Mississippi River Cruise: New Orleans History Tour

Embark on a historic Mississippi River cruise aboard the Creole Queen Paddlewheeler. Discover 300 years of New Orleans history, visit Chalmette Battlefield, and enjoy stunning views of the French Quarter and Port of New Orleans.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Chalmette Battlefield - Disembark at the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans at the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, where you can tour the Chalmette Battlefield including the Malus-Beauregard House and the Chalmette Monument before re-boarding for the return cruise.
  • Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve -…
What's Included
  • Local guide
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • On-board restrooms
  • 1-Hour at Battlefield
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Alcohol (Cash Bar)
Additional Information

Embark on a 2 hour, 30-minute journey down the mighty Mississippi River aboard the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen. Listen to the detailed commentary by a licensed historian, who will cover 300-years of New Orleans’ history, from its establishment by the LeMoyne Brothers to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. The boat will make brief stop at…

Location
1 Poydras St
Poydras Street
Located directly at the end of Poydras Street behind the Outlet Collection Mall and the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(1994 Ratings)
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1 star
Keulkaren
Jan 27, 2026
Excellent history lesson, boat ride and trip to the Battle of New Orleans site - The entire experience was excellent. This was my 2nd time taking this tour. I really enjoyed exploring the boat itself, and cruising on the Mississippi River. Charles is a top-notch historian and narrator. I loved learning about the boat, the river, and the history of the area from him. The stop at Chalmette is really interesting. If you want to have time to see the visitors center (they have great displays) and gift shop, you’ll have to cut short listening to the park ranger’s talk outside. On the cruise back, Charles gave a riveting history of Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath. I did not order the lunch, so I cannot speak to the quality of the food. I would highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ananthatrvl
Jan 24, 2026
Leisurely float on the Mississippi - Multiple decked river cruise. Band of 4 played live Jazz music throughout. There is a small bar inside which serves both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. One dedicated deck for people who has booked dinner. Views of Crescent city connection bridges with holiday lights while on the cruise was spectacuar.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jmmdeabq
Jan 24, 2026
Fun and educational cruise on a paddlewheeler - This historical cruise took us to where the battle of New Orleans occurred in 1815. The on-boat guide was knowledgeable, funny and gave an excellent running description of what we saw. We left the boat and toured the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and the historic Chalmette Battlefield for an hour. A park representative told us about the battle. The paddlewheeler was very comfortable. This was a very nice way to view New Orleans from the Mississippi, ride on a paddlewheeler and visit a famous battle site.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Getaway04009473706
Jan 22, 2026
Riding on the Mississippi - I have done the Riverboats several times, but this was the first time to do the Battlefield. I found the history interesting and why Andrew Jackson is so prominent in New Orleans. We went with our daughters family that included 2 teenages. Even they paid attention to the history lesson.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deborah_h
Jan 20, 2026
Debbie 60th Birthday - We were celebrating my 60th birthday with my birthday. Dr. Tarantino was excellent and keep the tour live and interesting. She gave me a shout for my birthday.
Review provided by Viator
Megan_j
Jan 19, 2026
This was a great tour of... - This was a great tour of the Mississippi River and the battleground of the Battle of New Orleans. Charles is a great storyteller and made all the information about the battle and city of New Orleans very digestible.
Review provided by Viator
563acec
Jan 18, 2026
Get idea - Great idea to get tickets! The Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Historic Mississippi River Cruise is a fun and relaxing way to enjoy beautiful views and learn about the history of the Mississippi River.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Molly_t
Jan 16, 2026
Creole Queen - The food was excellent, especially the whiskey glazed bread pudding. The narrator, Charles was mesmerizing!! The Battlefield Tour was good. Everything was perfect, even the weather!
Review provided by Viator
John_l
Jan 13, 2026
Rolling on the river - We had a wonderful day. Boat was fun and food was great. Everybody on the boat made us feel like family.
Review provided by Viator
Marianne_c
Jan 22, 2026
Canceled without warning. - We booked and paid for a 2pm cruise through Viator weeks in advance. When we arrived. We were told that the cruise had been canceled. No one called, texted or wrote to us in advance to let us know. Others from the cruise had the same experience. Terrible. We'll see if I get my money back. EWARE.
Review provided by Viator
From $47
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).