Cruise & Cruise Line

Sail America's Rivers This Holiday Season

Image: PHOTO: The steamboat American Queen tied up at the Ohio River Levee at Marietta. (photo via Flickr/Mike)
Image: PHOTO: The steamboat American Queen tied up at the Ohio River Levee at Marietta. (photo via Flickr/Mike)
Kristina Rundquist
by Kristina Rundquist
Last updated: 2:00 AM ET, Tue October 17, 2017

This holiday season why not opt for something out of the ordinary?

Rather than head to grandma's, why not pack up the entire family and experience the holidays onboard an American Queen Steamboat Company ship?

Cruising America's waters is a great way to share the season with your nearest and dearest and make new friends along the way.

The best holiday gift of all? American Queen is offering fantastic deals on these holiday adventures:

-Pacific Northwest Splendor (October 29, November 5. American Empress). Follow the path of Lewis and Clark as you travel the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Highlights include visits to The Dalles, Oregon (known as the end of the Oregon Trail) and Tri-Cities, Washington.

-Antebellum South (November 12, American Queen. November 19, American Duchess). The Antebellum South is yours to discover on this journey. Experience Southern culture and living history as you travel from town to town, learning about the region's past, present and future.

-Vineyards, Vintages and Varietals (November 12, 19. American Empress). The Pacific Northwest is home to more than great coffee and craft beer. Enjoy the best of the region's wines as you cruise the Columbia River. Onboard tastings and wine pairings, as well as excursions to nearby vineyards, introduce passengers to the area's famed varietals.

-Musical Heritage of the Delta (November 26. American Queen). Soak up the romantic spirit of the Old South as you sail past cotton fields, sugar cane plantations and Civil War battlefields. Among the highlights are visits to Oak Alley, Louisiana, and Natchez and Vicksburg, Mississippi.

-Thanksgiving Festival (November 19. American Queen). Enjoy some turkey and all the fixings on a cruise of the lower Mississippi River as you sail from Memphis to New Orleans. Along the way, you will encounter charming towns, plantations and antebellum mansions.

-Nashville Holiday (December 4, 10. American Duchess). Revel in a homespun holiday with a visit to Nashville. Passengers will have the chance to see a performance of the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium as a highlight of the trip.

-Music of America (November 26, December 15. American Duchess). Journey to America's great music capitals as you travel between Nashville and Memphis. Explore Music City and its country melodies, the sounds of New Orleans jazz and Memphis' Delta Blues.

-Holiday Christmas Markets (December 3, 10, 17, American Queen). Get in some last minute Christmas shopping as you visit American Queen's exclusive lineup of Christmas markets. The pinnacle comes at Nottoway Plantation, where passengers can enjoy live music, dancing and see the ceremonial lighting of levee bonfires.

-Creole Christmas (December 22, American Duchess). Experience all the glitter and magic of the holiday season as you travel through the antebellum South. Passengers will learn about traditional Creole and Cajun cultures as they journey from Memphis to New Orleans.

-New Year's Celebration (December 25, American Queen). Ring in the New Year as you sail along the lower Mississippi River. The ship will be specially decorated for the holidays, and passengers will celebrate the end of 2017 at a New Year's Eve party with music and a champagne toast at midnight.


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Kristina Rundquist

Kristina Rundquist

Kristina Rundquist is an Atlanta-based freelance writer with more than 14 years experience working within the travel industry.

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