Mississippi River Cruises
The arrival of the riverboats changed the landscape and lives of the people along the rivers of the Old South forever. Great sugar and cotton plantations sprang up, and trade boomed along the entire Mississippi River system.
Step back in time to the grand era of steamboating on an authentic paddlewheeler and journey to the heart and soul of America's Deep South on our Mississippi riverboats. Choose the newly built American Heritage, it's sister ship American Eagle or the recently refurbished American Queen, a well-known sight on the Mississippi.
Cruise Collection
Memphis to New Orleans
Special OfferExclusive 12-night unique fly-cruise holiday with stays in Graceland and New Orleans from just £5899pp!
See the magnificent mansions and plantations of the Deep South and delve into the history of the Civil War in Vicksburg on this exciting cruise along the legendary Mississippi River from the 'Blues City' of Memphis. Includes guided shore excursions
Memphis to New Orleans
Mississippi River Gateway
Special OfferComplimentary pre-cruise hotel stay!
Experience the best in southern hospitality on this unique Mississippi river cruise from New Orleans to St Louis and learn about the history and culture of the area with visits to grand plantation homes and fascinating museums including Vicksburg Military Park
New Orleans to St Louis
Upper Mississippi
Special OfferComplimentary Pre-Cruise Package!
St. Louis (Missouri), Hannibal , Fort Madison (Iowa), Davenport (Iowa), Dubuque, La Crosse (Wisconsin), Red Wing (Minnesota), St. Paul
Complete Mississippi
New Orleans, Louisiana, Oak Alley, Louisiana, Houmas House, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Saint Francisville, Louisiana, Natchez, Mississippi, Vicksburg, Mississippi, Greenville, Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee, New Madrid, Missouri, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Chester, Illinois, Saint Louis, Missouri, Mississippi River USA, Louisiana, Hannibal, Missouri, Fort Madison, Iowa, Davenport, Iowa, Dubuque, Iowa, Upper Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wisconsin, Red Wing, Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Grand Heartland Cruise
Saint Paul, Minnesota, Red Wing, Minnesota, La Crosse, Wisconsin, Dubuque, Iowa, Davenport, Iowa, Fort Madison, Iowa, Hannibal, Missouri, Saint Louis, Missouri, Mississippi River USA, Louisiana, Memphis, Tennessee, Mississippi River USA, Louisiana, Vicksburg, Mississippi, Natchez, Mississippi, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana
Mississippi Explorers
New Orleans, Louisiana, River Cruising, Oak Alley, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Saint Francisville, Louisiana, Natchez, Mississippi, Vicksburg, Mississippi, River Cruising, Cleveland, Mississippi, Tunica, Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee
Music Cities Cruise (Nashville to Memphis)
Nashville, Tennessee, Clarksville, Tennessee, Dover, Tennessee, Cruising Lake Barkley and the Cumberland River, Paducah, Kentucky, Cruising the Mississippi and Ohio River, Memphis, Tennessee
The Tennessee Rivers Cruise (Chattanooga to Nashville)
Chattanooga, Tennessee, Decatur, AL, Florence, Alabama, Savannah, Tennessee, Paducah, Kentucky, Clarksville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee
The Tennessee Rivers Cruise (Nashville to Chattanooga)
Nashville, Tennessee, Clarksville, Tennessee, Paducah, Kentucky, Savannah, Tennessee, Florence, Alabama, Decatur, AL, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Mighty Mississippi from New Orleans
Special OfferComplimentary Pre-Cruise Package!
New Orleans (USA), Oak Alley, Natchez, Vicksburg, St Francisville, Baton Rouge, Houmas House, New Orleans
Music Cities of the Mississippi
UK - Graceland (Tennessee, USA), Memphis, Mississippi & Ohio River, Paducah (Kentucky), Lake Barkley, Dover (Tennessee), Clarksville, Nashville, London (UK)
Ohio and Mississippi Adventure
Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Marietta (Ohio), Maysville (Kentucky), Cincinnati (Ohio), Louisville (Kentucky), Henderson , Paducah, Cape Giradeua (Missouri), St Louis
About Mississippi Cruises
Visit columned mansions of plantation country; the poignant cemeteries and memorials of the Civil War; the early settlements of the French Acadians; and the bustling major riverports of New Orleans and Memphis.
Hear the music that was born of hardships and triumphs - Delta blues, Dixieland jazz, gospel and zydeco. Revel in local Creole and Cajun tastes like ‘red beans and rice’ and ‘cafe au lait’ and enjoy the spectacular sights along the river, which are much the same as they were over a century ago.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Life in the ‘Big Easy’ blends legendary jazz, fine architecture, laid back ‘laissez-faire’ lifestyle and world-renowned cuisine - Cajun to Creole, beignets to jambalaya.
Memphis, Tennessee
Home of the Blues, Elvis’ Graceland, fascinating Mud Island and the famed bomber aircraft, the Memphis Belle, this historic port city offers a combination of culture and charm.
Nashville, Tennessee
The vibrant city of Nashville, capital of the US state Tennessee, has been influenced by classical, jazz and rock'n'roll music. See the Grand Ole Opry where Elvis performed or the historical Fort Nashborough.
Chicago, Illinois
See the sights and sounds of the popular city of Chicago, famed for its theatres and enjoy spectacular views across Lake Michigan.
Mississippi Highlights
Charleston
The downtown area of the attractive city of Charleston is a step back in time. Some of its plantation houses are open for visitors, including Boone Hall which is still active and producing peaches, pumpkins and strawberries, and the merchant's mansions of National Russell and Heywood-Washington House. Tours through the town can be taken by horse-drawn carriage. Across Ashley River is Mount Pleasant, an old village of colonial houses.
Memphis
Memphis is the largest city in Tennessee and known as the Blues City. It has many attractions including Elvis Presley’s Graceland with its infamous décor and the Peabody Memphis, a legendary hotel famous for its Peabody Ducks which march to and from the Grand Lobby. Other highlights include Sun Studio where Jonny Cash, Roy Orbison and Elvis recorded music and the National Civil Rights Museum housed in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated.
New Orleans
With its atmospheric French Quarter, New Orleans, also known as the 'Big Easy', is situated on the Mississippi River. It's possible to explore this small city via the historic streetcars, taking in the French Quarter ' Royal Street for shops and the balconied Galliers House, the Jazz Historical Park and French Market. Pitot House is a typical Creole Plantation House on Moss Street, and paddlewheel steamboat trips can be taken from the harbour.
Oak Alley
Oak Alley is situated between the historic cities of new Orleans and Baton Rouge. It has been called the Grand Dame of the Great River Road. A canopy of giant oak trees forms an impressive avenue leading to this classic antebellum home which has been restored to its 19th-century glory.
Savannah
The graceful town of Savannah has strong roots in America's colonial past, which can be seen in the peaceful squares and fine houses of the Historic District. The Roundhouse Railroad Museum traces the history of railroad construction from the 1830s onwards, and Old Fort Jackson was the HQ for the Confederate Savannah River during the Civil War. East of Savannah is Tybee's Island, which has a scenic shoreline, an 18th-century lighthouse and birdlife attracted by its dunes, sub-tropical forests and salt marshes.
St Francisville
The beautiful small town of St Francisville is located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. Its historic centre reveals two centuries of architecture and lifestyles. The town has many historic pklanatation homes, including Myrtles Plantation with its large veranda, impressive ironwork and beautiful stained glass. It is considered one of America’s most haunted homes.
Vicksburg
Vicksburg is rich in history and culture. The National Military Park is the city’s main attraction and has over 1000 monuments and markers including the Illinois State Memorial. The city is home to magnificent antebellum mansions, the most famous being Cedar Grove and offers sweeping views of the Mississippi River.
Customer Reviews
Queen Of The Mississippi
by R.WakefieldWe thoroughly enjoyed this 7 day cruise down the Mississippi at the end of April. Before joining the cruise we spent two nights in Memphis, staying centrally at the Holiday Inn, Downtown, opposite the Peabody hotel, famous for the parade of ducks in the lobby each day. Nearby we visited the Civil Rights Museum, tastefully built behind the facade of the motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated. We also went to the river museum, took a trolley up and down Main Street, and in the evening spent some time in Beale Street, thronged with people, with the Blues booming out from clubs and restaurants. We could also have visited Graceland, about 10 miles out of town.
We joined the boat mid-morning on Saturday. It is a replica of a traditional Steam/Paddle boat. As it was built in 2012 all the amenities are up to date. There were 150 passengers of which 6 were from the UK, 2 from Australia and 2 from Canada. The rest were American. Dining was open seating, the food was good, with complimentary beer and wine at lunch and dinner. The service from the crew was excellent. There were talks about the river in the afternoon and musical entertainment in the evening. We set off on our 400 mile cruise on the winding Mississippi at lunchtime. The river is up to a mile wide the whole way, with a tree- lined embankment. In the afternoon we were fascinated to watch the commercial traffic going up- river. The largest we saw consisted of 42 large barges strung together in rows of 6 by 7 and pushed by a boat called a towboat.
The next day we arrived in Vicksburg and toured the famous civil war battlefield. Then it was on to Natchez and St Francisville, where we went past and also visited some beautifully restored antebellum homes as well as a working cotton plantation. After that we came to Baton Rouge, the state capital of Louisiana, where on a tour we went to the fascinating Louisiana State Museum and the old State Capitol. We had expected to pay for some of the tours, but at the end of the cruise they all turned out to be complimentary. The next day we came to what was probably the highlight of the cruise, a visit to Oak Alley Plantation, a former sugar plantation, with an imposing mansion, approached by a quarter-mile canopy of magnificent giant live oak trees, believed to be more than 300 years old. They are called live oaks because they are evergreeen. Finally, before reaching New Orleans, we were able to do some kite flying from the open deck, taking care to avoid approaching bridges and passing barges.
We disembarked in New Orleans at 8.30am on Saturday morning for a two night stay. We went straight to our hotel, where fortunately our room was ready. Suggest staying at either of the two Marriott hotels in Canal Street close to the French Quarter. Then it was out for more sightseeing, first to Jackson Square, the hub of the French Quarter, a carriage tour round the Quarter, went into the cathedral and French Market and had coffee and doughnuts at the renowned Cafe du Monde. Later we took the hop-on-hop-off bus round this vibrant city, which included a stop at the Mardi Gras Museum, where the floats are made for the annual parade, and took a trolley round the Garden District, lined with more beautiful houses. In the evening we found two good restaurants near our hotel, Galatoires and Dickie Brennans and joined the crowds walking up and down Bourbon Street, with jazz being played everywhere, both on and off the street. All in all a wonderful holiday, which we can highly recommend.
Mississippi Paddlewheeler Cruise
by R.FisherEverything went really well with our Mississippi river cruise holiday. We managed to get a lift with the flight crew to our hotel in Memphis which was a good start! Both hotels,were located in a good position. We had a great night in the BB Kings in Baele Street, Memphis, and the Jazz and Blues Club in Bourbon Street, New Orleans.
The boat was great with a nice room and the food was excellent. We had a great time in New Orleans as well.
Despite our reservations, there were no problems with the return connecting flights. All the security stuff at New Oreals which meant when we arrived at Washington Airport we could transfer easily to our connecting flight.
Thank you for all your help in arranging our holiday.