Cruise options from New Orleans continue to expand. And, the latest offering is a luxury cruise on the Mississippi River.
"The American Harmony departs on its inaugural sail on August 17th departing here from Port Nola. So, we're really excited to welcome them home to New Orleans," says port spokeswoman Jessica Ragusa,
The Harmony is the newest ship in American Cruise Lines’ groundbreaking series of five riverboats.
"These are their new, modern-looking boats. They're really attractive and really beautiful. The insides are gorgeous and I can't wait to see it here in the city," says Ragusa.
The American Harmony is a vast departure from the old paddlewheel-style riverboats plying the Mississippi since the early 1800s.
And it's nothing like the Caribbean cruise ships that carry thousands of passengers out of New Orleans.
"This one only holds 190 passengers, so it's a little more intimate and private," Ragusa says. "The cuisine is exceptional and it's just really a nice environment."
She says the Harmony is a European-style riverboat, offering a new adventure to feed the growing demand for Mississippi River excursions.
"Last year, we had 1.18 million cruise passenger movements from the Port of New Orleans. And we had a 23 percent growth in river cruises alone. So, it's a big business for us at the port. It's something that's really growing. And we think these new, modern boats are just attracting more passengers. So we're really excited about that."
The Harmony will sail on seven-night cruises, year-round, from New Orleans to Memphis. Round-trip or one-way excursions are available. Bookings are now being accepted for the inaugural cruise.
