American Cruise Lines
American West
- Cruises
- 2
- From
- —
Ship comparison
American West vs River Duchess
Uniworld River Cruises
River Duchess
- Cruises
- 4
- From
- $3,999
The verdict
Which should you choose?
American West is an intimate American Cruise Lines ship carrying 120 passengers, in service since 1994. River Duchess is an intimate Uniworld River Cruises ship carrying 134 passengers, in service since 2003.
Choose American West if you want a more family-friendly ship, better-rated entertainment or better-rated dining: it outscores River Duchess for family friendly (4.0 vs 2.0), entertainment (6.0 vs 4.0) and dining (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose River Duchess if you want a more romantic trip, more space per passenger or more culture: it outscores American West for romantic (8.0 vs 2.0) and cultural (8.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has 26.1 gross tons per passenger (vs 17.6).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| American West | River Duchess | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | American Cruise Lines | Uniworld River Cruises |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 1994 | 2003 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2022 (better) | 2012 |
| Gross tonnage | 2,115 | 3,500 |
| Passengers | 120 | 134 |
| Crew | 37 | 34 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 3.2 (better) | 3.9 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 17.6 | 26.1 (better) |
| Decks | 4 | 3 |
| Length | 232 ft | 361 ft |
| Beam | 50 ft | 38 ft |
| Speed | 14 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 7 / 10 | 10 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 2 | 4 |
| Upcoming sailings | 2 | 7 |
| Cruise lengths | 6–8 nights | 7–14 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | — | $3,999 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. American West leads on 3 of the ten, River Duchess on 4, with 3 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
American Cruise Lines
American West
A veteran of the Columbia and Snake Rivers, American West from American Cruise Lines, formerly Queen of the West, underwent a major renovation in 2022, with new color palettes, luxurious textiles and linens, new furniture and carpets, artwork and other flourishes.
Sailing now
2 cruises on sale.
Uniworld River Cruises
River Duchess
River Duchess, part of the Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, carries 134 guests in luxurious style. River ships (for the Rhine, Main and Danube) must navigate hundreds of locks that are only 12 meters wide.
Highlights
- Visit the picturesque Bulgarian towns of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi.
- Have an al fresco meal in the Sky Lounge.
- Enjoy the piano player during tea, cocktails and after dinner for dancing.
Sailing now
4 cruises on sale, from $3,999.
Questions
American West or River Duchess?
Which is bigger, American West or River Duchess?
River Duchess is bigger at 3,500 gross tons, against 2,115 gross tons for American West. American West carries 120 passengers and River Duchess carries 134.
Which ship is newer, American West or River Duchess?
River Duchess is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2003 against 1994 for American West.
Which has more space per passenger?
River Duchess, with 26.1 gross tons per passenger against 17.6 on American West. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
American West, with one crew member for every 3.2 passengers against one for every 3.9 on River Duchess.
Which is better for families?
American West scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 4.0 out of 10, against 2.0 for River Duchess.
Still deciding?
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