Coastal cruising is here and growing: 'A natural transition for any river cruiser'

EDGARTOWN, Mass. – “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

A terrified Chief Brody uttered one of the most memorable quotes in American cinematic history in the 1975 thriller “Jaws,” a watershed movie filmed here on Martha’s Vineyard, an affluent island 7 miles south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

Chief Brody’s panicked assertion was true if you’re trying to catch and kill a 25-foot great white shark with a ravenous appetite for sun-seeking beachgoers.

But when it comes to exploring the small towns, bays and inlets off the coastline of Cape Cod – and other coastal regions in the United States – bigger boats are about as useful as a rod and reel in trying to ensnare a horrifying 3-ton sea monster in Steven Spielberg's movie.

What is considered coastal cruising?

Coastal cruising is one of the industry’s fastest-growing segments. It involves sailing on small ships – typically carrying 100-200 guests – close enough to shore that passengers can see land throughout the voyage. The segment is geared toward older, well-heeled Americans who want to stay fairly close to home while visiting less touristy ports that the big ships can’t reach.

Coastal ships have a shallow draft that enables them to dock in small harbors without ferrying their passengers ashore on tenders. They offer the convenience and intimacy of riverboats coupled with the versatility and stability to sail in the open seas. On some itineraries, they also traverse rivers, lakes and canals.

I recently sailed on a one-week coastal cruise around Cape Cod on the 100-passenger “catamaran-inspired” American Eagle. The four-deck ship was christened in August 2023 and is part of the fleet of American Cruise Lines, the largest river cruise line in the U.S. that is rapidly expanding into coastal cruising.

The Connecticut-based company isn’t just dipping its toes in the coastal cruising market. It has seven coastal cruise ships on the water, with plans for two more ships to begin sailing by the end of the year and two more to launch in 2025. Its newest vessel, American Liberty, will take its inaugural voyage on Thursday from Providence, Rhode Island, visiting several ports in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

“Our newest small ships allow guests to cruise within sight of land and enjoy the same atmosphere found aboard our riverboats, making our coastal itineraries a natural transition for any river cruiser,” said Charles B. Robertson, American Cruise Lines’ president and CEO, whose father founded the company in 1972.

American Cruise Lines owns its own shipyard in Maryland’s Eastern Shore and all of its ships are U.S.-flagged, which allows for itineraries that don’t include a foreign stop. An American law requires foreign-flagged ships sailing in U.S. waters to stop in at least one non-U.S. port of call.

Besides New England, other U.S. coastal itineraries include the Chesapeake Bay with port stops in Maryland and Virginia, a Southeast cruise that visits Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, GA., trips around the coastline of Florida, the Puget Sound in Washington and Alaska’s Inside Passage. American Cruise Lines also owns Pearl Seas Cruises, which has one coastal ship – the 210-passenger foreign-flagged Pearl Mist – now sailing the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway in Canada.

Rates for coastal cruises are comparable to high-end river cruises and can get pricey. Depending on the cruise line and what amenities are included – like roundtrip air, a pre-cruise hotel, an open bar onboard and shore excursions – fares can easily exceed $1,000 per person per day. A high percentage of cabins on coastal ships come with private balconies.

All told, American Cruise Lines plans to grow its fleet to 12 coastal cruise ships in the coming years as part of its “Project Blue” series. Add that its stable of 10 riverboats plying the Mississippi, Columbia, Snake and other U.S. rivers, and the cruise line says it now has a footprint in 35 states.

Cape Codder cruise ports: Provincetown, Plymouth

The Cape Codder cruise on the American Eagle started and ended in Boston Harbor. The itinerary offered a chance to become immersed in the history related to the Pilgrims’ arrival in the New World in 1620 aboard the Mayflower and their encounters with the Wampanoag people, who have been living in New England for more than 12,000 years.

We reached our first port, Provincetown, on the northern tip of Cape Cod, just four hours after leaving Boston. I had thought the Pilgrims first landed at Plymouth Rock, but they actually spent five weeks in Provincetown before settling in Plymouth, about 80 miles west across Cape Cod Bay.

Provincetown, known as a boisterous party town, has a year-round population of less than 4,000 that swells to 60,000 during the summer. I climbed the Pilgrim Monument for a spectacular view of the town and harbor. A museum at the monument has a replica of the landmark Mayflower Compact. Signed by the Pilgrims in Provincetown Harbor, the compact is the first document to establish self-government in the New World.

In Plymouth I toured a full-scale reproduction of the Mayflower, the ship which brought 102 Pilgrims from England to America. Their arduous journey across the Atlantic took 66 days. From the American Eagle, I walked to the nearby Plymouth Rock, where some believe the Pilgrims first set foot in the New World. While there is no historical evidence to confirm that, the rock remains an important symbol representing the determination of the nation's early settlers.

We also visited Plimoth Patuxet, a living museum that features a recreated 17th-century Pilgrim village. There are “historical interpreters” dressed as Pilgrims at the site, who interact with visitors as if it were 1627. They stay in character, so it’s best not to ask – as I made the mistake of doing – if the site had Wi-Fi.

Next up: Buzzards Bay, Hyannis, Newport RI

From the port of Buzzards Bay, I took an excursion to Hyannis to visit the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, which showcases the Kennedy family’s deep connection to Cape Cod. The Kennedys had several summer homes in nearby Hyannis Port. The compound, closed to visitors, is still the home of Ethel Kennedy, the 96-year-old widow of Robert F. Kennedy.

It's hard to find a place in America that oozes more money than Newport, R.I., known for its rich sailing history and grandiose homes.

By the turn of the 20th century, many of the nation’s wealthiest families – including the Vanderbilts and Astors – built summer houses in Newport. Today, mansions are owned by the likes of Jay Leno, Judge Judy and billionaire software-magnate Larry Ellison.

Martha's Vineyard, where 'Jaws' was filmed

The island of Martha’s Vineyard, often called “The Vineyard,” is another popular summer hangout for the rich and famous.

We visited Edgartown, a town that took on the stage name of “Amity” during the filming of “Jaws.” We also stopped by the spectacular Aquinnah Cliffs – with its colorful clay cliffs carved by glaciers – on the northwestern tip of the island.

As for sharks, it turned out that it was indeed safe to go back in the water again. The only sharks I encountered on the cruise were emblazoned on T-shirts and other souvenirs in Martha’s Vineyard gift shops.

Cape Cod travel tips

American Cruise Lines: www.americancruiselines.com.

Pearl Seas Cruises: www.pearlseascruises.com.

Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism: www.visitma.com.

Dan Fellner of Scottsdale is a freelance travel writer. Contact him at dan.fellner@asu.edu or visit his website at DanFellner.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cape Cod cruise: Sail from Provincetown to Martha's Vineyard