Travel reports on the Mississippi River. Top 10 river cruises in the world. Rhine river cruise

Mark Twain named wheeled steamships floating down the mighty Mississippi River like "floating wedding cakes". At the end of the 20th century, a ship appeared, which became the largest wheeled steamer in the history of shipbuilding. Although it is carefully hidden, but vessel literally full of surprises river cruise. This modern steamer whose roots are hidden in the past. 150 years after dawn steamships on the Mississippi River, american queen” gives its passengers a unique vision of the world.

river steamer was built in 1995 at the shipyard " McDermott» State of Louisiana and cost the owners $65 million. When launching on a beautiful ship, not a traditional bottle of champagne was broken, but a large bottle of Tabasco sauce - the pride of the state. Cruise river ship listed in the Guinness Book of Records the largest paddle steamer in the world.

Several designers worked on its construction and were inspired by steamships early buildings: Mayflower», « J.M. White», « republica», « Southland"and some of their details were implemented on" american queen". Designed by the firm Rodni and Co» known for its floating casinos.

On river boat real steam engine. It was removed from the old steamer and equipped with upgrades. Now this design allows you to double the power due to the incoming steam from the boiler and double action on one wheel shaft with two pistons. The steam enters two low-pressure cylinders, then cools down and enters the boiler again. The paddle wheel is made of wood. If it stumbles upon a rock or a can, it will break and this part can be replaced, but if this were not the case, the case would lead to a malfunction of the entire mechanism, which is quite expensive, and maybe even to an explosion of a steam boiler.

Although technology steam engine« american queen»for almost two centuries, the auxiliary mechanisms on it are from the 21st century. In addition to the paddle wheel under the bottom ship there are three steering propellers with four-bladed propellers. They can rotate around their own axis. This makes the ship very maneuverable, which is very important when moving through the narrowness of the river. They provide 60 percent of the ship's power. Naturally, if the river steamer« american queen” tried to move himself from his place with one paddle wheel, he would forever remain at the pier as a floating hotel.

Cruise river steamer "American Queen"

photo and interior

paddle wheel of the river steamer "American Queen"

diagram of the decks of the river steamer "American Queen"

on the deck of the cruise river steamer "American Queen"

interior of the river steamer "American Queen"

on a river boat« american queen» stacked pipes and lowered navigation bridge

Shallow draft big ship allows you to pass along the river without problems. The main salon is notable for its special architectural delights. Dining rooms are arranged according to historical projects. In addition, there is a two-tier theater on board and a library named after the great writer Mark Twain. All cabins are in Victorian style: carpets, wallpaper and furniture are all with the interior and luxury of the time. All on board steamer designed to make passengers feel like guests of one of the houses of the Victorian era. The menu is varied enough to cater to the tastes of any passenger.

American travel company Green Line» founded in 1890, owns several cruise ships, but the most popular are american queen», « Delta Queen' was recently renamed to ' Majestic America" And " Mississippi Queen».

other cruise river steamers of the company

three queens

riverboats Delta Queen and Majestic America

riverboat "Mississippi Queen"

River cruise The Mississippi is not like other travel destinations. With the loss of control in the treacherous flows of this river with steamer trouble may happen. But on board cruise ship« american queen» Passengers are left in the dark about which wayward river they are traveling.

navigation bridge of the American Queen

The Mississippi is a vast water system that formed around 2000 BC. e. after the Ice Age. It supplies water to 42 percent of the US. It originates at Lake Itasca, Minnesota and flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. The river transports various and vital cargoes. It is a gift from heaven to have such a river in the United States. Therefore, sailing on an unpredictable river requires a lot of knowledge that is passed down from generation to generation. Sailors use navigation charts that have been created over the years; it is dangerous to travel here without experienced navigators. river steamer« american queen» visits about six major ports on the river.

There are bridges on the Mississippi that largest river boat will not work, but far-sighted engineers have solved this problem. Two pipes, which are more decorative in nature, are folded, and the wheelhouse goes down. Everything is carried out using hydraulic mechanisms. Management in this position is carried out on a remote auxiliary platform with all the necessary controls.

To visit amazing ships, tourists come from different countries: Canada, Germany, Japan, France, etc. The popularity of such steamships led to the fact that company leaders think about the development cruise industry on the river. The next boats will not be as high - this is due to the conditions of the river. People who have been to this cruise river ship, saw with their own eyes life on one of the largest rivers in the world, just like their predecessors who sailed on wheeled steamships a hundred years ago.

Technical data of the river steamer "American Queen":
Length - 125 m
Width - 27 m
Draft - 2.6 m;
Displacement - 4000 tons;
Ship power plant- steam engine, 750 hp s., three steering propulsion units of the Azipod type with a total capacity of 1000 hp. With.;
Speed ​​against the current - 5 knots;
Number of passengers - 430 people;
Crew and attendants - 186 people;

August 11th, 2013 05:37 am

A river cruise is a great way to see the country from the inside. And this fully applies not only to Russia, but also to America.

The map shows the main US cruise lines - part of the Mississippi river system. Cruises operate along the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland and Missouri rivers, and cover fourteen US states.

Of course, it is impossible to visit all these waterways within one cruise: it would take about two months. Usually cruises take a week or a little more, and pass through one of the sections of the "cruise system". The most popular late fall, winter, and early spring cruise is along the lower Mississippi between Memphis and New Orleans. And during the summer season, the upper Mississippi route between St. Louis and St. Paul is the most popular.

This summer, Mississippi is experiencing unusually high water levels, making the Hannibal Bridge (Mark Twain's hometown) an insurmountable obstacle for a cruise ship. Therefore, the itinerary of some cruises has been changed. In my case, the new route was this: from Cincinnati to St. Louis along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Well, it happens. The route with stops is shown on the map.

Cincinnati (Ohio), a fairly large city on the Ohio River. Heat.

The history of Cincinnati is inextricably linked to the history of inland shipping in the United States. The first steamboat arrived here in 1811. Now near this place there is a monument in the form of a paddle wheel of a rear-wheel steamer - a copy of the wheel of the American Queen steamer, on which we are going to go on a cruise.

Probably, many have heard that on the Mississippi and its tributaries, dozens of historical steamships have been preserved, which are still in operation. This is a beautiful misconception: there are almost no historical courts in the United States left in operation. There is only the pleasure steamer Belle of Louisville, which will be 100 years old next year. There is also the 1924 steamer Delta Queen, which is used as a hotel and is ready to return to service as a cruise ship. And it's all. Most of the old ships have long been dismantled, and new ones have been built in their place - of the same classic look and with a rear-wheel layout. Some veterans, however, have been fortunate enough to survive as floating museums, restaurants, and even theaters.

And I will return to the two mentioned historical steamships during my story.

The local steamboat Belle of Cincinnati makes pleasure trips around Ohio. It has a classic exterior, but it was built in 1988.

The American Queen is moored on the right bank of the Ohio River. There are no berths for cruise ships on US rivers; they go straight to the shore.

On this ship we have to make a week-long cruise to St. Louis. Interiors of American Queen: Recently I posted photos and commented on them.

About six in the evening we leave and make a turn for movement down the Ohio. The ladder is fixed on the tank - this is a traditional American scheme, with the only difference from tradition: there are two ladders on the American Queen instead of one.

The imagination imagines dozens of cruise ships cruising up and down the Mississippi and its tributaries, stopping in the towns of "single-story America." The reality is that there are only two cruise ships operating on the Mississippi, plus there are periodic calls to the Mississippi by expeditionary cruise ships of mixed navigation. Moreover, during the last decade there were years when cruise ships did not go at all on the rivers of the United States. Unfortunately, river cruises in America are unfairly underrated.

American Queen is, one might say, a floating palace, visiting cards of the Mississippi. A ship that has gone through three owners due to its less than ideal economy. Now the ship is operated by the Great American Steamboat Company, created specifically to organize cruises on this ship.

The second ship operating on the Mississippi, the Queen of the Mississippi, was recently built and was not designed to impress the imagination. Small size, limited public spaces, many cabins with balconies, and of course the traditional rear-wheel layout. But, however, there is no that external grace inherent in steamships-palaces.

In the dead of night, we moor to the shore about five kilometers above Louisville (Kentucky). There was a rock festival in Louisville itself that day, the stage was right on the river bank, and the captain decided that it would be too noisy for older tourists if the boat stood in the center of the city.

Now I will talk about organizing excursions for American Queen tourists. Usually I am reluctant to write about how and what is organized on board, I am more interested in the ship itself and the route. But here it is a completely different matter.

During the entire voyage, the ship is accompanied by several buses that take tourists on excursions to the parking lots. As in Russia, there are basic excursions included in the cost of the cruise, and additional ones for an additional fee (usually one, maximum two excursions per stop).

So: the buses serving the main tour run at intervals of ten minutes along a certain route, stopping at different attractions. Each bus has a guide giving information on the route. The participant of the tour can get off at any place, spend as much time as he likes (within the ship's parking), and take another bus to continue the route. Entry to most museums is free.

That is, this is a classic hop on - hop off scheme, popular in many countries of the world. But nowhere have I seen such a system being used as part of serving cruise tourists. It justifies itself: each person is completely free to plan what to visit during the tour and how much time to spend on a particular interesting object. Moreover, the person himself plans the duration of the excursion. Theoretically, such a system can be tried on river cruises in Russia. For some reason, mentally, I always try on this system for Kostroma.

Buses in the branded steamship livery look stunning.

On the way to Louisville, we pass a former railway bridge, which, after the dismantling of the railway tracks, was left as a monument to itself, having converted it into a pedestrian one.

Louisville is not "one-story America" ​​yet. This is a typical medium-sized American city.

City Hall:

And this is a monument to firefighters who died in the line of duty:

For me, the main attraction of Louisville is the steamboat Belle of Louisville. I mentioned it above: this is the world's oldest operating steamboat, and the only historic riverboat remaining in operation in the United States. Built in 1914 in Pittsburgh under the name Idlewild, the steamer first served as a passenger ferry in Memphis before changing her home port to Louisville in 1931. After being sold in 1947, the steamer changed its name to Avalon and operated in various Mississippi and Ohio cities for the next fifteen years. When it was decided to decommission the old steamer in 1962, a man was found who bought it at auction, and after repairing the mechanisms and restoring the interior, the steamer, already called the Belle of Louisville, became a pleasure boat in Louisville.

Interestingly, the steam engine and paddle wheel of the steamer were made much earlier than the steamer was built. They were used on another ship built in the late 19th century, and in 1914 they were moved to the Idlewild under construction.

Sometimes Belle of Louisville leaves Louisville to participate in various events in other cities, where it always becomes an honored and welcome guest. The steamboat annually takes part in the Great Steamboat Race, which is part of the famous Kentucky Derby horse racing competition, and often wins it. The main rival of Belle of Louisville for many years in a row was the legendary steamship Delta Queen, which I will discuss below. Now, instead of the retired Delta Queen, the steamship American Queen is participating in the races.

The Belle of Louisville fills the neighborhood with the sound of a unique musical whistle before starting the day's walk. Many people come to ride the historic steamboat from other cities by booking a ticket online.

For me, taking part in the walk means the risk of being late for the departure of the American Queen, but the thought of abandoning the trip on the historic steamer did not even arise because of this.

At the entrance, there is a ticket office where tickets were sold before. Now tickets are sold in a small building on the pier, and mainly on the Internet, but the box office on the ship has been preserved for history.

The main gangway leads from the working deck to the passenger areas of the ship.

A significant part of the middle deck is reserved for the dining room (you can buy a ticket with or without lunch).

In the bow of the same deck there is a souvenir kiosk and a bar. In this part of the ship, the ceiling finish attracts attention. She is almost a hundred years old: she has been preserved since the construction of the ship.

On the upper deck there are seating places under a canopy; places on the middle and upper decks are also located on the open promenade terraces.

Small interior spaces on the middle deck are partly service, partly intended for events.

During a two-hour walk, Belle of Louisville reached just the American Queen parking lot, after which he returned to the central city embankment.

The steamers greeted each other with whistles.

This was not the only meeting of passenger ships of the day. Just before the departure of American Queen, the second cruise ship of the Mississippi river system, Queen of the Mississippi, passed us first down, then up. I believe he was waiting for us to make room near the shore. By the way, he also had a change of route due to high water in Hannibal.

It seems that everything is with him - both balconies and the rear wheel, but how different they are from American Queen. I have no doubt that Queen of the Mississippi is commercially much more successful, but in terms of external beauty ... But, by the way, this is already a subjective view.

We slowly set off towards Louisville and the McAlpine lock, the second on our way. But we passed the first lock at night.

In the approach channel (built around the local rapids that once prevented navigation), we parted ways with a pusher with twelve barges laden with coal. Such a number of barges on US rivers is not an exception, but rather the rule.

Let's go to the gateway...

... and, having lowered a little, we leave it.

All the locks I have seen in Ohio are two-chamber, I have never seen queues for locking. But the intensity of the movement of the fleet with the same Volga cannot be compared: the fleet is small, and mostly these are rare pushers with numerous barges.

Along the route of the steamer, such industrial landscapes are sometimes encountered.

Cruise ships on the Mississippi continue to move at night. In this they are similar to Russian cruise ships and in this they differ from river cruise ships in most other countries. But that night we made a stop right at the wild shore. It's time to talk about steamboat racing.

I have already mentioned the traditional steamboat races in which the steamboat Belle of Louisville takes part. In the 19th century, racing was not traditionally entertaining, but was an element of fierce competition between different courts. After all, at that time the steamboat was the only means of getting to many places in America, and speed played a big role.

One of the most striking events in the life of the Mississippi was the race of two passenger steamers Robert E. Lee and Natchez. These were first-class ships for those times - both in terms of technical equipment, and in terms of amenities for passengers, and, of course, in terms of speed. The captains of both ships were very jealous of each other. The competition between ships was fierce. This led to the famous race of 1870.

No announcements were made about the upcoming race. Both steamboats departed New Orleans on the same day, according to the schedule: Natchez to St. Louis, Robert E. Lee to Louisville. There were no announcements, but everyone knew about the race. On these flights, the captains took a small number of passengers, and refused to take cargo - so as not to make unnecessary stops. From New Orleans steamboats saw off thousands of people, including those from the decks of pleasure boats, who came out to wish good luck to the participants in the race. The passengers of the ships did not leave the decks almost around the clock, rooting for the success of their ship, because for a considerable distance the distance between the ships was minimal.

Natchez pulled ahead several times. But once he was prevented by a small breakdown of the car, which took half an hour to repair. On another occasion, a long stop was required to receive coal. John Cannon, the captain of the steamer Robert E. Lee, acted more cunningly: having agreed in advance, he accepted coal from a self-propelled barge right on the move! Wanting to finish the race in St. Louis, the captain transferred all the passengers who were going to Louisville to another steamer at the mouth of the Ohio River, and proceeded further up the Mississippi. The further movement of ships was greatly complicated by thick fog.

Robert E. Lee came to St. Louis first and was greeted with great jubilation. Natchez was able to reach his destination only after six and a half hours. Despite the fact that the winner was determined, the townspeople gave great honors to both captains, and the race entered the history of shipping on the Mississippi.

Day on the go! In America, it's called the old-fashioned word Steamboatin'. The day of admiring the river, and, in fact, the real America, is not the same as many imagine it from across the ocean.

Taking advantage of the day of doing nothing, I bought the first portion of books about the Mississippi in the ship's store; there will be a second and a third. My friends always wonder why I bring so many books from every trip when everything can be downloaded from the Internet. But you can't download a lot of things anywhere, and besides, it can be nice to hold a real book in your hands, especially a book about steamships. By the way, the most sensible book on the history of the Delta Queen steamship turned out to be ... The Delta Queen Cookbook. In addition to a collection of recipes for the ship's restaurant, it contained a lot of valuable information about the work of the ship.

In the evening we pass Evansville (Indiana). Evansville is on the program for the next day.

And I'll tell you about the iconic rear-wheel steamer Delta Queen. Passengers remember him with warmth; he is fondly remembered by former crew members, many of whom now work for American Queen.

Steamboat Delta Queen at the start of the race in Louisville. 2004 Photo by Joe Schneid

The Delta Queen, unlike many ships, is not a "native" of Mississippi. Together with the sister ship Delta King, it was built in 1927 to operate on the Sacramento River (California). The steamboats served the Sacramento-San Francisco night line. For those who visited Sacramento or San Francisco "one day", the cabin remained available throughout the day. It was very convenient, and steamboats were very popular. Saturday and Sunday flights were especially popular, when live music played on board.

Steamboats operated successfully on their line even during the Great American Depression of the 1930s. Only in 1940 the work of the line was stopped. The ships were converted into floating hospitals. Interestingly, in 1943, it was the military who overhauled the Delta Queen, which the ship was in dire need of.

It would seem that with the end of the war, the ships could return to peaceful work. But it turned out differently: the steamers were no longer needed on the passenger line, and in 1946 they were sold at auction. Delta King went on to work as a tour boat on the Hudson River and now serves as a hotel in Sacramento.

The fate of Delta Queen turned out to be more interesting: the ship was towed by sea and through the Panama Canal to New Orleans, and from there along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Cincinnati. There he began his cruise work, which lasted until 2008. From its first year on the Mississippi river system, Delta Queen has taken tourists all over the system from New Orleans to St. Paul and from Pittsburgh to Chattanooga. At the same time, during the first years, cruises began and ended in the base port of Cincinnati.

At that time, Delta Queen had a wonderful mistress - Captain Mary Green, the first woman on the Mississippi to receive pilot and captain diplomas. She was very fond of the steamboat; she was loved by the crew and passengers. After death, the captain's soul did not want to leave the ship (she died during the voyage). The ghost of Captain Mary lived on the steamer until at least the early 1990s. This could be attributed to a beautiful legend, if not for dozens of testimonies from various people. Almost all the authors who write about the Mississippi and have traveled on Delta Queen more than once testify to the meeting with the ghost of Mary.

One of those who met the ghost of Captain Mary was a young sailor named Mike. In the winter of 1982, Delta Queen was under repair, and one night Mike remained on duty on the ship. He dozed off, but a whisper woke him up. There was no one else on the ship. Mike listened. Whispering came from the next room. Moving around the ship, the source of the sound led Mike to the boiler room. There the sound disappeared, but a serious water leakage was discovered. Water flowed through a broken pump at such a speed that the ship was threatened with imminent flooding. If Mike, attracted by someone's whisper, had not ended up in the boiler room, the consequences could have been very sad. Subsequently, Mike served on the Delta Queen for many years and became the captain of this steamer. With all the sobriety of his mind, he does not doubt that Mary Green saved the steamer that night.

More than once met with the ghost of Mary Green and another captain of Delta Queen, Doc Howley. The crew members of the ship never feared this ghost, knowing that Mary was not going to harm anyone, but simply continued to take care of the ship. The ghost disappeared in the early 1990s and has never been seen again. Probably Mary Green decided to leave the earth.

Steamboat Delta Queen prepares to depart from Padaki, Kentucky. 2007 Shadle Photos

In 1966, the US Congress passed a new convention on safety of navigation, according to which ships with a wooden superstructure were prohibited from carrying out long voyages with passengers. For the steamship Delta Queen, which has great historical value, an exception was made, that is, the so-called withdrawal from the convention was issued. In the future, this withdrawal was extended with a certain frequency and even with apparent ease.

Encouraged by the success of the steamship, Delta Queen Cruises built a large steamship, the Mississippi Queen, in 1975, and in 1995, the even larger steamship American Queen, on which my story is about the journey.

The brilliant trio of steamboats operated on the Mississippi river system until 2001. After the September 2001 terrorist attacks, when America was seized by panic and people began to refuse to travel, Delta Queen Cruises went bankrupt. The steamboats missed navigation in 2002, then the ships went into operation with a new owner, then did not work again, and finally in 2007 they passed to the third owner - Majestic America Line. This company soon realized that they had got involved, although in a beautiful, but difficult and unprofitable business, and began to lose interest in steamships.

In 2008, Majestic America did not make any serious attempts to extend the exemption from the convention for Delta Queen, and in October 2008, after making the last trip, the steamer was laid up - first in New Orleans, and then in Chattanooga, where the new owner, an enthusiast of steam ships , uses it as a hotel. At the same time, all the mechanisms of the steamer are maintained in working order, and the steamer is constantly ready to sail. This is being done for a reason: now a serious struggle has flared up in the US Congress to draw up another exemption from the convention for Delta Queen. After all, this ship has the status of a historical monument, and many people, including congressmen from the state of Ohio, would like the ship to sail again. But the American system works just like in our country: once you miss the renewal of a permit, then it will be extremely difficult to issue it again ... We will wait.

Mississippi river cruise

An exciting trip along the Mississippi will bring a lot of unforgettable impressions even to the most sophisticated travelers!

Cruise itinerary:

Mississippi cruise program:

Day 1. New Orleans
The city of Great Freedom, where you can feel the incredible atmosphere of carelessness and ease of perception of the surrounding world. The French Quarter is the oldest in the city; the spirit of French antiquity reigns here. The famous Bourbon Street is a real jewel of the French Quarter, where you can enjoy good music, art and a variety of Louisiana cuisine. In the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans is the famous Jackson Square, inspired by the Place des Vosges in Paris. Various "witch objects" are considered a characteristic local element, such a cult place and the grave of the Voodoo queen - Mary Laveau in the Saint-Louis cemetery. In essence, Marie Laveau is the spirit of New Orleans. It was here that the most powerful interpenetration of African and European cultures took place.
Welcome cocktail from the captain and introduction to the crew. Dinner.

Day 2. Oak alley
Plantation "Oak Alley" is located on the banks of the Mississippi River, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Oak alleys are often referred to as the "Great Lady of the Great River Road". A quarter mile of overhanging 300-year-old giant oak trees grow together with their knotted crowns and branches to form a marvelous living arch. The resulting sensations will make you return to the film "Gone with the Wind". Explore the history of the Big House and taste the mint julep (cognac or whiskey drink with water, sugar, ice and mint), which is a traditional drink in the region.

Day 3. Baton Rouge
Arrival in Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana. An introduction to the rich southern way of life, with the peculiarities of celebrating the Mardi Gras carnival and the lifestyle of the Creoles and Cajuns.

Day 4 St. Francisville
Arrival in the town of Saint Francisville, which is located in the Mississippi Delta. The main street, Royal Street, is reminiscent of the French colonial era, with its old markets, unique hand-made shops and, of course, music records. Visit to the old covered market and shopping street where art objects and precious products are presented.

Day 5. Nanchez
Natchez is the city of Pilgrimage, where there is no fuss and haste. Natchez in the pre-war period was very popular among wealthy people. Their mansions have survived to this day, such as the magnificent and luxurious Stanton Hall, the least damaged during the Civil War. Melrose Plantation, a brick mansion on the river bank, the former headquarters of the US troops during the Civil War - Rosalia Manson, the home of William Johnson. Visit Yeola Hotel for shopping.

Day 6. Vicksburg
Vicksburg is a city with a unique blend of local culture, character, art, adventure and Southern hospitality. Inspection of the significant pre-war mansion Anchuka, which in the language of the Indians of the Choctaw tribe means "happy home". Coca-Cola, known to everyone, was bottled in Vicksburg, at that time the process of its production began. Now there is a museum here. Departure to the Battlefield Museum, dedicated to a major military operation of the American Civil War.

Day 7. On board

Day 8. Memphis.
Memphis was founded on May 22, 1819 and is considered a very young city. One of the streets of the city called Beale Street W.K.Handy sang in one of his songs, so many music lovers consider Memphis the birthplace of the blues. The Lorraine Hotel is one of the most amazing places: M. L. King was killed in one of his rooms. Today, an interesting museum is open here, which is completely dedicated to the famous fighter for the rights of all African Americans. Other popular city attractions include the Brooks Art Gallery, Confederate Park, Chucalissa Indian Village Museum, Museum of Natural History and Industry, the Victorian Quarter, and the Memphis City Museum.

Mississippi cities retain their colonial flavor

Mississippi Cruises Online

The Mississippi is the main cruise river in the United States, a legendary waterway that crosses a dozen states. The Mississippi River serves as a natural boundary for Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. The banks of the Mississippi - here you can find historical monuments from the Civil War, blues birth towns and landmarks that are mentioned in classic American literature, including Mark Twain's famous novel On the Mississippi.

For the past few years, cruises on the Mississippi have been considered a rather rare and fickle phenomenon. Due to a large number of natural disasters, the main of which was the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005, as well as the global financial crisis, the river cruise industry on the great American river fell into decline. However, since 2009, cruise traffic on the Mississippi has shown signs of recovery.

And 2012 generally promises to be a landmark year for cruises on the Mississippi. This year, the first cruise of the steamship American Queen is planned after large-scale reconstruction work. This ship was built in 1995, and in 2011 it was completely modernized. Today the American Queen is known as the largest river steamer in the world. Mississippi cruises on American Queen start at $990 for a three-day trip.

Another ship that is, in some ways, namesake of American Queen, the Queen Of The Mississippi, will set sail on her debut Mississippi cruise in 2012. This ship is half the size of the American Queen. It will offer seven-day cruises.

A distinctive feature of Mississippi cruises is the abundance of vintage ships on the routes and small family businesses that are cruise operators. Among the companies that offer unique signature Mississippi cruises in 2011 are Cruise West from Seattle and Blount Small Ship Adventures, formerly known as the American Canadian Caribbean Line.

The main ports on the Mississippi are the cities of the traditional American South, where the most striking are the "Elvis city" of Memphis, the capital of country music, the city of Nashville and the famous port at the mouth of the river, carnival New Orleans.

The word "cruise" for many travelers is associated with huge ocean liners sailing from one tropical island to another. However, there is another type of cruise, almost as popular among tourists - a river cruise. The ships that make such cruises are usually much smaller than the giants that ply the expanses of the sea and oceans. They are better adapted to traveling along rivers, from one interesting sight (or city) to another. Review of the best river cruises in the world:

Cruise on the Duero River

Mississippi river cruise

River cruise in the Indian state of Kerala

River cruise on the Volga

Rhine river cruise

Mekong river cruise

River Cruise on the Danube

Yangtze river cruise

Amazon river cruise

Nile river cruise