GUILFORD, Connecticut ““ American Cruise Lines has announced four new ships will sail the U.S. rivers between 2015 and 2017. The company plans to expand its fleet partially because of American Cruise Lines’ 25 percent passenger growth each year for the past three years.

Construction has begun on two of the four vessels. The first ship will welcome passengers the spring of 2015. Each of the two new river ships will carry between 150 and 200 guests on the Mississippi river system, and the Columbia and Snake rivers.

American Cruise Lines reports that at least one of the four new ships will cruise along the Columbia Snake rivers from the Pacific Coast to the Idaho border, more than 500 miles inland.

The company launched the newly built Queen of the Mississippi paddlewheeler on August 2012. The new vessels will featured similar amenities, including staterooms with sliding glass doors and room service.

For more information, read the Travel Weekly article or visit www.americancruiselines.com.