| River cruises in the USA may not have castles and | | | | for serious river cruise boats. |
| ruins, but they have their own history, charm and, in | | | | There are, however, several major exceptions. The |
| some cases, spectacular scenery. | | | | most spectacular scenery is courtesy of the Columbia |
| What river cruise adventures does the United States | | | | Snake river system, which can be "river cruised" |
| have to offer in comparison to those in Europe? Well, | | | | courtesy of CruiseWest. TravelWizard, may be dated, |
| to be brutally frank, not much. | | | | but it does list cruises on the Columbia and the Ohio |
| This surprises me, since one would surmise that the | | | | River. |
| US certainly has enough rivers and canals to make | | | | The ante bellum south of South Carolina, Georgia, and |
| river cruising a viable enterprise. | | | | Florida can be seen on the East Coast waterway on |
| However, second thoughts on the matter bring a few | | | | ships, such as The American Star, operated by the |
| glaring problems to light. Our mighty Ohio/Mississippi | | | | American Cruise Lines. They also provide cruises |
| River system lost its major cruise boat with the | | | | throughout the Eastern Seaboard, such as |
| permanent docking of the Delta Queen. Now, if you | | | | Chesapeake Bay and Maine. In New York they ply the |
| want to go down the Mississippi, you'll have to build | | | | Hudson River, with its stunning scenery and the |
| your own raft. | | | | attraction of New York City to add flavoring. |
| However, all is not lost, as someone picked up the | | | | In New York, the Erie Canal still acts as a canal, but |
| slack and the Niagara Prince, a 78 passenger | | | | primarily for recreation. There are countless "day" or |
| European-style river boat now cruises from Chicago | | | | hour trips. Mid Lakes Navigation offers 2 or 3 days |
| to New Orleans. More info can be found at American | | | | canal boat tours with evenings spent in land hotel |
| Heartland River Cruise. As of now, two 14- day | | | | accommodations. It's even possible to rent a self-drive |
| cruises in May and June are scheduled for 2010. | | | | boat for a week or more at Erie Canal self-hire boats |
| A river cruise on the mighty Missouri was possible, but | | | | 3 or 7 days. |
| no more. This notice is up on their web site: | | | | For more info on New York's canal system look at |
| "RiverBarge Excursion Lines, Inc. has been forced to | | | | NYCanal. |
| curtail all operations for 2009 due to economic | | | | USA River Cruises is an agency that covers river |
| conditions. Rising costs and very soft bookings have | | | | cruising throughout most of the country. |
| forced this decision." So, economics seems to be a | | | | However, for better or worse, the giant lion's share of |
| large part of the problem. | | | | river or canal cruising is short term, maybe only an hour |
| However, once the nostalgia and fun of riding on an | | | | or two. Up and back. And it seems there are many, |
| ancient river boat passes, one realizes that these | | | | many of these available in virtually every navigable |
| rivers flow through essentially flat mid-western terrain. | | | | river or lake in the country. All it takes is a little |
| Plus the river towns lack the picturesque and exotic | | | | Googling. |
| quality of those in foreign places. | | | | However, these short trips may be worthwhile as they |
| The rivers that do flow through the scenic, hilly areas | | | | could provide some indication of what river cruising in |
| of the US, may be okay for rafting, canoes, or other | | | | the USA is all about. |
| small boats, but they tend to be too small or shallow | | | | |