New Orleans · STEAMBOAT & JAZZ CRUISES
14 reviewed
There is no more New Orleans way to spend an evening than a paddlewheeler on the Mississippi with a band on the deck. Ranked below are the best steamboat and jazz cruises: day or evening, with dinner or without, aboard the Natchez or the Creole Queen, with prices and what each sailing includes.
Ride the historic Steamboat Natchez for a 3-hour jazz cruise on the Mississippi, with optional Creole buffet dinner in the French Quarter.
“Marlon is fantastic and fun ! Cheryl at the bar on the second floor was also amazing. Having a fun crew and nice jazz music made this experience worthwhile.”
Two-hour Mississippi jazz cruise from the French Quarter with Steamboat Stompers, onboard narration, and optional Creole buffet lunch.
“Nice cruise. Free refills on drinks. Friendly crew. Great Jazz band. Partner and I Very much enjoyed it.”
Evening jazz on the Mississippi aboard the CITY of NEW ORLEANS, with live Dukes of Dixieland and optional Creole buffet dinner.
“This was a wonderful experience I enjoyed every moment of it”
2-hour Mississippi River steamboat cruise with live Stompers jazz, captain narration, and optional Creole lunch. Full bars onboard.
“It was a very enjoyable and relaxing experience on the steamboat while taking the scenery of the bayou!”
A 2.5-hour narrated Mississippi River paddleboat cruise from New Orleans to Chalmette Battlefield, plus a guided Battle of 1815 stop.
“River cruise was wonderful! Meal was very good, staff very friendly, lots of history - commentator on board was so fun to listen - she told the history in a clear, concise manner. Wish they sold a book on board about our journey! Learned a lot about the MS river....”
Jazz, Creole buffet, and a Mississippi night cruise aboard the Creole Queen—2 hours on the river, cozy decks, and a warm band.
“Information not shared with us via email, texted updates, phone call confirmation, or upon arrival. Know to be, at the least, 30 minutes early. Boats will leave without you. Know the dinner is downstairs. Food was really good, but ran out of salad upon our exact time arrival.”
A 150-minute paddlewheel cruise with guided history at Chalmette Battlefield. Optional Creole lunch and a cash bar on board.
“Our group really enjoyed the tour. There is a stop at a battlefield, which was fun to explore. The tour guide was wonderful and very informative. Our group had a wheelchair, the employees were very accommodating and were able to move around with easy. We did not purchased the lunch option, but there was some snacks, drinks and food available for purchase. The only negative thing I have to say is the hot chocolate was horrible, just water and chocolate. It was cold when we went, would have been nice to have some good hor chocolate. Other than that I highly recommend this tour!”
Live jazz on the Mississippi aboard the Creole Queen paddleboat, with skyline and optional Creole dinner. Two hours from $60.
“EXCELLENT dinner, relaxing cruise. Perfect end to an amazing day!!”
Sunday jazz brunch on a paddle-wheel steamboat in New Orleans: live trio jazz, Mississippi views, and a Louisiana buffet for two hours.
“Great experience with lots of history incorporated.. Good food at brunch and snack bar food/drinks) We really enjoyed the live jazz band and the steam organ.”
VIP jazz dinner cruise on the Mississippi with early boarding, front-row Dukes of Dixieland, Louisiana buffet, private engine/paddlewheel tour, open bar option.
“Dwayne and Captain Mitchell were phenomenal. The 2 downsides were the amount of stairs for my husband and not having a seat before departing, was alot of walking/standing for him. Otherwise the experience was incredible.”
2-hour Sunday Mississippi steamboat jazz cruise with Steamboat Stompers, captain narration, and optional Creole brunch buffet.
“The riverboat cruise was exceptional! Loved learning about the history of the river and the food was authentically delicious! The jazz band was so enthusiastic about sharing its music with the crowd.”
French Quarter landmarks, cemetery stops, and a Mississippi jazz cruise on Steamboat Natchez, bundled for great value in one day.
“You not only get the experience of a land, city tour, but you also take a cruise down the Mississippi River. Did I say the price is reasonable!!”
90-minute Paddlewheeler Creole Queen river cruise with live jazz, skyline views, and optional Creole brunch from New Orleans.
“The cruise itself was okay, there isn't an awful lot to see along the banks of the Mississippi, so onece brunch was over there wasn't much to do. The brunch was good value (all you can eat) and was varied and tasty. The band were okay, you will see better on Frenchman Street. All that said we went for the experience of cruising along the Mississippi on a paddle steamer and that is what we got!”
A New Orleans combo with a live-jazz Mississippi steamboat cruise plus a guided city tour, cemetery stop, and Garden District stroll.
“Excellent tour, we loved Bob, he was so informative and had a nice sense of humor!!”
