3) How long is the bus ride? 4) What is the availability of rest rooms on this excursion? This trip, like all American Cruise Lines trips, had organized activities on board. Unlike every other cruise we took, many of the scheduled activities did not happen. Other activities were bungled. With all my complaints, we signed up for another cruise with the company. Read Less

Would not recommend to others. Food and service only fair. Overall rating on scale of 1-10 would be seven (7).Cruise director attractive and friendly but inefficient. Made a number of mistakes for our group on excursion scheduling. Hotel director inexperienced as was the entire crew. Cabin service was ok but not great. On two occasions room was not made up until the afternoon and then only after a request (complaint) was made. Turn down service missed on one occasion. No keys in room upon arrival. Took about an hour to get resolved. Sometimes food was very good-other times poor to fair--overall just average. Dining room service was similar-sometimes good (not great) --other times fair. Drawers in stateroom furniture would not stay closed when ship was at sea. Balcony's too small to enjoy. Tender procedure poor, especially for those with mobility problems. Good things were luggage handling on embarkation and debarkation. Complimentary beverages, including happy hour and wine and beer at meals and all day soft drinks and snacks is nice perk. Staterooms and bathrooms clean and comfortable. Fell short of "Small Ship Cruising Done Perfectly" motto and was therefore disappointing in many respects. Read Less

We had never been to this area and this seemed like a great way to experience it...historically and culturally. This was our first cruise on American Cruise Lines. While the ship is not new, it was very clean and comfortable, and decently decorated. Our stateroom was AAC on the third floor and it was as large as advertised as was the bathroom. The bedding was very nice and the king bed quite comfortable. The outside balcony would have been used more if the weather had been warmer. We sailed in early November and it was often quite cool and we had some rainy days. For us the trip was almost flawless and we had a wonderful time. Attire is casual but folks dressed neatly and tastefully. We were fortunate to find many congenial groups, couples, and singles to enjoy the cruise with. No young children or teenagers. The group ranged in ages 50 - 80's and was a fairly active group. The food was quite good. I am Vegan and the cruise chef was able to plan and prepare very good meals for me. My spouse enjoyed the regular cuisine. Although some crew members were quite new, the hotel (cruise) manager did a great job making sure all the parts worked really well together. She was very organized and the materials the company provides its passengers were very clear and complete. The itinery director was also organized, quite pleasant, and competent communicator. There was an onboard naturalist who gave several lectures and he was knowledgable and an entertaining presenter. The off ship excursions were enjoyable with several locals guiding us in their respective home towns. We did book another cruise while on this one as we so enjoyed it. No complaints. The crew and staff did a great job. Read Less

Friends had recommended this cruise line. AmericaCruise could not be blamed for the weather which was unsaleable. However, as we were could not go to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Block Island, we were 2 days in New Bedfore and 2 days in NewPort. The brochure stated most excursions were complimentary, but this is UNTRUE. The only complimentary excursion were walking tours. They ranged from $25 per person to $50 per person on NewPort to the Breakers. It was unexplainable why our name was not listed on any pay tour for 4 days although we had turned in the paperwork timely and correctly. When there was an opening for the $50 per person to the Breakers, the bus. My husband at that time, had had enough and complained why the crew did not schedule enough transportation for all the cruisers, not just 50. We debarked then, never to sail again on Americruse. Read Less

A great cruise on a small boat - about 100 people. Smaller makes for more friendly. The chef told us at the beginning we would be eating lobster daily and that we did, at nearly every of the 3 meals a day. The lobster omelet was especially tasty. The on land trips were informative and we were allowed time to go out on our own as well. The cruise director Chelsea was just full of enthusiasm and made the week go by too fast. My wife and I really enjoyed getting close enough to 19 lighthouses to take identifiable photos of them. Even got to walk up to 3 of them.The entertainment during the evenings was enjoyable, especially the group of 10 college youth signing oldies and goodies.Watching the boat dock and depart the dock was also a first event for myself. You should go; you will enjoy it for sure. Read Less

We chose this cruise for our second one with ACL for two reasons: we are very impressed with the service and atmosphere of this cruise line and it was a lobster cruise. Yes, this ship was an older one, but that did not interfere with its charm - of course we prefer the personal service the smaller ships provide rather than the glitz and glam of the huge hotels on water. You will get to know most of your fellow passengers if you like. There is no assigned seating at meals, and we chose to move around to many tables. The staff will do their best to accomodate your hunger. If there is nothing on the menu that suits you, they will cook a hamburger or sandwich. There is no huge theater, so entertainment on board is in a casual lounge setting with personal interaction. On this particular cruise the entertainment was a bit slim, but the location stops made up for it. And lobster! I never thought I would tire of eating lobster, but it actually happened. It was available almost every day in different forms from boiled, in soup, pasta, and the favorite - a lobster bake on shore. You should try the lobster grilled cheese - amazing! For those of you who enjoy cocktail hour - all alcohol is included lunch, cocktail hour, and dinner. The cabin was nothing fancy, but clean and larger than some huge ships. The balcony was smaller than some, but adequate. We did not go on premium excursions, but walked more and enjoyed each town's atmosphere. Everyone who went seemed to love the shore activities. Read Less

Three friends and I chose this cruise for the easy access to embarkation port, Seattle, and the itinerary of daily visits to small ports in the WA area. This experience was devastating from the initial step aboard. Had it been half the price, we would have had the attitude, "You get what you pay for." However, one can book Oceania, Crystal, Celebrity or any high end cruise for the same amount and receive what is expected. According the the ACL, this ship was commissioned in 2005. That may be the case, but the Star's interior must have been originally furnished from recycled interiors of motels, hotels, or nursing homes which were being refurbished. The furniture and lighting fixtures were from the early 80s and not available in 2005. This ship needs to be dry docked and redone from stem to stern. It is depressingly dated and in some cases unsafe - balcony doors that cannot be properly locked and an erratic elevator with a gate! 2005? I don't think so. The "gourmet cuisine" was a 3-5 on a 1-10 scale. All seemed to be previously frozen and microwaved before serving. My traveling companion has a photo of dirt in the salad greens. We have all read about extreme health effects of dirty lettuce! The staff was ready, willing yet unable to provide basic services. Sweet kids who were untrained. Same with the housekeeping staff; dirty towels left on the bed and no fresh ones replaced, duvet dumped in a chair, etc. It goes on and on and cannot be exaggerated. The "entertainment" was so bad, mostly volunteers from local groups who were probably paid a stipend, one which American Cruise Lines could deduct as a donation. Unfortunately, there is no regulatory agency controlling cruise ships. The passenger must take the risk. American Cruise Lines' advertising is actually fraudulant. PLEASE think twice before booking on this line. It is sad to think a cruise line named American could be so disrespectful and deceiving to it's passengers. Read Less

About two years ago we did the Lobster Cruise out of Portland, Maine. That was so good we booked this one out of Providence, RI. We were not disappointed. I like the American Cruise Line because of its informality. You do not need dress up clothes like you do on the big ships. You may want to take a few extra tops to wear in the evening to gussy up a bit but just a little bit. It is very informal. The Happy Hour is unbelievable. The have all the liquors and will make any drink for you that you want. The food is upscale. The serve things like bacon wrapped scallops, cooked brea cheese, dips with crackers and veggies, and many other tidbits. They are all wonderful. Meals are served in the dining room with open seating. People sit with different people at these meals. By the end a lot of friendships have been formed and you will see the same people sitting together meal after meal. Dinner consists of an appetizer, a main dish, and dessert. If you do not like any of the offerings just ask for something else and they will do their best to please you. The best thing is the "half serving." You can pick a smaller portion of the food that is offered. This was my fifth cruise and I have another one booked for next year. I plan on using American Cruise LIne many more times. It is a super experience. Read Less

This experience was a rip off! The cruise cost over $10,000 for 7 days. The ship should be mothballed and the food was terrible. The food was obviously frozen and reheated in the microwave. American Cruise Lines advertised this cruise as serving gourmet food. The cocktail hour consisted of frozen food and the wine was solely from California. The retail cost of the wine was $4.99. When I requested another brand of wine I was told that I had to pay $30.00 for a bottle. Again this cruise was advertised as serving premium wines!!! When we contacted customer service, they will not speak to you. The noise in the room at night was unbearable. The engine and the thrusters were so loud at night that we could not get any sleep. The air conditioner shut itself off at night. The engineer tried to fix it may times. I will never use this cruse line again. Read Less

Read Less

For an entire day about half the passengers were expected to sit on the boat in the middle of the inner waterway outside of Fernandina Beach, FL. We were told that we will not be taken ashore due to the outboard motor on the launch boat being unreliable to keep running. Half the passengers were taken ashore earlier today so they could go on their shore excursion tour. After they were delivered ashore, we were told the launches were cancelled for the day - - however they were running them to bring the shore excursion passengers back to the boat at the end of their tour. An entire day of our six day cruise was lost and wasted because the Captain and crew did not aggressively pursued resolving the problem. Anyone with simple problem solving skills and a little motivation would know that the problem of an unreliable outboard motor can be overcome with other solutions. Instead we are expected to just sit on the boat all day and believe that because it's a Sunday NOTHING can be done. We had no other option but to remain sitting on the boat. I discussed my dissatisfaction and voiced many suggested solutions numerous times today with the Captain, Tour Director, and several other staff. All fell on deaf ears and I was told to voice my concerns with the main office of the cruise company. I called the 800 number, spoken to customer service and was then told to voice my issue in an email, send it to customer service, and it will be taken from there. After three weeks of my continuing to follow up on my complaints, ACL has now told me that if I take another cruise with them they will give me a 20% discount. Why would I choose to waste my time and money on another cruise with this company? This was an expensive cruise, the last thing I expected was for a situation such as this to have arisen and to be dealt with in such a unsatisfactory manner. In further notes, the ship is old, worn and terribly in need of updating and refurbishing. The so-called "management" on the boat are immature, very poorly trained and not at all suited for their jobs. Messages left for "management" on the boat were never answered. The Captain and "management" chose to make any announcements during the cruise at the nightly Happy Hour. I guess they assumed that everyone on board would be their drinking and would hear their announcements. Either that or they didn't care whether the announcements were heard by all the passengers or not. At the time of booking this cruise I specifically asked about signing up for shore excursions prior to the cruise. I was told that all signing up for shore excursions are handled on the boat during the cruise. Much to our surprise, when we started the cruise we learned that this was not the case and there were indeed shore excursions that had to be signed up ahead of time online. Those excursions were all filled by those passengers that happened to be lucky enough to get the correct information. I've cruised many times before with other cruise lines and have never had problems such as I have had with American Cruise Lines. Save your money, time and frustration - - book a cruise with another company! Read Less

We chose this cruise , because we have been on American Cruise Lines before and enjoy the quiet , laid back atmosphere. We also enjoy seeing beautiful, scenic areas of our own country, without the hassle of international travel . The food was excellent on this particular cruise. With American Cruise Lines you have complimentary cocktail hour at 5:30 each day followed by dinner at 6:30. Breakfast & lunches are also very good, with several options available. The American Star only has 100 passengers at full capacity , so it is a very nice small size group and you actually get the chance to know the other passengers. The on-board historian is another plus. We also like the fact that the passengers are mostly seniors and there are not small children running around, as is often the case, on the very large cruise ships that have thousands of passengers. The nightly entertainment is usually an area musical act. All in all it was another satisfying cruise. Read Less

We wanted to see the Islands of Nantucket and Martha's vineyard, and it was a lobster bake cruise. The food was amazing, with an authentic lobster bake in the sand. This was my first cruise, and I enjoyed getting to know all of the 91 passengers. The small boat cruising is the only way to go. My husband and I have booked another small boat cruise to Alaska for next August. That will be on a new ship called the American Constellation, leaving and returning from Juno Alaska, with 175 passengers. We enjoyed getting to know a lot of people and seeing great sights, as well as eating amazing food. The top deck was a great place to escape and unwind at any time of the day. Whether you like the sun or shade, it was a great place to read, nap or enjoy the sights. Try American Cruise Lines, I think you would enjoy it. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the number of guests. We have been on large ships before and wanted a change.This was absolutely great,so personable and the comradery worked well. We met lots of nice people and also had a celebrity onboard(which says a lot for the cruise line). The personal service was a plus,since it was easy to get to know the crew and they were excellent.The hotel manager was especially nice and helpful.He sent us a great bottle of Champagne for our anniversary. The food was excellent, just needed extra salt&pepper on occasion. The dining room staff was nice, but could have been faster with the drinks. The ship itself was nice,but old, and would have been prettier if I than been updated. The entertainment was good,although we missed the fun night life. The places we went to were gorgeous; New England Islands were beautiful and friendly and the weather was perfect! Read Less

From the Captain to the steward who cleaned our cabin, the service was friendly and exceptional. The management team on board were always available, communicated extremely well, and could not do enough for the passengers. The 'hired hands', most of whom are working for a few months to earn money for college, were well trained, friendly and courteous, and always had a smile on their face. The overall service, from the start of the trip to disembarkation, was better than I have experienced on the big luxury cruise lines. I liked the idea of knowing the menu options at the start of the day as it enabled us to plan when we might want to eat off the ship so we could experience some of many restaurant choices on the islands. We had a couple of stormy days and the itinerary was adjusted so that we could visit Nantucket via a complimentary ferry ride. Well done ACL! We enjoyed the happy hour with complimentary drinks and the evenings entertainment was fun. The ship provides a small library where you can borrow books, movies and games. Most afternoons there was a small group playing bridge in the lounge. The Wi-Fi is free but service was intermittent as you might expect when at sea. Our cabin was larger than expected, as was the bathroom. We slept well every night and appreciated the choice of pillow. Bathroom amenities were excellent. Our fellow cruisers, none of whom we knew before the cruise, were a delight to meet and there was more mingling than you will see on the big ships. The shipboard enrichment sessions by our guide were also exceptional. Read Less

This was my first cruise on a small ship. The cruise itself was the 7 night New England Island Cruise. The ship was fine and the food was very good but that's a given. They offer a complementary happy hour each evening and complementary alcoholic beverages at lunch and dinner. This ship does not have stabilizers and one morning we spent 4 hours really rocking and rolling. Many passengers and crew got sea sick and they had no Dramamine on board. Most passengers skipped breakfast and stayed in their rooms. The room and bath were fine but the "outside veranda" was 8 feet x 3 feet - barely enough for a small table and two chairs. 3 pieces of fitness equipment were on the top deck. No laundry facilities or capability. Sheets and towels are not changed throughout the trip unless requested. Free WiFi was spotty and usually worked only in common areas, not in the staterooms. The evening entertainment was a mixed bag; some good some not so much. A New England Clambake was the hit of the trip. Some shore excursions were free but I was a bit miffed by the fact some "premium" shore excursions were $50 per person. After paying almost $5,000 per person for this cruise, I felt ALL shore excursions should have been complementary. Generally a satisfactory cruise but IMHO, very much overpriced. Read Less

We decided to take a small boat cruise for our 1st cruise. There were only 70 people on board.There was open seating in the dining room. You got to talk to everybody. There was an open bar at cocktail hour and dress was casual. The food was fabulous. The cruise was more a relaxing cruise for people 50 and over even though we had 2 families with pre-teen-teenagers. It was more expensive than some of the large ocean going ships but we loved it. We sailed out of Providence RI. Went to New Bedford MA, Nantucket MA, Martha's Vineyard, Newport RI (our favorite and would like to go spend more time there), Block Island, Bristol RI (had a great clam and lobster bake on the beach) back to Providence. We would recommend this cruise for anyone wanting a relaxing cruise with fabulous food. It won't work for you if you are looking for a active cruise with plenty of activities or traveling with children. Read Less

From the moment I arrived at the boarding gate, I was impressed by the service given to the passengers. And this excellent service given by all staff continued throughout the cruise. Then I enjoyed arriving to my cabin to find all the information needed for the cruise ahead. Each day the information was updated and delivered to my cabin. I found the cabin to be really suitable for my requirements and very well appointed. The dining was very good with an excellent menu for all meals and included wines with lunch and dinner. Of course I enjoyed cocktail hour before dinner and gave me an opportunity to meet new people. The after dinner entertainment provided was enjoyable also. On this particular cruise the weather was not very kind to us and the planned itinerary had to be changed. While these changes meant we didn't call at all ports as expected, the Captain had to take the safety of passengers into account and I was very appreciative of his decision. Management certainly offered the passengers a great program of extra excursions and activities to fit with the port changes. I loved taking part in all these activities and it made up for any disappointment I may have initially felt. I certainly took up the offer to book my third cruise with American Cruise Lines while on board because I really do enjoy the type of cruising offered, the level service given and the wonderful food. As an Australian, I love visiting new places in the US and these type of cruises allow for that experience. Read Less

Wanted to see the New England island but because on the weather did not make it to two of the islands. The small ship allowed for personal service by the crew to all on board. we where able to meet many new friends as we where able to dine together and travel on the day tours. The captain and first mate were very professional and offered additional information about the ship and tour activities. We enjoyed the shore excursions especially the duck tour in Boston, the Herrshof tour and the mansion in Bristol. The food was excellent offering a variety of dishes. All of the staff where very professional and went out of their way to make us feel at home. We have signed up for another cruise and are planning to travel to Main next July. We hope our next cruise does not experience bad weather and the ship is more up to date on its cabins. Read Less

This was our 7th cruise on American Cruise Lines and our first on the American Star. We selected the New England Islands in June to hope for the best weather without too many summer crowds. We started in Providence, RI and stayed at the Hampton Inn at the airport. The shuttle service not only picked us up from our flight but drove us to a nearby Starbucks the next morning. We were greeted at the docks with deck hands eager to help with luggage and enjoyed lunch onboard before setting sail. The ship was well kept and spotless throughout our cruise. The rooms with a small balcony were large with plenty of storage. The itinerary met all our expectations with exploring famous places like Newport, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. A delightful place that stood out was Block Island. The food and service onboard were outstanding. Everyone appeared to be well trained and cheerful despite any unusual requests- such as could I just have a turkey sandwich for lunch. The chef was amazing and the choices were very good. Our servers were prompt and kept orders straight. The officers were equally impressive including Andrew, our cruise director and Jamie, our hotel manager. The onboard lecturer was very knowledgeable and very entertaining. There are no children's activities, this is an adult cruise line. The evening entertainment, typically a duo signing or playing a piano, were appropriate for the passengers. The shore excursions were usually a bus or trolley tour overview with plenty of free time to explore the ports on your own. We made new friends and signed up for another cruise before we departed. Read Less

Chose this cruise to visit Tangier Island, Williamsburg, Annapolis and other small communities along the Virginia and Maryland shores. The food is always wonderful with accommodations made for dietary needs. There is always a riverlorian or someone knowledgeable in the areas visited on board to lecture and impart wonderful histories and stories. The evening entertainment has, for the most part, been fine. On the last night of this cruise, the entertainer was a young male singer accompanied by his mother. Before too long, he had only a handful of guests staying for his whole show. There is internet available, but very spotty. From the Captain to the deck hands, all the ships' personnel are caring and pleasant. It is a pleasure to sail on ships where everything is AMERICAN MADE. Sailing on ACL ships provides a wonderful, comfortable way to see American from the beauty of American waterways from Alaska to the Mississippi and the Eastern coasts. Read Less

I had never been in this area. It was a good introduction to this part of our United States. I leaned so much about the area and the American Revolution from the lectures and then seeing the areas. The Captain and crew were very friendly. They learned the names of most of their travelers and actually took time to visit when they were free to do so. The food was fantastic. Each item was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. The chef went the extra step to create delicious special desserts for the diabetic person in my group. Each night the chef came by our table and asked if we enjoyed the meal. He was a visible presence in the dining room and received our praise and any comments we wanted to share. I enjoyed my fill of crab dishes from breakfast crab omelets to crab salads and crab cakes. Then, when I couldn't see another crab, there was steak, chicken and many other items to choose from on the menu. Three cheers for a fantastic trip, crew and cuisine! Read Less

From the cruise director to the room steward, attention to detail was noticeable. As we boarded the ship our bags were taken directly to our room. The ship was small and easy to navigate. There was always a smiling crew member at hand. The spcious lounge was always equiped with soft drinks, coffee, tea and snacks beginning at 6:30 A.M. Although we were concerned about the lack of a bar, we found that complimentary wine and beer with the meals and the happy hour every evening were generous. The chef was friendly, personable, and creative with local fresh dishes. The efficient wait staff made meals enjoyable. Knowledgeble tours guides made the history of the region come alive. We had such a great trip that we have already signed up for another cruise. The morning of disembarkation began with a full breakfast and everyone was assisted off the ship at a leisurely pace. Read Less

Cruise was close to home, places I had not been, tryout of river cruises and cruise company. Not disappointed. Fabulous crew, food and accommodations.Tours were great, not run of the mill. Lovely lounges to sit and read or watch the scenery. The top deck was fabulous. Small groupings sported white wicker furniture, covered with a canopy or open to the sun. Evening cocktail hour before dinner sometimes served on the top deck, a place you hate to leave on a nice day. The inside evening entertainment lounge accommodates all, full of comfortable chintz couches . Flexible seating set up auditorium style for entertainment and in small square conversational groupings during the day, including cocktail hour. Trip back to originating port of Charleston arranged by American was a small, deluxe bus and quite enjoyable, arriving ahead of time right in three dockside parking lot. I am looking forward to my next American Cruise trip, maybe the Snake River. Read Less