00 Prologue

We had considered doing a Viking cruise on the Mississippi River ever since Viking had introduced those with the launching of the Viking Mississippi ship in 2022. Their 2024 catalog showed options for the 15-day Americas Great River cruise or the 22-day Grand Mississippi Voyage from St. Paul to New Orleans, both new in 2024, as well as shorter cruises from St. Paul to St. Louis or from New Orleans to Memphis or Vicksburg. We initially favored the southern part. In late 2024, however, we took advantage of a special offer to book the America's Great River cruise in July 5-19, 2025. Although Viking took care of our airline reservations, we chose stay over in New Orleans for a few days and booked our return flight for July 22.

Map of original itinerary, from Viking's 2024 catalog for Mississippi River Voyages.

However, our plans would change on June 29, just a week before our scheduled departure.

On June 29, we received the following email from Viking:
29JUN2025
Dear Viking Guest,
Thank you for choosing Viking for your upcoming voyage along America's Great River. As you may be aware, sudden and unexpected flooding north of St. Louis, Missouri is impacting shipping traffic on the Mississippi River. Unfortunately, these high water level conditions have prevented the Viking Mississippi from sailing through to St. Paul as planned.
Our operations teams have evaluated several options and created a wonderful alternative to the original itinerary—from Louisville to New Orleans. As you can imagine, the logistics and decisions were both complicated and challenging and we recognize that this necessary change is not what you had planned. While the water levels on the river are beyond our control, at Viking we believe that the unexpected often creates the best memories.
We are delighted to share that the plan they have developed preserves your time on board the Viking Mississippi and provides an exciting new opportunity. After we welcome you in Louisville and you have had a chance to explore this iconic city, we will sail the Ohio River towards St. Louis, Missouri. From St. Louis, we resume our planned itinerary to New Orleans. (Details of the revised itinerary are included at the bottom of this message.)
•             Louisville is best known for the thrill of the Kentucky Derby, its world-class bourbon distilleries, and a rich baseball legacy anchored by the iconic Louisville Slugger. Nestled along the scenic Ohio River, the city offers visitors a warm blend of Southern charm, historic riverfront ballgames at Louisville Slugger Field, and easy access to the lively Urban Bourbon Trail. We are developing special programming and excursions to help you experience the very best of this vibrant and culturally rich destination.
•             In addition to Louisville, along the Ohio River, we will visit destinations filled with opportunities to explore American culture, including Paducah, Kentucky designated as a UNESCO Creative City and recognized for its vibrant arts and culture scene.
We look forward to sharing this unique opportunity to explore both the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Please note the following:
•             Excursions & Extensions: If you have booked optional shore excursions in any of the missed ports, or an extension in St. Paul, they will be cancelled and will be credited to the original form of payment within 21 business days.
o            Our team is currently putting together special programming and excursions for the new destinations along the Ohio River. Excursions will be available for booking once you are on board.
•             Air Arrangements: No action is required. Our Viking Air team will automatically adjust your flights into Louisville, Kentucky. Revised flight information will be sent in a separate email in the coming days.
o            On arrival in Louisville, please collect your baggage and locate the Viking airport representative for transfer to your ship.
As a token of our appreciation, upon your return home, we will be extending a future cruise voucher for 50% of your paid cruise fare. The voucher can be used toward any future voyage with Viking—river, ocean or expedition—and will be emailed to you separately following your voyage; please allow two weeks for delivery.
Your experience is important to us. We sincerely apologize for the circumstances that have made this change necessary and for notifying you so close to your departure. We remain fully committed to delivering the exceptional experience you expect from Viking and are confident that, despite this adjustment, your time along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers will be both enriching and enjoyable.
And finally, thank you for your understanding and flexibility. Should you have any questions regarding this update, please contact your travel advisor or Viking at 1-877-668-4546, between 5:00 AM and 7:00 PM PT.
We look forward to welcoming you on board in Louisville.
Sincerely,
Richard Marnell
Executive Vice President, Marketing
 Revised Itinerary
Sat        5-Jul-2025       Embark: Louisville, KY             Louisville is best known for the thrill of the Kentucky Derby, its world-class bourbon distilleries, and a rich baseball legacy anchored by the iconic Louisville Slugger. Nestled along the scenic Ohio River, the city offers visitors a warm blend of Southern charm, historic riverfront ballgames at Louisville Slugger Field, and easy access to the lively Urban Bourbon Trail.
Sun       6-Jul-2025       Louisville, KY 
Mon      7-Jul-2025       Owensboro, KY            Owensboro boasts a vibrant live music scene. is known as the Bluegrass Music Capital of the World. You will visit the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum.
Tues     8-Jul-2025       Henderson, KY             Henderson is known for its natural beauty, musical heritage, welcoming small-town atmosphere and historic homes.
Wed     9-Jul-2025       Paducah, KY   Paducah is designated as a UNESCO Creative City and recognized for its vibrant arts and culture scene.
Thurs   10-Jul-2025    Cape Girardeau, MO Cape Girardeau is known for the Trail of Tears its picturesque riverfront and vibrant cultural scene.
Fri          11-Jul-2025     St. Louis, MO Resume Original Itinerary as planned
Sat        12-Jul-2025    St. Louis, MO  
Sun       13-Jul-2025    Scenic Sailing              
Mon      14-Jul-2025    Memphis, TN 
Tues     15-Jul-2025    Greenville, MS             
Wed     16-Jul-2025    Vicksburg, MS              
Thurs   17-Jul-2025    Natchez, MS  
Fri          18-Jul-2025    Baton Rouge, LA         
Sat        19-Jul-2025    Disembark: New Orleans, LA 

Since the first part of our cruise would now be on the Ohio River, Don changed the title of this Blog to America's Great River(s), plural.

After we embarked on the Viking Mississippi, it was explained that the flooding north of St. Louis had made the river level too high for the ship to pass under bridges. This was ironic, since our only previous river cruise on Viking, the Grand European Tour in 2018, had been interrupted with bussing and a change of ships due to the low water level on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers.

Of course, we were disappointed to lose the northern part of the Mississippi, but we had no choice but to accept the generous offer of a voucher for 50 % of the original cruise fare, to be applied for a future cruise.

Just to show what we had missed, the following was the original itinerary with the shore excursions we had booked:

07-05 Day 1 Home to St. Paul, Minnesota

07-06 Day 2 Red Wing, Minnesota

The My Viking Journey web site described the shore excursion “Downtown Red Wing & the National Eagle Center” as follows:
 Day 2 – Red Wing, Minnesota, United States
Sunday, July 6
8:30 AM
3.5 Hours
Easy
Sightseeing
Natural World
 
An All-American Town and All-American Symbol
Get acquainted with Red Wing and learn about America’s national symbol at the National Eagle Center.
Red Wing is set among scenic bluffs and a majestic harbor, which you will see en route to the eagle interpretive center in Wabasha. Your guide will point out the many sites you may wish to visit on your own during your free time. There are 26 museums and many eye-catching, historic and architectural gems. The waterfront features three parks: Colvill, Bay Point and Levee Parks. And the downtown area abounds in art and craft galleries, cafés and shops. Arriving at the National Eagle Center, you will see majestic American bald eagles and golden eagles up close, and learn about the ecology, biology and natural history of these magnificent raptors.

07-07 Day 3 La Crosse, Wisconsin 

The My Viking Journey web site described the shore excursion “River Town Discovery” as follows:
River Town Discovery
INCLUDED
Day 3 – La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States
Monday, July 7
8:30 AM / 1:30 PM
3 Hours
Easy
Sightseeing
 
Admire Scenic Views and Explore Downtown La Crosse
See the best of La Crosse—from top to bottom—on this tour that blends scenic views with historic landmarks.
 
Begin your journey at one of the city’s parks where you will enjoy vistas of La Crosse, the Mississippi and the three states of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. As you make your way downtown, view St. Rose Convent and learn the story of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. Next, visit the Hixon House, the former home of the 19th-century lumber baron Gideon C. Hixon. The modest exterior belies the rich interior filled with furnishings and objects Hixon acquired during his international travels. At the end of your tour, you can stroll the downtown area, whose shops and restaurants are housed in architecturally interesting historic buildings.

 07-08 Day 4 Dubuque, Iowa

The My Viking Journey web site described the shore excursion “National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium” as follows:
 
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
INCLUDED
Day 4 – Dubuque, Iowa, United States
Tuesday, July 8
9:30 AM
3 Hours
Moderate
Special Interest
 
Exhibits on the Culture and History of the Mississippi
 
Explore the culture and wildlife along the Mississippi at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium.
 
A Smithsonian-affiliated institution and one of only a handful in the nation to be accredited by both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums, the facility showcases the cultural and natural history of the Mississippi, from its headwaters at Minnesota’s Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. Acclaimed for its interactive displays, it has five aquariums and numerous exhibits. Upon arrival, you will receive a map, then set out to explore at your leisure. You may choose to see a working wetland and the restored dredge boat that William M. Black built in 1934 for the US Army Corps of Engineers. Or investigate the animal exhibits that include North American river otters, an American alligator and more. Afterward, you will walk back to your ship.

 07-09 Day 5 Quad Cities, Iowa

 

The My Viking Journey web site described the shore excursion “Quad Cities by Bicycle” as follows:
Quad Cities by Bicycle
$99 Per Person SOLD OUT
Day 5 – Quad Cities, Iowa, United States
Wednesday, July 9
8:30 AM
2.5 Hours
Moderate
Active
Sightseeing
 
Journey by Bicycle Along the Mississippi River
 
Discover the Mississippi River by bicycle during a guided tour along the Great River Road National Scenic Byway.
 
See the Mighty Mississippi from a unique vantage point during a guided bicycle tour along the Great River Road National Scenic Byway. You will travel to the Moline Visitor Center where a bike and helmet will be provided along with water, a small snack and a bag to carry your belongings. At an easygoing pace of approximately 3 to 5 miles per hour, follow your guide on bicycle, passing sights such as the KONE elevator, John Deere Seeding, Rock island Arsenal,  Fort Armstrong Historic Site and Davenport Skybridge, learning about the fascinating local history along the way. Your invigorating ride will take you back to the ship where you will return your bicycle.

07-10 Day 6 Burlington, Iowa

 

The My Viking Journey web site described the shore excursion “Historic Burlington” as follows:
 
Historic Burlington
INCLUDED
Day 6 – Burlington, Iowa, United States
Thursday, July 10
8:30 AM / 1:30 PM
2.3 Hours
Easy
Sightseeing
 
The Best of Small-Town America
 
Experience small-town American life with a guided tour of this charming city.
 
During your motor coach ride into town, listen as your onboard guide narrates the sites you will see. Call at the Des Moines County Heritage Center in the former Gothic Revival–style library—Iowa’s first free public library. Explore its exhibits and learn about the region’s agricultural history. Discover Burlington’s railroad heritage and its role today in one of North America’s largest railroads. Then, visit the Garrett-Phelps House Museum, an elegant Victorian home filled with antiques and textiles dating to 1774. Enroute back to your ship, stop at Snake Alley, named the world’s most crooked street by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. This fascinating road is made of limestone and blue clay, to keep the slant to the outside, and features five half curves and two quarter curves.

07-11 Day 7 Hannibal Missouri

The My Viking Journey web site describes the shore excursion “The World of Mark Twain” as follows:
 
The World of Mark Twain
INCLUDED
Day 7 – Hannibal, Missouri, United States
Friday, July 11
9:00 AM
1.5 Hours
Easy
Sightseeing
 
Walk in the Footsteps of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn
 
See the town where Mark Twain grew up and where he drew inspiration for his most famous novels.
 
Raised as Samuel Langhorne Clemens, the author later took the pseudonym Mark Twain, a unit of measurement used by Mississippi River pilots (his former occupation). You will see his boyhood home, with its iconic white picket fence that the fictional Tom Sawyer was required to whitewash. At the Museum Gallery, admire 15 original Norman Rockwell paintings depicting scenes from Twain’s novels. The museum complex also includes the homes of Laura Hawkins, Twain’s childhood sweetheart who inspired the character of Becky Thatcher, and Tom Blankenship, the real-life Huckleberry Finn.

The parts we most regretted missing were the Quad Cities By Bicycle in Iowa and Mark Twain excursion in Hannibal, MO.

In addition to the new stops on the Ohio River, the revised itinerary included Paducah, KY near the confluence of the Ohio and the Mississippi, and Cape Girardeau, MO, as the Viking Mississippi turned north on the Mississippi to head toward St. Louis, MO. While these were not on the original itinerary for America's Great River, they were both on the itinerary for the 22-day Grand Mississippi Voyage cruise Viking had introduced in 2024, which also went from St. Paul to New Orleans but had more stops than the 15-day America's Grand River cruise. The following piece of the Viking catalog's map for the 22-day cruise shows our two additional stops.

Piece of Viking map of Grand Mississippi Voyage that shows stops in Paducah and Cape Girardeau.