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River Pioneers

Example 14 Day Cruise aboard MS Louisiane
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Sail in the wake of the New Orleans, the first steamboat on America's rivers, and her epic 1811-12 voyage from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. The Louisiane makes this 14-day journey with considerable more style and luxury, but the appeal of the towns and scenery along the way are just as timeless. Groove to the blues and tap your toes to jazz with an overnight stay in Memphis, sample Cincinnati's famous chili, discover horse country in Louisville, uncover the Civil War in Vicksburg, and stroll among the antebellum homes of downtown Natchez.
Highlights
  • Explore majestic Cincinnati, known as the "Queen City of the West"
  • Learn about a boxing legend at the Muhammad Ali Center in Lousiville
  • Tour the Stax Museum of Soul Music and the Rock 'n' Soul Museum
  • Get lost among over 500 gallant antebellum buildings in Natchez
Activities
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • 1 Dinner
Arrive in Pittsburgh and check in to your deluxe hotel, which is adjacent to the city’s attractions. Enjoy the sweeping city vistas from up high on Mount Washington, then mingle with other high flyers at the riotous National Aviary. Become transported by the kaleidoscopic stained glass at Heinz Memorial Chapel, mere minutes away from esteemed Carnegie Mellon University.

Day 2: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Embark

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Your fare includes breakfast this morning at your hotel as well as a transfer to the Louisiane and all porterage. Settle into your stateroom or suite, head to The Veranda for a light snack, and then bid Pittsburgh farewell as the Louisiane departs and you immerse yourself in the joys of life on the river. Bon voyage!

Day 3: Marietta, Ohio

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Recall George Washington's musing that he knew "no other country where I should rather fix my habitation" when you visit idyllic Marietta, the site of Ohio's first settlement as memorialized at the history-rich Campus Martius Museum.

Day 4: Scenic Cruising

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The pleasures of the Louisiane become apparent as you start your day with a made-to-order beignet and café au lait in The Veranda. Read a book, talk to the Illuminator, the onboard historian, and then enjoy made-to-order crêpes.

Day 5: Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Be part of enduring tradition as you arrive by river to the town Longfellow dubbed "Queen City of the West", and indulge in sophisticated sightseeing at the art deco Union Terminal, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and much more.

Day 6: Louisville, Kentucky

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Discover captivating Louisville, named after King Louis XVI of France, as you sip a mint julep and stroll the waterfront. Be sure to head to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, Churchill Downs, or learn about a boxing legend at the Muhammad Ali Center.

Day 7: Scenic Cruising

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

Day 8: New Madrid, Missouri

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Imagine this sleepy village flattened in 1811 by North America's strongest recorded earthquake, and later further shaken up by 1862's Battle of Island Number Ten. Artifacts are on view at the quaint Historical Museum and the Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site.

Day 9: Memphis, Tennessee

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Take in the sounds of Memphis, where a stroll on soulful Beale Street, a tour of Graceland, or a visit to the Stax Museum of Soul Music and the Rock 'n' Soul Museum has you feeling the beat.

Day 10: Memphis, Tennessee

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Enjoy an additional day in musical Memphis.

Day 11: Vicksburg, Mississippi

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Hear the distant echoes of Ulysses S. Grant's call to arms as he lay a 47-day siege to the city, now immortalized at the essential Vicksburg National Military Park, which houses the ironclad USS Cairo, victim of the first torpedo.

Day 12: Natchez, Mississippi

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Get lost among over 500 gallant antebellum buildings in this magnificent town, one of America's most historically significant national treasures. Chat up the friendly locals in the thriving entertainment district Natchez-Under-the-Hill, which Mark Twain once described as having a "desperate reputation, morally."

Day 13: Scenic Cruising

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Another leisurely day aboard the Louisiane provides ample time to stroll on her open decks and admire the passing river traffic, pamper yourself at the Currents Spa with a luxurious treatment, and sip an expertly-made cocktail in the Great River Lounge.

Day 14: New Orleans, Louisiana | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
Bid adieu to the Louisiane and explore New Orleans. Amble along the festive streets of the "Big Easy", where the scent of Creole dishes and the strains of jazz mingle within stately French Quarter homes, and hop on a streetcar to further uncover this most European of American cities.

Ship/Hotel

MS Louisiane

MS Louisiane French Quarter Lounge
MS Louisiane Veranda
MS Louisiane Currents Spa

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$6,699

Notes

All fares, including land and hotel, are capacity controlled, subject to change at anytime without notice, and do not guarantee availability.

A Single Supplement of 50% is available only for the Deluxe, French Balcony, Promenade, and Veranda Staterooms.
Included
  • 13 Breakfasts, 12 Lunches, 13 Dinners
  • 13 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)

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The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
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