Riverboat Jazz Cruise: New Orleans Night Magic

Experience the beauty and romance of the New Orleans skyline on the Evening Jazz Cruise aboard the Steamboat Natchez. Enjoy live jazz, delicious dinner, and breathtaking views of the Mighty Mississippi River.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • French Quarter - Make your way to Toulouse Street in the French Quarter at your chosen time for an enchanting evening jazz cruise.
  • Mississippi River - Sail along the Mississippi River aboard the Steamboat Natchez, where the atmosphere and ambiance transport you to another era. From a museum-quality Engine Room to commands delivered via an…
What's Included
  • Enclosed climate-controlled area
  • Live narration of the history of New Orleans and the Mississippi River
  • Calliope Concert
  • Entertainment by the Grammy Nominated Dukes of Dixieland or New Orleans Jazz - Schedule Varies
  • Southern style dinner buffet (if option selected)
  • On-board restrooms
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Alcoholic drinks (available for purchase)
Additional Information

Welcome aboard the Steamboat Natchez or Riverboat City of New Orleans! Please ensure you select your preferred vessel during checkout.
Are you ready for the ultimate night out in New Orleans? Embark on a classic riverboat for a dinner jazz cruise on the majestic Mississippi River — a quintessential New Orleans experience!
Listen to tales of the Big…

Location
Riverboat CITY of NEW ORLEANS
Toulouse Street
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.1
(8085 Ratings)
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1 star
Lou
Jun 24, 2026
Don’t miss this New Orleans experience - I give the experience a 5 even though it started out closer to a 2 because of the absolute chaos trying to figure out where to line up at the beginning. It’s odd they haven’t figured out a more orderly way for people to know where to line up before the gates open. Other than this, once on the Natchez we were seated for the buffet at 6 pm. Usually I’m not a fan of buffets, but this one was quite good. There were plenty of choices - seafood pasta, red beans and rice, fried chicken, roast beef etc all quite good. We were “kicked out” after an hour to make way for the next dinner seating. By now the best seats near the band were taken, as well as seats on the port side. We found seats on the starboard side, but as the Natchez heads upstream the captain is narrating about the sights on the PORT side of the ship so we missed all that stuff. As the Natchez returns to its dock, the New Orleans skyline is beautiful to see and makes the tour worth it just for this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I5669qgmarkh
Jun 14, 2026
By far the best part of New Orleans. - Out of the four days in the French Quarter this trip with a meal was the most enjoyable time my wife and I had. The food was great and Jazz music on the top deck was relaxing. The steam organ that played before we boarded was another great experience. The cost was cheaper than going to a concert.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gabrielacu8182ak
Jun 13, 2026
Lovely tour and good chicken - Very lovely! And the food was very good
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joshmh279uc
Jun 9, 2026
Amazing - Amazing! Went this evening and it was magical.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G6764lllucya
Apr 28, 2026
A smooth cruise down The Mississippi - What a great experience to take during our visit to New Orleans. All the staff were very friendly and helpful throughout the cruise. We had the 6pm dinner sitting which I would recommend as at this time you remain docked so are not going to miss any of river bed sights when the trip starts. The food was really very nice with a starter of gumbo, followed by salad. A short walk to the buffet table where a variety of Creole dishes were served by friendly and courteous staff. The selection of food we had were flavoursome and well cooked. This was then followed by dessert of which we chose the cheesecake which was delicious. Drinks are additional charge and there were a variety of well priced lagers, beers, cocktails and mocktails to choose from. The journey down part of the river was accompanied by a short guided talk which gave some points of interests and facts which was great. The Dixie Band who played were great to hear and helped make a memorable trip. Would definitely recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ruth
Feb 1, 2026
Would recommend as a trip to do if visiting New Orleans. - We really enjoyed this trip on the steamboat. The live jazz band was a treat, the Buffett style meal was nice with some vegetarian options and we had a lovely white wine on board. Considering it was absolutely freezing weather outside it was nice and warm inside the seated area. The staff were friendly and helpful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Virginia
Jun 6, 2026
Lovely dinner and night scenes. - This was a lovely dinner cruise. The prime rib was awesome.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oindrila
Jul 6, 2026
Disorganised, hot and slow so avoid during peak summer - We took the evening cruise on July 4th hoping to see fireworks. The boat was overbooked with not enough seats for all passengers. And it was nearly 4 hours from boarding to de-boarding which is a really long time to stand around in the heat on a crowded boat. The crew seemed unprepared for the rush and the bars kept running out of ice and even water. Even before the boat left the shore the bars were reduced to selling warm soda. The indoor spaces reeked of insecticide. To be fair the narrator did a decent job of pointing out all the famous landmarks on the Mississippi and the Jazz band played well. But the cruise is slow so be prepared to be bored every now and then. The fireworks were good but I was really disappointed in the way the boat was positioned facing the fireworks that led to all passengers crowding near the narrow front of the boat and the view was mostly obstructed by the boat's mast and other mechanical parts. This cruise felt really disorganised.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yicela_m
Mar 23, 2026
I was really looking... - I was really looking forward to enjoying a jazz band while having dinner, but the experience didn’t quite live up to expectations. Dinner felt rushed, as we were asked to finish quickly to make room for the next group. The buffet-style food was okay, nothing particularly memorable, but the waitress who served us was delightful and definitely a highlight of the evening. The biggest disappointment was the setup for the band. They didn’t start playing until about an hour later, and seating for the performance was first come, first served, with not enough space for everyone. If I had known that in advance, I would have skipped the dinner package, paid for general admission, grabbed a seat early, and just eaten from the options outside the dining area. It would have been a better value and a more relaxed experience overall.
Review provided by Viator
Donata_z
Feb 27, 2026
Waste of time - Unfortunately, the experience was quite boring. The evening just dragged on because there really wasn’t much to see or do. I expected a bit more atmosphere and entertainment, but it felt pretty empty and uneventful. The only truly enjoyable part was the jazz band — they played absolutely beautifully and brought great energy. They were definitely the highlight of the night. Without them, the whole experience would have felt completely forgettable. Overall, pretty average and not something I would go back for, at least not for the evening experience.
Review provided by Viator
From $58
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).