Much of this cruise is spent in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. It is the only navigable route through the Cascade Mountains.

Carefully curated shore excursions take you to some of the areas' highlights, including the famous Multnomah Falls, Mount St. Helens, and the Crown Point Vista House.

Complimentary Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay -  American Cruise Lines provides a seamless transition to the ship on the morning of the cruise, including luggage transfer to your onboard stateroom.

Day 1 - Hayden Island, Oregon departure. The island is located in the Columbia River just before its confluence with the Willamette River. Image Canoe, Menzies, and Shaw are a few of the names given to the island before Hayden Island stuck. The island was once the home to Jantzen Beach Amusement Park, the largest in the nation when it opened in 1928. The park closed in 1970 and was replaced by the Jantzen Beach Mall. The island also boasts a private, 800-acre wildlife preserve.

Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria, Oregon

 Day 2 -  Astoria, Oregon, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. It is the site of Fort Clatsop, where the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery spent the winter of 1805-1806. The Columbia River Maritime Museum is a 5-minute walk or a short trolly ride from the ship. There, a guide will conduct a personalized tour of the facilities, which includes artifacts and exhibits about crossing the toughest and most treacherous routes in maritime history, the Columbia Bar - a system of bars and shoals at the mouth of the Columbia River.  

Mt. Saint Helens Observation Point

 Day 3 -  Mount Saint Helens in Washington State. In 1980 the volcanic mountain exploded and scorched 230 square miles of forest land, permanently changing the landscape. The Mount Saint Helens Johnston Ridge Observatory is located on a bluff near the crater and has spectacular views of the pumice plain and blast site. A guide fills in all the details about the eruption and its effect on the land and communities surrounding it.

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

 Day 4 – Stevenson, Washington, and an excursion to Multnomah Falls, Oregon. A private guide meets passengers at the ship’s dock and escorts them  across the “Bridge of the Gods” then west to Multnomah Falls, one of Oregon’s most-visited points of interest. There is also ample opportunity to explore the village of Stevenson, easily accessed from the Stevenson Dock.

Vista House
CC BY-SA 2.0, by Chris[tmas K] from Portland, USA