American Unveils New Pacific Northwest Cruise

The Pacific Northwest (American Cruise Lines)

(Press Release) Guilford, CT—March 2, 2026--American Cruise Lines is pleased to announce a new 16-Day Grand Columbia & Snake Rivers Cruise. This incredible exploration will begin operating roundtrip from Portland, Oregon in May 2027 and will be exclusively sailed by American Anthem, one of the company’s three newest riverboats in their rapidly expanding fleet. 
American’s 16-Day Grand Columbia & Snake Rivers itinerary will cruise both river systems extensively. The itinerary commences with an included pre-cruise hotel stay in Portland, OR. The following day, American Anthem will embark from Stevenson, Washington, sailing westward to the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria, OR, where it flows into the Pacific Ocean; then eastward to the confluence of the Columbia and Snake Rivers near Richland, WA; and onward into Clarkston, WA, and Hells Canyon before concluding in Stevenson, WA.

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​This new longer itinerary allows for more time for shoreside excursions throughout the region including new opportunities to explore Portland, Hood River, and St. Helens, OR, as well as Burbank/Walla Walla, WA. Shoreside experiences feature popular excursions at famous sites like Mount Saint Helens, Multnomah Falls, and Cape Disappointment State Park, as well as area attractions like Pendleton’s underground city and the Bonneville Dam. Throughout the journey, onboard enrichment and shoreside experiences will also highlight Native American culture and the famed Lewis & Clark expedition, including an excursion at Fort Clatsop, where the explorers wintered in 1806. 

The Grand Columbia & Snake Rivers cruise also showcases many active and exciting excursions from hiking and kayaking to rail-bike and e-Bike tours, jet boat tours in Hells Canyon, and flightseeing. Opportunities to sample the area’s best wine varietals also abound, with featured experiences offered at the Maryhill Winery, the Rivaura Winery, and several vineyards throughout the Walla Walla Valley.

Throughout the cruise, American’s guests will enjoy some of the most magnificent sightseeing in the world, as American Anthem sails past this river-region’s diverse topography—a virtual kaleidoscope of ever-changing landscapes including desert canyons, alpine meadows, lush forests, dormant volcanoes, and the blue mountains of the Cascade Range. Cruising through The Dalles and the Columbia River Gorge guests will be surrounded by both natural beauty and manmade wonders, including the Bonneville Dam and distant views of snow-capped Mount Hood. Guests will also have ample opportunity to view the area’s world-renowned wildlife from American Anthem’s sweeping top deck, spacious lounges, and 100% private-balcony accommodations. 

Amenities and accommodations aboard 2027’s American Anthem will be the finest of any riverboat in the world—mirroring the acclaimed design of sistership American Encore, the best riverboat ever built, cruising the Columbia and Snake Rivers this May 2026. 

American Cruise Lines’ new 16-Day Grand Columbia & Snake Rivers cruise presents one of the most memorable ways to explore America’s beautiful western states and offers one of the finest river cruise experiences anywhere in the world.

American’s cruise season on the Columbia and Snake Rivers begins in April and concludes in November. Additional details on the new 16-Day Grand Columbia & Snake Rivers itinerary, and others in the region, including the Line’s bucket-list 16-Day National Parks & Legendary Rivers land & cruise packages, classic 9-Day Columbia & Snake Rivers cruises, and 7-Day Columbia River Gorge cruises, are available on the website.