by The Daily Telegraph, October 24, 2016
Spend seven nights cruising the mighty Mississippi aboard a classic paddlewheel steamer.
Overview
See the American South from a different angle, cruising the Mississippi on a traditional paddlewheel steamer. Boarding at New Orleans, you will enjoy onshore trips that reveal fascinating glimpses of Southern history. You will explore the antebellum plantation mansion of Oak Alley, and St. Francisville, the oldest town in the Florida Parishes area. Stroll around Natchez, the oldest permanent settlement on the Mississippi, with riverside cafés and restaurants in the once-notorious Natchez-Under-the-Hill area. At Vicksburg, the site of a famous Civil War siege, you can explore the port or tour the battlefield. You will also discover charming little Helena on the Mississippi Delta, where the King Biscuit Time KFFA radio show first broadcast Delta blues 60 years ago, and still broadcasts today. Your cruise ends at Memphis, where the musical theme continues with a visit to the pioneering Sun Studios and Elvis Presley’s home at Graceland, plus optional visits to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum. There's more music in Nashville, home of country, where you will enjoy the Country Music Hall of Fame among other landmarks.
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| American Queen |
What's included?
- A night in Montgomery, resting place of Hank Williams
- Two nights in New Orleans, the 'Big Easy', and a guided tour that includes the famous French Quarter
- A seven-night Mississippi cruise aboard American Queen - the world's largest paddle steamer
- Call in Oak Alley, historic Natchez, Vicksburg and pretty Delta music centre Helena
- Included guided excursions at each port of call
- Elvis Presley's Memphis, and visits to Sun Studio and Graceland
- Discovering the Country Music Hall of Fame and Studio B in Nashville
- Seven nights' room-only accommodation at hotels in Montgomery (1 night), New Orleans (2), Memphis (2), and Nashville (2)
- Seven nights' full-board cruise aboard American Queen, beer and wine at dinner included, based on the shared occupancy of an inside cabin
- Guided excursions at each port of call while aboard American Queen
- Return scheduled flights to Atlanta
- Coach travel and transfers throughout
- Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced Tour Manager
- (The ship's staff will take care of you while on board)
- Single rooms are available for a supplement
Choose your bookingTravel between details (14 - 14 night stays available)
Mar 17, 2017
May 12, 2017
Sep 15, 29, 2017
Nov 24, 2017
Departures from
London Heathrow, Newcastle, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Manchester, Belfast City
Book online:Call to book:Book nowBook with our trusted partner Newmarket012345 687987Note: All holidays subject to availability. Dates, Prices and departures shown are representative only. Travel insurance not included.* To see what is included in the price, see what's included above.
** Calls to 03 numbers cost no more than calls to geographic numbers (01 or 02) and are included in inclusive minutes and discount schemes in the same way.Accommodation
Mississippi Touring Hotels and Cruise Vessel
The hotels used on our tours will meet the standard of a good, three-star European hotel. You will also enjoy seven nights on board the American Queen paddle steamer.
Itinerary 1
Fly to Atlanta, meet your Tour Manager and transfer by coach to your hotel in the Alabama state capital, Montgomery. Rest and relax, and enjoy your first taste of Southern hospitality this evening.
2
Today you'll cross the sleepy countryside of Harper Lee's Alabama into Louisiana, and head along the Gulf Coast to New Orleans. Check in to your second hotel then make the most of your first evening in this intoxicating place.
3
This morning's included guided tour is the perfect introduction to the Big Easy. See the iron balconies and covered sidewalks of the French Quarter, and Treme's colourful clapboard houses.Later, join our optional Louisiana swampland excursion for a glimpse of the city's surrounding countryside and a taste of Creole life, then head back to the 'Quarter', to immerse yourself in the atmosphere.
4
Head to the quayside, this afternoon, and board American Queen. Settle into your cabin, or enjoy your first evening on board as the stern-mounted paddlewheel of your magnificent floating home makes its first turns through the waters of the mighty Mississippi.
5
American Queen's first stop is Oak Alley, one of the finest examples of an antebellum plantation mansion in the USA, and named for the 800-foot avenue of southern live oak that runs from the river to the main house.Back on board, you'll enjoy a wonderful lunch and have ample time to relax and enjoy your luxurious surroundings.
6
Today American Queen calls at St Francisville, the oldest town in the Florida Parishes. Explore the town (which boasts 140 register historic buildings), and perhaps head to forbidding Angola Penitentiary for a remarkable encounter with tales of redemption and rehabilitation on an award-winning optional premium excursion.
7
Natchez, the Mississippi's oldest permanent settlement, welcomes us today. Stroll around 'the prettiest town in the south', and perhaps stop in one of the riverside cafes and restaurants in notorious Natchez-Under-the-Hill - once a haunt of highwaymen and river pirates!
8
Vicksburg, described by Abraham Lincoln as 'the key to the South', was the site of one of the American Civil War's most significant turning points. Learn about the siege and the subsequent Confederate surrender, then explore the historic port or join an optional premium excursion for a tour of the battlefield and National Cemetery.
9
Make the most of American Queen's wonderful amenities as you spend a day on board. Visit the gym or the spa, listen to a lecture or simply curl up with a good book in a comfortable lounge or on-deck rocking chair. Don't miss the chance to visit the Captain's Pilot House or the Engine Room Viewing Area, next to the giant paddlewheel, to see how the wonderful ship operate
American Queen's last call is pretty Helena on the Mississippi Delta - home of the King Biscuit Time KFFA daily radio show that first broadcast Delta Blues to the world, and that still runs over 60 years later. Step ashore, perhaps listen to the lunchtime show, and wander the streets this, one of Mark Twain's favourite spots.
Bid farewell to your floating palace as you disembark in Memphis early this morning. The King's hometown boasts musical heritage to match anywhere in the world, and you'll have the chance to explore it as we visit Sun Studio, where rock 'n' roll was born, and the preserved majesty of Graceland.Later head to Beale Street for an evening of barbecue, blues and rock 'n' roll.
Today's optional tour includes more musical high notes at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, as well as a visit the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel - which stands on the site where Martin Luther King was shot.
We'll head east today, stopping in Tupelo for the chance to take a tour of the 'shotgun shack' where Elvis was born, as we make our way to Nashville.
Nashville's place in country music history is unrivalled. The historic Ryman Auditorium, was the original home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Ernest Tubb Record Shop still stands at 417 Broadway, and you'll be able to follow the footsteps of greats around legendary Studio B and explore the Country Music Hall of Fame.Later, make the most of your final evening with a visit to one of the city's 150-plus live venues.
Enjoy a scenic drive through the wooded hills of Tennessee, calling at Chattanooga (of 'Choo Choo' fame!), as we make our way to Atlanta airport where you'll board your overnight flight home.
Arrive back in the UK, after a wonderful holiday.
Newmarket Holidays is a highly respected independent tour operator, having won the British Travel Awards for the best large escorted tours holiday company for three consecutive years. The company prides itself on its customer service, commitment to affordable holidays and vast array of stunning destinations. From exclusive theatre breaks in New York to escorted tours to Europe’s most historic and culturally diverse cities, and from river cruises along the Rhine and Danube to festive coach breaks to the timeless winter markets in Bruges and Berlin, Newmarket Holidays deliver unforgettable tours that offer great value to Telegraph readers.This holiday is provided by, and your resulting contract and booking conditions will be with, Newmarket Air Holidays/Promotions Ltd. (registered in England no. 2238316 /1708566) ABTA V7812/ V787X, ATOL 2325, a company wholly independent of Telegraph Media Group Limited.
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