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130 Passengers Will Visit Local Attractions; One of Seven Cruises To Visit Buffalo this Summer
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that American Cruise Lines’ new small ship, American Patriot, a 130 passenger, U.S. flagged cruise ship, will arrive in Buffalo this evening, marking the first cruise ship to visit Buffalo in decades. It will be docked until May 30 at a temporary berth at the Erie Street dock, near Erie Basin Marina. While in Buffalo, passengers aboard the American Patriot are expected to tour the world-renowned Buffalo AKG Art Museum, explore the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, wander the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Garden, take architectural tours of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, take in the city’s history on Explore Buffalo walking tours and experience the majesty of Niagara Falls via curated excursions. B-roll and image for American Patriot, American Cruise Lines’ newest small ship sailing the Great Lakes in 2026 (Credit: American Cruise Lines).
“Today we are embarking on a new chapter for Buffalo’s waterfront,” Governor Hochul said. “As we welcome the American Patriot, we are bringing new visitors, new revenue, and a new sense of pride to Buffalo. This is the first of many arrivals that will showcase our world-class cultural institutions like the AKG and the Darwin Martin House to travelers from across the country. We are proving once again that Buffalo is a premier destination, and with our future cruise terminal on the horizon, the best is yet to come for the Great Lakes.”
American Cruise Lines President & CEO Charles B. Robertson said, “American Cruise Lines is looking forward to calling on Buffalo with our small ship, American Patriot.” Buffalo’s investment in its waterfront inspires us to continue investing in our fleet on the Great Lakes. We are honored to be the first U.S. cruise line to visit Buffalo regularly and look forward to a growing partnership with the city.”
This year, American Cruise Lines is running seven cruises that embark or disembark from Buffalo: the 9 day/8 night Great Lakes & Thousand Islands Cruise that operates between Syracuse and Buffalo and explores the Thousand Islands, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie and the company’s signature, 800-mile, 14 day/13 night American Great Lakes Cruise that operates between Buffalo and Milwaukee, Wisconsin and explores Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Both cruises have reverse itineraries available, and most dates in 2026 are already sold out. Dates for 2027 and 2028 have already been set and are available to book now.
Buffalo will also serve as both an embarkation and disembarkation port for American’s 2026 Great Lakes cruises, and the company offers an included hotel stay on all their U.S. cruises, so guests automatically have extra time to explore local areas before departures, as well as during the cruises. Each itinerary is comprised of days filled with excursions, and time spent cruising the magnificent lakes, including curated enrichment onboard. All itineraries begin, end and remain in the U.S., making a passport or international flight unnecessary for American travelers.
American Patriot is fully stabilized for smooth sailing and accommodates 130 guests. The new ship features private balcony staterooms including suites, and singles available, plus many amenities like spacious lounges including a top deck lounge and walking track, a main restaurant with views from every seat, a casual café, chart room, fitness center, laundry room and elevators to all decks. Take the 360-degree, virtual ship tour.
This announcement marks the first time in decades that an American-built and flagged cruise ship will offer domestic cruises in the growing Great Lakes cruise market. Without the need to cross borders, the new cruises are a completely unique experience apart from all other cruise lines currently on the Lakes. Where other ships dock at ports intended for foreign ships and international entry, American Cruise Lines can dock in the heart of small towns, city parks and private marinas for an authentic and exclusive experience not available with any other cruise line.
Visit Buffalo, the official destination marketing organization for Buffalo and Erie County, will welcome the cruise ship passengers along with a team of volunteers as they disembark, as well as help connect them to local experiences and restaurants. Their mobile visitor information center will be parked onsite to help provide information about Buffalo.