American Cruise Lines has introduced American Harmony on the Mississippi River, the second in the Guilford, Conn.-based line’s series of five modern riverboats. AGENTatHOME spoke with Susan Shultz-Gelino, director of business development, about the new riverboats and the line’s growth.

AGENTatHOME (AAH): Why do you call the American Song, which debuted in 2018, and the new American Harmony the first modern riverboats in the U.S.?

Susan Shultz-Gelino (SSG): American’s new modern riverboats are different from anything else on domestic rivers. First, they do not have a classic paddlewheel. Instead, they feature a unique opening bow and retractable gangway, which enables bow landing to riverbanks. The new ships are sleek in design and offer the largest staterooms in the industry.

American Harmony’s Grand Suites are 800 square feet and have wraparound balconies. The ships also feature multistory glass atriums and lots of light-filled places for guests to sit, enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of wine. They also have new cafés, which are alternative casual venues to our dining rooms.

AAH: How does American Harmony differ from American Song?

SSG: At 190 passengers, American Harmony is a bit larger than American Song. American Harmony has 10 additional 405-square-foot Veranda Suites.

AAH: What itineraries will American Harmony offer?

SSG: She’ll be on the Mississippi, where our itineraries range from five to 22 days. American Song also started on the Mississippi, but is now in the Pacific Northwest on the Columbia and Snake rivers.

AAH: What types of shore experiences does American offer?

SSG: Our cruises are about the destination. We allow guests enough time in each port to truly explore. We like to say that we cruise local, eat local and dine local. We’re small enough to go into ports and buy the freshest ingredients. For the Columbia, Snake and Mississippi, we have featured excursions in each port. We also offer premium signature tours and complimentary pre-night stays with our river itineraries as well as in Alaska.

AAH: You've announced five modern riverboats so far. What about other future growth plans?

SSG: American Jazz is the third ship in the modern series of vessels, and is scheduled to debut in next year. After that, we foresee one or two new ships every year. I expect to see more paddle wheelers as well as modern riverboats. The growth will also be in our coastal ships.

AAH: What steps are you taking to reach out to agents?

SSG: We’ve updated our travel advisor certification program. It consists of six easy sessions that educate agents about who we are, where we go and what is the right fit for their clients. We’ve also hired outside salespeople. They can help with cruise nights and whatever else travel agents need.

Fast Facts

—American Cruise Lines offers 35 different itineraries in 25 states across the U.S.

—All staterooms on the line’s modern riverboat fleet have balconies with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and full-size bathrooms.

—The company has its own U.S. shipyard where all its ships are built, crewed and registered.