About New Orleans

New Orleans is the southern-end embarkation port for every Lower Mississippi paddle-wheeler itinerary. The French Quarter, Jackson Square and the St. Louis Cathedral, a streetcar ride up St. Charles Avenue past the Garden District mansions, the National WWII Museum, and a brass-band evening on Frenchmen Street fill the pre-cruise day. Ships moor at the Riverwalk wharf or the Julia Street terminal a short walk from the French Quarter, and most operators include a Creole or Cajun cooking demonstration on board during the first evening.

River cruise ships that call at New Orleans

18 vessels from 3 operators include New Orleans in their published itineraries:

Ship	Cruise line
American Countess	American Queen Voyages
American Duchess	American Queen Voyages
American Eagle	American Cruise Lines
American Glory	American Cruise Lines
American Harmony	American Cruise Lines
American Heritage	American Cruise Lines
American Independence	American Cruise Lines
American Jazz	American Cruise Lines
American Melody	American Cruise Lines
American Queen	American Queen Voyages
American Serenade	American Cruise Lines
American Song	American Cruise Lines
American Spirit	American Cruise Lines
American Splendor	American Cruise Lines
American Star	American Cruise Lines
American Symphony	American Cruise Lines
Queen of the Mississippi	American Cruise Lines
Viking Mississippi	Viking River Cruises

Itineraries that include New Orleans

Lower Mississippi Heritage
Complete Mississippi
Music Cities of the South

Operators serving New Orleans

Founded 1997

Viking River Cruises

Scandinavian-styled Longships exploring Europe's great waterways.

Founded 1991

American Cruise Lines

US-built coastal and river ships across America's waterways.

Founded 2012

American Queen Voyages

Heritage paddle-wheelers on the Mississippi River system.

Rivers reached from New Orleans

North America

Mississippi

Cruises on the Mississippi are operated by paddle-wheel and modern shallow-draft ships from American Cruise Lines and American Queen Voyages. Itineraries run…