Ol’ Man River, stately paddlewheelers and Mark’s Twain’s classic tale The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are evocative images inextricably linked with America’s best-known waterway. The mighty Mississippi, winding 2,340 miles from northern Minnesota to New Orleans, is a great experience in every sense. Voyages take in grand antebellum houses, poignant Civil War battlefields where the country’s history was shaped and much more. The main cruise route is a seven-night sailing on the lower stretch of the river between the blues capital of Memphis and jazz city of New Orleans, and longer holidays are also available. Three main river cruise lines sail on the Mississippi and their cruises are also sold through UK tour operators. Although children are allowed on most Mississippi ships it should be noted that the vessels do not have kids’ clubs or a dedicated program for youngsters.
Main photo: American Queen Voyages’ American Queen
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American Symphony
1. American Cruise Lines
Alongside traditional paddlewheelers, there are increasing options to travel on contemporary vessels. American Cruise Lines led the way in 2017 when it launched American Song, the first of an ever-growing number of modern ships to complement its fleet of traditional riverboats. The most recent, American Symphony, debuted in summer 2022. Cabins are large and all of the ships include dedicated rooms for solo travellers. For the ultimate Mississippi experience, the line has a three-week itinerary all the way from New Orleans to St Paul.
passengers 180
Family friendly Y
Price ££
American duchess
2. American Queen Voyages
Previously known as the American Queen Steamboat Company, American Queen Voyages has three classic ships that cruise the Mississippi. Flagship of the trio is the namesake American Queen, which holds the record as the world’s largest steamboat. It’s a grand six-deck recreation of a classic paddlewheeler with palatial decor throughout. Also unique is American Duchess, with the only two-storey loft suites on the river. There are also sailings along the Ohio to St Louis, Missouri, situated at the confluence with the Mississippi where the soaring Gateway Arch honors early pioneers.
passengers 166-417
Family friendly Y
Price ££
Viking Mississippi
3. Vikings
Viking Mississippi is the line’s first ship to sail the United States. Also breaking away from the tradition of Mississippi paddlewheelers, it features Viking’s trademark Scandinavian design elements and, spanning five decks, the adult-only ship is also one of the largest cruise vessels on the river. It sails on a variety of week-long itineraries through six states — Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota — including the classic Heart of the Delta, from New Orleans to Memphis.
passengers 386
Family friendly N
Price ££
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4. Fred.Holidays
American Heritage is one of the traditional-style vessels operated by American Cruise Lines, and among the ships that can be booked through Fred. Holidays. The Lower Mississippi sailing explores charming destinations including St Francisville in Louisiana, which has been named one of the 200 most beautiful small towns in America, and where two centuries of architecture and social history are on display.
passengers 150
Family friendly Y
Price ££
American Queen
5. Titan Travel
Your holiday begins at home with Titan Travel where the fare includes a home pickup service to take you to and from the airport. You can also enjoy the best of both worlds on a Mississippi itinerary combining a land-based stay with a sailing on the sumptuous American Queen. Linger in the great music cities of Nashville and Memphis — with an included visit to Elvis Presley’s home, Graceland — before setting sail and ending the cruise in toe-tapping style in the jazz mecca of New Orleans.
passengers 417
Family friendly N
Price ££
American Countess (Josh Brasted for AQSC)
6. Light Blue Travel
Situated alongside the Mississippi and surrounded by limestone bluffs, Red Wing, Minnesota is a striking starting point for cruise on American Queen Voyages’ newest paddlewheeler American Countess, one of the ships bookable through Light Blue Travel. There are more unusual stops along the way in the shape of hilly Dubuque, Iowa. It has the steepest and shortest scenic railway — a funicular that runs 189ft up from Fourth Street. Then there’s Nottoway, an exclusive port to the cruise line and gateway to the south’s largest antebellum mansion of the same name.
passengers 245
Family friendly N
Price ££
7. Saga
Cruise the Mississippi and travel in style all the way on Saga’s cruise and land tour holiday. You’ll be picked up from home and whisked to the airport and then combine hotel stays in Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans with a sailing on the grand American Queen. Soak up history and culture along the way with lectures by the on board Mississippi expert — or riverlorian — as you sail into the American heartland. In the evening, take in a show in the opulent Grand Saloon, based on the design of Washington’s Ford’s Theater.
passengers 417
Family friendly N
Price ££
Bridges over the Mississippi in Vicksburg (Alamy)
Top sights to see on a Mississippi cruise
St Francisville, Louisiana
Perched on a narrow ridge above the river, quaint St Francisville is described as the town that’s two miles long and two yards wide. The central main streets are lined with small shops and galleries, including quirky Grandmother’s Buttons, which sells jewelery created from antique buttons. Rosedale, a former cotton plantation on the outskirts of town, is another popular shore excursion.
Natchez, Mississippi
This is the place to find mansions galore. Impressive Rosalie is filled with original furnishings, Lockwood is an 18th-century plantation home and Frogmore is a vast cotton plantation with 19 restored buildings dating from the early 1800s. If you’re feeling peckish after all that walking, drop in at Darby’s for some indulgent fudge made with fresh cream, butter and Natchez pecans.
Bourbon Street, New Orleans (Getty Images)
New Orleans, Louisiana
Nicknamed the Big Easy for its laid-back attitude, Louisiana’s largest city is unlike anywhere else in America. Shaped by European and Caribbean cultures, the French Quarter is the main hub, packed with shops, bars and live music venues. The final resting place of “voodoo queen” Marie Laveau can be seen on guided walks around the elaborate tombs at St Louis Cemetery.
Nashville, Tennessee
The capital of the country music world has nearly 200 live music venues, many of them lining Honky Tonk Highway, where tunes fill the street throughout the day and night. Get into the beat at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum which is filled with photographs, stage costumes and musical instruments linked to greats including Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.
Vicksburg, Mississippi
The 1863 Battle of Vicksburg played a pivotal role in the American Civil War. A key sight is Vicksburg National Military Park, which preserves the site of the battle and, with reconstructed forts and trenches, evokes memories of the siege of the city. Excursions take in some of the 1,400 memorials dotted throughout the terrain and there is the opportunity to walk around USS Cairo, salvaged from the Mississippi and the only surviving wartime ironclad gunboat.
Main Street in Hannibal, Missouri (Alamy)
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is the boyhood home of one of America’s greatest authors, and visitors can walk in Mark Twain’s footsteps and discover places that inspired The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Explore the Mark Twain Cave, where he played as a child and which he wrote about in five of his books. It was also used as a hideout by outlaw Jesse James, whose signature is visible on one of the walls.
Murals in Paducah, Kentucky (Alamy)
Paducah, Kentucky
Founded in 1827 by American explorer William Clark, Paducah is on the Ohio River and visited on some Mississippi sailings. A Unesco-listed creative city, it is also known as Quilt City for its craft heritage. This legacy can be explored at the dazzling National Quilt Museum, the largest gallery of its kind in the world. The past also comes to life through the colorful murals lining the waterfront.
