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American Rhapsody: ship guide

Named in August 2026 as the 30th American ship, due on the Columbia and Snake in 2029.

Best for: Advance planners who want the newest riverboat on the Columbia and Snake in its 2029 debut season, with the option of adding Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Sails from Portland, Oregon, Clarkston, Washington, Jackson, Wyoming in 2026 and 2027.

American Rhapsody
American Rhapsody
180guests at double occupancy
6decks
2029entered service

About American Rhapsody

American Rhapsody is an announced modern American Riverboat that American Cruise Lines named on August 13, 2026, together with American Beauty, as the 30th ship in its fleet. It is not yet in service: the company says it will begin cruising the Columbia and Snake Rivers in 2029, with the first listed departure from Portland on April 27, 2029. Like every American ship it will be built at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, and will carry 180 guests in all-balcony staterooms including singles, suites and the 1,500-square-foot Signature Suite.

American says American Rhapsody and American Beauty will have six decks, all private balcony staterooms, numerous spacious lounges including a top-deck lounge with a walking track, a chart room, a main restaurant and casual café, and a large fitness center. The Signature Suite, which the line calls the largest stateroom on any riverboat, offers 180-degree panoramic views and a wraparound balcony with a full dining area, loungers and additional seating. The company describes the ship as the next evolution of its riverboats, with more square footage per guest than any other small cruise ship.

The ship’s inaugural 2029 season is on the Columbia and Snake Rivers: nine-day Columbia & Snake Rivers cruises between Portland, Oregon, and Clarkston, Washington, from April to November, plus 16-day National Parks & Legendary Rivers itineraries that add seven guided days in Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton between Portland and Jackson, Wyoming, from June to September. There are no 2026, 2027 or 2028 sailings. It will suit travelers planning well ahead who want the newest riverboat on the Lewis and Clark route.

  • Announced modern American Riverboat named in August 2026, the 30th ship in the fleet, due in 2029
  • Signature Suite of more than 1,500 square feet with 180-degree views and a wraparound balcony with full dining area
  • Six decks with all private balcony staterooms, including singles and suites
  • Top-deck lounge with walking track, chart room, main restaurant, casual café and a large fitness center
  • Inaugural 2029 season of Columbia & Snake Rivers cruises between Portland and Clarkston
  • 16-day National Parks & Legendary Rivers itineraries pairing the cruise with Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton
  • Open seating Restaurant with Pacific Northwest seafood, grass-fed beef and huckleberry desserts
  • Daily cocktail hour, all drinks, an excursion in every port, gratuities and Wi-Fi included

Staterooms and suites

Single Balcony

Single staterooms with private balconies are confirmed for the ship; on the current Encore-class riverboats they are 250 square feet with a full-size bed, desk and sitting area and are priced for one guest.

Balcony staterooms

Every stateroom has a private balcony. The line has not published American Rhapsody’s category list; on its Encore-class sisters the Deluxe, Premium and Vista Balcony grades are all 300 square feet with full-size furniture and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors.

Suites

Suites with private balconies are confirmed; the sister ships carry 350-square-foot Sky Suites with a triple-panel glass wall and 600-square-foot Grand Suites with a separate bedroom, living room and 25-foot balcony.

Signature Suite

More than 1,500 square feet, described by the line as the largest stateroom on any riverboat, with 180-degree panoramic views and a wraparound balcony outfitted with a full dining area, loungers and additional seating; on the sister ships it also has a separate living room and bedroom and a bathroom with soaking tub and heated floors.

American Rhapsody deck plans

Deck by deck, straight from our booking engine: the plan, the stateroom categories on that deck and the public rooms. Pick a deck.

Deck 5 plan

Deck 5

Sky Walk, Sun Deck.

  • Sun DeckEnjoy breathtaking 360-degree views of the passing scenery while relaxing on comfortable lounge chairs, reading, socializing, or playing shuffleboard in the fresh air.

Plans are the cruise line’s current drawings as supplied to our booking engine. Layouts change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the exact stateroom when you book.

On board American Rhapsody

Restaurant
Restaurant
The Study
The Study
The Sky Lounge
The Sky Lounge
The Game Room
The Game Room
Sun Deck
Sun Deck
Storyteller Lounge
Storyteller Lounge
River Lounge
River Lounge
Fitness Center
Fitness Center
Chart Room
Chart Room
Bow Terrace
Bow Terrace
Back Porch Cafe
Back Porch Cafe
Atrium
Atrium

Dining on American Rhapsody

Main restaurantIncluded

Glass-enclosed main dining room with open seating and river views from every seat; Columbia and Snake menus feature coastal seafood, grass-fed beef, lavender, asparagus, mushrooms, huckleberries and hazelnuts from area farms.

Casual caféIncluded

Casual outdoor café on the upper deck for sandwiches, burgers and salads in the open air.

Daily cocktail hourIncluded

A complimentary evening cocktail hour every day with hors d’oeuvres and top-shelf liquor.

Drinks policyIncluded

All beverages are included at any hour, from Northwest wines, beer and spirits to soft drinks, water, coffee and tea, with no drinks package to buy.

Entertainment and activities

  • Spacious lounges throughout, including a top-deck lounge with a walking track
  • Chart room for following the Columbia and Snake on the charts through eight locks
  • Onboard expert on Lewis and Clark, Sacajawea, Mount St. Helens and the river’s dams, with regional musicians in the evenings
  • Guided shore excursions with at least one included in every port, from Astoria and the Columbia Gorge to Walla Walla wine country
  • Nightly live entertainment in the main lounge
  • Large fitness center, Starlink Wi-Fi and a self-service guest laundry
  • Sun deck and open observation areas with river views

Families and who it suits

American Cruise Lines publishes no minimum age and runs no children’s program; there are no kids’ facilities on board, and the enrichment talks, excursions and cocktail hour are built for adults, so families with young children should ask before booking.

Best for: Advance planners who want the newest riverboat on the Columbia and Snake in its 2029 debut season, with the option of adding Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

Sails from: Portland, Oregon, Clarkston, Washington, Jackson, Wyoming · Regions: Columbia and Snake Rivers, Pacific Northwest

American Rhapsody questions we answer every day

When does American Rhapsody start sailing?
American Cruise Lines announced American Rhapsody on August 13, 2026, and says it will begin cruising the Columbia and Snake Rivers in 2029, with the first listed departure from Portland on April 27, 2029. It is the 30th ship in the fleet and the fifth in the Encore generation of modern American Riverboats, following American Encore, Anthem, Grace and Beauty. There are no 2026, 2027 or 2028 sailings.
How big will American Rhapsody be?
American Rhapsody is planned for 180 guests across six decks with all private balcony staterooms, including singles, suites and the 1,500-square-foot Signature Suite. American Cruise Lines has not published tonnage, length or a stateroom count; its current 180-guest riverboats carry 94 staterooms and are nearly 60 feet wide, which the line contrasts with a typical 39-foot European riverboat.
Where will American Rhapsody sail?
The Columbia and Snake Rivers. The 2029 schedule pairs nine-day Columbia & Snake Rivers cruises between Portland, Oregon, and Clarkston, Washington, from late April to November, with 16-day National Parks & Legendary Rivers itineraries from June to September that add seven guided days in Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks between Portland and Jackson, Wyoming. The cruise follows the Lewis and Clark route through the Columbia Gorge and eight locks.
What is the Signature Suite on American Rhapsody?
The Signature Suite is the largest stateroom on any riverboat according to American Cruise Lines, at more than 1,500 square feet. On American Rhapsody it is described with 180-degree panoramic views and a wraparound balcony outfitted with a full dining area, loungers and additional seating. On the Encore-class ships already sailing it also has a separate living room and bedroom, three walls of glass and a hotel-size bathroom with a soaking tub and heated floors.
What is included in the fare on American Rhapsody?
Fares are all-inclusive: all meals and snacks, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, a daily cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, at least one guided excursion in every port, onboard enrichment and nightly entertainment, gratuities, port charges, Starlink Wi-Fi and a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay in Portland with luggage service and transfer to the ship. Premium and Signature excursions are extra. SmartCruiser adds bonus onboard credit on sailings where American allows it, not available when you book direct.
How is American Rhapsody different from American Encore?
Both are 180-guest modern American Riverboats with all-balcony staterooms and a Signature Suite, but American Cruise Lines lists American Rhapsody and American Beauty with six decks against five on American Encore, so the final layout will differ. The company has not released a final deck plan; the one currently on its website mirrors the Encore layout and should be treated as provisional until the ship is closer to delivery.

Facts checked against American Cruise Lines: American Rhapsody, American Cruise Lines press release: American Beauty and American Rhapsody named, American Cruise Lines press release: 10 new U.S.-built ships through 2028, American Cruise Lines: all-inclusive fares on October 14, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.

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