River cruises on the Danube and the Nile are undeniably appealing, but you don’t need to travel that far to enjoy a luxury river cruise among gorgeous scenery. American Cruise Lines, the largest river and small-ship cruise line in the US, offers over 50 itineraries around the country, including one that you’ll find nowhere else: an overnight cruise on the Hudson River.
Photo: American cruise Lines
The Only Cruise Line Operating on the Hudson River Now Has Summer Trips Departing From NYC
American Cruise Lines’ Hudson River Summer Classic Cruise departs from New York City’s Pier 81 and follows the Hudson River all the way to Albany, stopping in Sleepy Hollow, West Point, Hyde Park, Kingston, and Catskill, before turning around to end right back where it started, in New York City. Needless to say, passengers on board this cruise get an eyeful of Manhattan’s iconic skyline and can see the Statue of Liberty in all its glory.
Photo: American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines tested out this brand new seven-night, eight-day Hudson River cruise in May and June of this year, and has scheduled 11 voyages for 2025 throughout June, July, August, September. There are also 17 sailing scheduled for 2026. The Hudson River Summer Classic Cruise starts at $6,210 per person. Passengers on board this cruise enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, all-inclusive fine dining, and complimentary evening cocktails.
Photo: American cruise Lines
Photo: American cruise Lines
Photo: American cruise Lines
All the Hudson River Summer Classic Cruises are operated by the cruise line’s American Eagle, one of its new Coast Cat ships. Coastal Cats are luxurious adventure ships that are designed to access smaller ports while accommodating up to 100 passengers. The staterooms on board American Cruise Lines’ Coast Cats start at 300 square feet and all either have large picture windows or private balconies so that passengers don’t miss a thing. There’s also a restaurant, several lounges, a fitness center, and an outdoor café with .
The Hudson River Summer Classic Cruise is not the only overnight cruise on the Hudson River that American Cruise Lines offers. The Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise, which follows the exact itinerary, is scheduled every year throughout September and October, and is a very popular cruise for those who wish to see the magnificent fall foliage of the region. The Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise is operated by a variety of ships, which are not all Coastal Cats.
Earlier this year, American Cruise Lines purchased the paddlewheel steamboats from the now-defunct American Queen Voyages cruise line. There’s currently no sailings scheduled to take place on the iconic vessels. 