Aerial view of a white sternwheel paddlewheeler with a red wheel churning up the wide Mississippi at Lake Pepin, Minnesota, on one of the Mississippi paddlewheel cruises

Mississippi Paddlewheel Cruises

The classic American river vacation, aboard a riverboat with a wheel at the stern.

Mississippi Paddlewheel Cruises: The Classic American River Vacation

Mississippi paddlewheel cruises are the river trip Americans picture first: a white, many-decked boat with a red wheel turning at the stern, a calliope or a jazz band, rocking chairs on the porch-like decks, and a different river town around every bend. It is slow travel at its best — a week or more aboard while the country’s greatest river carries you through music, history and big open landscapes.

This site is about the overnight paddlewheel vacation itself: how it differs from the short sightseeing boats you can ride in river cities, who runs it today, what life aboard is like, and how to choose a route. For a broad look at all Mississippi river cruising, ships and destinations, see our sister site Mississippi Riverboat Cruises.

Black and white photo of a large paddle steamer cruising the Mississippi near Wabasha, Minnesota — Paddle steamers have worked the Upper Mississippi for nearly two centuries.

What makes a paddlewheel cruise different

The boat is part of the trip — traditional décor, open decks and a stern wheel you can watch for hours.
American, start to finish: domestic flights, U.S. dollars, English-speaking crew, no passport needed.
Town after town: Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis, Hannibal, Dubuque and more, often a short walk from the landing.
Easy pace, with enrichment talks and live music in place of late-night nightlife.

Overnight Cruise or Day Boat?

Search for paddle wheel boat cruises and you will find two very different things. Many river cities run short paddlewheeler outings — harbor tours, dinner cruises, jazz brunches — that last an hour or three. An overnight paddlewheel cruise is a full vacation with a cabin, all meals and daily excursions. We explain both on our paddle wheel boat cruises page, including where day boats fit around a longer trip.

Downtown Minneapolis and an arched bridge reflected in the Mississippi at dusk, the northern end of Upper Mississippi cruises

Choose your stretch of river

Lower river music and history, or Upper river bluffs, small towns and the Twin Cities.

Choosing a route →

Lantern-lit balconies along a French Quarter street in New Orleans in the evening

Start in New Orleans

The classic embarkation city, with paddlewheelers of its own on the riverfront.

New Orleans →

Re-enactors in period dress firing Civil War cannon in a wooded park, the kind of living history guests meet along the Mississippi

A favorite with seniors

Why paddlewheel cruising suits older travelers, and what to ask before booking.

For seniors →

Who Runs Overnight Paddlewheelers Now

Today the overnight paddlewheel market on the Mississippi belongs mainly to American Cruise Lines, which runs classic-style paddlewheelers alongside a fleet of modern riverboats. Its fares are sold as broadly inclusive, which makes comparing them simpler. Read our American Cruise Lines Mississippi paddlewheel guide for the boats, what the line says is included, and how to tell a paddlewheeler from a modern riverboat in the brochure.

We never print fares — they change with season, cabin and promotion. Our advisors quote current offers, and the Mister Cruise cruise-deals newsletter brings new river deals to your inbox.

Paddlewheel Cruise Questions

What is a Mississippi paddlewheel cruise?

A multi-night river cruise on a riverboat built in the style of the classic Mississippi steamboats, with a big wheel at the stern, wraparound decks and Victorian-style lounges. You sleep aboard and stop at a river town most days.

Which lines offer Mississippi paddlewheel cruises today?

American Cruise Lines is the line that operates overnight paddlewheelers on the Mississippi, alongside its modern riverboats. Viking also sails the river, on a modern ship that is not a paddlewheeler. Ask us which boat is scheduled for your dates.

How long are the cruises?

From about a week on the Lower Mississippi to several weeks for the full river between New Orleans and the Twin Cities. Shorter itineraries are the most popular.

Do I need a passport?

No passport is needed for a domestic Mississippi cruise for U.S. citizens; bring the government photo ID that airlines and the line require.

Mississippi Paddlewheel Cruises is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.

When you ask for a quote, our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise handle it personally — not a call center — and book everything for you. Meet Mister Cruise →

See every U.S. river line in the Official River Cruise Directory, compare ocean cruises in the Official Cruise Directory, and plan hotels and flights through the Official Travel Directory. Ideas for travel across the country live at Best of the USA; and if you would like to sell river cruises yourself, start at Be a Travel Agent.

More River Sites in Our Network

Mississippi Riverboat CruisesMississippi river cruises: ships, ports and lines. US River CruisingEvery American river cruise region in one place. Small Ship River CruisingSmall ships on America’s rivers and waterways. Columbia River CruisingPaddlewheelers in the Pacific Northwest: Columbia River Gorge ports. Accessible River CruisesRiver cruising with limited mobility.

Plan Your Paddlewheel Vacation

Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will match you with the right paddlewheeler, route and dates.

Get Free Paddlewheel Quotes