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8 Night Heart of the Delta Cruise and Land Tour from Memphis

Ship: Viking Mississippi

Cruise Line: Viking River Cruises

Sailed: Friday, Jun 16, 2023 from Memphis, United States

Ended: Saturday, Jun 24, 2023

The itinerary information below reflects the original day-by-day port of call schedule for the Friday, Jun 16, 2023 departure of the Viking Mississippi. If Viking River Cruises modified this itinerary for weather or operational reasons after departing , the modified schedule would not be reflected here.

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Itinerary

Day by Day Summary and Map

Day 1 - Friday - Jun 16, 2023

Memphis, United States

Arrive and check into your hotel. Situated on the Chickasaw Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, Memphis is revered for its blues music and barbecue. Some of the most famed names in blues, including B.B. King, got their start in Memphis, and the city has a well-deserved reputation as the home of this classic American music genre. Memphis is also celebrated for its culinary heritage and is renowned for its traditional barbecue restaurants serving flavorful dry rub ribs. Rich in history and culture, the city's many notable museums include the National Civil Rights Museum and Elvis Presley's Graceland.

Day 2 - Saturday - Jun 17, 2023

Memphis, United States

Bus Travel

Cruise Begins

Rosedale, Mississippi

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and begin your journey to Rosedale. The "Queen City of the South" is the birthplace of Memphis blues, popular in vaudeville shows of the early 20th century. With its strong trade in agricultural goods and other natural resources, it grew into one of the South's largest commercial centers. Memphis famously boasts a wealth of civil rights history, much of it along Beale Street and at the Lorraine Motel, site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. It is also the home of Graceland, the mansion where Elvis Presley, "the King of Rock 'n' Roll", lived. Rosedale is in Bolivar County, where the surrounding Delta region is known as "the land where the blues began". The town was immortalized in Robert Johnson's 1937 recording "Traveling Riverside Blues". The song-as well as the rest of Johnson's recorded repertoire-had a major influence on rock 'n' roll; Cream incorporated the mention of Rosedale in their remake of another of Johnson's classics, "Crossroads". Today, the town has become associated with the legendary bluesman, and as such, features a commemorative marker in his honor on the historic Mississippi Blues Trail.

Day 3 - Sunday - Jun 18, 2023

Greenville, United States

Greenville is Mississippi's largest river port, set atop the highest point along the Mississippi River between Vicksburg and Memphis. Its rural setting belies a diverse artistic heritage. Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets, was born here, and the city has been home to numerous authors, including noted historian Shelby Foote. Greenville is also steeped in the blues; famed songwriter W.C. Handy was inspired to popularize the genre after seeing pioneering musician Prince McCoy perform at a nearby dancehall and neighboring Indianola was the hometown of the legendary B.B. King.

Day 4 - Monday - Jun 19, 2023

Vicksburg, United States

Located on a high bluff where the Yazoo River flows into the Mississippi, Vicksburg is the epitome of Southern heritage and charm. It was incorporated in 1825 and, with its prime locale on the Mississippi, grew into an important port. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln called it "the key to the South". And it indeed proved to be the site of the conflict's most pivotal battle, the Battle of Vicksburg, after which the Confederates surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant. The Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the battle site's rolling green fields and grand monuments.

Day 5 - Tuesday - Jun 20, 2023

Natchez, United States

Natchez has one of the highest concentrations of historic Southern estates in the country. More than 200 perfectly preserved homes line its avenues. It is the oldest city on the Mississippi, established in 1716 by French colonists and named for the Natchez tribe who once called it home. With its ideal locale, the city became a crossroads among Native American and European cultures. Famously, Natchez was the southern terminus of the Natchez Trace, the overland route to Nashville that allowed traders to bypass the strong upriver currents. Today, it evokes small-town America.

Day 6 - Wednesday - Jun 21, 2023

St Francisville, United States

Boasting more than 140 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, St. Francisville is set along one of the most historic bluffs of the Mississippi. The town is said to be "two miles long and two yards wide" because it was originally built on a narrow ridge overlooking the river. Founded in 1809, it is the oldest town in Louisiana's Florida Parishes. Remarkably, many of St. Francisville's structures are not its own; rather, they were moved upriver from Bayou Sara in the 1920s after the small settlement was destroyed by years of flooding.

Day 7 - Thursday - Jun 22, 2023

Baton Rouge, United States

The capital of Louisiana, Baton Rouge paints a historic picture on the eastern bank of the Mississippi. Its early success was due to its flood-free location upon the first natural bluff north of the Delta. French explorer Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville, named the city after a red-hued pole that marked the area's tribal hunting grounds. Its cultural diversity-from its Cajun and Creole music and cuisine to its arts offerings-reflects the European immigrant settlers and the African people brought as slaves. The city boasts the tallest capitol building in the United States.

Day 8 - Friday - Jun 23, 2023

Darrow, Louisiana

The Lower Mississippi region is dotted with historic mansions; Darrow is the gateway to these grand homes, meticulously kept to preserve the memory of early Southern American history. Here, imposing houses share the riverscape with moss-draped oak trees and farm fields. It is easy to imagine steamboats and other vessels delivering supplies and materials to these stately houses. Today, several properties are designated National Historic Landmarks for their architecture, their landscaping, and the contributions of those who maintained the houses and the lands.

Day 9 - Saturday - Jun 24, 2023

New Orleans, United States

The birthplace of American jazz, New Orleans exudes a festive atmosphere along the balcony-lined Bourbon Street. Here, in the heart of the French Quarter, soulful rhythms lift the spirit, especially during the city's Mardi Gras celebration. Founded by French colonists in 1718, New Orleans served as a territorial capital before the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Its distinctive St. Louis Cathedral-named for King Louis IX of France-is the oldest cathedral in the country. The city's French, African, and other influences flavor its vibrant culture and tantalizing Creole cuisine. After breakfast, disembark your ship and journey home.