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A wonderful but lesser-known way to start on a Mississippi cruise is to leave from the Gulf of Mexico and cruise upriver, leaving from either Galveston or New Orleans. Many cruise companies offer these options, as their ships have to travel both ways.

Galveston is a lovely place to start on a Mississippi cruise, being a short drive from Houston, and an interesting sight in its own way. It already was a bustling port city on the 19th century, and was an arriving point to many immigrants to the country.

Galveston is blessed with several beaches, nice fishing spots in the surroundings, so before you go on that Mississippi cruise you can partake in local water sports. As for food, sea fare such as shrimp is very good, preferable to Tex Mex, which is more common in Texas’s landlocked areas. As for sights, don’t miss out on Moody Gardens, which includes a butterfly zoo, and extensive gardens.

Another, somewhat more common alternative, is to begin your Mississippi cruise in New Orleans. Don’t let the threat of hurricanes put you off, in season this is a fantastic place to explore.

In fact, the Mississippi cruise business is important for the city and those who want to help New Orleans get back on her feet can’t do better than by leaving for a Mississippi cruise from her port, after having spent a couple of days in the city.

Start your visit in the French Quarter, which is the town’s most historical area, and also its most lively. Lots of shopping and interacting with the locals takes place there, and you can buy any items you may need on your Mississippi cruise.

Food options are also wide-ranging and will enthrall you if you are of the gourmet type. You will find a wide range of options, from highbrow oysters to the more low-key local takeaway snack, the muffaletta, an Italian-originated sandwich on an olive bread base. Both may be also served during a Mississippi cruise lunch.

Talking about cuisine, you will find that two distinctive styles predominate. These are Creole and Cajun cooking. Creole food is inspired by French bourgeois cuisine and is more refined and heavy, which makes it popular for formal dinners during a Mississippi cruise.

Cajun cuisine is more hearty and rural, with lots of hot food, and includes whatever animal that you can get without it eating you first! You can get alligator, and in fact you will see it on a lot of menus. Try these in the city, as not all Mississippi cruises will have them on their menu.

Concerning your safety, make sure to bring a hat and sunscreen if you are leaving for your cruise in the summer and be especially vigilant for pickpockets in the town centers. You can relax your guard once you have boarded your Mississippi cruise.

River travel has been growing in popularity for the past few years with more and more families taking that option for their first family cruise or their annual retreat, and more than ever so when going to Europe.

Even though it can be very luxurious, European river travel is usually cheaper then a similar ocean bound cruise, even if it offers more variety and what many would call a far more interesting experience. Especially for families, a cruise in Europe can offer a lot of fantastic attractions and distractions, for a lower price than a similar sea cruise.

If you look at luxury European river travel in detail, you will find that it is for instance easy to associate a soothing and opulent cruise down one of the continent’s main waterways, such as the Danube or the Seine, with a stop at one of its renowned capitals, such as Vienna or Paris.

If you book European river travel, you will usually fly out to one of the major European cities where the cruise will depart from and there you will meet your ship, this ship will then take you on a passage down some of the most celebrated and beautiful rivers on the continent.

The bigger rivers of the continent flow through some of its most famous towns, so you will be able to experience a lot of culture and urban living from the comfort of your floating hotel, without having to learn local traffic customs to negotiate the countries’ roads in a car.

Even while the boats that you will be on during European river travel are much smaller than their ocean going cousins, they are no less lavish and the service that you can expect whilst traveling is no less breathtaking.

You can expect every bit as good food and drink on your European river travel and service that would make some of the best hotels in the world green with envy. Lodging onboard the ship is astonishing with a room service that is too match, each day you will have a maid service and each night you will have your bed turned down for you.

European river travel is a very reasonably priced way to take a cruise holiday and suits many people more so than a full blown ocean going cruise. European river travel is generally an easier going vacation with more emphasis on sight seeing and repose rather than organized amusement. If you want organized amusement you can find it but it is lower key than a family orientated sea cruise.

If you are already a regular fan of cruises, or even if you are a first-timer to ship-bound holidays, you should definitely check out European river travel, which will be an experience to remember.

If you’re considering going on a cruise, river travel is a good way to go. River cruises let you explore many of the most fascinating rivers and cities worldwide, and especially so in Europe with its wealth of diverse history, culture, and cuisine.

There are probably few ways to visit a country which are as cool and pleasant as river travel, and whether you will be travelling alone, with friends, or together with your spouse and kinds, it will probably be a trip to remember.

River travel allows you to see the interior of the continent from an angle that few tourists experience to the fullest. You will be far from the crowds, travelling with your floating hotel. and will never risk being stuck in traffic or having to wait for hours at airports and train stations.

Even though a  European river cruise ship is smaller than an ocean going ship the facilities on board are no less numerous with most ships boasting a ball room, plentiful bars and restaurants, possibly a cinema as well as numerous viewing decks from which you will be able to admire the scenery and the architecture of many of the most beautiful European countries and cities.

For the preparation, before looking at the specific trip, you should determine the length of the voyage, the area you want to see and also the general level of comfort that you would expect.

River trip lengths can be very variable, although the most typical ones are one or two weeks, or more. Another possibility is to spend only a short time on the river, combining it with a land-based visit. For instance, you could spend three days in Paris and then cruise down the Seine for another three days.

As for the location, the most popular destinations are the Rhine, from Switzerland to Holland, and the Danube, which flows from Germany to Romaina. Lots of lesser known alternatives are possible on the internal waterways of countries such as France, Italy, Poland, Russia, the UK and Spain.

You will see wonderful floral displays as you cruise through Holland in the spring or sail through the South of France along the Rhone and Saone in the summer. There you could see the vistas that inspired Van Gogh.

As for the winter, Germany and Austria are great cruising spots because of the snow, the renowned winter markets, and also because of the cakes and cookies! And don’t worry, European river boats are all well heated.

As for budgeting, you can find luxury ships, or ships that cater to a more conservative budget when you look for  European river travel. One of the best places to find the cheapest fares for European river travel is on the internet. You can always find hot deals for last minute trips when you are looking for European river travel.

Few things are as wonderful as a trip down a river, especially so on the amazing Mississippi and its tributaries.

You have several options when it comes to taking a high-end Mississippi cruise: You can travel on a historical steamboat, or take a themed cruise. You can mainly spend time visiting towns and cities, or enjoy a more rural and secluded trip on one of the famous boats plying the river.

A paddle-wheel steamboat is certainly the best way to cruise and at the same time explore the history of the Mississippi River. You get to see the “showboat” amusements of the past. You will visit cities such as New Orleans, Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis, and visit sights such as the latter’s Gateway Arch. You will taste excellent Cajun food on board.

There are several paddleboats plying the Mississippi, but the most well-known ones for cruises are the Mississippi Queen, the delta Queen and the American Queen.

The alternative to a “back to olden times” cruise is a trip focussing on specific subjects, such as the area’s vibrant music tradition, or Civil War battle sites.

Alternatives are many – whether you want to explore the customs of the regions’ Native American inhabitants, or learn some Bluegrass, you will not be disappointed.

Several cruises are narrated, providing informative history accounts and bringing the Mississippi of olden times to life. Most themes are linked to the region’s traditions and glorious past.

A Mississippi cruise can be playground to all sorts of different people. Whether you are travelling alone, with spouse and kids, as a couple or with friends, you will be able to secure a trip that is just right for your party.

A Mississippi cruise during the autumn is perfect to discover the changes in nature at a more intimate pace, such as the impressive variety in leaf coloring. You will enjoy the foods of the season, which will include roasted game, apple cider and pumpkin pie. Usually there are onboard talks or that will help you understand and identify the plants and animals surrounding you. 

Regardless of the season and of the theme that you will choose, you will find that there is something amongst the bends of the Mississippi that will feel just right for you. Alternatives abound!