Us River Cruises: 9 Things To Know
River cruising remains a mystery to most people. Few people understand what it means to actually be on a river boat … especially in the United States, where only a handful of boats ply the American waterways.
To help paint a clearer picture of what it’s like to take a U.S. river cruise, Cruise Critic has put together a list of nine things you probably don’t know about cruising on U.S. rivers.
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 cant. 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 youre 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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United States Tours Highlights
- Take a party bus or limousine to visit the Las Vegas casino in a very unique style.
- You will be amazed to see the Grand Canyon and it is really hard to believe your eyes when you are there and looking at it up close.
- Go for a hunting trip to Alaska and have an experience of a lifetime.
- Visit Silicon Valley, which is the center of most technical developments in the USA.
- Go camping in Shenandoah National Park and experience the natural hill and captivating beauty of the Appalachian Mountains.
- Treat your taste buds with an awesome food tour of the USA and try the extremely delicious cuisine of the country. A Philadelphia cheesesteak and crispy fried chicken in Memphis are a treat in the USA.
- You can also spend a day exploring the capital city of the USA, Washington DC, by visiting the museums or the residence of the American president.
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The Service By All Involved Was First Class All The Way
We were very impressed by the personal service we received by the staff and everyone involved. The trip was very nice from a sightseeing perspective, interesting from a historical perspective and very relaxing overall. Plus the food was plentiful and excellent. We highly recommend this cruise to everyone!
Denny F Morgan Hill, California
Combine With A Globus Escorted Tour
Globus creates vacations with just the right balance of included features and free time, place you in great hotels, and tell the stories within every journey that bring your destination to life. Simply put, Globus is passionate in our belief that there’s no better way to travel. So find your dream vacation and come along with us…your story awaits.
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Seasickness Will Not Be A Problem
Even during bad weather, you never have to worry about the “motion of the ocean.” U.S. river water pretty much only goes one way, and while you might bump into a log and feel the boat give a small jolt, it’s never going to be rocking from side to side. So leave your seasick patches and pressure point bands at home you don’t need ’em.
Upper Mississippi American Heartland Theme Cruise
This river cruise from Chicago to St. Louis is on American Queen Steamboat Companys newest ship, the American Duchess, a paddle wheeler as majestic as her older sisters, with the same iconic red paddlewheel. Youll see the towering skyscrapers of Chicago and get the perfect photo op of St. Louiss famed arch. The focus of this cruise is American history, and you can see towns that were settled as trading posts by French explorers, visit the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate in Ottowa, Illinois, and check out places from Mark Twains writings in his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri. Want to learn even more of Americas backstory? Start with these 16 best cities for American history buffs.
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Inclusive Experiences Means Less Time Planning And More Time Relaxing
Last but certainly not least: USA River Cruises takes the guesswork out of planning a trip in the first place. Youll no longer have to fret over the cost of every little perk because the perks are part of the all-inclusive experience aboard a USA River Cruise. No need to tally up the numbers when you order beer, a glass of wine, room service, soda, cappuccinos, or decide to take a shore excursion.
The world is waiting for you. Imagine your most wonderful journey. Then contact USA River Cruises to make it come true.
Ever thought about a VIP-style, front row seat to breathtaking waterfalls, rolling vineyards, and stunning mountain peaks? Try one of our Columbia River Cruises.
Louisville To St Louis River Cruise
Inside Staterooms start at $999 for this popular itinerary. Guests will board the American Queen for a 9-day cruise along the Ohio River and Mississippi Rivers, starting in Louisville, Kentucky, and ending in St. Louis, Missouri. The boat offers an extreme luxury room, the Owners Suite, for $4999. The Suite includes a private veranda and even comes with its own butler.
Stops and Popular Excursions Include:
- Louisville, Kentucky A big city that feels more like a small town. Louisville has museums, art galleries, bourbon, and a thriving theatre scene.
- Brandenburg, Kentucky A taste of rural Kentucky, Brandenburg is full of natural beauty. Otter Creek Recreation Area offers scenic walking trails and fly-fishing opportunities.
- Owensboro, Kentucky Visit the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, showing off the cultural music of Kentucky and its famed proponents.
- Henderson, Kentucky Included in the cruise price is an on-shore Hop-On Hop-Off tour of this lovely town.
- Paducah, Kentucky Another town with an included Hop-On Hop-Off tour. Paducah is home to the National Quilt Museum, has a charming historic downtown, and features beautiful murals along the floodwall near the Ohio River.
- Cape Girardeau, Missouri Visit the Mississippi River Tales Murals, a 1,100-foot-long mural that depicts 24 panels with a historical theme.
- St. Louis, Missouri Home to the Gateway Arch, this stop includes a bus tour for those wishing to take in more of the city.
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Chicago To St Louis River Cruise
Guests boarding the American Countess will see Inside Staterooms start at $999 for this 9-day cruise along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The cruise starts in Chicago and ends in St. Louis, with exciting stops along the way. For a more premium experience, guests can double their room size for $1799 with the Deluxe Outside Stateroom. Included with the upgrade is a private veranda to enjoy the scenery.
Stops and Popular Excursions Include:
- Ottawa, Illinois 80 miles outside of Chicago, Ottowa is home to many historic homes, unique mom-and-pop shops, and adventure activities.
- Peoria, Illinois One of the most popular attractions in Peoria is the Peoria Riverfront Museum, an art and science museum.
- Havana, Illinois A small town of only 3,300 people, Havana is a great place to go boutique shopping and take in the beautiful Riverfront Park.
- Hannibal, Missouri One of Missouris more popular tourist destinations. Hannibal is home to the popular Karlocks Kars & Pop Culture Museum, which houses many historical pop culture artifacts.
- Grafton, Illinois Head to one of Graftons many wineries, go antiquing, or take a hike in Pere Marquette State Park for some beautiful natural scenery.
- St. Louis The final stop for the American Countess. There is no bus tour included with this river cruise, but the city is still brimming with adventure.
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You Will Encounter Traffic
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Sure you’ve seen other ships out on the big blue ocean, but they’re usually far away and too hard to make out. On the river, though, you can practically reach out and touch the barge you’re passing, and if you wave to the deckhand, he’s going to see you and wave back. Plus, you can be sure the experienced pilots in your boat’s wheelhouse are working the controls to make sure no one gets hit. Stand at the front of the ship during one of these encounters, and you’ll be able to see as the boat is maneuvered to avoid the traffic.
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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.
Adventure Theme Cruise On The Olympic Peninsula
Sailing round-trip out of Seattle through Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands on an elegant little yacht, this seven-night cruise on UnCruise Adventures Safari Quest includes kayaking, paddle boarding, and plenty of hikes. There are also opportunities to spot bald eagles, sea lions, and whales and to enjoy local seafood, including oysters and clams.
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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.
Check Out An Emerging Neighbourhood Cruise The River Dine At A Local Institution And Other Ways To Explore The Citys Many Sides
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If Tampa, the historically sleepy small city on Floridas Gulf Coast, were looking for a new official motto, they might consider Coming soon. Previously associated with Busch Gardens and suburban sprawl, its now one of Americas fastest-growing cities and witnessing the rapid densification of the downtown core, largely organized around the banks of the picturesque Hillsborough River.
Thats where youll find gleaming residential skyscrapers, repurposed historic buildings, hipster craft breweries, third-wave coffee shops, and dozens of new restaurants and bars with papered windows, on the verge of opening. The Florida Aquarium and the Tampa Museum of Art are embarking on multimillion-dollar renos, and the already-impressive Riverwalk is expanding. When I visited in October, the sense of possibility was palpable. On your next trip there, here are six great ways to see the city, spanning the new and the classic.
For a nascent neighbourhood:Sparkman Wharf
For one-stop shopping: Oxford Exchange
For a beloved local institution: Columbia Restaurant
For cruising the city: eBoats Tampa
For refined wine-sipping: Cru Cellars
For the see-and-be-seen setting:Azure
Sarah Treleaven travelled as a guest of Visit Florida, which did not review or approve this article.
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The Mighty Amazon River
Embark on a journey to one of the world’s vastly unexplored regions, the mighty Amazon. Experience the Amazon wilderness where it originates in Peru. The Amazon Basin covers an area larger than Western Europe, but it’s in Peru’s Amazon where biodiversity is at its greatest and the rainforest is untamed. Imagine venturing deep into the Amazon jungle in search of elusive wildlife, taking a swim with pink dolphins, and visiting native communities, all while returning to an air-conditioned suite, hot shower, and an over-sized plush bed. Cruises on the Amazon River run through Peru.
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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We Havent 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! Wed 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 weve never been to. Or ports accessible from the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington, like Portland and Mount St. Helens.
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Private Charters & Events
For a unique and memorable birthday celebration, anniversary, reunion, private reception, wedding, business outing or company party, just add water. Let the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch be your host. We can customize your event with a variety of sit-down or buffet meals, bar options, and entertainment.
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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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What Sets American Cruise Lines Apart
Highly personalized service and a relaxed atmosphere prevail onboard our modern fleet of ships. Our accommodating, all-American crew welcomes you with an unequaled level of attention. Each evening before dinner, enjoy complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, as you mingle with other guests to share the adventures of the day. Set your own pace on your vacation and relax in the casual comfort and exceptional care that is the hallmark of cruising with American Cruise Lines.
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Best River Cruises In The Us For Your Next Voyage
A river cruise can be anywhere from a week or longer in a small but well-appointed ship. Almost like a floating hotel, travelers onboard can enjoy live entertainment, fine dining and expert lectures while traveling through different cities and towns. The river cruises travel along the waterways and stop in small ports of call, sometimes even dock on the rivers edge where no dock exists. The cruises accommodate multigenerational travelers but the pace is more relaxed and easy-going.
It Doesnt Get Any Suiter
Enjoy the perfect blend of elegance and ease where little touches are bold, gestures are grand and the views even grander. Theres a reason our ships are the critics darlings and favorites among our most discerning guests. Our boutique-hotel-inspired Panorama Suites feature the industrys only Open-Air Balconies with the widest-opening windows in cruising and decadent Comfort Collection beds that face the ever-changing scenery.
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