MODERN RIVERBOATS

Mark Twain wouldn’t recognize these riverboats. In early October, American Cruise Lines will send its first Modern Riverboat, American Song, on its inaugural cruise from New Orleans up the Mississippi River. The ship’s 900-square-foot grand suites will offer panoramic views through floor-to-ceiling glass panels, separate living and sleeping areas, marble baths with double vanities and wrap-around balconies for outdoor dining. Later this fall, the company will send a second modern riverboat,

American Harmony to the Mississippi. In all, five ships are to be built in the Modern Riverboat series.

Currently, American Cruise Lines operates two Victorian-style paddlewheelers, Queen of the Mississippi and America on the Mississippi River and various other vessels in New England, Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. americancruiselines.com