www.americancruiselines.com Cruise regions include the Mississippi River, the Columbia & Snake Rivers, the East Coast, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Cruises, which only visit U.S. ports of call, range from 5 to 22 days in length, with many week-long and roundtrip itineraries available across the country.

Mississippi River Gateway Cruise Begin in the French Quarter of New Orleans and continue to Baton Rouge and Natchez. Explore the "Gateway to the West" via St. Louis, rock 'n' roll to Graceland, view Civil War landmarks, and stroll through the museums and art galleries of Paducah.

U.S. River Cruise Fares Are Typically More Expensive By and large, the same rules for scoring deals and prices apply in the U.S. as they do in Europe. On average, U.S. river cruise prices start around $300 to $400 per person, per night.

Options include round-trip cruises from New Orleans, Lower and Upper Mississippi itineraries, and themed cruises such as Music Cities and Great Smoky Mountains.

As the only U.S. flagged cruise ship, Pride of America sails year round from Honolulu, giving you the freedom and flexibility to vacation on your schedule. Visit four Hawaiian Islands and five ports in seven days while you cruise through paradise in style.

At the helm of the small-ship, American-flagged line is Charles A. Robertson, chairman and CEO, who founded this river line in 1991, although he's been involved in the maritime industry since the mid-1970s.

There are three main cruise lines traveling the Mississippi, with journeys ranging from less than a week to more than 20 days. Spring and fall are the best times of year to take a cruise along the river, as you'll avoid the summer heat and winter chill and enjoy more pleasant weather while you take in the surroundings.

The Mississippi River runs through or along 10 states, from Minnesota to Louisiana, and is used to define portions of these states borders, with Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi along the east side of the river, and Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas along its west side.

Scenic River Cruise Fares

• Airport transfers to and from the ship.
• Alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks.
• Gratuities, port fees and taxes.
• Choice of shore excursions in each port.
• All dining and specialty restaurants.
• E-Bikes for passenger use.
• Room service and in-room mini-bar.
• Wi-Fi.

River Cruise Itineraries are Port-Intensive Unlike ocean cruises that have leisurely sea days, river cruises are port intensive, and you'll visit a new destination each day -- sometimes two in one day -- and up to four countries in a week.

Explore Civil War battlegrounds, indulge in Southern cooking, and enjoy the sounds of New Orleans's jazz on your once-in-a-lifetime Mississippi River cruise. Join an immersive excursion in every port tailor-made for you and return onboard the iconic paddle-wheeler to sophisticated entertainment and fine dining.

Unlike ocean cruises that have leisurely sea days, river cruises are port intensive, and you'll visit a new destination each day -- sometimes two in one day -- and up to four countries in a week. The ports, not the ships, are the key attractions, and you will certainly pack a lot of sightseeing into a week or two.