Iron lace balconies on traditional buildings in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
New Orleans has a lot of love, and beads, to give. Celebrated for a season, not just one day, the carnival period leading up to Mardi Gras is a wild time in the Big Easy. Armfuls of colourful beads are thrown by revellers on balconies to people down below, and the crowded streets throb with tipsy party energy. I arrive wearing basic black. Within half an hour, I’m sporting dozens of gifted strands of beads in purple, gold and green, the hues of New Orleans.
I’m here to join Viking’s Mississippi Delta Explorer river cruise from New Orleans to Memphis, the birthplace of blues and rock’n’roll. Along the way, there will be delicious Creole and barbecue cuisine to savour, a sobering lesson in the history of slavery, Civil War battle sites and unforgettably warm small-town welcomes.
Viking Mississippi on the Mississippi River between Louisiana and Mississippi.
One of the world’s great rivers, the mighty Mississippi is storied in American culture, history and identity. It’s where Delta blues music developed, it’s the setting of Mark Twain’s classic tale of Huck Finn’s river adventures, and the home – still, to this day – of grand antebellum mansions and former slave plantations.
Essential to the communities along its banks and beyond, the river provides drinking water for almost 20 million people and carries hundreds of millions of tonnes of freight every year. Yet for all its vitality, Big Muddy, as it’s cheekily referred to by some, doesn’t always receive the love it deserves. Not as scenic as the Great Lakes, not as affluent as the East Coast cruise routes, it’s too easy to make assumptions about the people, places and political leanings along the way. I’m here with an open mind and heart.
Life on the Mississippi
Viking’s renowned Scandi sense of design is evident at the ship’s Aquavit Terrace.
When Mark Twain recounted his days as a steamboat pilot on the river in his memoir, Life on the Mississippi, he vividly captured the power and beauty of the river. He wrote of a time in the 19th century when the river was the lifeblood of America, its major water highway and home to thriving river towns.
I’m eager to learn about that history and culture in big cities and small towns I’ve never heard of until now. Viking’s decision to custom-build a river vessel in 2022 for Mississippi River sailings makes it possible to do it in style and comfort.
The 386-guest river ship, Viking Mississippi, has much in common with other ships in the extensive Viking fleet. There’s the same Scandi design and international cuisine, but this time with an American accent and an all-American crew. There’s also a generous shore excursion program that offers at least one complimentary shore visit in each port.
New Orleans knows how to party
Crowds gather in Bourbon Street, New Orleans.Credit: iStock
In the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, dozens of colourful parades roll through the streets, where the beads (and toys) are thrown from elaborately decorated floats, and a seat on one of the wrought-iron balconies in the French Quarter is the hottest ticket in town.
Our two-night pre-cruise extension is a great opportunity to Laissez les bon temps rouler (Let the good times roll), a common saying and the unofficial motto of the city. They say if you love New Orleans, it’ll love you back. The legendary river city in Louisiana goes by many names – The Big Easy, Crescent City, NOLA – and has many intriguing layers.
No stranger to socioeconomic hardship, it’s a close confidante of exuberant joy, a heartland of jazz music and a true melting pot of modern-day America. There are voodoo dens and tarot card readers in the town squares, the best jazz bars you’ll ever visit and stick-to-the-ribs meals that are irresistibly decadent.
Shaped by French, Spanish, Creole and Black influences, New Orleans is a city ready to party in the streets at the drop of a hat. Wandering around the historic French Quarter, I’m caught up in several second line parades, spontaneously dancing in the street with jubilant strangers waving white handkerchiefs as we follow behind a brass band. It’s loud, it’s vibrant, it’s exhilarating.
Pack comfortable shoes and a big appetite because two things are all but guaranteed: you’ll be dancing till your feet hurt and eating enormous servings of gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp po’boy sandwiches and sugar-dusted beignets.
Rolling on the river
Louisiana’s River Road mansions include Houmas House in Darrow.
Waving goodbye to New Orleans, I feel a pang of regret that I didn’t get to the legendary jazz venue, Preservation Hall. So, it’s with great delight when I read the ship’s program and learn we’ll be treated to a live performance on the ship by Wendell Brunious, master trumpeter, vocalist and musical director of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. His upbeat set is the perfect nightcap to a delicious first onboard meal of crab beignets and short-rib beef.
The next day in Darrow, we begin our exploration of Louisiana’s River Road mansions. The Lower Mississippi region is abundant with stately historic mansions, meticulously preserved and designated National Historic Landmarks. Houmas House, located next to where the ship docks, is heralded as the crown jewel of the River Road.
Established in the late 18th century and known as the Sugar Palace for producing as much as nine thousand tonnes of sugar at its peak, the estate continues to exude elegance and wealth in its striking architecture, period furnishings and sprawling gardens.
That wealth, of course, was built off the unpaid labour of enslaved people. At one point, Houmas House had a workforce of more than 800 people, making it the largest slave holding in Louisiana.
In their own words
Whitney Plantation focuses on the lives of enslaved people.Credit: Elsa Hahne
It niggles at my conscience to ooh and aah over pretty dresses Scarlett O’Hara might have worn, when there’s a dark past to be acknowledged. This history comes to light during an excursion to Whitney Plantation, the only former plantation home in Louisiana with an exclusive focus on the lives, perspectives and legacies of enslaved people.
It’s an astonishing place, carefully considered and meticulously researched. On a self-guided audio tour, stories of suffering, survival and courage are recounted. A powerful memorial to formerly enslaved people who were brutally murdered for attempting an uprising answers the question: why didn’t more slaves resist or run away?
A few days later in Natchez, Mississippi, I join another excursion to enjoy Southern-inspired soul food and a cappella gospel performance. At Zion Church, we listen spellbound as members of the congregation perform African-American spirituals, traditional songs that offered solace and hope to those who dreamed of freedom and home.
Small towns, warm welcomes
Our arrival in Greenville, Mississippi, is heralded by locals as if we are visiting dignitaries, so warm is the welcome. Every ship guest is invited to lunch and a show at the town’s cultural centre, headlined by award-winning singer-songwriter Steve Azar, the man who wrote the state’s official song.
Azar and his band put as much heart and soul into the performance as they might to a sold-out stadium tour. We walk away energised by the talent and the hot tamales (Greenville is the hot tamale capital of the world – who knew?)
After lunch, we drive to Indianola, blues legend B.B. King’s hometown and the site of his museum. In the collections of his memorabilia and interactive exhibits, there are some poignant moments. He is quoted as saying he’d give almost any amount of money for a photograph of his mother. She died young and poor from diabetes, after telling him being kind would take him places. It certainly did. He rose from poverty to release more than 50 hit records and tour the world.
The soul of Memphis
Sun Studio in Memphis, which was made famous by artists such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
Known to many as Grind City, Memphis has a gritty determination, a rich heritage of blues and rock’n’roll, delicious Southern fare and a vital role in the civil rights movement. It’s well worth spending a couple of days on Viking’s two-night Memphis Rock & Soul post-cruise extension.
We drive from the ship to Graceland, surely more magical than Disneyland for Elvis Presley fans. Much more than a museum, the former home of Elvis and his family is an invitation to metaphorically step into the king’s blue suede shoes for a day. To do it justice takes hours, for the scope and quality of his personal effects on display is vast.
In the Jungle Room, Elvis’ tropical man cave, it’s not hard to imagine his ghost lounging on the green shag pile carpet. His pink Cadillac gleams in the Presley Motors Automobile Museum, while the bling and dazzle of his stage costumes are an exercise in fabulous maximalism.
At Gladys’ Diner (named in honour of Elvis’ mother), a peanut butter banana toastie tastes better than I expect it to. I skip the bacon-grease glaze.
Over at Sun Studio, the Elvis tour continues, with a history lesson in how legendary producer Sam Phillips launched the careers of many early rock icons. In 1953, a teenage Elvis recorded two demo tapes as a gift for his mum. Phillips, recognising the kid’s talent and charisma, brought him back in for more recording sessions. The rest is history.
Memphis is also a key location in the civil rights movement, and has become a place of pilgrimage, education and remembrance. It was in Memphis that Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, on the balcony of the Lorraine motel. A popular accommodation choice for African-American travellers during the segregation era, the motel has been transformed into the National Civil Rights Museum.
Saddle up for Nashville
Nashville’s famous for its numerous country music entertainment venues.
It’s a three-hour drive from Memphis to Nashville, an interstate highway journey that passes quickly as I enhance it with my iPhone soundtrack of classic Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline tunes. The two-night post-cruise Nashville extension tour leans in to the rich musical heritage of the city, a place where countless stars of country, blues, folk, soul and gospel music have found their feet and their fame.
Inspired by Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and other boot-scooting mega-stars of country, Nashville is a supremely popular destination for bachelorette getaways. Along the neon-lit Broadway strip of live music bars, many of them owned by the biggest names on the Billboard Country charts, we see groups of prancing young women dressed in the cos-play gear of the genre: Western hats, cowgirl boots, denim miniskirts and lots of fringing.
Many of those bar-owning big names are honoured at the Country Music Hall of Fame, an impressive, high-tech, interactive museum. With so many legendary attractions to visit in a couple of days, I trot from one end of Nashville to the other, fuelled by delicious barbecued beef brisket, pulled pork and coleslaw.
Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame honours the greats.
The grand dame landmark is the Ryman Auditorium, home until 1974 of the world’s longest-running live radio show, the Grand Ole Opry. While the show now has a permanent, 4400-seat home at the Grand Ole Opry House, some 20 kilometres from downtown Nashville, the Ryman remains a must-visit for its incredible acoustics and legacy as the “mother church” of country music.
Across the street, the National Museum of African American Music tells another story – that of the incredible influence African-American music has had on American culture. If you love the music of Elvis Presley, you can thank the influence of black music, particularly gospel and rhythm and blues. From the earliest spirituals, rooted in African traditions and sung by enslaved people as religious expression and secret codes, to the music world domination of Beyonce and her contemporaries, credit is given where it’s due.
Uplifted in the South
Colourful houses in one of New Orleans’ historic neighbourhoods.
Two weeks in the Deep South have flown by, and it’s now time for our Viking journey to come to an end. The music, the flavours, the heartbreaking history and incredibly warm welcome create unforgettable memories.
Say what you will about politics in the US, but the charming people of the South and their famous hospitality sure do leave a sweet impression. The person-to-person connections seem stronger and more sincere than ever, even more so when locals hear an Australian accent.
“Thank you for coming, we’re so glad you’re here,” is a sentiment visitors will hear, over and over. “Y’all come back soon now.”
Five other great rivers of the world to cruise
Yangtze River
For a taste of Chinese cuisine, culture and spectacular scenery, consider the Yangtze. Most cruises pass through the Three Gorges area, known for dramatic, towering cliffs and lush valleys.
The Nile
Egypt’s mighty Nile River is hot, hot, hot this year, and not just in the sweltering summer months. Avid cruisers are seizing the opportunity to explore ancient sites, mystical temples and fascinating museums.
The Danube (and the Rhine)
A river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam is a classic Europe cruise itinerary for a reason, winding along the Danube and the Rhine rivers past interesting cities, charming small towns and pretty countryside. The hearty food is reliably delicious and the port stops provide enough variety to keep the most inquiring minds entertained: thermal bathing one day in Budapest, classical music the next in Vienna.
The Seine
A cruise that begins with a starry sail-away from moonlit Paris bodes well for a good time. And so it is with Seine River cruise itineraries that typically include visits to Monet’s gardens at Giverny, Joan of Arc’s old stomping grounds in Rouen, and the Normandy landing beaches. As you would expect in France, there are also visits to flower markets, patisseries and wineries.
The Amazon
The awesomely potent Amazon runs for 6400 kilometres through South America’s biodiverse rainforest and jungle. Cruising is a smart choice to cover the most ground, some of which is very remote, with many itineraries beginning in Peru or northern Brazil in a region that is home to about 10 per cent of the world’s known animal species.
The details
Cruise
Discover Southern heritage and quaint towns along the banks of the Mississippi on Viking’s eight-day Mississippi Delta Explorer journey. From $6495 a person in a Deluxe Verandah with savings up to $4800 a couple on new 2025, 2026 and 2027 sailings. Available now through to June 30, 2025. Longer cruises on the Mississippi (11, 15 and 22 days) are also available. See viking.com
US entry
The Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises travellers that entry requirements to the US are strict. Travellers should be aware that the US authorities have broad powers to decide if you’re eligible to enter. Thoroughly check US entry, registration, transit and exit requirements. See smartraveller.gov.au
More
See visittheusa.com
The writer was a guest of Viking.