Take a New Year’s River Cruise to Brighten Your Holiday
Cruising has become the preferred way for many people to spend their holidays. A New Year’s cruise is the perfect celebration of the holiday season. It’s an opportunity to relax, enjoy time with friends and family, and make memories that last a lifetime.
Whether you’re ready for a romantic getaway, a family trip, or a group adventure, there’s no better way to ring in your next year than with a New Year’s river cruise.
With so many options out there, it can be challenging to decide which one is right for you! Luckily we’ve got some ideas to help narrow your search and make planning your perfect New Year’s Eve cruise as simple as possible.
Celebrate New Year’s Eve on a Cruise Ship or at a Destination
There are many benefits to celebrating New Year’s Eve on a cruise ship. They are affordable, fun, and offer many options for food and entertainment. In addition, someone else does all the decorating, cooking, and event planning so you can sit back and enjoy the holiday while having none of the responsibility.
In addition, you can bring your family or friends with you, have a good time together and savor the holiday without the worry of driving home afterward. You’ll enjoy the convenience of having everything on board at all times, like restaurants and entertainment options. Also, there’s no need to stress about packing clothes for every occasion. Finding accommodations in each port city is easy because your room travels with you.
All-inclusive cruise packages combine your room and meals. River cruises are excellent for families who want to travel together without worrying about meal costs or activities at night when kids need rest.
Another reason people love New Year’s cruises is that many cruises offer the experience style that meets your needs and desires. For example, pick a cruise where professors and experts lecture their fields if you want something more serious and educational. Then, everyone can learn something new while enjoying themselves at the same time.
However, suppose you want a more laid-back New Years’ experience. In that case, you can get together to chat or play cards while relaxing in one of several cozy onboard meeting areas.
New Year’s Eve Cruise on the Mississippi River
Imagine spending New Year’s Eve aboard a luxury riverboat, cruising one of America’s most beautiful and iconic rivers. The Mississippi River has been an inspiration for artists, musicians, authors, and poets since its discovery by Europeans in the early 17th century. Now you can experience this spectacular waterway on a New Year’s Eve cruise through the heartland of America.
Memphis, TN, is “The Birthplace of Rock and Roll” because Sun Records was founded there in 1952 by Sam Phillips. He recorded music legends like Howlin’ Wolf, B.B King, and Elvis Presley.
The city has preserved many historical sites associated with American music, including Graceland Mansion, where Elvis lived until he died in 1977. You can also visit Sun Studio Recording Studios, where he made his first recordings.
Then, stop by the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, which preserves artifacts from soul music greats like Otis Redding, Booker T & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, and Albert King. Finally, visit Memphis Rock-N-Soul Museum, which exhibits memorabilia from Memphis music stars like Al Green.
Lower Mississippi River New Year’s Cruises
American Queen Voyages relaxing journeys down the historic lower Mississippi River on 9-day cruises between New Orleans, LA, and Memphis, TN going either northbound or southbound. In addition, American Queen Voyages also provides a New Orleans Roundtrip so that you can embark and disembark in the same port.
Travel in luxury while learning about American history, indigenous, Creole, and African American cultures.
Cruise port stops and excursions include:
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- New Orleans, LA
- Nottoway, LA (AVQ exclusive port)
- St. Francisville, LA
- Natchez, MS
- Vicksburg, MS
- Greenville, MS
- Memphis, TN
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During your cruise, you’ll see all kinds of wildlife, including egrets, ospreys, and plenty of beautiful scenery.
New Year’s Cruises in Jacksonville, Florida
The City of Jacksonville is an ideal place to spend New Year’s Eve. Located on the east coast of Florida, Jacksonville has beautiful beaches, parks, waterways, and many fun events planned for New Year’s Eve.
Cruises from Florida open up a world of pristine beaches in the Southeast and The Bahamas on our Ocean Voyager. Meanwhile, Charleston and Savannah offer a taste of coastal Southern living and architecture.
American Queen Voyages operates coastal Florida New Year’s cruises with the following ports of call:
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- Jacksonville, FL
- Amelia Island (Fernandina Beach), FL
- Savannah, GA
- Charleston, SC
- Beaufort (Port Royal), SC
- Brunswick, GA
- Jacksonville, FL
- Freeport, Grand Bahamas
- Port Canaveral, FL
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You can choose a January or February itinerary, Amelia Island Roundtrip, or Jacksonville Roundtrip.
New Year’s Cruises in Mexico
If you want to avoid all possibilities of New Year’s Eve cold weather, head to the Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula in southeastern Mexico. It has a beautiful, white-sand coastline with some of the best water sports and activities in all of Mexico. There are plenty of things to do, so you can spend as much time relaxing on the beach or exploring Mayan ruins as you want!
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- Cozumel, Mexico
- Campeche, Mexico
- Progreso, Mexico
- Valladolid/Cancun, Mexico – Hotel Stay
- Cancún, Mexico
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American Queen Voyages includes daytime excursions to the area’s most popular attractions, Tulum Archaeological Site, the Mayan archives like Chichen Itza or Palenque archeological sites, and the Malecon de Progreso waterfront promenade in Cancun.
Embark on a New Year’s Eve River Cruise Adventure
If you’re ready to cruise for New Year’s Eve, these ideas will help you find the perfect trip.
American Queen Voyages provides an intimate small-ship experience that delivers history, culture, and adventure. You get an opportunity to see how diverse America has been since its inception—and how much it continues to change even today.
Many people choose cruises as their preferred way of traveling, but few times of the year are as unique and exciting as New Year’s cruises.
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