Mississippi River cruises have surged in reputation in latest many years, particularly amongst vacationers seeking to get pleasure from guided excursions of historic cities and cities throughout the American Midwest and South.
Two main cruise strains sail the Mississippi, which stretches 2,340 miles from New Orleans to Minneapolis-St. Paul: American Cruise Traces and Viking. Every line affords a number of comparable itineraries starting from seven to 22 nights, however the ships themselves differ: some are traditionally impressed paddlewheelers, others smooth fashionable riverboats. The onboard eating and leisure, in addition to the excursions at port, additionally differ throughout the strains.
We have rounded up the very best Mississippi River cruises for historical past buffs and Americana lovers, so you’ll find your good U.S. river cruise itinerary primarily based in your pursuits and journey preferences.
Greatest cruise for Civil Battle historical past: Decrease Mississippi (round-trip from New Orleans)
The South attracts American historical past buffs with its Civil Battle-era battlefields, cemeteries and mansions guarded by regiments of stay oaks. Each American Cruise Traces and Viking provide Decrease Mississippi itineraries crusing round-trip from New Orleans, however just one options a number of excursions geared to these with a eager curiosity within the Nineteenth-century battle.
On American Cruise Traces’ seven-night itinerary, cruisers journey upriver to Vicksburg, Mississippi, the place the Vicksburg Nationwide Navy Park commemorates the siege and protection of Vicksburg in 1863. In the meantime, whereas no Civil Battle preventing occurred in close by Natchez, Mississippi (one other cease on the cruise), the town is residence to tons of of mansions from the period and the Historic Natchez Cemetery, which dates to 1822.
En path to Vicksburg and Natchez, a cease in Louisiana’s capital, Baton Rouge, affords the prospect for a guided tour exploring important places within the Battle of Baton Rouge and Siege of Port Hudson. Different ports alongside the Louisiana stretch of the cruise convey to life the prewar South. For instance, in Oak Alley, Louisiana, friends can tour a big Greek Revival plantation manor.
This itinerary is obtainable in 2025, 2026 and thru 2027 on 4 American Cruise Traces ships, starting from the 150-passenger basic paddlewheeler American Heritage to the 180-passenger fashionable riverboat American Serenade. American Cruise Traces is understood for its regionally impressed delicacies, served with complimentary alcohol, together with wine, beer, spirits and cocktails.
Some excursions and a precruise resort keep in New Orleans are included within the cruise fare. You possibly can ebook further day excursions for an additional value.
Associated: Greatest river cruise strains around the globe
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If you happen to’re particularly enthusiastic about Civil Battle historical past, search for American Cruise Traces’ particular Civil Battle themed cruises on restricted dates, which permit a deeper dive into the interval. These embrace an eight-night Decrease Mississippi itinerary from Memphis to New Orleans (or vice versa). Along with visiting monuments and museums, you will get pleasure from onboard lectures and displays and interplay with different Civil Battle buffs.
Greatest cruises for music: Decrease Mississippi (New Orleans to Memphis)
If you happen to love the musical genres of the South, a Mississippi River cruise from New Orleans to Memphis (or vice versa) needs to be your alternative. Stretching from the Crescent Metropolis, the birthplace of American jazz, to Memphis, referred to as the “Residence of the Blues” and the “Birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll,” this itinerary celebrates the area’s homegrown rhythms.
Each cruise strains sail between these two cities, however Viking options extra excursions and onboard experiences tailor-made to music lovers onboard its seven-night Mississippi Delta Explorer itinerary. For these with a little bit extra time to spare, Viking has an extended model — a 10-night New Orleans to Memphis itinerary — that features two days in each cities.
Among the many highlights is a cease in Greenville, Mississippi. Nestled within the coronary heart of the Mississippi Delta, Greenville is steeped in blues historical past and tradition. An included, privileged-access present immerses passengers in music, tales and delicacies distinctive to the area. An tour to close by Indianola, the birthplace of the legendary musician B.B. King, lets passengers tour the storied B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Heart.
In Baton Rouge, you may go to the Capitol Park Museum, which showcases displays devoted to Louisiana’s musical heritage and Mardi Gras traditions. At your subsequent cease in Natchez, Mississippi, classical music (performed on a 1903 Steinway piano) is the star of an tour to the Joseph Newman Stone Home; after visiting the property, passengers may also tour the close by historic Lansdowne plantation.
The grand finale of the cruise is 2 nights in Memphis, the place you may get pleasure from all issues blues, barbecue and Elvis Presley.
Viking started its Mississippi River cruises in 2022, with the launch of the 386-passenger Viking Mississippi. Sporting a smooth Scandinavian design, it’s the line’s solely ship traversing the Mississippi, with departures scheduled in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Passengers can get pleasure from a solar terrace with an aft infinity pool and an Explorers’ Lounge with panoramic ahead views of the Mississippi. The ship serves each Southern regional delicacies and world favorites all cruise lengthy, and incessantly welcomes native musicians on board for night leisure.
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Greatest cruises for artwork and structure: Higher Mississippi
An Higher Mississippi cruise between St. Louis, Missouri, and St. Paul, Minnesota, supplies entry to a number of the high architectural landmarks and inventive treasures of the American Heartland — from Eero Saarinen’s hovering Gateway Arch to Frank Lloyd Wright’s inimitable Taliesin. Fortunately, each cruise strains provide nice Higher Mississippi itineraries from June by way of October.
Viking River Cruises’ seven-night Heartland of America itinerary sails from St. Louis to St. Paul (or vice versa), with departures in 2025, 2026 and 2027. You will discover architectural gems aboard Viking Mississippi, itself an instance of smooth, Scandinavian impressed nautical structure.
Highlights embrace St. Louis, the place you will admire Saarinen’s circa-1965 Gateway Arch, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, and the Renaissance revival structure of Metropolis Corridor. Upriver at Dubuque, Iowa, you may head to Spring Inexperienced, Wisconsin, to go to Taliesin — Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal residence, studio and college from 1911 to 1959.
After a day in Pink Wing, Minnesota, recognized for its pottery studios, you will finish your journey within the Twin Cities, residence to the Walker Artwork Heart and Minneapolis Institute of Artwork in Minneapolis and well-preserved Victorian buildings in St. Paul.
Associated: River cruise packing listing: What to pack when touring by riverboat
American Cruise Line’s eight-night Higher Mississippi River cruise covers a lot of the identical floor, with just a few variations. Sailings can be found on the 150-passenger paddlewheeler American Heritage in addition to on three smooth 180-guest riverboats: American Melody, American Serenade and American Symphony. They’re provided between June and early October in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Past the landmarks of St. Louis, highlights embrace Hannibal, Missouri, the place you may go to the Mark Twain Boyhood Residence and Museum, and Dubuque, Iowa, recognized for its colourful Victorian mansions. (An tour to the Area of Goals featured within the 1989 Kevin Costner film can be obtainable.)
Winona, Minnesota, boasts a number of the state’s most architecturally important buildings, many that includes the gorgeous stained glass for which the town is understood. Then it is off to Pink Wing, Minnesota, the place you may discover the Pottery Museum earlier than finishing your journey within the Twin Cities.
Greatest prolonged cruises: Full Mississippi
Need all of it? You possibly can go to 19 ports throughout 9 states on Viking River Cruises’ 21-night Mississippi River Odyssey itinerary departing from New Orleans. Throughout this crusing, you will in a single day in Memphis, so there’s time to completely savor barbecue, the blues and Elvis Presley’s Graceland. A port name in Paducah, Kentucky, allows you to discover the Nationwide Quilt Museum and colourful avenue murals.
You possibly can get pleasure from two days of excursions in Missouri’s most well-known massive metropolis, St. Louis, as properly a cease within the small city of Hannibal earlier than making your manner up by way of three ports in Iowa. After Iowa, you will get to study concerning the Norwegian heritage of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and get to know the pottery and bald eagles of Pink Wing, Minnesota, earlier than disembarking in St. Paul.
Viking Mississippi affords this itinerary in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
American Cruise Traces, in the meantime, covers 18 ports in six states on its 22-night Full Mississippi River Expertise from New Orleans to St. Paul. Two of the road’s 180-passenger fashionable river ships — American Melody and American Serenade — provide departures in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Passengers will go to ports recognized for plantation manors (Oak Alley and St. Francisville, Louisiana, and Natchez, Mississippi), Civil Battle battles (Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Vicksburg, Mississippi), music (Memphis and Greenville, Tennessee) and structure (St. Louis, Missouri and Dubuque, Iowa). You will additionally name on a historic Missouri buying and selling submit at Cape Girardeau (a French river port).
Backside line
The 2 cruise strains crusing America’s most legendary river provide itineraries for each curiosity. Whether or not you need to go to Civil Battle websites, see high architectural landmarks or get pleasure from our nation’s best-loved musical genres, American Cruise Traces and Viking provide a Mississippi River itineraries that can assist you achieve this — in consolation and elegance as you make new associates on board.
Planning a cruise? Begin with these tales:
