American Pride Review

4.0 / 5.0
48 reviews
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Editor Rating
4.0
Very Good
Overall
Dori Saltzman
Contributor

Put your feet up, grab a book, and let the scenery soothe you. There's just something about gliding down one of the United States' greatest rivers that calms the soul.

Originally built for the Mississippi River - and named Queen of the Mississippi - American Pride began its life in 2012 exploring cities like St. Louis, Memphis and Louisville. In 2016, the line renamed the paddlewheeler and moved it to the Snake and Columbia rivers for itineraries that focus on Lewis and Clark, as well as Pacific Northwest cuisine and scenery. While Cruise Critic sailed on the ship's Ohio River itinerary, most of the vessel's attributes have stayed the same.

Onboard, the service is superb, which is somewhat surprising, considering American Cruise Lines' employment policy limiting waiter/room attendant contracts to three months per any nine-month period. The mostly young crew, therefore, is new to the job, though they make up for any lack of experience with friendliness, an eagerness to serve and a genuine interest in your well-being.

The food is excellent, the accommodations spacious and comfortable, and your fellow passengers, of which there are only 150, are keen to meet you and chat. With no assigned tables, you quickly get to know the majority of others on the boat.

It might feel unbelievably small to anyone who's only been on a giant cruise ship. If you're looking for a lot of activity, you're not going to find it here. Onboard life is geared toward the older crowd. All activities are seated, from listening to lectures and enjoying some golden oldies tunes to participating in a marathon jigsaw puzzle contest. At times, we craved a stroll around a nice promenade deck.

But despite our occasional need to get up and move, we found it quite enjoyable to sit at the front of the boat in a rocking chair watching for birds, chatting with new friends or reading a book.

About

Passengers: 150
Crew: 43
Passenger to Crew: 3.49:1
Launched: 2012

Fellow Passengers

American Cruise Lines attracts an older demographic. (The average age is probably 72 or so.) The fact that the ship has an elevator is a highlight for many. Hailing from all over the United States -- Alabama, California, the Carolinas, Ohio, Florida -- passengers represent a geographic cross section of the country. More than 40 percent of the passengers have been on at least one American Cruise Lines cruise before.

American Pride Dress Code

Casual resort attire is de rigueur, both on the ship and ashore. For dinner, men's clothing might include a sport shirt and slacks with a sport coat or sweater. Women might find a sweater and slacks or a dress appropriate. American Cruise Lines also recommends you bring comfortable walking shoes, a hat, light rain wear and a jacket for cool evenings.

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American Pride Cruiser Reviews

Incredible Vacation

I just can't say enough about how much I enjoy these American cruises. I can't wait to take another American Cruise Line cruise again.Read More
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Kathiej

many10+ Cruises

Age 60s

Beautiful Columbia River Cruise

American Cruise Lines provides a fantastically safe environment for aging guests or for those travelling alone.Read More
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PrairiePeople

many10+ Cruises

Age 50s

Beautiful Columbia River Cruise

American Cruise Lines provides a fantastically safe environment for aging guests or for those travelling alone.Read More
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PrairiePeople

many10+ Cruises

Age 50s

Super excellent cruise

This was our second river cruise on American Cruise lines, but we had sailed many times before on large cruise ships to the Caribbean and Alaska.Read More
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richobryan

many10+ Cruises

Age 70s

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