American Cruise Lines (ACL) is set to introduce a fleet of 12 newbuild catamaran vessels beginning in 2023.
ACL CEO Charles Robertson said the catamarans will operate exclusively in the United States and will focus on small towns.
The vessels will be small enough to navigate New England's harbours and stable enough for the Alaska Inside Passage while their draughts will enable them to sail along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
The vessels will be built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland. Construction is underway on the first two units in the series.
Each catamaran will have a length of 241 feet (73.4 metres), a beam of 56 feet (17 metres), and accommodations for 109 passengers and 50 crew in single rooms, standard rooms, and suites. There will also be observation areas, a forward lounge, and space for kayaks and a tender.