Home » News » American Cruise Lines ship to dock in Plymouth Harbor this summer

Old Colony Memorial
Courtesy See Plymouth

Published 5:17 a.m. June 16, 2023

PLYMOUTH – The town and American Cruise Lines have agreed to schedule overnight cruise ship visits to Plymouth Harbor this summer.

The pilot program will consist of three small-ship cruises to Plymouth on Aug. 19, Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 on the cruise line’s “Cape Codder” itinerary. Stops also include ports in Boston, Gloucester, Martha’s Vineyard, New Bedford, Provincetown and Newport, Rhode Island. More stops in Plymouth are planned for 2024.

This summer’s cruises will be aboard a new ship, the 100-passenger American Eagle. The first cruise, leaving Boston on Aug. 14 and landing in Plymouth on Aug. 19, will be the ship’s inaugural cruise.

The Plymouth port calls represent the next step in an ongoing relationship between the town and the cruise line, which has been offering regularly scheduled visits to Plymouth via motorcoach from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay.

The door was opened to visits from major cruise lines after harbor dredging was completed ahead of the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower in 2020. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began dredging in 2018.

“Plymouth is proud to expand our partnership with American Cruise Lines and appreciate the support from our maritime community,” Town Manager Derek Brindisi said. “Docking in the harbor and spending the night will increase business in our downtown waterfront area and give passengers the opportunity to explore Plymouth.”

Lea Filson, president/CEO of See Plymouth, said, “This is a great opportunity to grow tourism, the No. 1 industry in the town and county of Plymouth. We welcome the additional visitors who will dine in our restaurants, visit our shops and attractions and enjoy our history.”