American Cruise Lines, the U.S. river cruise specialist, will more than double its capacity in Columbia and Snake Rivers from the beginning of 2016. Alan Lam reports.

The vintage river cruise operator will move its 150-guest Queen of the Mississippi to its Pacific Northwest region to join the existing operations by the 120-guest Queen of the West.

The paddlewheeler was initially built in 2012 specifically for the Mississippi River operations. The vessel will be renamed prior to commencing its new career.

In recent years, Pacific Northwest has become a popular region for river cruises. American Cruise Lines currently operates 8-day historically themed cruises on the rich tapestry of Columbia and Snake, retracing the epic route pioneering by Lewis and Clark over 200 years ago. It also offers a wine cruise along the Columbia River.

By making this move, the company has not at all undermined its commitment to the traditional Mississippi operations, which still form the bulk of its itineraries. Quite the contrary, the cruise line has recently added the new paddlewheeler, the American Eagle, to this river. Moreover, its newest vessel, the America, will be launched this week at Salisbury, Maryland. The company’s other paddlewheeler, named Queen of Mississippi, is currently under construction and is destined for the Mississippi River.

American Cruise Lines is responding to demands through newbuildings and strategic re-deployments. The growth of river cruising in Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and Alaska is driving its expansion.