Steamboat Natchez
400 Toulouse St., New Orleans, Louisiana
When in New Orleans, there's no better way to experience the mighty Mississippi than on a river tour aboard the Steamboat Natchez. The historic stern-wheeled steamboat resides on the riverfront next to the French Quarter, setting out regularly for brunch, lunch, and dinner cruises with live traditional jazz on board.
The Natchez—New Orleans’ only steamboat—offers year-round daytime and evening cruises with traditional jazz music and food. Enjoy an indulgent Sunday brunch cruise with local specialties, including Creole and Cajun dishes; have a more casual buffet lunch complete with a calliope concert; or opt for a romantic dinner cruise. You can even upgrade your experience to include a private tour of the historic steam-engine room.
Cruises are two hours long.
Be at the dock at least 30 minutes before departure time.
The recommended attire for daytime cruises is casual, though the Natchez suggests “dressy casual” for dinner cruises.
Advanced reservations are strongly recommended for this popular boat.
Steamboat Natchez is wheelchair accessible on the main deck (where dinner, drinks, and entertainment take place); access to the top and bottom decks are by stairs only.
The Steamboat Natchez is docked at the Toulouse Street Wharf on the Mississippi River, adjacent to the French Quarter near Jackson Square. Tour buses stop near the dock and there are some streetcar stops nearby, but it's also easy to reach on foot.
The Steamboat Natchez operates year round. The boat undergoes maintenance work every January or February, but these dates vary, so be sure to check the cruising schedule in advance. Cruises are canceled only when the Coast Guard raises an alert about particularly bad weather. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, so diners stay warm and dry even in inclement conditions.
True to New Orleans' love of music, live jazz accompanies every Steamboat Natchez cruise. Dinner cruise guests often enjoy live jazz bands playing old favorites, but music lovers don't even need to board the boat to hear its famous steam calliope. The historic steam-pipe organ is played when the boat is docked, once or twice every day—walk over to the dock to see the columns of steam that the calliope produces as it's played or catch a calliope performance on daytime harbor cruises.
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