American Encore: American’s New Crown Jewel on the Columbia River

American Cruise Lines is having a moment.

In operation for over a half-century, the most successful U.S. river cruising line is riding a crest of success, as cruising America’s waterways has never been more popular. With over 25 ships and 50 itineraries in 35 states, cruises are all but sold out for the rest of the year, and over 70 percent booked for 2027.

Built in the USA, flagged here and featuring American crews, ships across the fleet are celebrating the country’s 250th birthday in grand style.

That includes their newest and largest ship, the crown jewel of the fleet, American Encore, launched in May and the first riverboat ever christened in Lewiston, Idaho.

Encore is one of six ships deployed on their most popular itinerary, the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Eager to experience both Encore and travel the Columbia River Gorge, my partner-in-travel Pam and I packed our bags and headed out from the Palm Beaches to our embarkation city, Portland, Oregon, where we had a pre-cruise hotel stay before starting our nine-day cruise.

Please listen to Pam’s Travel Bistro podcast: Cruising the Columbia/Snake Rivers on ‘Encore’.

Trading palm trees for Douglas firs, we and fellow guests boarded one of American’s modern motorcoaches from the hotel for the ride to Stevenson, Washington, where Encore was docked.

Along the way, we stopped at Oregon’s most-visited and most-popular waterfall, Multnomah Falls, a breathtaking 620 feet high.

While many cruisers find the embarkation/disembarkation process the most stressful aspect of the trip, American will spoil you. For starters, your welcome packet is ready and waiting at the hotel.

Before leaving, there’s a catered breakfast where you can meet your fellow guests. Your bags are collected and sent ahead to the ship, where they are ready and waiting in your stateroom when you arrive, along with a welcome beverage. Could it get any easier?

Before you do anything, be sure and activate their American Explorer app. More than an app, it serves as your personal portal and concierge, showing your selected excursions, the daily planner and that day’s lunch and dinner menus. While you can make your food choices on the app, you are free to change your mind later.

Now it’s time to check out this beautiful new vessel.

Boasting five decks, Encore accommodates 180 passengers and around 60 crew. Those who have cruised on American before will find many familiar areas, as well as some new additions, including one of the world’s largest cruise staterooms, the Signature Suite. Located above the pilot house on deck 4, it’s 1,500 square feet of luxury living with three sides of glass that guarantee you won’t miss any of the Gorge’s majestic scenery.

Even if you can’t swing the Signature Suite (which ranges between $17,000 – 19,000 per person, depending on the time of year), American has the most spacious staterooms of any river ships, and every stateroom on Encore features a balcony.

Ours was a Vista Balcony, at 350 square feet, on deck 4. Even taking half our home closets with us (which we are prone to do), we still had some empty drawers to spare.

It boasted a modern bath with a shower and plenty of plug-ins for our electronics. The ship’s modern look, featuring an upscale mix of cream and blue colors, is the work of maritime design firm Studio DADO, headquartered in Coral Gables.

The Itinerary

Our route followed Lewis and Clark’s historic Corps of Discovery mission that started in St. Louis and ended at the Pacific Ocean near Astoria, Oregon. Stops include Astoria, Kalama and Richland, Washington; The Dalles and Pendleton, Oregon; Lewiston, Idaho; and ending in Clarkston, Washington, where the itinerary reverses.

As you go west to east, the scenery changes from lush forests to the arid, almost moon-like lava flows that line Hells Canyon. Along the way, we pass through a number of locks and dams, a process that never fails to fascinate.

At the start, with temps in the 50s and 60s, you would do well to pack a sweater, but by the end, the mercury is into the low to mid-90s. Regardless, the river vistas are the star of the show, and a deck chair topside on the Sun Deck provides the perfect viewing area.

The Ship

Encore has five decks, and you’ll spend a lot of your time on deck 1, where you’ll find the main dining room and the River Lounge, where they stage lectures, special events and entertainment. Beautifully appointed, it can get crowded, especially at the mandatory muster drill, when all 180 guests are in a space that holds 135.

Each deck is built around a central atrium. On deck 2 is the Fitness Center and free-to-use Guest Laundry, expanded to four washer/dryers (a nice perk), the Storyteller Lounge, the Chart Room, with its binoculars and maps to see what’s ahead, and the Bow Terrace.

On Deck 3 you can relax in the Study. Deck 4 has a Game Room and the popular Sky Lounge, with its own all-day bar, snacks, breakfast starting at 6:30 am and all-day lunch from the Back Porch Cafe.

Guests get great scenic views from the outside terrace.

Deck 5 is the Sun Deck, with lots of chairs and sofas, a walking track and a shuffleboard court. 

What you won’t find is  a swimming pool or casino. This cruise is all about relaxing, enjoying the sights and learning about the history and culture of America.

The Food

Dining is a cornerstone of any cruise experience, and while we’ve always found the food on previous American cruises very good, Encore‘s Executive Chef Irole Torres takes it up a notch. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at designated times in the open-seating main dining room on deck 1, while breakfast and all-day lunch, including burgers and hot dogs, is available from the Back Porch Cafe adjacent to the Sky lounge on deck 4.

In the main  dining room, pre-selected menus include three entree options and two desserts for lunch, while dinner features your choice of two appetizers, four entrees and two desserts. If you desire something not on the menu, always ask. They’ll prepare it for you if they have it. Many selections reflect the local cuisine of the region, such as Raspberry-Balsamic Glazed Salmon and Pacific Northwest Fishermans Cioppino.

A note about the wines: Each meal has pre-selected, red and white wine by the glass recommendations. Again, don’t hesitate to inquire about other vintages. Pam was able to enjoy an off-the-menu Sauvignon Blanc.

Besides the regular dining hours, fresh cookies are served at “Cookie Time” — 10 am and 3 pm — plus heavy hors d’oeuvres are available at the daily Social Hour, held in both the Sky Lounge and the main River Lounge on deck 1.

If that’s not enough, the nightly evening entertainment comes with popcorn and milkshakes, along with a full bar. In other words, you won’t go hungry.

The Excursions

Your cruise includes a complimentary excursion at every port, as well as ones you’ll pay extra for.

Travel tip: It’s strongly recommended you make your excursion choices when the selection window opens 60 days prior to your cruise — the popular ones fill up fast.

As mentioned, the focus on an American cruise is exploring the country’s history and culture, as well as its natural resources.

On our cruise we visited Mount St. Helens (hidden by fog and clouds, but you can’t control the weather), an oyster farm on the Pacific coast, several wineries, a neon sign museum, the place where they helped assemble the A-bomb dropped on Japan, and a breathtaking jet boat ride into Hell’s Canyon, where we shot rapids and saw bighorn sheep.

Some guests opted to see the Gorge from a helicopter, go kayaking or take a tour on an E-bike. In short, there’s something for everyone.

Motorcoaches follow the cruise and are waiting for you when you arrive at a port. Guides are also onboard to relay interesting facts and answer questions.

The Entertainment & Lectures

They don’t stage Broadway productions, but every night in the River Lounge you can end your day with a performance. One night featured a Broadway singer, and another world juggling champion Matt Henry, the “Trained Human.” Resident entertainer Michael Masci presented multiple tributes to Elvis, Billy Joel, Elton John and the Rat Pack with engaging style, including graphics he created himself as a backdrop.

To celebrate America, there was also a “Red, White and Blue” party, where the best dressed won a prize.

Each day there was also an enrichment lecture from ex-National Park ranger Brad Berger, who provided fascinating insights into Lewis and Clark’s travails as well as the Manhattan Project.

Cruise Director Donny Codden kept the days lively with bingo (I won an American Cruise Lines cup!), trivia, corn hole competitions, and name that tune. Different from other American cruises we’ve been on, they extend the entertainment to 10 pm on two nights.

On the last night, members from the The Nez Perce Tribe came aboard to share their culture with us as well.

The Crew

One of the reasons so many American cruises are sold out is no question the level of service they provide. Not only do they take care of whatever need you may have, but also are responsive to any request as well.

Case in  point: Pam thought the bath should have a magnifying mirror, so she made a note of it on the app’s “Guest Feedback” section, just for future reference. That afternoon, one was delivered.

Now that’s impressive.

Most guest interactions occur in the dining room, where you get to know the servers on a personal level. Like many of the crew, they are mostly young, college-age and working on a ship for the first time. They are as a group hard-working, energetic and eager to please.

Good to Know

Your American cruise is virtually all-inclusive, covering dining, drinks, Wi-Fi, a selection of complimentary excursions and gratuities. What you wear is up to you. American recommends “causal sportswear” during the day and “country club attire” in the evenings.

For rainy days, they furnish umbrellas and rain ponchos. Wi-Fi is provided by Starlink, and except for areas inside steep canyons, it was good. You can also connect multiple devices, which is a plus.

There are red medical emergency buttons in all staterooms should a situation arise. If medical help is needed, we were told the ship calls 911 and pulls ashore as soon as possible.

American is also increasing the number of solo staterooms given its rise in popularity.

Note too that after your first cruise you are enrolled in their Eagle Society loyalty program. After 10 cruises, your next cruise is free. We heard about one person who has logged over 70 cruises.

The Bottom Line

While American Encore provides new features in an upscale setting, it maintains the formula that has driven American Cruise Lines’ success: Providing a hassle-free, turnkey cruise for a mostly senior demographic interested in being immersed in the country’s rich history and cultural diversity.

It only held the title “newest” for a month before American Maverick rolled out, with a number of even newer ships on the runway, including American Anthem in 2027, coming to the Columbia River.

There’s a reason their shipyard in Salisbury, Maryland, can hardly keep up with demand: Travelers are discovering American river and coastal cruising offer just as much as European cruises without taking long flights at exorbitant prices.

And lastly, ask someone who has taken a cruise on a 6,000-person megaship and on a ship with under 200 passengers which one is the better experience.

I know what my answer would be.