Regional history, Chesapeake Shipbuilding at Heart of Riverboat-cruising Popularity by Dennis Forney

American Constitution, designed and built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding and Naval Architects in Salisbury. Photo by Dennis Forney

American Cruise Line’s vessel American Constitution made its way this week from Baltimore to historic ports up and down the Bay as part of a cruise focusing on the American Revolution. Several similar cruises are planned this spring and late next fall.

With stops scheduled in bayside cities and towns on both sides of the Chesapeake, the 11-day cruise educates its passengers as to the Bay’s deep involvement in the nation’s ultimately successful struggle for independence.  When the American Constitution departed its home port of Baltimore this week from the Inner Harbor wharf where it took on passengers, its revolutionary immersion unfolded quickly.  Off to starboard, the spring-greening lawns of Fort McHenry spread upward toward the formidable brick and stone fortifications that held the British at bay during the War of 1812.

Then quickly, to port and just inside the Key Bridge over the Patapsco, the passengers could view a tall red, white and blue buoy marking the approximate location of where a British ship held Francis Scott Key as a prisoner during the battle.  From that vantage point, Key watched the nighttime battle and wondered whether “the dawn’s early light” would reveal the American flag still flying over the fort.

Of course the dawn and the stalwart efforts of Fort McHenry’ defenders obliged, inspiring Key to write the words of the Star-Spangled Banner which has served ever since as the national anthem.

The rest of the American Constitution’s itinerary includes stops in Annapolis, St. Michaels, Cambridge, Norfolk, Yorktown, Jamestown, Mount Vernon and Washington D.C.

The 269-foot vessel will dominate the harbors of Cambridge and St. Michaels on Wednesday, April 13 and Thursday, April 14 respectively.

With a crew of 43, including historians to bring to life landmark revolutionary events along the way, and a passenger capacity of 170, the cruise ship carries the potential of bringing economic boosts to its ports of call. When it’s not touring the Chesapeake, the vessel cruises north to Cape Cod, New England, and the Hudson River.

Although several of American Constitution’s sister vessels ply other historic US waterways including the Mississippi, Columbia and Snake Rivers, they have also contributed to the Chesapeake tidewater economy.  Like the Constitution, they have all been built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding and Naval Architects in Salisbury. Located on the banks of the Wicomico River, Chesapeake’s large and skilled workforce designs and builds tug boats and cruise ships up to 450 feet in length.

The company wastes no time in rolling out American Cruise Line’s orders in what it calls its American Riverboat Series. At least four other vessels have been launched since American Constitution slid down the ways into the Wicomico in 2018. The most recent was American Symphony which launched on March 17 this year.  It’s scheduled to begin cruising the Mississippi in the late summer.

As soon as Chesapeake moved Symphony’s hull out of one of the company’s cavernous fabricating buildings, and started fitting out her 90 cabins and other infrastructure, the company laid the keel, on Dec. 21, 2021, for the next in the series, American Serenade.

What follows is how Chesapeake Shipbuilding describes its enterprise on its website:

“Established in 1980 and situated on 13 acres of waterfront on the Wicomico River in Salisbury, MD, the shipyard has become a leading designer and builder of a notable array of commercial ships up to 450 feet in length. The shipyard’s vessels operate all over the world and are suited for inland waterway or ocean service. Specializing in the design and construction of overnight passenger vessels and tugboats has enabled the company to develop an unrivaled expertise in this field. The shipyard offers highly competitive wages, bonuses, and benefits.”

With the American travel industry feeling the upheaval caused by pandemic, employee shortage, and other economic pressures, American Cruise Lines and Chesapeake Shipbuilding are clearly riding the crest of riverboat cruising popularity and rising domestic demand. The great rivers and waterways of the United States coupled with natural scenic beauty, deep history and people’s love of boat rides are proving to be a winning combination.

Dennis Forney grew up on the Chester River in Chestertown. After graduating Oberlin College, he returned to the Shore where he wrote for the Queen Anne’s Record Observer, the Bay Times, the Star Democrat, and the Watermen’s Gazette. He moved to Lewes, Delaware in 1975 with his wife Becky where they lived for 45 years, raising their family and enjoying the saltwater life. Forney and Trish Vernon founded the Cape Gazette, a community newspaper serving eastern Sussex County, in 1993, where he served as publisher until 2020. He continues to write for the Cape Gazette as publisher emeritus and expanded his Delmarva footprint in 2020 with a move to Bozman in Talbot County.