Paddlewheeler Creole Queen

Must do this tour if you love the feeling of music and water all around you. The boat was extremely comfortable . The Jazz band was super. Great band players and they had excellent play list. The Jazz Cruise was memorable with beautiful sights all around. Great one to have with ur family and friends

Went on a Sunday so I think it was less crowded. The dinner buffet was quite good. They did refill all the food that was low so running out. They give you until 8pm to eat. There is also a la carte ordering on the mid level which might be a better deal depending on your hunger level. After dinner we just found a cozy spot with our drinks and enjoyed the ride.

Activity 2: Paddlewheeler Creole Queen – Mississippi River Cruise 🚢 📍1 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA It was a 2-hour Mississippi River cruise with Creole Queen, included in our Go City Pass (worth $47). You’ll need to reserve ahead, then exchange your pass for a paper ticket at the booth before boarding. Bags get checked, and hang on to your ticket. (it’s needed again after the stop.) We boarded at 2PM (without the meal plan) and cruised past landmarks like the Crescent City Connection bridge, St. Louis Cathedral, Domino Sugar Factory, and more. The highlight? A 50-minute stop at Chalmette Battlefield, site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, where General Andrew Jackson led U.S. forces to victory. Even though the visitor center was closed, a park ranger was on site to give us a quick history rundown. We didn’t have time to walk to the National Cemetery, which holds over 15,000 graves from various U.S. wars. It had just been beautifully decorated with flags for Memorial Day that something our guide said took 200 volunteers four hours to complete! 💡 A ship photographer offers printed photos at the end (He took the photos before on board.) — kinda pricey at $25 for two, but we couldn’t resist grabbing one as a keepsake. Bonus: Right next to the dock is Riverwalk Outlets where is perfect for a little shopping before or after the cruise! This river tour was a great mix of views and history. If you’re into both, definitely add it to your New Orleans itinerary! Our next stop: just a 3-minute walk to Vue New Orleans. Activity 3 coming up!

We took the historic tour that goes to Chalmette Battlefield. It lasts just over two hours. Fun to be on the river. Great views of the city. Charles was our historical interpreter and did a great job. He provided wonderful information about the city, the battle, and a very informative and moving description of the Katrina disaster. I highly recommend.

I took the historic tour with Creole Queen. I had an excellent time. Dr. Tarantino gave a knowledgeable yet entertaining intro to the history of Louisiana. We stopped at the grounds of the last battle for Lousiana between America and the UK. The National Park guides gave an excellent recount of the events. Then, I had a nice meal, great Lousiana cuisine taste (nonstop buffet while the ride lasts). Lovely bartender Chappi put together the right mix of drinks to make everything more enjoyable. Th weather was excellent to enjoy amazing cruise views. Highly recommend without hesitation.

We had a wonderful time on the creole queen. We actually took it for both the jazz tour and the historic cruise. We enjoyed the jazz music and food for a peaceful end to a long day of tours. The historic cruise was a great way to learn more about New Orleans. Charles was an amazing host. The battlefield was actually closed due to Presidents’ Day and Charles still came off the boat to narrated the story to us! He has a great sense of humor and is an amazing storyteller.

Nice ride, cool experience traveling on the great Mississippi River! Food was excellent and delicious! Good service, friendly atmosphere, worth time and money! You have the option to buy lunch or not, but bringing food from outside is not allowed! They have a bar onboard! I recommend this ride!👍🤚👍

This cruise has one of the best buffets that I have had on any dinner cruise. The music was live and top notch. I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting New Orleans.

Creole Queen Jazz Cruise -Atmosphere -- you are on a boat eating a buffet of creole food listening to live jazz the Atmosphere is honestly the main thing here -Buffet --the buffet is honestly fine like nothing exceptional but it's buffet quality so can't be too harsh here nothing was bad and I would say the food was all solidly good Overall: I'm gonna give this an *A* the food itself is probably only C quality but the experience as a whole is really worth doing

My wife and I were in New Orleans celebrating our 35th anniversary. We were taking in the sights and sounds of "The Big Easy" and HAD take in a paddle-wheeler experience. We booked a Saturday Jazz Brunch after reading reviews and looking at the menu. The Creole Queen is located off the River Walk. We used the sightseeing "hop off and on" tour bus to get us within walking distance of the boat. I'd checked beforehand to ensure the boat and facilities was handicap accessible since I'm an amputee and would be in a mobility scooter. Boarding early, I had a few steep obstacles to overcome but with the help of the crew, I boarded the boat safe and sound. The brunch buffet dining room was a level down. They had a safe stair lift. As you can see from the photo, the stairway was very steep. It was a fun ride down the stairway. What a beautiful dining room! After getting off the lift, we were greeted with a smile and shown to our table. They took our drink orders and said the buffet was ready for us anytime we were ready. Our server also mentioned the bar at the back had some special drinks for our brunch. My wife opted for a New Orleans staple, a Hurricane, and I decided to try the bar's Mango Delight. Both of our drinks were so delicious and reasonably priced. What an incredible buffet! There was fresh fruit, Chicken & Andouille Gumbo with Louisiana rice, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, breakfast sausage, home-style potatoes with grilled onions and peppers, Spinach Madeine (baked fresh spinach folded with sauteed onions, milk, cream cheese, spices; topped with pepper jack cheese), French toast with powdered sugar and syrup, New Orleans barbequed shrimp with creamy grits and, of course, bread pudding. Incredible! the food was amazing and was kept fresh and piping hot on the buffet. I ate my fill of the phenomenal bread pudding. It was AMAZING. After getting our tummies happy, we went outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. The paddle-wheeler cruise was around an hour and a half and well worth the cost. The staff was phenomenal especially helping me with any barriers in the ship due to my accessibility.

I booked a jazz, dinner cruise during my visit. The Creole Queen has an old vibe and nothing special. The food was "okay." Most of the food was TOO salty. There was no gravy for the mashed potatoes or a ladle for the meat sauce. The only item that wasn't salty was the green beans. The chicken was decent. The gumbo was salty. I had one spoon. Their dessert was sad. There was only one selection and way TOO sweet. I'm glad I didn't pay full price. The views were nice on the Mississippi River. There was a nice breeze to cool off.

If you're in New Orleans, you'll see the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Tour advertised everywhere, and I can definitely say it's a fun experience. The boat itself is pretty cool, and the views of the Mississippi River are beautiful. We booked our tickets through Groupon, which was much cheaper for the 2 pm tour with no food included. A few things to note before you go: if you want a spot on the top deck, make sure to get there early! We arrived at 1:30, and there were already 100 people ahead of us in line. Boarding is quick and efficient, and they check your bags, so don't bring any food. They do sell food and drinks on the boat, but we opted out since the food didn't look too appealing. The boat is accessible with ramps, so it's easy to bring strollers, wheelchairs, or anyone who has trouble with stairs, which is great. We decided not to buy food, and that worked out fine for us. The tour itself is informative, with the guide giving lots of historical context about the river and its significance. A quick stop at the Battlefield Grounds National Park is part of the tour, and I was happy to get my National Park passport stamped! However, be aware that to step off the boat and into the park, you'll have to go down stairs -- both on the boat and in the park itself. It would have been helpful if the tour guide had mentioned this beforehand, so we could have decided whether to leave the stroller on the boat. By the time we realized, it was too late, and we had to manage going down and up the stairs with the stroller. Once in the park, a ranger gives fantastic information, though I do wish we had more time to explore the area -- it was beautiful! During the boat ride, the guide provides a lot of interesting historical info with some great storytelling. However, on the way back, the tour guide only spoke through the speaker for those seated outside. Since I was with a baby in a stroller, I couldn't sit outside and missed that part of the tour. I think they could've done a better job accommodating people who couldn't be outside but still wanted to hear the commentary. Overall, it's a solid experience and definitely worth doing for the scenic views and historical info. Just be prepared for some logistical challenges, especially if you're traveling with young kids or a stroller. Still, I would recommend it for a nice, relaxing way to take in the river and learn a little about New Orleans' history!

A group of us took the cruise and learned a lot about the Battle of New Orleans and New Orleans history. Dr Lauren Tarantino was an amazing tour guide! Highly recommend this trip. Also, the food was good and the crew were great!

This is absolutely worth the time. The history talk from Charles with the stories were the best part. The boat ride itself was nice. The food was ok but I am not a big seafood person so I didn't eat any of those dishes. All the crew was helpful and focused on safety.

Easy to find at the port of NOLA...Charles was very informative, enjoyable cruise and yummy lunch! Thank you so much

I treated my daughters to a Sunday morning ride on the Mississippi with Princess Tiana and friends for their steamboat cruise. Seeing all of the families eagerly awaiting the boat launch and the children dressed in costumes was a beautiful sight to see. I hadn't been on this boat in a long time, but the food and drinks this visit were much better than I remembered. The staff was friendly and kind. The actors perfectly represented the characters. They embraced their roles and played along well with the children. Even I was excited to see Prince Navin. Until next time...

Our tour guide Dr. Lauren was so knowledgeable and made the trip Interesting and brought it to life. The whole experience was wonderful and very moving. We would recommend it for everyone.

We were a little skeptical since our experience started with the napping, unfriendly girl at the ticket booth. We definitely were interrupting her rest. But after that, everything was really good! The lady telling the history or our trip did a great job. And the park ranger at the battlefield was also very friendly. As well as the bartender on the boat! The trip was interesting and we had a great afternoon.

We had a wonderful touristy time on this jazz cruise! Dinner was included and tickets were $95, but we got a discount of $19 off each, so honestly not bad. The boat boarded at 6:30 and took off at 7, and we got back around 9. The food was a buffet downstairs, and featured salad, rolls, green beans, Cajun shrimp pasta, rice, different meats, and gumbo. Literally all of it was delicious. I expected lower of it to be honest, but in particular the green beans were out of this world, and the meats were delicious, as were the rolls and the pasta. It was self serve food with a server coming by to fill drinks and take plates, and everything was very efficient. There was a bar as well with cocktails and hot chocolate, and prices were good and the bartender was great. The ride was smooth and it was really lovely just standing and watching the water and the New Orleans skyline, and of course the music was absolutely fantastic. It was a great way to spend an evening.

If I could give them more than 5 stars, I would. Definitely a 10 out of 5! The whole experience was amazing! (Not to mention, we had good weather on our side.) Onboard, we were treated as esteemed guests from start to finish. And the food!!! Honestly, the food aboard the boat was some of the best we had throughout our 5-day stay in New Orleans. My favorite was the Red Beans and Rice, the Smoked Brisket, and the Gumbo. Seriously! Many thanks to the chef who prepared such a delicious buffet! After my fill of amazing New Orleans flavors, we strolled around the deck to enjoy the sights of the cityscape while a live band completed the experience with some jazz classics that this area is so famous for. Definitely a must-do-again the next time we visit.

From the beginning to end we had a wonderful experience. Staff greeted us and made us feel welcomed. As you can see video great food choices. Music was nice touch

We really enjoyed this guided paddleboat tour of the Mississippi River and nearby Chalmette Battlefield stop. The narrator was extremely knowledgeable and kept us entertained and informed throughout the journey. Time at the battlefield site was just about right for a walkabout and climbing of the tower before heading back to the port. We did not eat or drink on this cruise, so I cannot comment on those aspects.

Paddlewheeler Creole Queen was one of the attractions offered with the Go City Pass. There were so many raving reviews, we made it one of the priority reservations for our visit. In retrospect, it was one of the more less exciting tours of our visit and one that I could have done without. From a processing point of view, most place would allow you to show your email confirmation as a ticket, but they make you go to their kiosk and check in for physical tickets before boarding. This adds an unnecessary part to the process, where we had to stand in the hot humid sun in an extra line, before getting into another line to board the ship. Outside food and drinks not allowed on board. There is a photo opportunity while boarding the ship with one of those floaty thingys. My poor boyfriend is always a victim to these photo traps. They have them ready and available for purchase during the second half of the trip back down the river. Seating is on a first come first serve basis. Normally when I go on these ship trips I like the top deck at the front of the boat with the wind in my face, but it was too hot and humid for that. There was also benches on the lower level exterior, or an indoor space that has a bar and air conditioned. For the indoor space, try to get a table against the window on the dock side. The other side does not have as great of a view. There are also tables farther out from the window, in which you lose the value of the view and this trip completely. If it wasn't obvious, I got a window seat in the indoor AC area by the bar where I enjoyed a few Makers and Ginger Ale. It's nice to say I was able to experience the Mississippi River and all of its' wonder. On the route there, we got some historical and cultural fun facts. I think the reason why I was less impressed is because I already heard two superior versions of the similar stories from other tour companies and the other experience was more upbeat and funny. The facts were on point but the energy level couldn't compare. To my surprise, they actually let us off the ship halfway through to walk around the Chalmette Battlefield for a bit under an hour to explore the grounds and the visitor's center. The National Cemetery was also nearby, but they told us we would not have time to travel that far. There was also the option to leave the tour and figure out a way to get back on your own. Just let them know. Try to get back a little earlier to secure a good seat once again. On the way back, the tour guide was to tell the story of Hurricane Katrina. What I don't get is that the audio was only available to those in the outdoor space, and not the indoor space. There were so many people who were interested who piled outside to listen to the story in the now overly crowded exterior HOT HUMID SUNNY area. Probably my least favorite tour during my visit to New Orleans, and in general my least favorite water tour in all of the country to date. Not impressed.

Thank You - Captain Al & Captain Bert, Captain Brian and Captain Gordon, And Your Wonderful Team, for making a Visit to New Orleans Beyond Memorable. Our Tour Groups are Always Delighted by the Jazz Dinner Cruise..... The Food -The Views -The Music & The Hospitality.... Exceptional!!! Don't Miss the Jazz Dinner Cruise on the Creole Queen while In New Orleans!!!

We had a great time on our dinner jazz cruise on the Creole Queen. I bought tickets online for a Saturday evening. We boarded around 6:15 to leave around 7 pm. We went straight to the kiosk and they handed us our boarding passes. The kiosk is near the Riverwalk Outlets and next to the aquarium. We boarded right after picking up our boarding passes. The photographer took our photo before boarding. We ended up purchasing the printed copy for $24 once we were on board. They take card or cash. We boarded and went to a bar on the second floor and then headed to the first floor where they serve a buffet dinner. They checked our boarding passes to see that we purchased dinner and seated us at a table next to the window. The buffet was hot and ready before we even left the dock. We loaded a plate and tried everything. Plenty of cajun/creole staples. You can check the menu on the website. All the gumbo your heart desires. There were three proteins including chicken, beef and a fish. I was just happy to see some vegetables including a heavily dressed caesar salad. When we had our fill for dinner, we headed up to the top deck to enjoy the views and our ride along the Mississippi. The jazz band on board is great. They play for most of the 2 hour ride with a short break. Everyone looked like they were having a good time. 2 hours was a perfect amount of time. Recommend a jazz cruise if you're looking for something romantic and fun to do in NOLA.

We went on afternoon cruise to the fort and back. We were given an hour at fort. They did have lunch options although we didn't eat. The bartenders were very friendly and the lines moved fast. Boat was clean and you could hear the guide well over speakers.

Fun time Food okay Great for family fun Get there early for better seating Service was excellent and very attentive

Meal is plentiful, hot and tasty. Brisket melts in your mouth! Red beans and rice is delicious. Dining room is very comfortable with large windows to see the river roll by. Sad we picked a night with thunderstorms as we got drenched before boarding and could not enjoy being out on deck. Even though we were wet and cold, it was a wonderful experience.

This was an absolutely fantastic experience that no one should miss if they come to New Orleans. Even if you're a local!! Charles Chestnutt narrated a rich, colorful, and sometimes heartbreaking history of the city. We removed and also enriched. We highly recommend this tour. The crew was great, the food looked wonderful, even though we did not partake, the drinks were tasty, and the boat was very comfortable, highly recommend, a must do!

My wife and I were seated on the starboard side of the dining room last night. I found the "server" to be rude, incompetent and unprofessional. Yet she still had her handout for a tip. The "meal " was dry beef brisket and baked chicken. You could see they were cutting corners. No I wouldn't go again. The dining experience ruined it and I wouldn't recommend anyone buying the dining package. It sucked!

Decent experience, but I definitely was hoping for a bit more. I am from NC, but visited NOLA for a friend's birthday trip in a group of 8 people. We purchased the Groupon for the Jazz Brunch Cruise. We all purchased the Groupon individually, but my friend was able to call and ensure that we were all able to be seated at the same table so that was convenient and good. Make sure you have your tickets when you go to present prior to boarding the boat. Although the line forms, seating is fine so no need to rush to the be in the front because you'll just be standing in the sun. When you board, there are some individuals who are just on the boat to ride while others are there for the brunch cruise so be aware of that. Those boarding for the brunch will go down the stairs and will be lead to their tables once entering the doors after checking in with the host. If you have a large group and you bought tickets separately, call to ensure that you're able to sit together and make sure you all come together to be sat quickly. Once you come on, you can go ahead and head to the bar or the buffet. They offer $20 unlimited mimosas if you'd like to purchase that on board as well as other drinks at the bar, including sodas since they aren't included in the brunch price. The food was was ok. Don't have high expectations for the food, especially because it is a buffet and they are pumping out mass amounts of food quickly. I know that NOLA is known for food, so I must say I was a bit disappointed, but in all honesty when it comes to buffets the quality may lack some. Once brunch was on it's way, the ship started moving, and about 30-45 minutes into the ride, they informed us we could go upstairs for the jazz band. You could also hear the bad playing throughout the ship through the speaker systems. I didn't really love the band. It was slow and not what that great. Most of the songs played were slow and just didn't work well for my liking. I was not impressed. They weren't bad, it just wasn't my style or what I wanted to hear. The ride was nice to spend time with my friends, but I wouldn't do this again on my next trip. I'd prefer to just grab brunch and explore the city on my own.

Went on the creole queen historic cruise today. We had a great time. Always enjoy listening to Charles talk about local history. Listening to the story of Katrina breaks my heart. But this city is so resilient!

I'm a big fan of riverboats and couldn't pass up the opportunity for a brunch cruise in New Orleans. While the food is standard buffet food, it's good enough and very filling. After stuffing myself with French toast, scrambled eggs and potatoes, I enjoyed the scenic views from the Mississippi. It's a fun way to spend a morning in New Orleans!

Needs to focus on individual experiences rather than packing people on the boat. This was supposed to be one of the highlights of my wife's and my trip to New Orleans. We purchased our tickets online a week ahead, and it indicated that we should arrive at 6:15 for our 7:00 PM Jazz Dinner cruise. We opted not to do the dinner. We were in line at 6:15 and there was the usual "take your picture" stop before boarding. About this time two full busses of kids arrived behind us in line. As we approached the point in line for pictures, the man announced "if you bought your tickets online, you need to go to the ticket booth first". That ticket booth is about 75 ft. away. I was mad. What is the point of an online ticket, if I need to go get a paper one anyway? Suffice it to say, we lost our place in line. Once on the boat, the only seat left was next to the ladies room door (more on that later). The jazz music is average at best. The singer spends most of his time making small talk with people who tip heavily wanting certain music played. They also do not play for the whole cruise, most of the time it is recorded jazz music. I am trained in music, and performed on stage, and I know good quality music when I hear it. The jazz was improvisations of the same riffs rather than changing the feel from song to song. The boat is showing its age, with cracking paint and mold in places. The tables on the level we were at consisted of knicked formica tops with lots of chips. As the cruise progressed we noted why this is popular, as the line to the bar was never ending throughout the cruise. That seems to be why people go. The table of younger women next to us had a table of empties by the end. Nature does take its course, and we spent the cruise watching women go to the restroom. As for the sights, you have to remember the city is pretty at night, but you pretty much go down river for 30 minutes, and the city is out of sight in about half that. The Mississipi is all business at this juncture, and there is just old docks, and tons of shipping to watch. Going back up river is against the current and takes the other 90 minutes of the cruise. I expect more out of a $100 boat ride (two tix). It is worth maybe $25 a person in its current form, if you aren't a drinker who won't notice redundant and repetitive jazz music.

We booked the dinner and jazz cruise but shortly after boarding (while trying to eat dinner) the power failed and we sat in the dark for at least 10 mins. Shortly afterwards they announced that the boat could not leave the dock, so we could eat and listen to music but not get to cruise the river. We were told we could call the booking office to request a partial refund (for the cruise portion only). Very disappointing.

For $40 per person you can say you've rolled down the Mississippi! Not only that, but you've got a fabulous tour guide full of facts and history about NOLA, the Battle of Chalmette and the Mississippi River itself. It was a beautiful, warm day to be on the river and we sure did roll along. The only stop was at Chalmette Battlefield, to see cannons get shot off and for me to jump out of my skin. Lol We didn't do the buffet or food option because as vegans we just didn't see value in it. But the deck had plenty of room to stand and take in the views. It was a really lovely day out for a few hours and relaxing being on the water. Also a bit of a different perspective of NOLA.

This was such a lovely brunch boat ride!! The boat ride is 1.5 hours on the Mississippi River One important thing to note to get you to the CORRECT boat launch on time! This company offers two boats: The Creole Queen and The Natchez. They both launch from the Riverwalk area downtown, so it's easy to confuse the two! However, they're on opposite sides of the aquarium. The Creole Queen is closer to the Riverwalk Mall and it's a smaller boat. The Natchez launches closer to Jackson square, and it's the larger boat. There is almost 3/4 of a mile in between the two, so if you go to the wrong one, you'll be walking a good 10-15 minutes to the other one. Remember, the boats will leave on time without you! The boat ride itself is a leisurely ride, so it's very smooth with no turbulence. I didn't feel any swaying while I was on the boat at all. It's perfect if you want to enjoy a short boat ride, but you tend to get seasickness! I can't imagine anyone getting sick on this boat! It's pretty scenic too, you get to see our downtown area and the West Bank from an angle you typically don't get to enjoy. All while listening to live jazz music and enjoying great food (if you pay for the food option!). We went for their weekend brunch cruise and the food was fantastic! There were your typical brunch fares, but they also had some New Orleans specialties that were delicious as well! It's buffet style, so you can eat as much as your heart desires! They have waitstaff to check on you and refill your water, but the booze is at the bar (and you must pay for each drink separately from the food). I've been told the menu changes, so you may get to eat different items than I did, but for food, they had: *BBQ shrimp and grits (OMG, this was amazing, I ate 4 or 5 bowls!) *Gumbo (sausage, no seafood) with rice *Bread pudding dessert *Bacon *Eggs *Creamed collar greens *Sausage *French toast *Home fries This was just super nice. Highly recommend. Really worth the money and a wonderful relaxing way to start off a weekend! Just a tip, Groupon can save you $5-$15 off each ride, so you could always check Groupon for deals! You just have to call the Creole Queen to make a reservation after you receive your Groupon voucher.

The food was good and dessert was even better , the whole setup was awesome went with my lady and I will say definitely bring a jacket as it gets cold and breezy on that water. Drinks were kinda expensive but we definitely enjoy the live jazz band and music. The food options weren't extensive and honestly I could have just went with the no dinner option and went out afterward. Definitely great value all around though and relaxing

Worst jazz cruise ever. No live jazz! Buffett was sold out; not sure I would have wanted to eat a Buffett in NOLA anyway. They advertise food a la carte - warning, that's potato chips. And they don't allow you to bring food on board. Storytelling is also advertised, but that amounted to safety announcements. But they do serve really overpriced drinks. All in all, a joyful experience (sarcasm intended).

We took the afternoon cruise. We had eaten a late lunch at the Riverwalk mall so we did not choose the lunch option. We were boarded quickly at 1:30 and appreciated the air conditioning after the balmy heat outside. We found a table for four near a window. While traveling toward the battlefield for the Battle of New Orleans, we were given an extremely engaging narration of the colorful history of New Orleans. As a sidenote, the narrator on board the ship also has a podcast called Storied History. On the ship, he identified himself as Charles. We decided to track that one down because we enjoyed listening to him so much. We docked and got off the boat, which was optional. They make a point that you can remain on the boat if you wish. We then could go to a museum and or listen to a Park Ranger explain the battle that took place there. It was an interesting museum. There is a minimal gift shop also on the grounds. We enjoyed looking around, but when we returned to the boat, our table was no longer available, and the only place left to sit was outside. So just know that if you choose to go on tour of the battlefield, you have no guarantee of sitting back where you were. This was the only downside that we experienced, as it was very hot outside. However, as we were already outside, this is where was provided a narration of Hurricane Katrina and its after effects. He has family in the area, was clearly affected by what happened there, and told very interesting heartbreaking stories leading up to the residents reclaiming their city and making it even better. We would highly recommend this tour. It was fun to ride on a riverboat, and the narration was outstanding.

The Paddlewheeler dinner boat cruise wasn't all that I expected. The food menu was not appealing and the music was very mediocre. I am assuming we chose the wrong day or time because I read some pretty good reviews but my friends and I were not impressed. Also, there was a lot of construction taking place and getting to the boat was difficult for a lot of patrons. Communication about that should be handled better in the future. On the contrary, we enjoyed the view that the Creole Queen provided, staff were nice and the drinks were hitting! So it was still a great night to sail in the Mississippi River.

Wasn't sure what to expect from this jazz cruise as this type of activity can be pretty hit or miss, but the Creole Queen was definitely a hit! This paddle boat was beautiful, and they had a wonderful jazz band playing on the top deck throughout the entire cruise on the Mississippi. We ended up paying for the dinner package, and it was totally worth it! They do a creole buffet, and all the food is so delicious. It was like an extra $45/person (or somewhere in that range) to upgrade to dinner, and I would totally recommend it. Dinner, though, only includes water for beverages. Anything else is available for purchase, and they are a cash only bar (for both alcohol and non-alcohol), so make sure to bring cash with you! Our ride wasn't that crowded (I don't know if this is how they normally are or not), but we had no problem finding good places to sit and enjoy the view of the Mississippi. The sunset was beautiful, the ride was relaxing, and you could hear the jazz music wherever you were. 100% recommend while in New Orleans.

If you're in NOLA you have to go on this cruise at night! We didn't get the meal, we just went for the cruise. I can't say how much we enjoyed it! Relaxing, good music and beautiful to see the city at night from the Mississippi. What a great way to spend an evening in NOLA!

This is a great experience and you can learn a ton about New Orleans history! Charles is the amazing narrator and keeps you engaged. Fantastic experience!

I would like to give 5stars to Tyjai. She was an amazing Server, with a personality through the roof. She made us all feel the Southern Hospitality that we were looking for. Her conversation is contagious. Such great leadership qualities.

Super cute party venue in NOLA. Attended a large event here. It was enjoyable and the perfect place for a large party. There were many bars that were all busy, but the bartenders did a great job keeping up. If you have a chance to attend an event on the Creole Queen, I highly recommend it.

Great nighttime River Boat cruise on the muddy Mississippi with dinner and music. Food was plentiful and very good, nice indoor dining area. Drinks were reasonable and the staff pleasant and helpful. Very nice evening, within walking distance of the Marriott Hotel on Canal St.

It's really hard to put a review here but we were expecting to have some kind of commentary tour guide tells us a bit of history but none. We did enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and the jazz band was good. We didn't eat dinner. The sunset is beautiful and just enjoyed the 2 hour ride. It was very hot and having AC really helped us enjoy the experience. There was a bar with different drink options and a menu to order food.

Creole Queen paddwheeler A relaxing cruise around the Mississippi River! It was really hot on the day my family and I went, and we sat outside on the top level for the first half of the trip. They take you to the Chalmette battlefield where you can get out and explore. It was too hot for me so I got off to take a quick picture and hopped right back on the boat. For the second half of the cruise we sat inside where it was nice and chilly. They had free iced water which helped us stay cool and hydrated. The tour guide had a lot of great stories to tell us, and he was also very informative about anything and everything you could want to do in New Orleans. I don't remember his name but he was walking around answering questions and giving recommendations for people at the end of the boat ride. The experience was 2 hours which gave the perfect amount of time for a nice rest and a break from walking. This was part of our GoCity pass which definitely paid off for us.

Amazing all around Great food We had a full dinner Charles is awesome Coming back again Epic experience

Great date night idea on a hot summer evening! We did the jazz cruise with dinner. Several cash bars are available. *Arrive early to ensure you have time to exchange your ticket at the booth and get a window seat for dinner. The buffet was okay with traditional New Orleans cuisine--gumbo, mac and cheese, red beans and rice, and chicken and roast beef debris for proteins. The roast beef was extremely dry. The best part of my meal was the Caesar salad and mac and cheese. For the price, I'd say you're better off eating dinner somewhere else and just booking the cruise. The highlight of course was the actual cruise, with live band playing upstairs from the dining area and stunning city views at sunset into the night.

What makes the historic cruise truly remarkable is the on-board storyteller, Charles Chestnutt. He is not only well versed in his topics but his delivery is polished and delightful. It is a pleasure to listen to such a well-crafted story. We enjoyed our excursion immensely largely due to his efforts.

This was one of my favorite excisions we did while in Nola! The buffet is a good way to get to try a lot of the staples without having to order a full size entree. The jambalaya was my favorite of the evening but all the food was great. There was Caesar salad, beans, mashed potato's, chicken, seasoned corn side dish, gumbo and probably other things I'm forgetting. You get to eat as soon as you come on board and you finish it off with some super moist amazing bread pudding. We spent the rest of the time outside on the deck to take in the views, sunset and beautiful weather. The bartender was also very heavy handed

Not worth the money. If you want an experience ambience and decent food then this is your boat. Paid through Groupon for dinner and jazz. You get in line only to go to another line so you can get paper tickets. The paper tickets hold your table. We asked if we could eat later. They said no problem come back at 7:30. We came back to an empty dining room. Food was decent. But buffer style.

This was the sort of touristy thing that I didn't do while I lived in New Orleans, but as a visitor, it gives a nice view of the city. I didn't get the history tour, but I did get old school jazz playing live on the top floor of the boat, as well as a scenic view with the sun setting in the background. My tour took me to the Chalmette battlefield and back, and it was interesting to see parts of New Orleans I'd experienced up close from afar. The cuisine they offered didn't seem that vegetarian-friendly, but frankly I wouldn't have had much interest in it regardless, as I am inclined to find the niche local food that dreams are made of at every opportunity. But to get a light breeze on a balmy night while getting a broad view of the city was an experience worth having.

Due to construction and a food festival, it took us a while to find the entrance. We had to stand in line because it was recommended that we get there 30 minutes before the boarding time. Once on board, we found a couple of seats at a table on the upper deck where we could see the live band. We did not pay for the buffet. The Hurricane they made was tasty. The river is not very scenic on the way out. It's more scenic on the return trip when you see the New Orleans sky line.

We've previously been to NOLA and stayed in a hotel that over-looked the Mississippi River, so we saw the paddlewheel boats and thought it would be interesting to try them. When planning for this trip, I read reviews about the Creole Queen and thought this looked like a really nice excursion. A concern I had is I hate being a "tourist" and doing "touristy" things when I visit cities, mostly because I grew up traveling to many international cities and staying with relatives with the ability to see everything from the inside, rather than having to be a tourist. But I have to say, regardless of your feelings/thoughts about the typical tourist (and there were plenty of them on this boat trip!), this trip was worth it! The narrator on our trip was Charles, who's a local and history buff and has the most impressive way of describing the area's history, as well as fun facts as we paddled on the River. We especially loved the Chalmette Battlefield portion, where he told us about the war fought in that field. Highly recommend giving this particular paddlewheel boat trip a try!