By
Alex Smith |
American Cruise Lines is to carry out a redesign project on its fleet of four paddlewheel river cruise ships, incorporating elements from its modern riverboats.
The ships will also have their names changed to include the ‘American’ moniker that belongs to other ships in the company’s fleet. America, Queen of the Mississippi and Queen of the West will be renamed to American Splendor, American Heritage and American West respectively, while American Pride will retain its name.
The new project will be led by design firm Studio DADO, which was recently commissioned to design the interiors for American Cruise Lines’ newest ship American Melody. Studio DADO will bring a similar strategy to American’s paddlewheel fleet, redesigning the vessels’ interiors while retaining elements from classic paddlewheelers.
The design of the two Mississippi River-based paddlewheelers, American Splendor and American Heritage, will be inspired by the musical genres of the region, including jazz, blues, country and rock and roll, as well as historical literary figures such as Mark Twain. The line’s two Columbia & Snake river-based paddlewheelers, American Pride and American West, will highlight Western and Native American themes, including the Lewis & Clark expedition. Each ship will receive new colour palettes, textiles and linens, furniture and carpets, and regionally inspired artwork and decorative elements.
“American Melody’s extraordinary reception, particularly by our loyalty programme members, has inspired us to bring the same new aesthetic to our entire paddlewheel fleet,” said Charles B. Robertson, president and CEO of American Cruise Lines. “Both in designation and design, all four paddlewheelers will meet the sophisticated standard we set for US river cruising.”
The project is slated for completion in early March next year, ahead of the start of the 2022 cruise season.