| For an unusual and distinctly American cruise | | | | The grand dame of all river cities in the United |
| experience, paddlewheel cruises can offer you a | | | | States remains New Orleans. Katrina |
| chance to see a different and slower side of the | | | | notwithstanding, New Orleans is back. You can |
| United States. | | | | visit the French Quarter (which abuts the |
| The paddlewheeler may sound as American as | | | | Mississippi River) and at least one major cruise line |
| apple pie and it certainly conjures up thoughts of | | | | is using New Orleans again as a port. |
| Mississippi gamblers, dance hall girls, and the | | | | Probably the best known line for this type of |
| American frontier. However, paddlewheel ships | | | | cruise vacation is Majestic America, which offers |
| actually originated in China and can be found all | | | | Mississippi River and other paddlewheel cruises ( |
| over the world. Americans in the 19th century | | | | Paddlewheels also are frequently used on shorter |
| took the ancient concept of using a paddlewheel | | | | day trips. Brunch cruises, short sightseeing cruises, |
| and made two improvements: they moved the | | | | or even day-long cruises can be found all over the |
| wheel to the stern or back of the ship (ancient | | | | country (including in Orlando, a landlocked city). |
| Chinese vessels had the wheel in the front) and | | | | While this can be a great way to sample the |
| they powered these new vessels with the steam | | | | experience of a steamboat trip without |
| engine. | | | | committing to a cruise, it's not going to be as true |
| You can book a paddlewheel cruise from a few | | | | a steamboat experience as a multi-day journey |
| different lines. Some of them also feature | | | | on the river. |
| old-fashioned furnishings and a staff in period | | | | While the steamboat may seem old-fashioned or |
| costumes. You may also be treated to some | | | | even clumsy, their small size and design actually |
| themed events during your cruise. | | | | makes them far more maneuverable than larger |
| Paddleboats cruised the Mississippi in the 19th | | | | vessels. Captains typically have a bit more latitude |
| century, but most of these ships were working | | | | in setting their course and itinerary, meaning that |
| vessels. They carried merchandise as well as | | | | depending on the time of year and the river |
| passengers up and down the river. Some of the | | | | conditions, the captain may be able to travel to |
| best known ports on the route include St. Louis | | | | slightly different areas to get the best views of |
| and Memphis, but the Mississippi runs as far north | | | | wildlife or other sites of interest. |
| as Minneapolis and as far south as New Orleans, | | | | Don't expect to find lots of passengers; a |
| where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. | | | | steamboat cruise will take only a few dozen to |
| Accommodations on these modern versions of | | | | possibly a few hundred passengers on any one |
| paddlewheel cruises tend to go back to the style | | | | trip. This means that passengers on a steamboat |
| of the day when travel was more leisurely but | | | | cruise will get to know each other, interact with |
| also a bit grander. Expect stately touches on the | | | | each other, and actually rediscover the pastime of |
| ship and modern amenities along with antique | | | | conversation. While you won't find as many |
| furnishings. One does not grab a bite on a | | | | activities on a steamboat as on a large cruise ship |
| steamboat; it's more typical to dine. While | | | | (there won't be a miniature golf course, |
| paddlewheelers today do accommodate our | | | | ice-skating rink, or rock wall), you will find more |
| modern preference for the casual lifestyle, this is | | | | opportunities to get to know other people. |
| about as far from the "barefoot" cruise as you | | | | Since steamboats have always been known for |
| can get. | | | | their music, you can usually expect lots of |
| In their day, the American steamboats frequently | | | | rollicking evening entertainment, from jazz cruises |
| offered gambling, entertainment that for its day | | | | on the Mississippi to other dance bands in the |
| was considered racy, and music from a calliope. A | | | | North. Steamboats may be nostalgic and stately |
| calliope is a very loud, steam-operated instrument | | | | but they aren't quiet, especially at night. |
| most frequently associated with the circus. You'll | | | | And while the Mississippi River cruise has to be |
| find them on some steamboat cruises today, | | | | the quintessential steamboat experience, you'll also |
| along with lots of music in the evenings (the type | | | | find river cruises that go as far north as |
| depends a lot on the cruise you take). | | | | Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Washington state and |
| Before the Civil War, many Southern plantations | | | | even Alaska. The Alaskan cruises, in particular, |
| along the Mississippi were deliberately built on the | | | | boast that they can access ports and areas that |
| river so that they could send their crops more | | | | are off-limits to the larger cruise ships. |
| easily to market. Cruising by paddlewheeler allows | | | | Whether you're looking for a red-white-and-blue |
| you to see some of these antebellum mansions | | | | cruise experience or just as slightly different spin |
| the way they were meant to be viewed by a | | | | on the traditional cruise vacation, a paddlewheel |
| party approaching on the river. | | | | cruise in the U.S.A. offers a wonderful vacation |
| Even many Southern cities on the Mississippi were | | | | experience. |
| built to be visited not by land but by waterway. | | | | |