American Cruise Lines christens newest cruise ship in Rhode Island

American Liberty is part of the company’s ongoing Project Blue Series—a series of 12 new small ships. (Credit: American Cruise Lines)

American Cruise Lines (ACL) announced yesterday that American Liberty, the third new coastal cat in the company’s groundbreaking series of 100-passenger ships, was christened in Newport, R.I., this week. American Liberty is part of the company’s ongoing Project Blue Series—a series of 12 new small ships.

Like its sister ships, American Liberty accommodates just 100 guests, features four decks, and a unique catamaran bow. The coastal cat also offers elegant interior design, private balcony accommodations, a beautiful top deck for amazing views, comfortable lounges both inside and out, a main restaurant and casual café, and a walking track and fitness center, unusual amenities for small ships.

The celebration took place at Fort Adams State Park, where all ACL’s small ships dock when visiting Newport. American Liberty was visiting the historic seaside town along its inaugural cruise with guests, sailing one of the ACL’s most popular summer itineraries, a New England Islands cruise, round trip from Providence, R.I.

American Liberty’s christening celebration included cruise guests, community members, officials from Sail Newport and Fort Adams State Park, and a small group of the company’s executives and crewmembers. Charles Robertson, president and CEO of American Cruise Lines, gave remarks as did American Liberty’s godmother, Clare Harington, Vice Commodore of the New York Yacht Club.

Brad Read, Executive Director of Sail Newport, and Lauren Carson, Rhode Island State Representative, also spoke at the event, both commending ACL for its steadfast commitment to sustainable cruising and the company’s continuous introduction of new, environmentally friendly small ships. Musical trio, The Victory Belles, were also on hand to entertain guests with patriotic music as everyone gathered on the ship’s top deck for the official blessing and ceremonial bottle smash. The christening was followed by a traditional New England Lobsterbake at Fort Adams State Park where guests enjoyed a discussion and live demonstration of the region’s ancient Native American cooking process. 

“We are honored to be able to host this event in Fort Adams State Park with our fantastic partners from the community and Sail Newport. We are especially honored to have Vice Commodore Clare Harington of the New York Yacht Club serve as godmother of American Liberty. We look forward to further developing our longtime partnerships in Newport and many other historic coastal towns along the Eastern Seaboard,” said Robertson.

American Liberty’s celebration follows the christenings of series flagship, American Eagle, on Buzzard’s Bay, Mass., in August 2023 and American Glory’s christening, in Key West, Fla., in November 2023. American Cruise Lines fourth new Coastal Cat, American Legend, is scheduled to begin sailing this November 2024.

American Liberty will continue operating the company’s New England Islands cruises into September, then the newest ship in the country will sail a mix of the Line’s exclusive East Coast itineraries from Hudson River Fall Foliage cruises, roundtrip from New York City, to popular Historic South & Golden Isles cruises, between Charleston, S.C., and Amelia Island, Fla., November 2024 through spring 2025.

Because of ACL’s innovative new ships and expanding array of domestic itineraries across the country, demand for the company’s specialized cruise experiences continues to grow. Unlike any other cruise line operating in the U.S., all of ACL’s coastal itineraries operate just like river cruises, sailing in sight of land and visiting only U.S. ports of call. The company has introduced 19 of the 22 U.S.-built cruise ships launched over the past two decades.