Jazz and Creole food? This luxe river cruise is an immersive must-do

The ship: Viking Mississippi

• Built 2022, christened 2022
• The cruise Mississippi Delta Explorer (New Orleans to Memphis, eight days)
• Passengers 386 (at double occupancy)
• Crew 147
• Decks five; 193 staterooms
• Length 471 feet (143.5 metres)

The ship

Viking Mississippi on the Mississippi River between Louisiana and Mississippi.Credit:

Custom-built in 2022 for Mississippi River sailings in the US, the Viking Mississippi is a 386-guest river ship that has much in common with other ships in the extensive Viking fleet. Brand loyalists will recognise the Scandinavian design, the included shore excursions (at least one in each port) and the elevated standard of destination lectures and cultural performances. What’s different about the Viking Mississippi is an all-American crew (and mostly all-American clientele) and itineraries that spotlight the cities and towns between New Orleans, Memphis and St Paul.

Boarding

The Viking Mississippi’s Living Room.Credit:

Embarkation is in New Orleans, a vibrant city where cruise passengers are encouraged to take advantage of the pre-cruise extension and spend a couple of days enjoying jazz music, festivals and Creole food. The ship is docked on the Mississippi River, a five-minute drive from downtown hotels and attractions. There is no cruise terminal to navigate; we simply exit the Uber and walk up a ramp attached to the ship. After a quick registration process to have photos taken and credit card details handed over, we’re checked in and receive keycards.

The design

The ship is larger than Viking’s other river ships, accommodating up to 386 guests. All staterooms are outside and have balconies. Its signature Scandinavian design and nods to Viking culture are evident in the staterooms’ colour scheme and soft furnishings, the art on display, the gift store jewellery and ship-inspired dividers in the main restaurant. American design touches include numerous TVs in the River Cafe for sports viewing, and guitar fret ceiling elements in the Living Room.

The spaces

The ship’s Aquavit Terrace.Credit:

The ship is compact and easy to find one’s way around. Popular spaces include the two dining venues and The Living Room, designed for performances, reading, meet-ups and lounging around. On Deck 5, the Sun Terrace and Aquavit Terrace are adjacent to the River Cafe. In warm weather it’s the place to go to make use of sun lounges and a (very narrow) infinity plunge pool. The Promenade Deck on Deck 1 serves as a jogging/walking track.

The stateroom

A Veranda stateroom on board the Viking Mississippi.

There are 193 staterooms with river views. All have balconies; there are no inside cabins. I’m in a Deluxe Veranda stateroom on Deck 2, measuring 268 square feet (25 square metres), including a private veranda with two chairs and a table. For even more space, book one of the suites (Penthouse Junior, Terrace or Explorer, the largest of which is 1024 square feet, or 95 square metres).

If you’ve cruised with Viking before, the stateroom design will look very familiar because it’s near-identical to the accommodations found on the fleet’s ocean ships. Scandi touches include light-blue carpet, blond wood cabinetry, a traditional Norwegian Marius-weave blanket on the bed and premium Freyja toiletries. There’s a king-size bed, a desk and chair, sitting area, 106cm flatscreen TV and roomy wardrobe. The bathroom has a glass-enclosed shower, heated floor and hairdryer.

Twice-daily housekeeping and complimentary minibar with soft drinks, purified water and snacks are appreciated. Free Wi-Fi is available in the stateroom and throughout the ship on unlimited devices. Power outlets are US-standard, plus there are USB and USC ports.

The food

Southern food and hospitality.Credit: Adobe

Three tasty meals a day are served in two venues: The Restaurant, where a la carte meals are presented by knowledgeable waitstaff, and the buffet-style River Cafe. At River Cafe’s grill station, lunchtime burgers, dinnertime steaks and other proteins are cooked to order. When the weather is pleasant, the cafe’s outdoor tables are prized.

Both venues serve some regionally inspired dishes; guests can look forward to Southern classics including gumbo, crab beignets, fried chicken, ribs and cobbler.

Fleet-wide “always available” dishes such as the Chairman’s Choice poached Norwegian salmon with boiled potatoes and pickled cucumbers are also on the menu. Deviating from other ships in the fleet, there is no Mamsen’s cafe serving Scandinavian dishes and snacks, and there’s no room service.

Complimentary house wines, beers and soft drinks are served with lunch and dinner. To enjoy unlimited drinks throughout the day (including premium wines and cocktails), a Silver Spirits beverage package must be purchased. Tea, coffee and cookies are available 24 hours a day.

Wellness

The ship does not have a gym or spa. The wraparound Promenade Deck is where walkers and joggers go to increase their step count. A narrow infinity plunge pool and open-air sun terrace at the aft end of Deck 5 is a good place to enjoy river and sunset views. There are no hot tubs.

Entertainment

You won’t find big Broadway-style productions on this ship, but who needs them when you have intimate performances in The Living Room by masters of jazz, blues and rock. Guest artists on our voyage include acclaimed jazz trumpeter Wendell Brunious, leader of New Orleans’ Preservation Hall band since 1987. Performances are broadcast live to stateroom TVs for those who prefer to watch from the comfort of bed.

Port talks and enrichment lectures are also televised live, and recorded for later viewing. This is an area in which Viking excels, presenting knowledgeable experts in their fields to talk about the Civil War, systems of enslavement, the Mississippi Delta, wildlife of the river and more.

Viking provides at least one included shore excursion in each destination, a well-curated collection of tours that cover music, food, history and city sightseeing. Other forms of entertainment include trivia, spirits tasting, board games and a Q&A with the captain and chief engineer.

The crew

The crew of 147 is all-American, a staffing requirement because the ship is registered in the United States and US law mandates only American citizens can be hired. For many, it’s their first time working on a cruise ship. Others were hired from the now-defunct cruise line American Queen Voyages or from hospitality positions in hotels and restaurants. There are a few rough service edges, but across the board the team is friendly and eager to help guests have a good time.

The verdict

Evening light on the river.Credit:

A voyage on Viking Mississippi is certainly worthy of a place on avid cruisers’ must-do lists. While similar to river cruising in other parts of the world, the American accent is loud and clear on this river and this ship. The journey that I enjoyed from New Orleans to Memphis was an immersive deep-dive into small-town America, and the music, food and history of character-filled Southern cities.

The details

Discover Southern heritage and quaint towns along the banks of the Mississippi on Viking’s eight-day Mississippi Delta Explorer journey. It costs from $6495 a person in a Deluxe Veranda with savings up to $4800 a couple on new sailings. Available now through June 30, 2025. See viking.com

Our rating out of five

★★★★

Swell

Interesting port stops and included excursions on an itinerary that highlights Southern hospitality, great music and delicious soul food.

Not so swell

Frequent cruisers, especially those loyal to Viking, will notice the ship does not have room service, a spa, sauna, hydrotherapy pool or gym.

The writer was a guest of Viking.