Complete Mississippi River Experience

Table Of Content

Upper Mississippi River Cruise

Missouri Mississippi River Cruise Ports

Keep Natural Disasters and River Water Levels in Mind When Booking Your Mississippi River Cruise

Onboard Experience

Must-See Sights on the Mississippi River

Upcoming Cruises

Enjoy a feast for your senses if you linger in this magical city, renowned for its delicious cuisine, vibrant music scene, and rich culture with an international flair. Stroll the tree-lined avenues, take a carriage ride through the French Quarter, hop aboard a streetcar to the gorgeous Garden District, or visit the renowned National World War II Museum. If departing the ship in New Orleans, enjoy available city excursions and motorcoach transfers to the airport. The Twin Cities offer world-class art galleries, museums, and live performances.

Upper Mississippi River Cruise

Factors you should consider in deciding which cruise line to book depend on things like ship modernization (or year built or refurbished), cost of the cruise, and precise ports that the itinerary goes to. The Upper Mississippi River is often suggested as a follow-up itinerary after experiencing the Lower Mississippi River during a multi-day overnight river cruise. This itinerary is known for having the most scenic and serene views between the cities of St. Louis, Missouri to St. Paul, Minnesota. American Cruise Lines offers a 5-day journey, which is perfect for those who may need a shorter option and want a taste of river cruising, and/or the Mississippi River ports. Cruising the Mississippi River has grown in popularity so much that river cruises are now being offered nearly year-round.

Missouri Mississippi River Cruise Ports

Explore the home, life, and career of Elvis Presley or make your pilgrimage to Sun Studio, where he recorded his earliest smash-hits.

Keep Natural Disasters and River Water Levels in Mind When Booking Your Mississippi River Cruise

The new kid on the Mississippi is the Viking Mississippi, a 386-passenger, five-deck vessel that first set sail in September 2022. The cutting-edge cruise is Viking’s first foray in the US, adding to their fleet of more than 90 ocean, river, and expedition vessels navigating the world’s seven continents. After American Queen Voyages shut down in February, only two Mississippi River cruise lines currently remain in operation. Here's what you need to know about Mississippi River boat cruises, from choice itineraries to popular stops. Winona, Minnesota, boasts some of the state's most architecturally significant buildings, many featuring the beautiful stained glass for which the city is known.

day Music Cities Cruise: Nashville to Memphis

Once serving as an antebellum sugar cane plantation, Oak Alley Plantation is rightfully named after its most distinguishing feature, a canopy of 300-year-old oak trees that form a quarter-mile path leading to the Mississippi River. Restored to its 19th-century grandeur, this classic Greek Revival-style antebellum mansion is simply breathtaking. From the coast of Maine, to the mighty Mississippi and Pacific Northwest, our Free Cruise Guide provides detailed information about all of our more than 50 U.S. itinerary options. For boat lovers, there’s the Old Depot Museum, which is home to the world's largest ship, riverboat, and US Navy ship model collection. The Lower Mississippi River is home to many of the confederate historical landmarks and Civil War memorials, as well as beautiful plantations, the expansive estate of Elvis Presley, and the grand city of New Orleans. Other interesting sites include the houses of Huckleberry Finn and Becky Thatcher.

Congressman Cohen Applauds $16.1 Million to Restore Mississippi River Wetlands - Congressman Steve Cohen

Congressman Cohen Applauds $16.1 Million to Restore Mississippi River Wetlands.

Posted: Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:55:24 GMT [source]

Onboard Experience

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. American Cruise Lines uses fresh, local ingredients to show off the culinary glory of the region you’re cruising in. On the Mississippi River, that could mean Andouille Gumbo, a po’boy with red beans and rice, and bourbon pecan pie. In New England, you could find Littleneck clam ceviche on the menu followed by a spiced apple pudding with maple whipped cream. In the Pacific Northwest, you’ll find fresh fish on the menu, including shrimp bisque or Dungeness Crab cake, and a marionberry cheesecake that’ll make your mouth water!

Must-See Sights on the Mississippi River

Or, visit The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa, is the largest aquarium in the Central United States. 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. 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. We go into more detail about the cruise lengths offered by each line and the port stops below.

Upcoming Cruises

This site focuses on small-format cruises and ship-within-a-ship concepts on large cruise ships, including special cruise experiences you can enjoy during your next vacation. Reasons why US river cruises cost more than a European river cruise, for instance, are because the ships have to be built in the United States and the crew has to be large American, which means their salaries are American dollars. There aren’t three-day Mississippi River boat cruises like the river cruises we’re used to that we are currently aware of. You can take a one-day excursion (that does not sail overnight and doesn’t go very far) or sign up for a cruise that is a minimum of 5 days. If you’ve never been on a river cruise before, in Europe or elsewhere, you need to know that it’s nothing like ocean cruise ships, which provide endless hours of entertainment onboard.

Hannibal, MO

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. 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.

Delight in the region’s famed Southern cuisine and sample Memphis’s renowned barbecue, alongside artisan beers. Birthplace of American music—blues, jazz and soul—the Mississippi celebrates its musical heritage in the towns and cities that line its legendary shores. All three cruise lines offer similar itineraries along the river, so we recommend looking into the ships, the amenities, and what's included in the rate (like pre-departure hotel stays and excursions) to help make your decision. Welcome to Memphis, a historic city which rises picturesquely up the hillside from the river, adorned with grand oak trees, lush parks, and historic sites that commemorate everything from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement. Immerse yourself in its rich musical legacy as you stroll along legendary Beale Street, where music flows from every doorway, and savor the rich flavors and aromas of the city’s famous BBQ.

Alton is an idyllic town, known for its scenic limestone bluffs along the river and its rich Civil War history. The National Great Rivers Museum, located at the Melvin Price Lock and Dam, tells the stories of the Mississippi River’s history, the people that rely on the River, and its many ecosystems. Hometown of jazz musician Miles Davis and Robert Wadlow, the tallest known person in history (8’11”), Alton is an inspiring and picturesque destination and the perfect place to begin your Upper Mississippi journey. Below the forested limestone bluffs of the upper Mississippi and along a narrow section of river channel, Red Wing snuggles among dozens of enchanting city parks.