Serendipitously for Independence Day weekend, American Cruise Lines (ACL) celebrated the official christening of its newest coastal ship, “American Patriot,” on July 2 at the historic Fort Adams State Park in Newport.
The ceremony followed up the cruise industry’s return to Providence just last month, which featured American Cruise Line’s “American Liberty.” The Providence celebration was heralded by Mayor Brett P. Smiley, Governor Dan McKee, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Director Peter Alviti, Commerce Secretary Liz Tanner, Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau (PWCVB) President and CEO Kristen Adamo, and ACL Executive Vice President Paul E. Taiclet.
The Newport christening ceremony for Patriot last week brought together local dignitaries, Sail Newport’s (SN) Executive Director Brad Read, SN’s Board President Susan Daly, and other members of Sail Newport, leadership from ACL, as well as cruise patrons.
“We’re thrilled to have this relationship with American Cruise Lines and Charlie [Robertson, ACL President and CEO] and his family,” said Read during his speech to welcome ACL to Fort Adams, where Sail Newport resides.
“Good morning, Newport. It is a pleasure to share this special day with Sail Newport, the American Patriots crew, and especially American Cruise Lines guests,” said Taiclet during the ceremony.
Sail Newport’s Daly also served as godmother of the ship, who broke the ritual champagne bottle against the upper deck railing.
“I’d like to thank the Robertson family and the American Cruise Lines team for asking me to be the godmother of this gorgeous new ship,” said Daly before the ceremonial christening tradition. “Being a godmother usually comes attached with a young child, or in the fairy tales, a tiara and a magic wand. But I have to say, I like this version of being a godmother who comes with a ship, a bottle of champagne and a lobster bake to boot.”
American Cruise Lines continues to grow its presence in New England, now rolling out a new ship every four months. They also offer several 8 to 16-day New England cruises departing from Boston, Providence, Portland, ME, and a particularly enticing Hudson Valley cruise between New York City and Albany, NY. There are two Fall Foliage cruises that caught my eye, including a 16-day one that runs between Portland, ME, and New York City, as well as the Hudson Valley version.
The 130-passenger ship, Patriot, is the flagship in the company’s new Patriot Class series. Its 15-day Grand New England cruise itinerary includes stops in Boston, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Gloucester, Provincetown, Plymouth, MA; Portsmouth, NH; Newport, RI; Boothbay Harbor, Bar Harbor, Bath, Bangor, Portland, Rockland, and Camden, ME.
“Thank you for being here. My husband started this company 50 years ago. I lost him in February of 2020. My sons had the challenge of dealing with losing their dad, the CEO, and COVID that year,” said an emotional Carol Robertson, who began the company with her husband, Charles A. Robertson, in 1972. “COVID Shut down the company for a year, but during that time, they put their heads together and got creative. They have brought the company to a new level with new designs like this one, and I couldn’t be more proud.”
Carol also brought along some of the original brochures from the early days of ACL and shared them with the cruise enthusiasts during the reception afterward.
Flanked by the beauty of Narragansett Bay, Fort Adams served as the perfect backdrop to illustrate the blended historic maritime tradition and modern American Cruise Lines ingenuity. The Independence Day-themed celebration culminated in a delicious lobster bake inside the walls of Fort Adams.
“I think this town is a hub for maritime innovation. It’s been a hub for maritime innovation, specifically, since America was new, and we’re proud to carry that just a little bit forward today,” said Charlie B. Robertson. “Let’s christen American Patriot and get her back to sea,” he concluded.ACL plans to launch three more Patriot Class sister ships within the next 16 months, including American Pioneer, American Maverick, and American Ranger. They’ve also expanded their selection of 8-16-day itineraries, another example of the cruise line’s continued growth and commitment to coastal New England.
(Photo by Veronica Bruno)
(Photo by Veronica Bruno)
(Photo by Veronica Bruno)
(Photo by Veronica Bruno)
