The newest riverboat for the Mississippi River passed sea trials this week and is on the way to New Orleans for its inaugural season exploring the country’s most iconic River.

American Cruise Lines announced Thursday that it has accepted delivery of the American Serenade from Chesapeake Shipbuilding as scheduled. American Serenade is the sixth riverboat in the Line’s ground-breaking new series, and the 18^th small ship built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding for American Cruise Lines. The 180-passenger boat will immediately join the company’s expanding Mississippi River fleet and will begin plying the famous waterway this month. American Serenade’s first cruise is set to depart on April 20 from New Orleans, and American Cruise Lines plans to christen the new riverboat during its inaugural cruise on April 23 while visiting Vidalia, La.

“American Serenade shows our continued commitment to small ships for America’s rivers. She has the same spacious features as her five sisterships and a design package that wows everyone who boards,” said Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO of American Cruise Lines. Introduced just a few months after American Symphony and just a few months before American Eagle, the new ship is a testament to the Line’s rapidly increasing production capability.

Accommodating 180 guests, American Serenade features 5 decks and offers 100-percent private balcony staterooms, including suites and singles. The new riverboat has an elegant interior design that incorporates a stunning use of glass, allowing for unparalleled views throughout the ship. American Serenade also showcases American’s patented opening bow and retractable gangway, as well as an open-air fifth-deck skywalk with an ellipse that cantilevers dramatically over the café below. American Serenade also offers spacious lounges both inside and out, a grand dining room, a casual café and a fitness center.

A virtual 360-degree tour of American’s new riverboats is available here: American Cruise Lines Virtual Riverboat Tour. 

American’s small ship fleet has continued to expand year after year, as the company continues to introduce ground-breaking small ship designs with exceptional accommodations that enhance guests’ experiences on the Mississippi River, the Columbia & Snake Rivers, and across the U.S.A. This year, the company plans to introduce two more small new ships for the U.S. market; two, 100-passenger Coastal Cats, American Eagle and American Glory.