American Cruise Lines Christens American Ranger on Hudson River
Beginning in December, American Ranger will sail roundtrip from St. Petersburg on an eight-night Gulf Coast and Keys itinerary with an overnight call at Key West.
American Cruise Lines christened the 130-passenger American Ranger on September 24 at Historic Catskill Point in Catskill, New York. The vessel is the operator’s third new ship of 2026 and the fourth in its Patriot Class.
The addition follows American Encore, a riverboat christened in Idaho on May 12, and American Maverick, named in Newport, Rhode Island, in mid-June. The company plans to introduce three more vessels in 2027: Ranger’s sister ships American Mariner and American Navigator, plus the riverboat American Anthem.
Susan Renner, American Cruise Lines’ treasurer and board chair, served as godmother, breaking the ceremonial bottle during a top-deck celebration attended by inaugural cruise passengers, executives and crew. The festivities included a cookout. Renner also serves as godmother to American Maverick.
“We are so pleased to christen American Ranger with our guests and crew, surrounded by the Hudson River Valley’s magnificent fall scenery,” said Charles B. Robertson, president and CEO of American Cruise Lines.
Built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, the 243-foot coastal vessel is fully stabilized for coastwise cruising. All accommodations have private balconies, including the ship’s single-occupancy staterooms and suites.
Public spaces include a lounge on the upper deck and a walking track, along with a chart room and other lounges. Dining is offered in a main restaurant and a casual café, while a fitness center and passenger laundry are also available.
A fall foliage debut on the Hudson
The naming ceremony took place during the ship’s inaugural Hudson River Fall Foliage program. The nine-day itinerary began with an included New York City hotel night on September 18; passengers embarked the following day, and the voyage finished in Albany on September 26.
This year’s Hudson cruises operate between those two cities, calling at Catskill, West Point, Sleepy Hollow and Kingston/Hyde Park, with guided shore excursions included. American Cruise Lines said the season is largely sold out, with the final departure scheduled for October 25.
Excursion options across the Hudson programs include the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, FDR’s Presidential Library, the Olana and Lyndhurst mansions, and Whitecliff Vineyard. Fall sailings also offer apple tastings and visits to Sleepy Hollow during its Halloween celebrations, which run from mid-September into early November.
For 2027, the Hudson routes will operate roundtrip from Albany. They will retain a New York City call with shore excursions and cruising past the Statue of Liberty. Hudson River Summer Classic departures begin in June, followed by the return of the fall foliage program in September.
Winter sailings in Florida before a West Coast move
After its Hudson deployment, American Ranger is scheduled to sail Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River itineraries before heading to Florida for the winter. Beginning in December, it will operate the eight-night Florida’s Gulf Coast & Keys route roundtrip from St. Petersburg, visiting Marco Island and Punta Gorda and making an overnight call at Key West.
The ship is scheduled to begin Puget Sound and San Juan Islands itineraries in April 2027 after repositioning to the West Coast. Its first Alaska season will follow that summer, with 11-night sailings between Juneau and Ketchikan.
