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American Cruise Lines

American Melody

Intimate ship Bliss scored

American Melody began its inaugural season in September 2021 as the newest riverboat from American Cruise Lines to offer sailings on the Mississippi River.

  • 175guests
  • 5,400gross tons
  • 11cruises now
  • $4,255fares from

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The purpose-built Mississippi River ship American Melody.

At a glance

American Melody is an intimate-size cruise ship operated by American Cruise Lines, in service since 2021. It carries 175 guests and 43 crew (4.1 guests per crew member) at 5,400 gross tons. It ties with 3 other ships as the 6th largest of 20 American Cruise Lines ships by guest capacity. On Cruiseable's Bliss scale it scores highest for active and romantic (6/10) and lowest for adventure & nature, cultural, dining, entertainment, family friendly, party, spa & fitness and staterooms (5/10). It has 11 cruises on sale, with lead fares from $4,255 to $15,890.

Builder's plate

Specs

Guests
175
Crew
43
Gross tons
5,400
Decks
6
Length
269 ft
Beam
56 ft
Maiden voyage
2021
Space ratio
4.1
Gross tons per guest
Guests per crew
4.1
Cabins
91

Bliss scores

What American Melody is best at

Ten dimensions scored by our editors on a 10-point scale. The Cruiseable app ranks every cruise against the mix you care about.

  1. Active 6.0
  2. Adventure and nature 5.0
  3. Cultural 5.0
  4. Dining 5.0
  5. Entertainment 5.0
  6. Family friendly 5.0
  7. Party 5.0
  8. Romantic 6.0
  9. Spa and fitness 5.0
  10. Staterooms 5.0

Our review

American Melody: A modern river ship for exploring the Mississippi

American Melody began its inaugural season in September 2021 as the newest riverboat from American Cruise Lines to offer sailings on the Mississippi River through the American heartland.

The 175-passenger ship features panoramic views throughout, including an impressive four-story glass atrium in the center of the ship. It also boasts roomy accommodations, with cabins ranging in size from 250 to 650 square feet, all featuring full-size bathrooms, spacious closets and private balconies where guests can take in the passing scenery and enjoy daily room service at breakfast.

American Melody also features six lounges for sipping cocktails and mingling with fellow passengers — and most of these spaces have large, impressive wall-to-wall windows. There's also a forward-facing observation lounge, fitness center and yoga studio. Every stateroom has a private balcony. For guests staying in a Grand Suite or Veranda Suite, at the end of each day the room attendant will deliver a “suite treat” to your stateroom, such as mini cheesecakes or chocolate-covered strawberries. 

While other small cruise lines repurpose old casino ships, American Cruise Lines jettisoned the traditional paddlewheel motif and built a fleet of new boats from the ground up. The result is a ship with a sleek, contemporary design and one that's quieter, wider and faster than any other river ship — and also the most environmentally friendly in the industry, the cruise line says. 

Who will enjoy sailing on American Melody

The ship attracts a mature set of travelers who want an easy, safe cruise experience close to home that offers a nostalgic taste of the American heartland and the region's glory days. 

Where American Melody sails

American Melody features 7- to 21-night cruises along the Upper and Lower Mississippi, with occasional land tours and forays into the Tennessee River as options.

Read the full review

Welcome inclusions

When you sail on an American Cruise Lines ship, your fare includes a pre-cruise hotel package, all shore excursions (organized daily), a cocktail hour each evening, cruise accommodation, gourmet meals, Afternoon Tea service, room service for breakfast, onboard enrichment and entertainment programs and complimentary shipwide Wi-Fi. 

Dining

On board you'll find a main open-seating dining room featuring traditional American fare. Wines and beers come from the U.S. and are complimentary with lunches and dinners on board. American Melody also offers the Ellipse Café for a casual dining option with the ambiance of a yacht, complete with teak decks and river views from every table. 

The River Lounge on the river cruise ship American Melody.
The River Lounge on American Melody. Courtesy of American Cruise Lines

Entertainment & activities

Much of the action on a river cruise centers on the charming ports along the way. Guest lecturers and historians provide daily updates about port highlights while “riverlorians” recount the history and culture of the region.

The River Lounge serves as the ship's show lounge with a central stage, grand piano and ample seating. The performance space allows for different types of entertainment to be featured. Warm cookies are served in the lounge starting at 10 am., Afternoon Tea service with fresh pastries is at 3:30 pm and a cocktail hour with free drinks is at 5:30 pm. Evening entertainment includes a nightly one-hour show that ranges from a live concert, solo performances and musical tribute to movie trivia or games. 

On board, the upper deck features a Sky Walk and shuffleboard area, or you can spread out and enjoy the views. Reading and quiet conversation are also popular ways to pass the time. Note that there's no casino on board.

Staterooms

All staterooms come with step-out balconies. Rooms are among the most spacious in the industry. 

American Melody offers these cabin categories: Single Private Balcony (250 square feet), AAR Private Balcony (275 square feet), AAC Private Balcony (316 square feet), AAM Private Balcony  (350 square feet), Veranda Suite (405 square feet), including a private walk-out balcony, full-size bathroom and large living area with sliding glass door, and Grand Suite (650 square feet), with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, sliding glass doors, private balcony with private dining area, and separate bedroom and living area.

Sister ships

American Melody is the fourth new build in the American Cruise Lines fleet. Part of its "Modern Riverboat" series, the ship follows sister ships American Song (2018), American Harmony (2019) and American Jazz (2020). Coming next in the same class: American Symphony (2022) and American Serenade (currently scheduled for late 2022). 

Fun fact

All American Cruise Lines ships are USA-flagged and built by the company-owned Chesapeake Shipbuilding Yard in Salisbury, Md.

Interested in a cruise on this ship?

If you're interested in a cruise on American Melody, contact a Cruiseable travel advisor at 1-877-322-3773 or by email. You'll usually get a better deal than you can get by contacting the cruise line directly.

SEE ALL AMERICAN MELODY SAILINGS

On board highlights

Dining

Where to eat on American Melody

  • Main dining room
    Main dining room American fare · Breakfast, lunch & dinner
    No additional cost

Photos

Inside and out

Dining 1

  • The dining room on American Melody from American Cruise Lines.
    The dining room on American Melody from American Cruise Lines.

On board 7

  • Rendering of the top deck of the river cruise ship American Melody.
    Rendering of the top deck of the river cruise ship American Melody.
  • The atrium of the new river cruise ship American Melody.
    The atrium of the new river cruise ship American Melody.
  • The High Note Lounge on the river cruise ship American Melody.
    The High Note Lounge on the river cruise ship American Melody.
  • The Lyric Lounge on American Melody from American Cruise Lines.
    The Lyric Lounge on American Melody from American Cruise Lines.
  • The River Lounge on the river cruise ship American Melody.
    The River Lounge on the river cruise ship American Melody.
  • The Skywalk on American Melody.
    The Skywalk on American Melody.
  • Watch passing landscapes along the Mississippi from the sundeck of American Melody.
    Watch passing landscapes along the Mississippi from the sundeck of American Melody.

More photos 3

  • The purpose-built Mississippi River ship American Melody.
    The purpose-built Mississippi River ship American Melody.
  • The 175-passenger American Melody began Mississippi River sailings in September 2021.
    The 175-passenger American Melody began Mississippi River sailings in September 2021.
  • Rendering of the 175-passenger American Melody river cruise ship.
    Rendering of the 175-passenger American Melody river cruise ship.

Sailing now

Cruises on American Melody

Plan my cruise
  1. 8 Night Upper Mississippi River and Land Tour 8 nights · from St Louis, Missouri Next Sep 25, 2026 17 dates from $5,635
  2. 15 Night Grand Heartland and Land Tour 15 nights · from St Paul, Minnesota Next Oct 16, 2026 4 dates from $12,620
  3. 8 Night Lower Mississippi River and Land Tour 8 nights · from New Orleans Next Nov 13, 2026 26 dates from $5,275
  4. 8 Night Lower Mississippi River and Land Tour 8 nights · from Memphis Next Dec 4, 2026 25 dates from $5,275
  5. 7 Night Highlights of the Mississippi and Land Tour 7 nights · from New Orleans Next Dec 11, 2026 9 dates from $4,255
  6. 22 Night Complete Mississippi River Experience and Land Tour 22 nights · from New Orleans Next Jun 4, 2027 3 dates from $15,890
  7. 15 Night Grand Ohio River and Land Tour 15 nights · from St Louis, Missouri Next Jul 2, 2027 2 dates from $9,920
  8. 15 Night Grand Ohio River and Land Tour 15 nights · from Pittsburgh Next Jul 16, 2027 2 dates from $9,920
  9. 8 Night Upper Mississippi River and Land Tour 8 nights · from St Paul, Minnesota Next Aug 6, 2027 15 dates from $5,635
  10. 9 Night Ohio River and Land Tour 9 nights · from Pittsburgh Next Aug 25, 2028 from $6,215
  11. 9 Night Ohio River and Land Tour 9 nights · from Louisville Next Sep 2, 2028 from $6,610

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