American Cruise Lines: Extraordinary adventures both on and off the ship

So yes, I’d heard about Lewis and Clark (that would be Merriweather Lewis and William Clark). And I vaguely knew that Thomas Jefferson had dispatched them to explore the Louisiana Purchase that he had just acquired from France in 1803. But not until I had taken an American Cruise Lines expedition of our own to the Snake and Columbia rivers in the Pacific Northwest did I grasp the awe and reverence with which they viewed their new historic discovery. And the inspirational journey that unfolded.

Okay, there is so much more to any ACL adventure — both in terms of on-board entertainment, activities and always-exciting excursions but please bear with me because I became enthralled by the Lewis and Clark storyline. So that’s where I’ll begin.

It was considered the “moon launch of its day” because nothing was known of the Pacific Northwest or where exactly the elusive Pacific Ocean was. But the President didn’t just want someone of courage to lead his expedition — he wanted someone with medical knowledge, a botanist, a naturalist, an interpreter, one who could get along with hostile Indians, a team leader — and a good communicator as the Corps of Discovery, 40 men led by Captains Lewis and Clark, kept in close contact with the president over their many months away. I still find that hard to fathom. It’s only 1804.

They thought maybe they’d see a mastodon but encountered buffalo instead — and elk and antelope and prairie dogs and wolves and bears, lots of beaver, of course, and vast varieties of birds. Everything was new. So many unknown plants that they recorded and inscribed and sent back to Washington to be further studied. So many artifacts, botanical specimens, minerals, animals, foods, tribal culture — how they accomplished all that while still fighting to stay alive thru multiple hardships remains inspirational today. Again, still only 1804.

From the Missouri River and eventually to the Columbia, they mapped the land, recorded its resources, interacted with a multitude of indigenous tribes — and often suffered through tumultuous weather conditions, impossible travel conditions and, of course, periods of starvation and illness.

Along the way, they met up with a Canadian fur trader, Toussaint Charbonneau, and his pregnant wife Sacagawea. Her son Jean Babtiste became the youngest member of the Corps and his Shoshone mother, one of its most effective in intermingling with other tribes. Much to the surprise of Lewis and Clark, they discovered that the indigenous tribes they encountered were very sophisticated traders and far superior navigators of the rivers. They had a lot to learn.

The ACL journey brought alive the many hardships the Corps struggled against and the bravery and perseverance with which they carried out their historic mission. November 7, 1805 — Eighteen months and 4000 miles of arduous travel finally brought them into view of the long-sought Pacific Ocean. The fact that they returned home triumphant is yet another miraculous part of the story.

But I guess we should get back to the ship — ours, not theirs…. To maintain one’s credibility as a travel writer, one tends to avoid superlatives but an American Cruise Lines cruise makes that difficult. The entire staff — who are not allowed to accept gratuities — is nonetheless remarkably accommodating. How often do you request a drink at an establishment that they don’t carry — and by the next night, it’s there? So it was with my Fireball. Need I remind you that we were on a ship at the time? Just as an aside, this ship – accommodating about 180 passengers – is part of the only line in the world offering small US ships that operate like river cruises along US coasts.

I’ll throw in that were a number of small glitches — trouble with TV reception, a less than hot shower — just to keep things in perspective but then there’s the food. So we might as well first discuss mealtimes aboard the American Harmony. Maybe mealtime is more applicable because you can literally eat 24/7. There’s an Early Riser breakfast before the dining room breakfast; there’s a pretty much all day cafe in the Sky Lounge bracketing the more formal lunches and dinners; Cookie time at 10 and 3 provides obviously very necessary sustenance in between meals; one would think the cocktail hour and hors d’oeuvres prior to dinner might interfere with the more than generous dinner options but of course that doesn’t happen — and an hour later, no one skimps on the open bar, ice cream treats and popcorn that accompany the evening entertainment. Did I mention that snacks and beverages are available 24/7?

Rest assured there’s a Fitness Room to counter all those calories but seriously, no one goes there. The saving grace? All meals come in half-portions, which themselves are more than sufficient in this close to 5-star restaurant.

And should you wish to stay on board – few people do, no matter their disabilities — ship activities abound. Daily lectures, interactive games galore, guest speakers, music and multiple places to just get away from it all in which to drink, read, isolate, socialize or just ponder life.

A sample game? Two Truths and a Lie. Guests fill out a form listing two truths about themselves and a falsehood. The rest of the guests vote on which is the lie. Some of the interesting offerings: Former Rose Bowl Queen; Exotic Dancer in College; Met Buzz Aldrin and Alan Shepherd; Married 2 ½ times; Had a starring role in 16 adult films; Lives in Brooklyn (okay, not ALL the answers evoked interest….). And of course, much of the fun lay in discovering just what was true and what was not. Not always predicable!

Another delight was watching fellow passengers compete in the Not-So-Newlywed game, a not-so-subtle reference to the relative age range on the ship. But everyone in the audience could relate – as they surreptitiously provided their own answers…

As immersive as the Lewis and Clark adventure was, another excursion to the Mount St. Helen’s volcano brought its own sense of wonder. The eruption of Mount St Helens in May 1980 remains the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in US history, decimating the entire area for miles around. Unlike most volcanoes, the lava spewed horizontally from a crack in its side as opposed to vertically, making its impact even more consequential, wiping out life and land for over 260 square miles. Fifty-seven people were killed and 200 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. A massive debris avalanche triggered by an earthquake reduced the elevation of the mountain from 9677 to 8363 feet. Lakes, glaciers, landslides, lava-domes, craters, heat, ash, gas – all flourished beyond the eruption. Mt. St. Helen’s is the only place in the world where there is this intermingling of natural creations of such geologic significance.

But here’s the amazing reality. From absolute nothingness emerged an entirely new landscape. And it happened in just 45 years’ time. Experts have been studying Mt. St. Helen’s for decades — and for good reason. It’s a geological extravaganza.

Our exciting journey ended in Clarkston, Washington — directly across the river from Lewiston, Oregon. Seems we had come full circle. How fitting.

For more information, visit American Cruiselines. And just FYI, in honor of the country’s 250th birthday next year, American Cruise Lines recently announced a new slate of extended 50+-day cruises. These new Bucket List cruises are the longest U.S. River cruises on the market.