Chesapeake Shipbuilding starts construction of the 4th new Coastal Cat for American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines announced, that construction has begun on American Legend, the 4th new Coastal Cat in the company’s Project Blue series.
First announced in January 2022, the Project Blue series is a set of 12 small ships designed to sail almost any domestic cruise itinerary. The 100-guest American Legend is built for coastal operation and features the innovative new hull design that is a hallmark of the series.
All American’s new Coastal Cats are being built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, MD. The first 3 ships in the series, American Eagle, American Glory, and American Liberty are scheduled to begin sailing in the next twelve months.
American Legend will begin cruising the U.S. in late 2024, and is the 19th new small ship in American’s fleet. American Cruise Lines has grown substantially in the past several years and has led the resurgence of the river cruise market here in the U.S.A. In just the past 5 years, the company has nearly tripled its fleet by introducing innovative new small ships. The company is the only cruise line in the world to operate a 100% U.S. flagged fleet of both riverboats and small cruise ships, and the only cruise line in the country to offer 100% U.S. itineraries along both rivers and coasts.
In 2023, American will operate 17 ships, each accommodating just 90-180 passengers, which cruise more than 50 domestic itineraries in 35 states.
