A major advantage of taking a Mississippi River cruise is that the river cruise ships are able to go deep into the heart of the United States’ deep south, where larger cruise ships simply cannot reach.
Destination Highlights
New Orleans - The Birthplace of Jazz
New Orleans is the highlight of Mississippi River cruises! Along the way, you’ll be charmed by quaint towns, antebellum mansions, and all the spicy Cajun and creole foods you can eat!
Destination Highlights
Upper Mississippi
Cruise from St. Louis to St. Paul, where you can admire endless Victorian mansions, state parks, and breathtaking scenery!
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Get an Onboard Credit when you book a cruise with us on select cruise lines. The value of the Onboard Credit depends on the particular cruise and accommodations you book. Onboard Credit values are listed on Step 3 of the online booking process.
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Book any cruise with us and you'll get the best deal possible, regardless of the ship or sail date! Because of our "Low Price Guarantee," nobody beats our prices, so look around and you're sure to find the best cruise deal possible when booking with us!
Select a cruise line to view its Mississippi River pricing and itineraries:
Book a cruise with us and you'll get the best deal possible, regardless of the ship or sail date! Because of our huge price discounts and "Low Price Guarantee," nobody beats our cruise prices, so look around and you're sure to find the best cruise deal possible when booking with us!
Select a cruise line to view its Mississippi River pricing and itineraries:
Few vacations are able to offer such intimacy as Mississippi River cruises. A Mississippi River cruise is a truly remarkable U.S. vacation experience. A major advantage of taking a Mississippi River cruise is that the river cruise ships are able to go deep into the heart of the United States’ deep south, where larger cruise ships simply cannot reach. Take part in the one-of-a-kind, intimate atmosphere on board these ships, as you visit the river towns and locations that would be impossible to enjoy as much any other way. Plus, the cruise lines that offer river cruises have fabulous, regionally-inspired cuisine, matched perfectly by an attentive and well-trained staff.
There are many destinations in which you can enjoy a Mississippi River cruise. You can experience states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Montana, Tennessee, and Kentucky as you’ve never dreamed you could! Select itineraries may even combine Ohio River cruises, with port stops in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
As you navigate the fascinating banks of the Mississippi, you will discover everything from thriving cities to pre-Civil War plantations. Immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere of New Orleans, the birth place of jazz music. Explore the beautiful blooming gardens of Rosedown planation. Step back in time to Civil War battlefields. Witness the famous Missouri Gateway Arch and visit the childhood home of author Mark Twain. A Mississippi River cruise is the best way to experience American history. Typical cruises are 7-nights long, many with complimentary pre-cruise packages that let you settle into your itinerary the night before embarkation.
American Discount Vacations is proud to offer the best deals possible on all Mississippi River cruises booked with us. Backed by our "Low Price Guarantee," and powered by our team of expert travel agents, we're sure to exceed your expectations when booking your next Mississippi River cruise!
Select River Cruises cannot be booked online. If you find that the river cruise you're interested in cannot be booked online, or if you'd just prefer to book over the phone with one of our River Cruise Experts, call us toll free at 1-866-214-7447 (US & Canada only). International customers can reach us at +001-732-970-9142.
Since the Mississippi River spans multiple states, the cruise industry generally splits it into three regions.
The following are just a few of the many things to do while sailing the Mississippi:
Lower Mississippi
This part of the river runs from New Orleans to Memphis and includes ports such as Baton Rouge, Oak Alley, St. Francesville, and Vicksburg. Tour areas such as the National Military Park, gunboats, and cotton plantations in the deep south. Along the way, you’ll be charmed by quaint towns, antebellum mansions, and all the spicy Cajun and creole foods you can eat! Cruises along the Lower Mississippi usually go both ways.
Middle Mississippi
This part of the river runs from Memphis to St. Louis and includes ports such as Chester, Paducah, and New Madrid. You will have the opportunity to check out landmarks like the Trail of Tears, the National Quilt Museum, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. Plus, you can miss out on touring Memphis (aka “Blues City”) or St. Louis, two of the most well-known cities in the Southern U.S. Itineraries that include the Middle Mississippi are usually part of longer Upper or Lower Mississippi cruises.
Upper Mississippi
This part of the river runs from St. Louis to St. Paul and includes ports such as Hannibal, Davenport, Dubuque, and Red Wing. Points of interest include Mark Twain’s childhood home, the Fenelon Place Elevator, and Grandad Bluff Park. Plus, you can admire endless Victorian mansions, state parks, and breathtaking scenery. While in Davenport, it is worth checking out one of their many Jazz and Blues festivals!
Cruise Lines
The following cruise lines offer Mississippi River Vacations:
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River Cruise Lines
Becoming more and more popular, a river cruise is an immerse and destination-focused vacation experience, on a small and luxurious vessel.
River cruises sail through the inland waterways of some of the world's most interesting vacation destinations (i.e. Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America), and provide their guests with a greater opportunity to spend time visiting more unique ports of call than a traditional cruise typically would.
Because the destination is the star of a river cruise, (typically guided) shore excursions are included at no additional charge by many River cruise lines. There are usually many interesting lectures given during the cruise, by experts on the history and culture of the region being visited.
Among the famous rivers that one may take a river cruise on are the Rhine, Mississippi, Seine, Danube, Mekong, Nile, Yangtze, Amazon and Douro.
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Specialty Cruise Lines
These cruise lines offer a truly unique vacation experience, with a wide range of possible amenities and itineraries. Some are expedition cruise lines, others have sailing yachts or are coastal ships.
On these types of cruise lines, there's usually a focus on a specific destination or theme. Itineraries are usually very destination intensive, aided by the fact that they're able to reach many ports of call that larger ships can't.
Expedition cruise lines are a great fit for adventure-seeking travelers, featuring exciting destinations like the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica, and the Norwegian coast. During the cruise, there will usually be plenty of interesting lectures given by experts on the destination being visited. Often, shore excursions are included in the cost of the cruise. In fact, some of these cruise lines have all-inclusive pricing. There's a definite focus on the ship's surrounding scenery, as well as opportunities to view wildlife in their natural habitat. Small, but comfortable, ships are commonplace here, with anywhere from basic to very luxurious public spaces, cuisine, and accommodations (depending on the cruise line and ship).
Sailing Yachts, sail-assisted motor ships, offer a really unique vacation experience. Accommodations and cuisine on these intimate vessels can be anywhere from good to fantastic, depending on the cruise line. Destinations offered by these cruise lines may include the Caribbean, Europe, Panama Canal, Tahiti, and Costa Rica.
Cruising year-round from across the United States of America, American Cruise Lines is an expert on American cruising. The nation's largest cruise line has a fleet of 19 ships with itineraries spanning from coast to coast, covering most of the waterways in between and visiting 35 states. With ships built in America and crews comprised solely of Americans, American Cruise Lines surely lives up to its name. With over 50 itineraries that explore U.S. ports of call, there's something for everyone when traveling with them.
Viking River Cruises operates the world’s largest fleet of deluxe vessels built specifically for river travel. Viking sails in the rivers of Europe, Russia, China and Egypt, including the Rhine, Main, Moselle, Danube, Elbe, Seine, Yangtze, Nile and Volga. Their pricing includes Wi-Fi, meals, lectures, activities and shore excursions - plus, hotel accommodations on their cruise tours. Complimentary specialty coffee and teas are available 24 hours, and complimentary bottled water is replenished daily. While on a Viking River cruise you can expect world-class service, cultural enrichment, and accommodations with hotel-style beds and spacious showers.
Select a cruise port below for more information regarding Mississippi River Vacations that include it:
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Ports of Call Calendar
Pricing listed above is per person, based on double occupancy in the least expensive accommodations available, is subject to change, and may not reflect the most recent pricing (as pricing gets updated throughout the day). Prices include Required Cruise Fees & Expenses, as well as Government Taxes & Fees. Prices may not reflect discounts and special promotions that you may qualify for. Go to the Category selection step of the online booking process to view the live pricing and latest offers.
Tour Operators
The following are just a few of the more popular tour operators that offer Mississippi River Vacations. Use the search box that's higher up on this page, or contact us, if you're interested in pricing, availablity and our special deals on other brand.
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Budget Tours
The tour operators that we list as offering a "Budget" product are those that tend to have pricing that is considered more economical, and as a result often include components (i.e. accommodations and tours) that are good but not quite top tier.
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Escorted Tours
An escorted tour includes a professional guide, as opposed to being an independent (or self-guided) tour. Some escorted tour operators include a limited amount of time for guests to explore on their own, while others have tours that are completely escorted. Typically, just about your entire itinerary is included and planned for in an escorted tour package. You don't have to worry about what you're going to see and don't have to make reservations (for each component of the trip) with multiple tour operators - this option allows for you to just leave it to the professionals and enjoy yourself.
Depending on the tour operator, as well as on the specific tour, some tours are private (just you and your traveling companions, if you have any) while others are with other travelers that booked the same tour. In the latter case, some tour operators offer small groups (which tend to be more expensive, but also more intimate and exclusive) while some have larger groups that travel together (which provides a very social atmosphere, as you can meet many other people).
Cosmos provides affordable, budget-priced, escorted tour packages. Their packages may include air, accommodations, transportation, sightseeing, many meals, and the services of a Tour Director for much less than if you booked them all on your own.
One of the world's leaders in luxury travel, Globus has been arranging tours since 1928. By booking a Globus tour (referred to by them as "journeys") you'll gain VIP access to many sites visited during your journey, special excursions that are included in the price of your tour, access to an expert Tour Director that has unique knowledge about the destinations, and you'll stay in first-class and above pre-selected hotels (with breakfast and dinner usually included), located in prime areas. Portage is included with all Globus tours, so you won't have to worry about lugging your luggage from one place to another. Some tour operators over-schedule you, but Globus weaves in just the right amount of free time for individual exploration.
The information above is provided for informational purposes only. Monthly statistics are based on the most recent instance of that month. Weather is subject to change and cannot be guaranteed. The data is provided by a third-party and we accept no liability regarding its accuracy.