Sometimes, there’s no better way to travel than to explore deeper right in your own backyard. For history buffs, foodies, and music lovers alike, a cruise along the United States’ own Mississippi River offers a bounty of opportunities to experience the rich culture of America’s heartland.
The iconic river is one of the most notorious waterways in the country. It’s famous for several reasons: It’s the dividing line between the eastern and western United States. It introduced the golden age of the steamboat era. It serves as the backdrop of so much American literature and winds through music-history meccas such as New Orleans and Memphis, known as the birthplace of jazz and blues, respectively.
So it should come as little surprise that Mississippi River cruises are by far the best-selling and the most popular river cruises in the United States, according to travel advisers.
While cruising on the Mississippi, travelers will find that old-world Southern charm meets modernity on comfortable, contemporary ships that sail along the river and its tributaries. Guests have their pick of cruising on classic reimagined paddle-wheel riverboats reminiscent of a bygone era that, these days, instead of running on steam power, run on lower-emission diesel fuels. Or, modern riverboats provide all the comforts and convenience of newer vessels, like pools, while offering interior design touches and programming that pay tribute to America’s storied, and sometimes challenging, past.
It’s worth noting that there aren’t a ton of U.S. river cruise lines to choose from when planning a Mississippi River cruise. There had been three major players operating on the Mississippi River, but in February 2024, American Queen Voyages shut down operations due to COVID-19 pandemic–era financial problems that the company said it never fully recovered from, leaving two: American Cruise Lines and Viking.
If you love New Orleans, you’re in luck—numerous Mississippi River cruises include time in the Big Easy as the river runs right alongside the famous Louisiana city.
kavram/Shutterstock
Even with just two river cruise lines making up the lion’s share of the Mississippi River cruise market, there is a wide variety of itineraries for travelers to choose from for their journey through this historic waterway and its surrounding region.
American Cruise Lines operates five ships on the Mississippi River, which include two paddle wheelers, American Splendor and American Heritage, along with three modern river boats: American Melody, American Symphony, and American Serenade. The company offers eight river cruises on the Mississippi and four cruises that further explore its tributaries on the Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers.
Viking is the newest addition to the U.S. river cruise market and the Mississippi River. The company launched its first ship, the 386-guest Viking Mississippi, in late 2022. Currently, Viking offers 10 different itineraries on the Mississippi.
Where do Mississippi River cruises go?
The Mississippi River flows south from its source in northern Minnesota’s Lake Itasca through and along 10 states, including Wisconsin, Missouri, and Tennessee, before it empties out at its mouth in Louisiana and into the Gulf of Mexico.
River cruises travel much of the Mississippi’s 2,340-mile stretch, primarily focusing on small towns and cities between New Orleans and Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota. Itineraries are usually divided into two categories: Lower Mississippi cruises, which run between New Orleans and St. Louis, and Upper Mississippi cruises that sail between St. Louis and Minneapolis–St. Paul.
Some Mississippi itineraries also include sailing on the river’s tributaries, such as the Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers, where travelers might choose to dive deeper into the Mississippi Delta’s cultural history during visits to places like Paducah, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee.
Oak Alley Plantation is situated on the banks of the Mississippi and is a common stop on river cruises.
Photo by David Hertle/Unsplash
What kind of excursions are offered?
Mississippi River cruises offer travelers a way to explore the roots of Americana, the things that make up the cultural heritage of the U.S.
These cruises travel through some cultural hubs in the South and Midwest, places where travelers will no doubt find excursions tracing the history of jazz and blues, slavery and racism (a conversation that is often confronted during plantation tours and when visiting civil rights memorials), agriculture and farming, and American art and literature. You can expect to tour some of the largest and most famous cities along the river, such as New Orleans, Memphis, and St. Louis, while discovering the hidden gems and unique achievements of more off-the-beaten-path communities like Hannibal, Missouri, best known as the town where Mark Twain grew up, and Burlington, Iowa, home of the extremely crooked street Snake Alley.
Traditional excursions might include walking tours and scenic drives led by local guides, museum visits, tours of historic buildings and homes, and stops at local parks, landmarks, and neighborhoods that tell the story of the area.
American Cruise Lines and Viking offer at least one included excursion in each port, in addition to excursions that guests can purchase for an additional charge.
When’s the best time to go on a Mississippi River cruise?
Both American Cruise Lines and Viking offer year-round sailings on the Mississippi River, so travelers can hop on one of these itineraries whenever convenient for them.
According to American Cruise Lines, choosing the best time of year for a Mississippi River cruise comes down to personal preference and what kind of weather guests want to experience on their trip. The company said it offers the most sailing dates during late spring and early summer, but it’s added more departures throughout its summer season and into early fall as interest grows.
With Viking, the best season to go on a Mississippi cruise depends on which part of the river you want to spend time on, whether that’s the Upper or Lower sections of the river, or sailing the entire span from New Orleans to St. Paul.
Viking Mississippi’s captain says the company usually operates on the Upper Mississippi from July through September, and Lower Mississippi cruises take place throughout the rest of the year.
While American Cruise Lines’ paddle wheelers are fashioned like old-timey riverboats, the interiors (like this stateroom) are anything but, featuring contemporary comforts.
Courtesy of American Cruise Lines
How much do Mississippi River cruises cost?
Prices for Mississippi cruises vary depending on trip length, pre- and post-cruise add-ons, airfare, transfers, time of year, single or double occupancy, and any applicable discounts.
An eight-night Upper Mississippi cruise between St. Louis and St. Paul with American Cruise Lines operating on June 13, 2025, for example, starts at $5,635 per person, based on double occupancy. But the price for that same itinerary with a July 4 departure date drops to $5,135.
American Cruise Lines includes all shipboard meals, entertainment, tips and gratuities, alcohol, and other port charges and fees in the price of the cruise. The company also sells domestic airfare with preferential fares on all itineraries and has special offers on select sailings.
Prices for a 15-day cruise with ACL begin at $10,440 for departures in 2025. Its longest itinerary operating on the Mississippi—a 22-night voyage—starts at a discounted rate of $15,140 for departures in May and June 2025 and includes complimentary airfare.
Most Viking cruises range from eight to 15 days, but the company offers some 22-day cruises on the Mississippi as well.
Eight-day cruises with Viking start at $3,499 per person in 2025 and can rise to as much as $6,999 per person during the peak travel season. Two-week cruises in 2025 start at $8,999, while the 22-day cruises range in price from $13,998 to $19,999 per person.
The best cruises on the Mississippi River
A Mississippi River cruise can be an excellent way to get an American music education as you travel to and through some of the country’s most important blues, jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll destinations, like Memphis.
Photo Spirit/Shutterstock
Music Cities Cruise from Memphis to Nashville
This eight-night cruise with American Cruise Lines on the Mississippi, Ohio, and Cumberland rivers from Memphis to Nashville takes guests on a journey into the world of the region’s most iconic music legends, from Johnny Cash to B.B. King and Elvis Presley. Guests will explore Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and will be treated to a live country music show at the Grand Ole Opry. In addition to music, guests on this voyage will learn about battles fought during the Civil War in Dover, Tennessee, at Fort Donelson National Battlefield, along with the art of distilling Tennessee whiskey and bourbon.
Book now: from $4,295 per person
Heart of the Delta from New Orleans to Memphis
This 12-day Viking itinerary from New Orleans to Memphis is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, Mississippi River cruise that Viking offers, according to staff. Guests on this itinerary will get to see this region’s most sought-after cities as the boat sails from New Orleans to Memphis, visiting Baton Rouge, Darrow, and more in Louisiana, along with stops in Natchez and Vicksburg in Mississippi. Guests will find majestic rows of moss-covered trees that lead to historic homes and former plantations where guided tours of the properties reveal how the French, native Acolapissa, and West African people intertwined. Other aspects of the cruise include learning about Cajun and Creole culture and indulging in culinary tastings.
Book now: from $5,999 per person
Grand Mississippi Yoyage
Travelers on either of Viking’s epic 22-day cruises (Grand Mississippi Voyage or Mississippi River Odyssey) from New Orleans to Minneapolis–St. Paul will get the full Mighty Mississippi experience as they wind through the American South up through Middle America, also known as “America’s Breadbasket” in a nod to the region’s agricultural and farming roots. A visit to the French Quarter, the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans, will immerse guests in the area’s southern Gothic architecture before exploring the history behind the city’s famed Mardi Gras celebrations. Scenic sailing days will also give guests a chance to unwind and take in the sights along the river at their leisure.
Book now: From $13,998 per person
Mark Twain–themed Upper Mississippi cruise
American Cruise Lines’ eight-night Mark Twain–themed cruise on the Upper Mississippi between St. Louis and Minneapolis–St. Paul will show travelers why the famed American author and humorist is such an important figure in this part of the country. Guests will indulge in everything Mark Twain in Hannibal, Missouri, the author’s hometown where he based his two most famous novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Visit his childhood home and museum before wandering around this quaint small town steeped in Americana. Beyond Twain, guests can expect to explore the downtown public art scenes of small towns visited along the way, including Dubuque and Burlington, Iowa; the latter of which is where you can walk the windy hillside road of Snake Alley.
Book now: From $4,610 per person