Mark Twain’s river, a paddlewheel, and no passport needed.
American Cruise Lines and Viking sail the Mississippi, the Columbia and Snake, the Hudson, Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound and the Great Lakes on modern riverboats and paddlewheelers for 100 to 380 guests, with excursions, a pre-cruise hotel night and most everything else included. SmartCruiser shows every US river and lakes sailing with taxes and fees included, and puts the sailings with SmartCruiser bonus credit at the top.
Which river is yours?
Pick a river and the list below filters to it; each one is a different America.
The Mississippi
- New Orleans to Memphis for the Lower Mississippi: plantations, Vicksburg, Natchez and the Delta blues
- St. Louis to St. Paul for the Upper: locks, bluffs, Hannibal and the river towns
- Paddlewheelers and modern riverboats, 7 to 22 nights, sailing every month
Best for: history buffs, music lovers, first river cruises
Columbia & Snake
- Portland to Clarkston on the Lewis and Clark route through eight locks
- Multnomah Falls, Hells Canyon jet boats, Walla Walla wine
- 8 nights, March to November, the most dramatic river in the country
Best for: scenery, wine, Lewis and Clark fans
Hudson, Chesapeake & the Great Lakes
- Hudson River fall foliage from New York to Albany and West Point
- Chesapeake Bay crab towns, Annapolis and St. Michaels
- Great Lakes on Viking: Mackinac Island, Niagara and the Soo Locks
Best for: leaf peepers, East Coast drive-to guests
US river cruise deals: SmartCruiser picks first
Every Mississippi, Columbia, Hudson, Chesapeake and Great Lakes sailing from American Cruise Lines and Viking, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings, bonus onboard credit or a Special SmartCruiser rate. Below them, every other sailing with full sorting.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery US river and lakes sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Pick a river, pick a season
Each river has its own ships and calendar; pick one and the list above filters to it.
Which line for a US river cruise?
Two lines sail the rivers and they feel very different; choose by ship style and by what you want included.
When to go
The Mississippi sails all year; the Columbia, Hudson and Great Lakes run spring through fall.
US river cruise questions we answer every day
Do I need a passport for a US river cruise?
No. Every river sailing on this page starts and ends in the United States and stays in US waters, so a government-issued photo ID is all adult guests need. Great Lakes sailings that call in Canada are the exception; those need a passport.
What is included in the fare?
More than on an ocean ship. American Cruise Lines includes a pre-cruise hotel night, excursions in every port, wine and beer with dinner, an open bar before dinner and Wi-Fi. Viking includes an excursion in each port, Wi-Fi, and beer and wine with meals. Gratuities and flights are extra on both.
Paddlewheeler or modern riverboat?
The paddlewheelers, with their Victorian decor and working stern wheel, are the romantic choice on the Mississippi. The modern riverboats have bigger balconies, contemporary rooms and a quieter ride. Same river, same excursions; pick the ship you want to live on.
How big are the ships?
Small. 100 to 190 guests on American Cruise Lines and 386 on Viking Mississippi, one or two dining rooms, no casino, and a riverlorian instead of a show. Every stateroom on the newest ships has a private balcony.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights and gratuities are extra; the hotel night and excursions are included where the line includes them.
Which Mississippi cruise should I take first?
New Orleans to Memphis, 7 or 8 nights. It has the plantations, Vicksburg and Natchez, the best food and the mildest weather, and it sails all year. Do the Upper Mississippi in fall for color, and the full 22-night river once you are hooked.
Talk to a river cruise specialist
Tell us the river and the month and we compare American Cruise Lines and Viking stateroom by stateroom, hotel night and excursions included. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.