American Queen Voyages Clarkston To Portland Cruise Usa
A brilliant cruise for history fans, this 10-day river Snake River and Columbia River cruise starts in Clarkston and finishes in Vancouver, Washington the route undertaken by explorers Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark in the early 1800s. Its also a route lined with natural wonders, including Columbia Gorge, which slices through the Cascade Mountains, and Idahos Hells Canyon, which is deeper than the Grand Canyon and can be explored on a high-speed boat ride. The Columbia River stretch is where youre most likely to see bison, elk and deer too.
Go Leaf Peeping On The Hudson River
If you have been wanting to go leaf-peeping, check out the eight-day river cruise on the Hudson River. With the Catskill Mountains on the western shore and the Taconic and Berkshire Hills to the east, the Hudson River is steeped in history and beauty.
The towns along the river date back to Dutch and English rule and feature some of the most magnificent architecture in America. The cruise gives you a glimpse into the world of millionaire mansions like the Vanderbilt Mansion, the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt and art centers. You can tour the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The itinerary begins and ends in New York so plan for a couple of days exploring the Big Apple.
Great Rivers Of Florida
Maybe Florida isn’t a top-ranked destination for travelers under a certain age. But this epic US river cruise brings travelers through a list of Florida’s most impressive inland waters.
The trip begins on the St. John’s River and travels through the Ocala National Forest , historic ruins, and more.
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Envision Paradise Adventure And Relaxation With Usa River Cruises
Imagine exploring the ins and outs of the largest group of freshwater lakes on earth and then hop aboard our Great Lakes River Cruises.
Perhaps youve always wondered what it would be like to explore the Deep South in comfort and style. Our Mississippi River Cruises are the place to be.
Or maybe youve always wanted to experience Europe from a ships-eye view. Well USA River Cruises has those, too, with our sweet suite of European Cruises.
Theres so much for you to see and do. From the Great Lakes and the mighty Mississippi to the Columbia River and our Alaskan Cruises ports of call all the way to our cruises throughout Europe and the Caribbean.
USA River Cruises has been making travel dreams come true since 1999. Were experts at matching people with the experiences they seek. Theres something for everyone. Theres something for you.
This Columbia River Cruise experience was a total delight, very informative, educational, entertaining, and just a fantastic experience overall. Every port offered opportunities for exploration and learning. The on-board Riverlorian brought history to life, as did the local entertainment brought onboard. The cuisine selections and quality were top-shelf all the way.
North America River Cruises
Find a River Cruise that explores North America. There are 18 cruises to choose from, that range in length from 8 days up to 36 days. The most popular month for these cruises is August, which has the most tour departures. Considering other destinations? Check out all river cruise tours.
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- Halifax, Lunenburg, Bar Harbor, Portland, Boston, Provincetown, Newport, Martha’s Vineyard Island, New York City+2 more
- Age Range
- 12 to 99 year olds
- Country Region
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Columbia And Snake Rivers Cruise With American Cruise Lines
Lewis and Clark did it 200 years ago, and now its your turn to see what the explorers saw on this epic routewell, we doubt they had a pit stop at a local winery. Youll take off from Portland, and visit places like Astoria, Oregon Mount St. Helens in Washington and the incredible Columbia River Gorge, ultimately ending your voyage along the pristine Snake River. Still, our favorite part of the trip might be the onboard musicians performing maritime songs and sea shantiesya know, to get you in the Lewis and Clark mind-set.
8 days fares from $3,725
Its Not Easy To Choose 5 Best River Cruises But Here Are My First
If a cruise sounds appealing but the idea of spending your vacation with 4,500 other guests isnt your cup of tea, it might be time to rethink that ocean cruise. You may be ready for a slower-paced river cruise.
With so many riverboats and itineraries to choose from, how do you find the one thats right for you? There are river cruises around the world that beckon to the worldly traveler, like a five-night journey on the Chobe River in Botswana. And then there are also trips that appeal to the novice cruiser, such as a four-day sailing around Venice, Italy with CroisiEurope. The options are almost endless. In truth, theyre all best river cruises!
Its not an easy decision and only you can decide which waterways and ships cater to fit your needs but here are my current best river cruises that deliver awe-inspiring views, a leisurely pace and ample time to explore exciting destinations full of history, culture and charm.
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Best River Cruises In Usa
With the Mississippi, the Columbia, and more, America is home to some enormous and iconic rivers that have played key roles in the development of the nation. Each river has its own stories to tell and stunning scenery to offer, and one of the best ways to enjoy the rivers of America is by taking a river cruise. With cruise lines like American Queen Steamboat Company and American Cruise Lines offering multiple routes and experiences at great prices, theres never been a better time to book a USA river cruise. Read on to learn about a few of the best river cruises you can choose. Be sure to call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.
There Are Both A Captain And A Pilot Onboard Us River Boats
Technically, there are two captains onboard, as all pilots also have their captain’s licenses. But because you cannot have two captains in command of a ship, one captain is the master and the other the pilot. Both stand watch for alternating six-hour shifts. When the boat is in a situation where both are needed , the master will concentrate on boat operations, while the pilot is in charge of navigation. On big ocean ships, local pilots come aboard to help the Captain dock in specific ports, but river pilots often do not have intimate knowledge of specific stretches of water. This is particularly true because rivers change on an almost daily basis.
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Us River Cruises Remain Close To Home
A river cruise in the United States has a significant advantage of location if you need to stay close to home for any reason. Let’s say you care for an elderly parent and don’t want to leave his or her side for too long, at too far of a distance. You may not be able to consider a cruise in Europe during this time, but a river cruise in the United States could be the perfect solution for you to travel while still being a quick flight or drive from your parent.
We Haven’t Explored The United States Enough
We get starry-eyed when we have the opportunity to fly to another country, like going on a Danube River cruise from Germany to Hungary. But a pandemic made us value what is right in front of us even more than before. And the United States of America is pretty spectacular, from sea to shining sea.
The more we started to consider United States River Cruises, the more impressed we were with our options here from sailing itineraries to cruise ship lines.
A river cruise itinerary in the USA, on the Mississippi River, for example, would allow us to explore various regions that would take us much longer to visit if we were to drive to all of them. And signing up for a river cruise simply seems more realistic and attainable to us than us going through the motions of planning a trip to all these destinations separately.
River cruises are always high on our travel wish list. Louisiana, perhaps lower. But a river cruise that stops in Louisiana? Divine! We’d love to visit places the American Cruise Lines 8-day Mississippi River Cruise itinerary goes to, including Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.
Or even an upper Mississippi River cruise itinerary, for example, would allow us to explore several cities in Missouri, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, including St. Louis and St. Paul, cities we’ve never been to. Or ports accessible from the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington, like Portland and Mount St. Helens.
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It Probably Won’t Be Your Last Rodeo
You may think you’re only giving one U.S. river cruise a try to see what all the buzz is about, but don’t be surprised if you’ve got your second river cruise planned before you’re even done with the first. River cruise companies have some of the highest repeat rates in the cruise industry. People just can’t get enough of them. Whether it’s the bucolic towns and quaint cities, superb service and excellent food, all-inclusive pricing and sociable clientele or a mix of all and more, most river cruisers can’t wait to sail the next river.
You Can Walk If You Want To
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American riverboats don’t need to dock only at large piers like their oceangoing counterparts. If you can offload a power fishing boat into the water at the town’s edge, you can dock a 400-passenger riverboat there, too. That means riverboats are capable of pulling up and debarking passengers within easy walking distance of town. In St. Louis, the Arch is less than a 10-minute walk from where the riverboats moor. In Cincinnati, though the boat is technically docked in Newport, Kentucky, you’re just a 15-minute walk across a pedestrian bridge from the Great American Ballpark where the Reds play, and 20 minutes from the heart of the city. So even if you don’t want to spend anything to do an excursion, it’s easy — and free — to make your way into just about any town or city you visit.
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The Best River Cruises Blend Refined Onboard Accommodations With Exciting Itineraries Along Some Of The Worlds Most Memorable Waterways
After pandemic-related challenges at the beginning of last year, river ships got back to what they do best: exploring inland waterways in Europe, the United States, and select other destinations around the world. Travel + Leisure readers enthusiastically returned, setting out on voyages both classic and new.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated individual cruise ships on their cabins and facilities, food, service, itineraries and destinations, excursions and activities, and value. Those assessments were combined to generate results for the cruise lines in six categories, including river cruising.
The top three in the river cruise lines were very close in their scores. Viking, the world’s largest river cruise company, moved up two spots into the lead position. Tauck, the well-known tour and river-ship operator, retained its No. 2 spot. “The itinerary was thoughtful as well as instructive,” wrote one reader who traveled on the Joy. In the No. 3 spot is Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, with praise that included this rave from one voter who sailed on the : “This was an exceptional cruise. The staff was excellent. I can’t say enough about this cruise line and this ship.”
Find the full list of the best river cruise lines and more on what sets Viking apart below.
Reasons To Book United States River Cruises
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There are several reasons we have our eyes on United States River Cruises. You’re not alone if you’ve been itching to travel outside your own region for the past couple of years. All the dreaming and planning in our own home got us to think about why we didn’t previously consider a river cruise in our own backyard. Eureka!
Quarantining during a pandemic has allowed us to mull over lots of topics, including river cruises. We have lots of rivers in the United States, after all.
That’s when we started to research river cruises in the United States. Our eyes grew wide with possibilities. The more we thought about it and discussed it, the more apparent it became that we would have to set some goals to take a river cruise in America as soon as possible.
Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post, which means we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase, at no cost to you. We truly only recommend hotels, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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Listen To Jazz Blues & Rock
Go on a musical journey starting at Memphis, the birthplace of blues on an eight-day voyage on the iconic Mississippi River to Nashville, Tennessee. There are several Mississippi river cruises to choose from on the American Cruise Lines starting from New Orleans, St. Louis, or St. Paul, Minnesota.
There is even a Complete Mississippi cruise that takes you through ten states on a 22-day Hometown American cruise. You can admire the landscapes of the Upper Mississippi and the grand plantations, stately antebellum houses, and Civil War battlefields of the Lower Mississippi. You can taste Cajun and Creole and Memphis BBQ as you travel to the birthplace of Jazz, Blues, and Rockn-Roll. These are the most popular American River Cruise routes.
Read this article to see why Cruises are Perfect for Multigenerational Travel.
Having only been on a day cruise on the backwaters of Kerala a few years ago, I cant wait to go on a river cruise soon. How about you? Which American River Cruise itinerary is on your travel wishlist?
Get your free brochure here and plan your next river cruise right here in the US!
This post was sponsored by The American River Cruise Line. But as always all opinions are my own.
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American Queen Voyages Montral To Detroit Cruise Canada And Us
An 11-day cruise between two very different cities, this Montréal to Detroit sailing provides plenty of opportunities for urban explorations youll visit Montréal, Québec City, Toronto and Cleveland, as well as quaint riverside towns such as Gananoque, in the heart of the Thousand Islands archipelago in Eastern Ontario. This particular cruise offers fantastic value for money the cost of your sailing covers a wide range of excursions, including visits to Torontos CN Tower and catamaran tours of Niagara Falls.
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Hudson River With Usa River Cruises
No, were not just circling around Lady Liberty were boarding in NYC and heading north through the Catskill Mountains. Youll stop in historic towns like West Point, Kingston and Sleepy Hollow, taking in the sweeping views of the majestic Hudson River Valley . This cruise is perfect for anyone whos forgotten New York was more than the Manhattan skyline.
8 days fares from $4,415 sails September through October
Best Us River Cruises
In the US, river cruising can involve a voyage down the Mississippi River on a historic paddleboat, meandering alongside glaciers in Alaska or heading down the Hudson River on ships that carry fewer than 150 passengers and move at a relaxed pace. Fewer fellow passengers mean shorter lines, while on-board historians and naturalists put travelers in touch with the surroundings with daily lectures on many river cruises. Shore excursions are included in the price as well. Another advantage: these smaller ships can reach places and ports that mega-ships can’t. Below are several ships and itineraries worth considering.
Civil War and history buffs gravitate to this 7-night river cruise aboard the 4-year-old, 52-stateroom American Star. The cruise includes a stop at Daufuskie Island, accessible only by boat, where a small, native population has little contact with the outside world.
Ports/Destinations: Beaufort, SC Daufuskie Island/Hilton Head, SC Savannah, GA St. Simons Island, GA Jekyll and Amelia Islands, GA Jacksonville, FL
While you’re in South Carolina, check out their Best Beaches.
Ports/Destinations: Dawes Glacier Fords Terror Juneau Chatham Strait Tenakee Springs Sitka
Ports/Destinations: Portland, OR Astoria, OR Rainier, WA Stevenson, WA Pendleton, OR Clarkston, WA
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American Queen Steamboat Company
One of the most iconic rivers in the United States is undoubtedly the Mississippi, and this 8 Night Mark Twain’s Mississippi cruise from the American Queen Steamboat Company is an awesome way to explore this stunning river like never before. With rooms available for around $300 per night and plenty of different room types to choose from, this is a fully flexible cruise that can work with different budgets and desires.
This cruise lets you climb aboard the wonderful American Queen. Unlike any other cruise ship on Earth, the American Queen was designed to look just like the old Mississippi riverboats, offering a really authentic Mississippi River cruise experience. The ship has been lovingly crafted and decorated with Victorian-era influences and authentic furnishings. It even features its own saloon, where live music is played regularly, and also offers multiple dining options and plenty of other features.
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