Table Of Content
After a pre-cruise hotel stay in New Orleans, passengers journey through all aspects of American history. You'll also call on a historic Missouri trading post in Cape Girardeau (a French river port). From Crescent City, the birthplace of American jazz, to Memphis, known as the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll, this itinerary celebrates the region's homegrown rhythms. Both cruise lines offer itineraries between New Orleans and Memphis, but Viking features more excursions and onboard experiences tailored to music lovers. Tour the elaborate townhomes, visit a working cotton farm to learn about the crop’s importance in history and today, and discover the historic Under-The-Hill Saloon.
Day By Day Itinerary
Both cruise lines offer a Lower Mississippi river cruise, sailing round-trip from New Orleans, but only one features multiple excursions geared to those with a keen interest in the 19th-century conflict. Cruising the Mississippi River and its tributaries is an exploration of the American spirit. Gliding past the rolling farmland on our paddlewheel riverboats American Heritage and American Splendor, is an experience set in a time past and a testament to the ingenuity of the pioneers who first traveled these waters. The fabric of the region is brought to life through our delicious regional cuisine, great onboard music, and customized excursions to historic landmarks.
Best cruise for Civil War history: Lower Mississippi (round trip from New Orleans)
River cruise company with stops in QCA closes down - WQAD Moline
River cruise company with stops in QCA closes down.
Posted: Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
These include a nine-day Lower Mississippi itinerary from Memphis to New Orleans (or vice versa). In Oak Alley, Louisiana, guests can tour a Greek Revival mansion on a sugar plantation built and maintained by slaves. While no Civil War fighting took place in Natchez, Mississippi, the city is home to hundreds of lavish mansions from the era and the Historic Natchez Cemetery, which dates to 1822. The cruise line has five ships on the Mississippi, including the traditionally-styled paddlewheelers American Heritage and American Splendor. It also runs its more modern-style riverboats -- the first of their kind in the U.S. -- American Melody, American Serenade and American Symphony on the Mississippi.
day Upper Mississippi River Cruise: St. Louis to St. Paul
Explore “America’s Breadbasket,” the nation’s most expansive and scenic agricultural region. Explore Downtown Paducah, a UNESCO Creative City, and admire its preserved architecture. Sail along the Mississippi River, an important region with diverse wildlife and ecosystems. Explore the oldest city on the Mississippi, Natchez, with over 200 historic Southern estates. If you love the musical genres of the South, a Mississippi River cruise from New Orleans to Memphis (or vice versa) should be your choice. However, there are slight differences depending on the section of the river you’re looking to cruise.
View colorful Victorian mansions on a stroll through the quaint downtown area, take a ride on the world’s shortest and steepest scenic railway, or try your luck in one of Dubuque's state-of-the-art casinos. Visit one of the oldest catholic churches in the city and enjoy the lovely landscapes of the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Garden. Run your hand along Aunt Polly’s fence, explore Injun Joe’s Cave, and get reacquainted with one of the world’s most beloved authors. Explore other nearby museums and the charming downtown Main Street with unique shops, art galleries, and tasty temptations. My Friend and I went on the Riverboat Twilight and it was the most perfect/awesome adventure!
From the ship, it’s a short walk to a cruise highlight at the incredible complex of the Smithsonian-affiliated National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. Marvel at the majestic Mississippi river while relaxing in style aboard a stunningly replicated Victorian Riverboat. Allow yourself to be pampered by the Twilight’s attentive, informative, and welcoming crew. Delicious meals are prepared on board in the lower galley, while a full bar complete with top shelf liquors provides custom drinks to enhance your experience. You can cruise all the way from New Orleans to Minneapolis, or you can sail shorter segments of the river.
Tastes and Sounds of the South (10 Days)
Sail along the Lower Mississippi from New Orleans to Memphis on this nine-day cruise, which starts with a complimentary stay in New Orleans and a second day to enjoy the Big Easy. Then, it's on to Nottoway Resort and St. Francisville in Louisiana and Natchez, Vicksburg, and Greenville in Mississippi before a day of cruising through the Delta and disembarking in Memphis. There are a few different paddle-wheel riverboats that cruise this route for American Queen Voyages — find the specific ship for your journey when you select a date. Purpose-built for the Mississippi, the ship's cutting-edge design, expansive windows and comfortable amenities make it the first truly modern cruise ship in the region.
The 386-guest Viking Mississippi® was “floated out” in Louisiana, marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water. Set to debut in summer 2022, the Viking Mississippi will sail Viking’s highly anticipated voyages on the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, between New Orleans and St. Paul. On American Cruise Lines' eight-day New Orleans to New Orleans itinerary, cruisers can visit Vicksburg, Mississippi, where the National Military Park commemorates the campaign, siege and defense of Vicksburg in 1863. In Louisiana's capital, Baton Rouge, a guided excursion explores critical locations in the Civil War's Battle of Baton Rouge and Port Hudson.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Another must-see is the National Military Park, which has over 1,370 monuments and a national veterans’ cemetery. St. Louis is home to the symbolic Gateway Arch, which celebrates the hard journey people took to populate the Central and Western United States. Here you can also experience a fresh beer tasting at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery or visit the Missouri Botanical Garden.
American Queen Voyages, which docked in Memphis, shuts down - WREG NewsChannel 3
American Queen Voyages, which docked in Memphis, shuts down.
Posted: Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Winona welcomes you with the perfect blend of modern development and old river town charm. From rolling fields of flowers to some of the most architecturally important buildings in Minnesota, enjoy a carefully crafted selection of excursions which lead you through the most intriguing sites Winona has to offer. Just as it was back in Mark Twain’s day, every riverboat on the Mississippi River is unique due to fluctuating river conditions that can have an impact on our itinerary. This is part of the adventure and American Cruise Lines will always work to provide a seamless travel experience. Viking River Cruises' 22-day Grand Mississippi Voyage, available in 2024 aboard the 386-passenger Viking Mississippi, also embarks in New Orleans and visits 16 ports in nine states as it cruises north to St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition to visiting monuments and museums, you'll enjoy onboard lectures and presentations and interaction with other Civil War buffs.
Later, experience the opulence and natural wonder of the Oak Alley estate with its breathtaking parallel row of 28 ancient and massive live oak trees. Here, you can savor a complimentary taste of one of the best mint juleps in the South. Step on board the newest and most modern ship on the Mississippi with all outside staterooms, private verandas, spacious public areas and our signature, clean Scandinavian design, reimagined for the Mississippi River. Ranging from a cozy 250 square feet to an expansive 650 square feet, all of its spacious staterooms offer full-size bathrooms, roomy closets, and private balconies where you can enjoy daily breakfast room service.
It’s an 85-foot-tall limestone mountain with incredible views of the Winona region. If you are into American presidential history and art, head to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, where you can see three original paintings of George Washington and his men crossing the Delaware River. Then stop by the Red Wing Marine Museum and have a chance to see the American Queen, the largest river steamboat ever made if she happens to be docked nearby. You’ll want to take a trip to The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, also known as The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. You’ll find a lot to appreciate at this popular tourist attraction, which is a beautiful piece of architecture surrounded by nature.
The company's flagship, the American Queen, is said to be the world's biggest steamboat. As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel. We understand that time is the greatest luxury, which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal, a drink, or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world.
Explore this vibrant small town with the perfect blend of urban edge and old-world charm. From rolling fields of prairie flowers to some of the most architecturally important buildings in Minnesota, enjoy all there is to see and do here. Times have changed, but not in Downtown Tunica, with Main Street buildings just as they were at the turn of the century. Explore unique boutiques, antique shops, a fully restored courthouse, and Tunica Veterans Memorial at Rivergate Park. Here, you can enjoy the kind of southern hospitality you thought only existed in storybooks.
Explore the boyhood town of Mark Twain in Hannibal and be treated to a live show at the Grand Old Opry in Nashville. Our agents are friendly and responsive; most have personal experience on board many of our ships. That’s why USA River Cruise agents are the small-ship cruising and cruise vacation experts. You’ll enjoy between six and 22 days of fabulous food, music, camaraderie, and relaxation.
Explore the historic Sheldon Performing Arts Theatre, the home of famous Red Wing shoes, and the Pottery Museum, or ride up the bluff for a remarkable view. Visit the National Eagle Center to learn more about these incredible creatures with the added thrill of admiring them up close. Explore Hannibal, “America’s Hometown,” a mere block from the ship, where Mark Twain’s home and museum illuminate the events that shaped his life and career.
