When someone mentions river cruises our mind instantly wanders to the wonderful countries of the European continent with rivers like Rhine, Danube, Moselle, Main or Seine. And how one wishes to be cruising in those calm rivers, to witness cities and villages unfold one by one. But we can’t just impulsively fly off to Europe every time our heart desires. Nevertheless, we can definitely go cruising! Where? In our very own iconic Mississippi River.

Carving its way from Minnesota till Louisiana, the Mississippi river truly houses the amazing history and culture of the American states. The Mississippi River cruises gives its travelers an opportunity to see their country in a completely different way. Every port on its cruise has its own story and specialty which reflects from its cuisine, customs, activities and past.

Since this waterway is enormous, it is divided into three segments known as Upper Mississippi, Middle Mississippi and Lower Mississippi. If you plan to cover a specific section of the Mississippi it can take around a week. You can travel extensively for three weeks as well if you wish to cover the entire Mississippi River. If you are worried about sea sickness, it won’t prove to be much of a hassle because interior watercourses are way smoother than the rough ocean waves.

Mississippi River cruises will allow you to explore big cities as well as scenic small towns. This undoubtedly is the best part about cruising as it lets you experience and reach out to the most far-flung locations. Your itinerary might include ports like Hannibal, Davenport, St. Paul, St. Louis, New Madrid, Chester, Baton Rouge, Greenville, Memphis and New Orleans. The distances between the locations will be somewhat brief, this means that you will get plenty of time in the day to explore the ports.

Mississippi River cruises are available throughout the year, but certain aspects can affect its functionality. For example, during the winters, river cruises in the Upper Mississippi might be inaccessible. Similarly, during summers, temperatures in the South might get humid which can get extremely uncomfortable for certain people.

If you are scheduling a holiday break at the Mississippi, try and book your cruise tickets in advance, because river cruises are generally smaller they might fill up faster. American Cruise Lines, French American Line, Blount Small Ship Adventures, American Queen Steamboat Company, St Lawrence Cruise Lines, Un-Cruise Adventures, etc. are some of the popular cruise lines for Mississippi River. You can compare these cruise companies in terms of itineraries, cost and overall reputation to pick the best one for your holidays.