Archive for the ‘Mississippi River Cruises’ Category
We went for a river cruise on the Mississippi river on the paddle steamboat Natchez. Below is some information about the Natchez copied from Wikipedia.
The ninth and current Natchez, the SS. Natchez, is a sternwheel steamboat based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Built in 1975, she is sometimes referred to as the Natchez IX. She is operated by the New Orleans Steamboat Company and docks at the Toulouse Street Wharf. Day trips include harbor and dinner cruises along the Mississippi River.
The Natchez IX is modeled not after the original Natchez, but rather the steamboats Hudson and Virginia. Her steam engines were originally built in 1925 for the steamboat Clairton, from which the steering system also came. From the S.S. J.D. Ayres were taken the copper bell, made of 250 melted silver dollars. The bell has on top a copper acorn that was once on the Avalon (now known as the Belle of Louisville), and on the Delta Queen. The Natchez IX also features a steam calliope that can play 32 notes. The wheel is made of white oak and steel, is 25 feet (7.6 m) by 25 feet (7.6 m), and weighs over 26 tons.[2] The whistle came from a ship that sank in 1908 on the Monongahela River.[citation needed] The Natchez IX was launched in Braithwaite, Louisiana. She is 265 feet (81 m) long and 46 feet (14 m) wide, has a draft of six feet and weighs 1384 tons. Natchez IX is mostly made of steel, to comply with United States Coast Guard rules.[1][3]
In 1982 the Natchez won the Great Steamboat Race, which is held every year on the Wednesday immediately before the first Saturday in May, as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival held in Louisville, Kentucky.[4] She has also participated in other races, and has never lost.[2] Those beaten by the Natchez include the Belle of Louisville, the Delta Queen, and the Mississippi Queen.
During the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the Natchez was temporarily moved upriver to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Since then, operations have returned to New Orleans.
Duration : 0:11:23
Vox pops on the Black Watch cruise ship – Fred Olsen Cruise Lines – luxury cruises & cruise holidays
We hear from all the different guests aboard Fred Olsen Cruise Ships Black Watch
Duration : 9 min 23 sec
Balmoral cruise ship is the largest of the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines fleet. Carrying 1350 passengers the Balmoral cruise liner is certainly the grandest cruise ship of our fleet, yet still compact enough to offer our trademark intimate, homely atmosphere. The Balmoral cruise ship offers 710 elegant comfortable cruise cabins, world-class cuisine and diverse onboard cruising activities.
Duration : 4 min 37 sec
Here we are recovering the Rescue Swimmer from the Cruise Ship Fantasy. We picked up a passenger with medical problems. The ship was about 200nm south of New Orleans.
Duration : 0:0:48
The Twilight Riverboat passing Clinton, Iowa’s riverfront at approx 10:30am on 09.13.09. For some reason they weren’t playing it’s Calliope music. You can hear it here: http://www.steamboats.org/whistle-calliope/calliope-twilight.html
From www.steamboats.org:
The Twilight was designed by Capt. Dennis Trone (see also Julia Belle Swain) in the style of the great old passenger boats. The boat was built by Levac Shipyard in Jennings, LA, and finished by Dennis Trone in 1987 in LeClaire, IA. The construction shows how much Dennis Trone loves these wonderful boats. Unfortunately the boat isn’t run by paddlewheels but by a diesel engine and propellers.
Based in LeClaire, IA, the Twilight offers 2-day-cruises from May til October from LeClaire to Galena, IL, and return (reservations 800-331-1467).
Official Twilight Riverboat Website: http://www.riverboattwilight.com
Duration : 0:2:25
A 2-minute look at one of our unique backwater cruises.
Duration : 0:2:13
A quick lesson regarding our largest rodent in North America, the beaver, aboard the Mississippi Explorer in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Duration : 0:3:45
Paradise Charter Cruises and Minneapolis Queen provide Private Charters and Public Tours on Lake Minnetonka and the Mississppi River
Duration : 0:0:17
Mississippi Gulf fishing charter services at
http://www.finsandgrinscharters.com + LIVE sunset cruises across the
Mississippi, from a sports fishing charters company.
Duration : 0:0:34
Enjoy the colorful breath-taking beauty of the 27,000 acre canyon carved out by 26 miles of the Tennessee River over thousands of years. It is the fourth largest river canyon east of the Mississippi and the only large river canyon bordering a mid-size city.
Duration : 0:5:48