American Cruise Lines celebrated the christening of its newest vessel, the American Maverick, during the ship’s inaugural 9-day New England Islands cruise. The ceremony took place in Newport, Rhode Island, as the ship sailed a round-trip itinerary from Providence, bringing together guests, crew members, local community partners, and employees from the company’s Connecticut headquarters.
The onboard celebration marked an important milestone for American Cruise Lines as the newest addition to its growing fleet officially entered service. Set against the backdrop of New England’s historic coastline, the event highlighted the line’s continued investment in small-ship cruising throughout the United States.
American Cruise Lines’ Second New Ship of 2026
American Maverick is the newest small cruise ship in the country and the latest in the company’s growing fleet of ships exclusively designed for cruising the U.S.A., featuring amenities that surpass those of the finest riverboats in the world. American Maverick will be followed by the deliveries of American Ranger, American Mariner, and American Navigator over the next year. American Cruise Lines also launched the country’s newest riverboat, American Encore, in May.
American Maverick’s christening festivities took place on a glorious sunny day overlooking Newport Harbor with many people close to the company, including more than 50 employees from the Line’s home office in Guilford, CT. American’s President & CEO, Charles B. Robertson, gave remarks as did American Maverick’s Godmother, Susan Renner, American’s Board Chair and Treasurer. All christening attendees gathered on American Maverick’s top deck for the official blessing and ceremonial bottle smash, followed by a traditional New England lobsterbake at Fort Adams State Park just steps from where the ship was docked.
“We set the bar high for ourselves with American Maverick and were surprised to see that we set the bar for the rest of the river cruise industry in the process,” said Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO of American Cruise Lines. “The American Maverick is the new standard by which others should follow and with 8 more ships under construction, shows that the U.S. river cruise market will lead the way.”
Brand new American Maverick accommodates 130 guests. The small ship features 4 decks, all-private balcony staterooms, including singles and suites, plus, numerous spacious lounges (including a top deck lounge with a walking track), a chart room, a main restaurant and a casual café, as well as a fitness center, among other onboard amenities unusual for cruise ships of this size.
American Maverick now takes the mantle as the newest cruise ship built in the U.S.A., but it is also the latest in a long line of innovative new small ships introduced by American Cruise Lines.
The company’s 100% U.S.-flagged fleet and total dedication to the development of the domestic cruise market honors the true spirit of American ingenuity and innovation. This 4th of July, as the country celebrates its 250th birthday, American will have more domestic itineraries and more new small ships exploring along U.S. waterways than at any other time in the company’s 50-year history.
Get To Know American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines is the largest river cruise line in the U.S.A. with 28 small ships sailing the Mississippi River, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, the Great Lakes, and protected waterways all over the country from the Alaska Inside Passage to the Florida Keys. American’s award-winning fleet exemplifies the company’s 50-year history of offering domestic small ship cruises that explore exclusively in the United States. Today, it is the only 100% U.S.-flagged fleet of riverboats and small ships in the world. American now offers 50+ domestic cruise itineraries in 35+ states operating year-round, including new Extended Cruises honoring the country’s 250th in 2026.
