In 2016 we are heading off to the USA for a truly unique cultural experience, and while we are waiting for the dates to be set (due to sailings with the American Queen Steamboat Company), now is the best time to secure your space aboard.

From the bustling Modern City of Altanta to New Orleans, the heart of the South, this programme takes in the best of Tennessee and Louisiana, combining the culinary tastes of Cajun, Creole and Classic America with the sounds of Country, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Dixie and Soul.

For over a century the Mississippi and its Tributaries have been a source of life, work, war and culture in the United States. With a combination of Coach Touring and River Cruising this trip takes in the best sights of the Mississippi and surrounds, and covers a wide base of American History, from Slavery to Music, from Mark Twain to the War of Independence.

So if the though of culture, cuisine, history and great music sound appealing, this may just be the trip for you ..

The Sounds of the South Tour is currently in “Pre-sale”, which means we are waiting for dates and prices to be set, but where by placing down a holding deposit of AU$250 per person, you can ensure that when prices launch you will have guaranteed access to the best available prices including companion fares, cabin upgrades and more.

Running this departure in conjunction with the American Steamboat Company and Evergreen Tours, we are able to assure you that we will have one of the most inclusive possible programmes where even the hassle of learning how to handle tipping and gratuities is mostly taken care of.

So read on for a look at what we expect to experience and cover during this 14 day programme.

Pre-Cruise Tour:

Before we head off on the cruise portion of the trip we start by covering a dew places not easily reached within a day tour of the Mississippi and well worth incorporating into a tour based around the musical history of the USA.  This section of the tour starts with an overnight in Atlanta to accommodate guests arriving into the states before it heads out to cover two important music centres of the region ..

Nashville: Home of country music in the USA, we will walk Honkey Tonk Row, take a guided tour of the Ryman Auditorium, see Studio B, visit the country Music Hall Of Fame and much more.

Memphis: Birthplace and home to music legends, this city is associated with music legends like B.B King and Aretha Franklin to modern day chart toppers like Justin Timberlake. While here we visit the famous Sun Studio, “Gracelands” the home of “the King” Elvis Presley, enjoy time in BB Kings Blues Club, discover Beale Street and more!

The American Queen:

One of the highlights of this tour is the cruise aboard the American Queen, a traditional styled steamboat / paddlesteamer that will take us on our voyage from Memphis to New Orleans. With its decor set to traditional styles its a taste of American history as you cruise the waterways that inspired the tales of Mark Twain. With nightly entertainment reflecting the regional history and culture, fantastic meals daily using local produce to create authentic dishes of local cuisine favorites this is a fantastic way to explore the Mississippi

The Cruise will cover the musical highlights of Memphis, the historic landmarks of Vicksburg, the traditional plantation lifestyle in the South and more as we cruise on down to New Orleans, a boiling pot of cultural influences with some of the most incredible sights in the USA.

The rooms on the Queen of America, start with the Interior cabins on the lower decks working their way up through a variety of cabin types including Outside Cabins with display windows and Verandas to the Deluxe Suites with private Verandahs .. so there is something for everyone in the style of travel.

Interior Cabin

Outside Cabin with Window

Outside Cabin with Verandah

Deluxe Suite with VErandah

For a taste, a mere sample, of what the American Queen has to offer,  we suggest that you take a look at the following video from the American Steamboat Company (people receiving this blogpost by e-mail will need to visit our site to view) …

Doesn’t that look incredibly appealing?  At this stage, as mentioned before, we are waiting for dates in 2016 to be set, but on a similar trip with Evergreen in 2015 you would be looking at a cost of AU$8895 plus airfares, based on per person in share twin starting with the interior cabins. So far it is expected that 2016 prices will be similar, with some variance to be allowed for currency fluctuations and possible rate increases.