Steamboat NATCHEZ - Official Site

Great experience! Lots of seating on all decks, has a gift shop, 3 bar areas, bathrooms and friendly staff! Start to finish: My mom & I walked down the riverwalk from Caesars to the Natchez. We stood in line for about a half hour before boarding. We found a small table on the main deck and sat there taking in the views and breezes. We tried one of their non-alcoholic jazzy punches and it was yummy. We were part of the 7:45 dinner (even tho I had signed up for the first one) but I am actually very glad we were on second dinner. We explored the boat, visited the gift shop, took in all the views then we were ready for our dinner. The food was absolutely AMAZING! Our waiter, Wilton, was awesome. He was quick and friendly. It started down pouring the last 30 minutes of the ride and that’s why I’m glad we were on second dinner. Staff let us all hang out in the dining hall until we docked and were ready to leave. Was a fun experience and can’t wait to do it again with my husband when we come back.

What a fun experience! Our ride on the steamboat Natchez was fun, engaging, and informative. After boarding, we were able to find a spot at the back of the boat on the top deck to sit and enjoy the ride. While enjoying the landmarks we passed, a historian was announcing information about different places and landmarks we passed. We also were able to enjoy some authentic New Orleans food as well as jazz music. Would definitely recommend this experience if you are visiting New Orleans.

We really enjoyed this dinner cruise. Got to the boat at 630pm; enjoyed the afternoon views of the river. The steamboat took off around 7pm and the cruise 🚢 guide was really calm and informative. Headed down to dinner around 745pm. It was a buffet; I enjoyed the prime steak. Came back for seconds. Then we went up the boat to listen to the live jazz band - they were fantastic! So much energy. The sunset cruise was fantastic. Saw the night skyline of city.

Left in a timely manner, staff was very helpful when needed. Boat was clean and looked in great shape. Definitely worth doing, just to relax for a couple hours. We didn't do the dinner, just chilled along the side of the boat (2nd level) with a couple of cold drinks and a nice breeze. The breeze was a big change from the taint soup weather, the rest of the day was.

It was an awesome experience, once. Great information shared by the captain as we made our way up and down in Mississippi. Dinner food quality was average. Service was very good. Unfortunately, rain storm made all the outside seats, wet, and there was no easy way to dry them off.. Overall, if we were visiting again with new people, we would do the tour again, but probably just the tour and not dinner.

It was a beautiful cruise and food was decent, but the music was a little too loud for our family. We all know NOLA about jazz, but I’m someone who enjoys a peaceful and relaxing cruise. The sunset cruise by far was the best and captain was so kind. It’s always nice being on the water I just wish that had an area where the music wasn’t so loud, that I had to yell so my guest could hear me. It’s also very full cruise with over 200 people and there’s no reserved sitting other than dinner.

We had such a wonderful time cruising down the Mississippi River on the Steamboat Natchez. Our tour guide was celebrating his birthday and knew EVERYTHING about New Orleans. The ride was smooth and the meal we were served was pure southern comfort! The kids enjoyed touring the steamboat engines and learning about how the steamboat came to be. There was a lovely jazz band that played for most of the cruise with plenty to see and do. The biggest highlight was the steam organ - what an incredible sound that made! We could have shortened the trip a bit, but overall it was a great experience.

A fun day-time tour. Lasted just long enough to be satisfying without getting boring. Way overpriced drinks (non-alcoholic punch) but otherwise a delightful experience. Great guide introducing what we passed on either bank and dropped in facts about the river. Could skip the incredibly loud and out of tune organ bit at the beginning. It lasted way too long while we waited to board and was unpleasant.

Come hungry--portion sizes are huge! The food was better than expected. The cornbread and bread pudding were amazing, though I thought the catfish was a bit over-seasoned. The party package includes 3 drinks per person, which was a nice surprise. Great spot to kick back and enjoy the small but talented live jazz band--perfect for a chill midday activity. This steamboat cruise is a must if you're visiting New Orleans.

Glad we booked the lunch package. The steamboat was an amazing experience cruising the Mississippi River. We learned a lot about the river and the boat. Boarding started at 11, the boat started cruising at 11.30 am sharp. We chose to have lunch at 12.15 which was perfect timing because the weather was so hot so we were glad that we could spent the last hour of the cruise inside the dining room enjoying our lunch and the live jazz band. Reading the reviews, I was very skeptical about the food but to our surprise, the food was actually very good! We really enjoyed the whole experience and will definitely recommend this!

The boat ride was nice but I recommend you skip the dinner. The chicken and beef were way overcooked and dry. Between spinach was mostly cream, and they were out of two of the other food items. Although, most of the food was on the buffet, the servers brought drinks and soup but failed to do so for our table. On the second go round we did find the other items but they were cold. I recommend you save your money and have dinner at a nice restaurant in town.

It was a windy day but the boat still felt calm and didn't have too much side to side activity. I really enjoyed the band that was on board. They were so tight and in a groove that I initially thought it was a cd. Props to them sounding so good and playing many New Orleans inspired tunes. Some of the views are amazing! You get a perspective of the city that is unattainable from any other place besides from the river. I would recommend this tour for sure. It is informative and a good way to see the city. They have drinks and some food options although the drinks are a little pricey. The price is fair for what you get. The steam organ is haunting. Iykyk

We love boat tours, and try to find one anytime we travel near water. We've done an architecture cruise in Chicago, a sightseeing cruise around the island of Manhattan, and now a jazz cruise along the Mississippi (April 5 at 6pm). We opted not to purchase dinner tickets so we could more casually enjoy the music & the sights. Seats on the jazz deck got picked over quickly, but we managed to snag a table as we wanted to be close to the music. The experience, however, was diminished by our fellow passengers and the lack of oversight by the crew. Instead of enjoying the music, most of the jazz deck folks felt the need to nearly shout over the music so they could engage in conversation. When the musicians took a pause, it was still loud enough that it was impossible to hear the captain as he offered brief narration of some of the sights via the loudspeaker. It was odd and disappointing. There were also people actively smoking & vaping on the "non-smoking" vessel, but again... no crew in sight to do anything about it. We paid $122.33 for two tickets (no dinner service) and an additional ~$30-40 for 1 glass of wine, 1 cocktail, and concession-style nachos. While I enjoyed being able to see NOLA by water and witnessing firsthand the impressive Mississippi, I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in either architectural/historical narration or jazz music. It's an expensive date when both are impossible to hear and enjoy.

The boat is kind of cool and I enjoyed the history component but the views from the water are boring. It goes by a diesel refinery, which smells bad but is kind of fascinating. The food was TERRIBLE. I ate mostly dinner rolls and a little pasta just so I wouldn't go hungry. The bread pudding was alright. Idk how they managed to dry out a chicken thigh that bad -- it was inedible. I would have just eaten a giant Caesar salad if given the chance because it was at least decent. They turn the dining room over very quickly for the next group, so you have to rush your meal. The horn on the boat gets sounded multiple times. I was so startled and overstimulated by it the first time, hated it. Had to cover my ears. Uhhh don't waste your time or money on this unless you REALLY like boats?

Had high hopes for this steamboat cruise based on reviews, but it was only meh. Paid for the buffet lunch but they only had one seating and it wasn't a buffet. They brought you your plate and it didn't have a salad as advertised. The staff was busy trying to sell you stuff from their gift shop and tacky staged photos taken of your group as you boarded. The boat traveled down the Mississippi but you really only saw freighters and very little skyline. Only fun parts were the pianist who played on the ship's steam piano as you waited to board and the jazz band in the dining room. The captain/host spoke most of the time while we traveled and didn't stop to take a breath. It would have been nice to have a few periods of quiet to enjoy the scenery.

This review is for both the food and the experience. I've done the Jazz dinner cruise twice now and here are my thoughts! The cruise begins with a tour of the river. After about an hour of this, you're seated for dinner while a local band plays jazz. The music is great, but I feel like the performers aren't quite what you'd find on Frenchman street. Perhaps they were just a bit fatigued from a day of performing, but I felt like they could have had a bit more energy. It was more music than performance. There's a dance floor, but nobody was encouraged to come up and dance and with the tight schedule nobody seemed compelled to. The food is SURPRISINGLY good. While I wouldn't say it's the best bite in town, it's more than satisfying enough, and with the buffet style serving, you can really get your money's worth. The cornmeal fried chicken was excellent. The prime rib was a bit dry, but it could have been my cut, and with the provided sauce it was fine. The sides were the standout actually, the sweet potatoes being the dish I went back for seconds! I also appreciated the salad and gumbo to start, both super tasty and a welcome start as soon as we were seated. That said, my second time I didn't realize the price had jumped from $50 to $100 per person. I guess the price differs based on the day. While I 100% think it's a great deal for $50, I think it definitely does not live up to a $100 price tag. If it's your first time in New Orleans, I definitely suggest doing this activity. If you're returning, it might be better to wait on the lower pricing if available.

This was a great cruise on the mighty Mississippi. We had a New Orleans-themed buffet dinner that was hit and miss. Two of us really liked the creamed spinach and roast beef with horseradish sauce. Another favorite was the seafood mac and cheese. The bread pudding dessert was a bit underwhelming. The boat has a 1200 person capacity and if even half of those ate dinner, the industrial kitchen cranked out a pretty good meal. The star of the evening was the boat ride to a background of live jazz. A commentary of what we were seeing proceeded the music with a lot of facts and figures that showcased the importance of the river, and not just to New Orleans. We cruised back at sunset and the views were wonderful. The whole experience ran like a well-oiled machine, especially true considering the 100 year-old steam powered engines that operate the 50 year-old paddle wheel. The dinner service had at least two seatings, maybe even three, but it moved along seamlessly. Even the boarding and disembarking was smooth. I recommend this cruise as a must do when you visit here.

Party of 4 paid for a dinner cruise...no alcohol....with tax was just over 450.00. Live Jazz was nice but when piped into the speakers for the rest of the boat was so loud you couldn't talk at the table without yelling. Most of what we saw was industrial. Dinner buffet was touted as award winning..WOULD NOT RECOMMEND YOU SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY. Bowl of salad on the table to share-lettuce and croutons only with unknown dressing on top- my husband doesn't like dressing so was a no for him. Served a small cup of "gumbo" which tasted like it had sausage only and too salty to enjoy. Buffet food served lukewarm-creamed spinach was cold. Bar is available for purchase. BEST thing about dinner was the friendly staff. I would spend your money elsewhere...definitely not worth the money.

Upon arrival we were promptly seated at our requested window table in the middle of the dining room right side. We were offered water and tea or soda. We were instructed to go to the rear of the boat's bar if we wanted alcoholic beverages. As I was waiting to order I realized there was only 1 bartender (later during my tour of the boat I found bars on the other two levels) so the wait was lengthy. Upon returning to my table we were instructed to serve ourselves when ready. The food: Simply horrible and not worth the price Chicken was dry Green beans chewy and flavorless Gumbo tasted burnt Jambalaya was a red rice no meat or seafood Cesar salad meh No dessert or coffee Ambiance: Lively with live Jazz band certainly set the tone for a pleasant evening The dining room was freezing cold so we stayed outside as much as possible I would definitely recommend taking the Jazz afternoon and or evening cruise but skip the meal. Not worth the extra money

I was really looking forward to the evening jazz cruise but left feeling somewhat disappointed. The incredibly loud & kinda creepy calliope music was pretty annoying...and did I mention loud?? Boarding was on time. The food was meh-nothing really stood out. This definitely wasn't a good representation of New Orleans cuisine. The band was good, however very crowded & limited seating & honestly unless you were near them, difficult to hear. Speaking of difficult to hear, it was impossible to hear the narrator unless you were sitting inside-which really defeats the purpose. My advice, skip the food, don't expect to see much at night, and either sit indoors to hear the narration or near the band to hear the music.

This jazz steamboat cruise was relaxing. As we cruised down the Mississippi River, we learned about the history of buildings and landmarks that sat along the Mississippi. Once the informational part ended, we were graced with the sounds of a jazz quartet that was great! They played classic jazz hits. The cruise crew was so nice and very friendly. The cruise lasted about 2 hours.

Horrible not the same as it used to be, why the sad faces? Monotone voices like , please, thank you robots, was NOT enjoyable. They used to make stop at a plantain, nothing but factories with dozens of smoke stack, very disturbing took at, very disturbing ride, the voice on the loudspeaker kept saying AX, instead of ask. NOT enjoyable in the slightest. . Will not come back. .

The Natchez Steamboat is big--so expect a bit of a cattle-herding experience when boarding. The line gets long and intimidating, but with that many people, it's just part of the deal. I've done the dinner cruise before, and honestly, the food is pretty bland, and the captain's history tour is hard to hear over the crowd and less-than-stellar speakers. That said, the vibes are great, and if you've never been to New Orleans or Louisiana, this is one of those must-do experiences. There's something idyllic about the Southern Louisiana sun on a warm spring afternoon while chugging along the river--it's a moment worth having. So let's be real--you're not here for the food or the history lesson. You're here for the vibes, and in that regard, the steamboat absolutely delivers.

1k review! Did the Natchez cruise. We did weekday (Friday) cruise, sightseeing only without the lunch. We weren't sure we'd want the food, and honestly were good without after seeing it (we are a bit picky on what we want to eat, so a fixed menu was not in our cards). The cruise itself was memorable. Best drink (we had a few) was the Cajun Bloody Mary. This was a good 2 hour cruise for the money, including done narration of history and events of NOLA, and we saved by not doing the lunch and getting a snack beforehand.

Smooth ride on this large passenger paddle boat We listened to some live jazz music at the beginning of the trip and again at the end. In between was a guide explaining ing the various sights we were going by. We did the 7-9pm and the city views were very pretty lit up at night. It was nice to take a break from all the walking and relax and enjoy the views.

This is a beautiful and romantic riverboat ride that the whole family can enjoy! The employees are incredibly friendly. You can sit outside and enjoy the river or you can head inside to protect yourself from the elements. I would highly recommend signing up for the lunch or dinner. Not only is it delicious, but a live jazz band plays while you eat.

This is a nice way to kick off your afternoon. - 2 hour ride - Live Jazz music - Food served (we didn't order) - Bar - we had a couple if spicy bloody Mary's This is more of an industrial tour where you will see ports, sugar plants, and areas impacted by hurricane Katrina.

What a fun way to spend a Sunday morning! Wonderful buffet brunch. Excellent service by the whole staff. The jazz musicians were terrific, local artists. Loved the whole experience.

Food was bad.. avoid at all cost. It rained had.. there was few spots to avoid getting drenched.. All the indoors spots were dry but they cranked AC too high !! Not much to see..also ..when you get half way .. it smells horrible .. Save your money...

All the stars are for the actual steamboat. It's a big beautiful vessel and fun to be on. It is a tourist trap though. I call it a tourist trap coz there's nothing as such to see. It's just a boat ride and it's fine if that's what you want. There was a jazz band on board which was okish. There was a buffet for those who opted but nothing was veg so we didn't partake. We spent about $100 for 2. It was worth more like max $50 for the boatride.

We took an afternoon sightseeing cruise on the Natchez during our New Orleans visit. The boarding process was pretty easy, the ship was well maintained, and they offered drinks, snacks and souvenirs for sale on board. The boiler room and engine room were both open for viewing for those that were curious/interested. The seats on deck were wrought iron and a little uncomfortable. It was windy, so occasionally a chair would get in a crosswind and fly across the deck. They played jazz during the cruise and the trip was narrated. Unfortunately, the sights you see along this section of the Mississippi River weren't very scenic - a lot of barges and industrial sites. My advice - take the lunch or dinner jazz cruise to enjoy the food and the jazz. It's not very appealing for sightseeing.

I attended a private event on the Steamboat Natchez and it was awesome! My husband's company did a full buyout so the entire boat was filled with employees as part of the evening activity of their work conference. We got to do a fun second line from the hotel to the boat! Once on the boat, there were multiple levels to explore. The buffet was set up on the second floor and there were multiple food areas to prevent congestion. There were also bars on multiple floors and they had a large variety of drink options! Service was excellent. The staff was so friendly and attentive. I really loved that the boat ride was incredibly smooth. Even though it was a windy day, the boat ride wasn't choppy and it was quite peaceful. It was nice to enjoy the scenery from the outside decks.

This was so much fun! The guide had a lot of knowledge! New Orleans has so much history you'll find this tour very interesting if you like history. This is the only steamboat on the Mississippi River here in New Orleans. That makes it even more spectacular! The Cruise and dinner option is the way to go! We did the first sitting for dinner so we had dinner before the steamboat even left the dock. Which to me means I had more time to see the sights on the water than inside. The food is buffet style. They had stuff from seafood Mac & cheese, fried chicken, rice, prime rib and so much more! Their cocktails are good and the have a full bar. That isn't included in your dinner. They also do not add an automatic gratuity for the dinner or drinks. Another really neat thing is that you are invited and really encouraged to check out the engine room. It was beautiful and fascinating too!

I've always loved the Steamboat Natchez!! When I was a kid, I would always ride w| family. I also remember hearing the lovely tune every single day in the Quarter coming from the river. I attended elementary school on Royal only a few blocks away. There is so much nostalgia when it comes to the Natchez. There is a full bar + food options on the Natchez. I love the live band which plays daily. It's so soothing to ride up the Mississippi River on the boat, especially during sunset. This is the perfect thing to add on to your to-do list when visiting New Orleans. Or even enjoying it as a native, like me!

This was such a fun tour....from the Calliope concert prior to boarding the steamboat.... to the many options for seating, inside, outside, front or back... to the old timey jazz band inside... to the engine room with real actual and original steamboat inner workings.... to the narration of the area and history... to the steamboat paddlewheel.... I tell you what - one of the most fun things I did in NOLA! It's about the last true fully steam functioning steamboat out there... Go tour the engine room, speak with the engineers, listen to the music, enjoy the fresh air, it is truly a treat! I would do this every time! Don't miss the Calliope concert before boarding - it's such a true timeless fun part of the trip that you will always remember (and it might take you back to Steamboat Willy times...Mickey Mouse)

C'mon, you have to do this! It's the only steamboat experience down the ol Miss (only one powered by steam, that is). It's a little trip back in time and such a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. I've taken the same ride three times now and I imagine I'll do it again. It's just one of those quintessential "be a tourist in your home town" experiences. My family was recently in town and my father is 82, so all that walking can take its toll. He is in great shape, walked miles on some days, but he was happy for a more chill afternoon spent sitting at one of the tables that line the decks of the boat. The weather was perfect for us, but there's plenty of inside space should it be too hot (likely) or too cold. You do get a nice breeze out there. There's traditional New Orleans food available but I've been told it's not that good. There's nothing vegetarian, no less vegan, so I'd skip it anyway. Drink prices are fair enough. You're really here for the experience and probably want to get a decent lunch before or after rather than make it a lunch cruise. Pro tip: they want you to line up a half hour early but that's probably going to be out in the elements so just make sure you get there 15 minutes before the boat leaves and the line moves quickly once they start letting people in. I applaud the considerate, patient staff out there! It's great that they have a good amount of people working the line.

Very nice boat tour to learn about the history of New Orleans / the Mississippi River. We were able to get good deals on tickets on Groupon. There is a bar on the boat, bathrooms, a gift shop, and a place to buy food. You can also select a ticket that comes with the food but we opted out. They have a jazz band on board that plays music. Very fun experience

This is a nice cruise on a big boat. The boat is clean with plenty of places to sit. I didn't have the meal so won't comment on that, but you can buy some meal items onboard if you get hungry. There are several bars to buy beverages which are reasonably priced. The sites are well described by a narrator and you can hear clearly throughout the boat. It's not the most visually interesting tour you'll find, but it was a welcome change from walking around the French Quarter on a nice day. Tip- make sure you check out the engine room on the first level toward the front of the boat.

Decided at the last minute to take a cruise on the steamboat for lunch. I think it was about 60/pp for about a 2-hour ride. Lunch was OK. Was served red beans and rice, dirty rice, fried fish along with corn bread, and bread pudding. I didn't care for the red beans and rice. For drinks, water, tea, and coffee. During the ride we got a little history of Louisiana as well as view of the steamboat in action.

Halloween Birthday celebration cruise in New Orleans, was amazing. Short Summary: 2 hour dinner cruise really good food, really music. Two flaws was the gumbo which is the staple of NOLA was not good at all, and we did not get to take a photo with the lifesaver logo. Detail Summary: We arrived 40 minutes late. We were happy to find a close upfront parking which was additional cost. The host advise us to hurry and check if we can dine-in on the second session. Viewing the lifesaving tire photo opportunity, I figured we can do this afterward, once we dock and unload. (I had NO idea that was NOT an option. We were greeted by the dining room host, she was confirm that we could dine in on the second session, and if we were to continue with our current reservations we will have to exit by 7:20pm Which gave us about 25-30 mins to eat. My date didn't want to wait an hour to dine, so we continue with our reservations. Seating was pretty full inside, tables were dressed with black lien table cloths, and salad bowls place for starters. My friend went straight into the buffet. He said the chicken thighs was perfectly fried and seasoned. I really love the crawfish étouffée, cajun pasta, and spinach dip, all those were amazing! The sweet tea was heaven sent. I really love that the drinks were in plastic logo cups that you can collect a lid and take it with you. You also get a dessert of bread pudding. Which was just okay. It was my second time have bread pudding. New Orleans Food and Spirits was much better which was my first time trying bread pudding. (yes I'm 36 & black and I never had bread pudding. Everyone is so shocked. LOL) flaws- Fried chicken thighs were gone, didn't get to try them. Gumbo- the waitress passed out a cup per person. It was NOT good at all. NO flavor no tomato hint notes at all. The roux was a dark black and the flavor was a bland, but it was spicy. It contains beef sausages so my table guest couldn't indulge. I didn't complete mines, and I really tried giving the price we paid. I didn't even touch his, which I told our server I'll take his cup. The gumbo was a chicken and sausage mistake. Second deck seats was all wet and the chair was facing the rails. Jazz music was pure AMAZING. Defiantly authentic sounds of the south. They were some Caucasian Cajuns that sound soulful and black. We LOVED every tune that was performed by the live band. seating was very limited in the live performance area. A suggestion maybe remove some of the tables and add more seating. I wish I could have enjoyed this way more than I did. Maybe offer reserve seating for the jazz club area, for special guest who celebrating special occasions. I hear it was 3 Halloween babies on the cruise, me being one, and I met the other Halloween queen. Everyone energy was bubbly and enjoyable. I didn't explore the lower deck, Didn't receive any reminder about it. I received more compliments on my dress than anything. Which made me feel special. Once the boat docked I was expecting to capture a photo of the logo lifesaving float and to our surprise it was completely gone! And when I asked about it, the photo staff member told me it's not there anymore and that I could take photo with my own phone. (she's the only sourness I felt) LOL. Oh okay ma'am You can take a souvenir photo for $50 purchase. Looks like one 8 x 10 photo. Overall It was amazing, I would suggest arrive on time. I'm happy that the boat take a bit of time before leaving the dock. Like an hour about the start time. It was a lovely experience and I would definitely do it again on a special celebration.

The staff of the iconic Steamboat Natchez have hospitality down pat. They are all friendly, efficient and fun and want guests to enjoy themselves. Kudos to the two amazing Stephanies who waited on my husband and I recently - they couldn't have been sweeter. Great food (and plenty of it) : beef, fried chicken, pasta, spinach, gumbo, corn, bread pudding...you get the picture! The Dukes of Dixieland played two terrific sets and even had a bunch of us dancing in the end! A great time.

While the Sunday buffet and Spring Fling options are worthwhile for the overall cost savings and experience they offer, the table service is abbreviated at best. You really have to retrieve your own cocktails from the bar since the dining area is chaotic. The buffet area is a bit of a cattle call. Great views of the Mississippi and the life Jazz performances are excellent. Read the terms of any dining or drink package that you purchase because the bar is TIGHT on pricing of any soft drinks or juices. Pretty poor customer service on that considering that I had to get my own drinks for the table. The picture package was $38, and would have more takers if it was around the $15 to $25 range.

This was just about exactly the experience I expected, which is the reason for my rating. The sunset cruise was gorgeous and I'm very glad I got to experience this. The jazz musicians were awesome! The boat was very crowded and they really packed people on. The food was okay, but not excellent. What you'd expect with a buffet.

Wow. We really enjoyed this. We did the sessional dinner party package. Had an assigned table, with your name on it, and got three alcoholic drinks include. Def worth it if you plan to have 1-3 drinks. The staff was very friendly, from checking in, to Photo Booth, our waitress, and the folks selling the photos. The boat was clean, and the bartenders were friendly. The boat had plenty of room, great scenery from all angles of the boat. Def recommend.

Me and my husband decided to do the jazz lunch cruise for our anniversary and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was buffet style and we enjoyed the bread pudding, the fried fish, and the gumbo. The tour and scenery was marvelous! I also got a memento from the gift shop. My husband is not one to be on boats, but he loved it as well.

I really don't have much to say about this boat tour. We literally fell asleep on the ride back. It's $50 per person without dinner. The tour takes you 30 mins up the edge of the mississippi. There is nothing exciting to see except for the mill where Domino's sugar is made. Everything is industrial with tug boats pushing metal up and down the corridor. The narration was monotone and the banjo band was reminiscent of the beverly hillbillies. There was a bar on board, if you are a drinker. In my opinion, the value is just not there.

Beautiful experience in the Mississippi. Perfect for family time on a lazy day! I might not go for the luncheon option next time and just eat ala carte from the kitchen.

The Monday night band is 10/10 the atmosphere, food and staff were absolutely incredible. The history I learned about the Mississippi River makes me want more. Couldn't have asked for a better birthday dinner

My mom and I booked the jazz lunch cruise for Monday afternoon. The day before I received an email that the cruise was canceled due to maintenance. We happened to be in the area for a different tour so we stopped at the ticket booth to reschedule for a different day, and the attendant offered in her own words "the exact same thing just on a different boat". We agreed and later when I received the booking confirmation lo and behold it wasn't even close to the same thing. She had booked us on a historical cruise where half of the time you were walking around a memorial, not even on the boat. I called the support line and told them we wanted to relax on the boat and enjoy the music, not walk around a memorial. The attendant seriously told me "just don't get off the boat". I do not in fact want to sit on the boat just waiting at the dock, I booked for a river cruise. After going back and forth she finally agreed to rebook our original cruise on a different day (what we originally asked for after it was canceled). Fast forward to cruise day, we wait in line for 30 minutes in a unconditioned, stagnant air tent and finally get up to have our tickets scanned only to be pulled from line and told we had an outstanding balance. We go back to the ticket stand, where the employee takes a solid 5 minutes just to look up my name, and spends 10 more minutes fixing my ticket because it was entered properly when they rebooked it. We ended up being the last people on the boat and had to wait an extra 15 minutes (cutting into our scheduled lunch time) just to wait for the attendant to fix their own mistake. All the food was dry and had no flavor, but we did enjoy the boat itself. They only played jazz for half the trip which was extremely disappointing as we specifically wanted music while we had lunch.

What a fun experience! The Dukes of Dixie were phenomenal and the buffet was great. The boarding process was a little confusing to the 70+ people in our group but everyone had a good time.

Nothing says New Orleans like a ln afternoon jazz cruise along the Mississippi! Taking the cruise on an uneventful hot August day ensured that the volume of guests was minimal by comparison with high season. Summer offerings include special meals and live jazz. I particularly enjoyed Captain Mitchell's historical tour. Pro tips: you can bring your own water and food along for the 1.5 hr tour.

If you've done any dining cruise dinners before, the Steamboat Natchez is on par with most of them. Service was friendly and being in New Orleans, the self serve buffet is food based on the region and this review is more about the food. I'm told the food can vary depending on the cooks working that day but the gumbo was the best (not self serve) and then the seafood pasta followed by the potatoes. Since we did a dinner cruise, it is dark and windy outside the dining room but still nice to get outside and see the Mississippi River at night. They offer live music on one end of the dining area and we were on the other end so harder to hear the music. But, if you have a large group, the Natchaz is a good venue for large groups.

On my recent trip to New Orleans, one of my friends booked the Natchez dinner cruise with live jazz for our small group of friends. The trip lasted around 4 hours. The Natchez Steamboat is an old traditional boat that is very beautiful to look at. My friends commented that it looked like something straight out of Tom Sawyer. While we were waiting to board, they played some sort of old pipe organ from the top deck of the ship. It drew attention from those all around. The boarding process was fast and we were given our ticket for our dining table. The dining room had a fun, retroI feel, and so did the bar. The dinner consisted of a cup of gumbo, a buffet featuring fried chicken, some kind of roast beef and a bunch of somewhat southern sides. Dessert was bread pudding. I will agree with my friend when she called the food "edible". The bread pudding was probably my favorite part. However, tickets for the cruise and food were only around $100 per person, so I did not have great expectations. After dinner, we moved to the outdoor deck of the boat and listened to the tour as we floated down the river. I enjoyed a delicious Sazerac from one of the several bars. I think the bar service was good and fast. Later on, we moved to the front of the boat to enjoy the band. It was more like swing music. It was upbeat and fun to dance to. We also enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the front of the boat. I very much enjoyed my experience, but could have done without the dinner. It appears that they have some non-dinner options. The Natchez Steamboat is a good New Orleans experience.

Would you pay $39 for a two hour cruise viewing grimy dock areas and beat up structures along the murky Mississippi? Wife wanted to go on a cruise, whether jungle cruise, swamp cruise, or river cruise. Easiest thing was to go on the river cruise. Purchased tickets online and walked to the boarding docks. Huge line at 11am. Wife thought we were in the wrong line as tickets said Steamboat Natchez. But we were boarding the City of New Orleans. They say the ship can hold 1000 passengers. Took a long time, as had to scan the QR code on everyone's boarding pass cell phone, plus undergo a bag check for weapons. Or was it outside food? They want you to buy their food at inflated prices, just like in the movie theaters. By the time we got on the boat at 11:20am, all the outside chairs on the top three decks were occupied or saved. Ended up sitting on storage cabinets of life vests on the starboard side of the bow on the 4th deck. Once we were on our way, almost got chilled to death by the breeze blowing straight in, despite 73 degree weather under cloudy skies. Commentary on sights and sounds on the opposite side, the New Orleans side, or port side. We did see the Steamboat Natchez, a 200 year old steamboat, undergoing trials after extensive repairs. Our boat was the City of New Orleans, a casino boat, built in the 1990s, but painted to look like another tourist steam boat. No steam from this boat, as powered by dual quiet electric motors turning the paddlewheel in the rear. We didn't purchase food with our tickets. They have an 11am lunch serving and a 1215pm lunch serving, depending on your ticket. $55 for a lunch with river cruise. I've been on enough cruises to know not to buy a meal on the boat. All those one star reviews are about bad food. Halfway through the cruise, a live band started playing on the third deck. Looked around in vain for an empty chair in that area, finally going to the stern of the ship on the 4th deck. Normally you don't want to sit on the stern of the ship, due to aerial fumes from the engine floating your way. Our boat was driven by dual electric motors, and was quiet with no pollutants. Best part of the trip was seeing the modern dock area, with the museums, and even the 70,000 ton 10 deck Marella Discovery Ocean Liner docked, before turning around at the dual cantalever bridge spanning the Mississippi. On the stern of the ship could see both the starboard and port sides of the ship. No breeze here though, so on a hot day you would become as cooked as those hot dogs they were serving. By the way if you are really cheap and want to cruise the river, take the ferry. Only $2.

I would describe this as an experience of old times when you would travel on a steamboat, sitting at the diner, enjoying your old jazz. This experience was worth reliving! I don't think the food upgrade is necessary, unless you need to grab lunch or eat in abundance. While they provided a variety of food, I found it just average. (I might be spoiled after so much amazing food I had in NOLA! But honestly, I could live without this one.) In summary, a daily boat experience is worth it - go enjoy your chill time with the view and some jazz. With so many amazing diners to try in NOLA, you may want to pass on food here.

While the boat itself, an actual steam powered vessel where you are invited to view the steam engine in action, is very nice with plenty of seating, the "history" presented over the speakers is, um, whitewashed. Not one mention of what actually went on at the wharves beyond "commerce." Very disingenuous considering the memorials on those very wharves that recognized New Orleans as the US capitol of the slave industry up through the early 1800s. Even more so as we had visited the Whitney Plantation the prior day. The Kaliope music while waiting to board is horrifically loud (and annoying) so might want to bring some ear plugs.

The boat ride was fine, the narration was wonderful. The band was good. It was difficult to find the bathrooms, The dinner was a disappointment. The slice of beef I was given was pure grizzle and the wait staff was less than friendly.