New Orleans: Jazz Dinner Cruise & Mississippi River with Open Bar

Gliding past the French Quarter on a paddle-wheel boat with live jazz and a full Louisiana dinner

You board early for front-row seating to live jazz, take a private tour of the paddle-wheel boat, and settle into a reserved table for a Louisiana dinner buffet with champagne and shrimp cocktail included. The 2-hour cruise glides along the Mississippi River with the option to add an open bar. You leave with a souvenir photo, a CD, and a pin: all included before you step off in the French Quarter.

Step-by-step itinerary

VIP Jazz Dinner Cruise Experience

• Arrive by 5:35pm for early boarding
• Pose for souvenir photo on board
• Receive Champagne cocktail greeting
• Take private guided boat tour
• Enjoy live Dukes of Dixieland jazz
• Eat shrimp cocktail and dinner buffet
• Optionally upgrade to open bar
• Relax and cruise Mississippi River
• Receive commemorative pin and CD

The experience

You step aboard the Steamboat Natchez by 5:45pm and a uniformed staff member hands you a champagne cocktail before you've even found your footing. The boat's already humming: crew moving, guests settling in, the Mississippi just beyond the railings. Your guide takes you through the vessel first, pointing out the details most people miss: the mechanics of the paddle wheel, the way the boat sits in the water, the view from different decks. It's a private tour, so you can ask questions without feeling rushed, and you get to take photos without someone waiting behind you.

Then you move to your reserved seat in the dining room, and the Dukes of Dixieland, a Grammy-nominated group, start playing. The live jazz on the Mississippi River is the kind of thing that sounds like a cliché until it's actually happening. You're eating shrimp cocktail and then moving through a buffet of Louisiana favorites: chicken and sausage gumbo, creole vegetarian jambalaya, baked chicken, bayou seafood pasta, herb-garlic fingerling potatoes, white chocolate bread pudding, bananas foster. The food is real, not the kind of thing that sits under heat lamps all night. If you upgrade to the open bar option, you can order call brand cocktails, beer, or house wine for the entire 2-hour cruise without thinking about it.

The boat moves for two hours along the Mississippi, and you're watching New Orleans slide past: the French Quarter, the lights, the water. Some people dance a little. Most people just sit and listen and eat. Before you dock back in the French Quarter, you get a commemorative Steamboat Natchez pin and a Dukes of Dixieland CD, plus a print of the boarding photo they took when you arrived. It's the kind of souvenir that actually means something because you were there.

What’s included

• Your evening includes early boarding and reserved seating, a complimentary champagne cocktail upon arrival, a private tour of the Steamboat Natchez led by the first mate, front-row access to the live Dukes of Dixieland jazz band, a Louisiana-style dinner buffet with shrimp cocktail, a 2-hour paddle-wheel cruise along the Mississippi River, a souvenir boarding photo, a Dukes of Dixieland CD, and a commemorative Steamboat Natchez pin.
• If you choose the open bar upgrade, call brand cocktails, beer, and house wine are included for the duration of the cruise.
• Restrooms are available on board, and the dining areas are climate controlled.

Options for this experience

2 options

VIP Dinner (Without Bar) - 5:30pmGuide in English · 18:00VIP Dinner Cruise (Without Bar): The tour covers the VIP experience with early boarding at 5:30pm, but no open bar.

VIP Dinner and Bar - 5:30pmGuide in English · 18:00Dinner and Open Bar: The tour covers the complete VIP experience with early boarding at 5:30pm, plus an open bar for the entire length of the cruise.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 3h, runs every day at 18:00, from US$ 190.50 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 18:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gray Line New Orleans

Is this one for you?Book this if you want live jazz and a full dinner without arranging separate reservations at a restaurant: the VIP boarding and reserved seating mean you skip the line and get the best view of the band from the start.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time do I need to arrive?

Arrive between 5:35pm and 5:45pm to get the full VIP experience, including early boarding and reserved seating. The cruise departs after that window closes.

Is the open bar worth upgrading to?

The open bar option includes call brand cocktails, beer, and house wine for the entire 2-hour cruise. If you plan to drink, it removes the per-drink cost and the need to order at a bar.

What's included in the dinner?

The buffet features Louisiana favorites: gumbo, jambalaya, baked chicken, seafood pasta, potatoes, bread pudding, bananas foster, and ice cream. You also get a complimentary champagne cocktail and shrimp cocktail before dinner.

Can I move around the boat during the cruise?

Yes. You get a private tour of the vessel before dinner, and the boat has enclosed climate-controlled areas. Access to the top and bottom decks is by stairs only.

Is the boat wheelchair accessible?

The riverboat is accessible for guests using mobility devices, though the top and bottom decks are accessible by stairs only. Call ahead if you have questions about access or equipment.

What souvenirs do I get?

You receive a print of your boarding photo, a Dukes of Dixieland CD, and a commemorative Steamboat Natchez pin.

How long is the cruise?

The entire experience is about 2 hours on the water, with boarding and the private tour happening before departure.