My wife and I are considering a river cruise, possibly from Memphis to New Orleans. We are looking at late October. I understand that certain (maybe all) cruises travel at night. If this is in fact is true, how much do you actually see? Can anyone out there give me your experience?

Thanks,
jim

I can think of lots better ways to spend 7 or 8 days and $4500 to $6000. How would you be getting to Memphis? The Amtrak train "City of New Orleans" will be stopping at Baton Rouge for a few months with bus service into New Orleans.
The maintenance crew accidently set the bridge on fire near Hammond and nearly a mile of bridge and tracks will have to be replaced.
Rent a car in Memphis or New Orleans and make a loop to see things away from the river.

Surely you are making a joke, tomfuller?

I googled riverboat cruises from Memphis to New Orleans and that is what I found.
I was a bit shocked to see how much they were and that they took that long.
Once the Amtrak City of New Orleans gets back to its regular schedule, it will be a better way to get from Memphis to New Orleans.
Last week a Canadian National maintenance crew accidently set a trestle on fire near Hammond. Nearly a mile of bridge and rail will have to be replaced. For now the train is turning at Baton Rouge and passengers are going by bus into New Orleans.
Neither thing is a joke.

tom -- someone is asking about a river cruise and you still find a way to work in Amtrak? They really should put you on the payroll.

bogeyjds: You might want to post on the Fodors Cruise board as well on Cruise Critic.

I've never been on a Mississippi R. cruise but have been on a couple of others. Those have been sort of a combination - some days sailing and some days in ports w/night sailing.

Yes, they usually travel at night and they will often stop at a new location every day. On some itineraries you will get the occasional daytime travel.

I second the idea of going to cruisecritic.com and reading ALL the reviews.

There is little competition and sometimes that can lead to problems and quality reductions.

"I was a bit shocked to see how much they were and that they took that long.
Once the Amtrak City of New Orleans gets back to its regular schedule, it will be a better way to get from Memphis to New Orleans."

This is the first time I've heard anyone suggest that the main point of a cruise is to get from point A to point B in the least amount of time!

Was someone under the odd impression that the OP's goal was simply to get from Memphis to New Orleans? Seriously?

If some of those reviews are true, getting to New Orleans is gonna be a major relief!

IMHO, tomfuller was just trying to be helpful to the OP. Too many people post these inquiries without even taking a cursory look at the issues involved or costs of doing them.

I'm not saying that was the case with the OP, but I see this situation cropping up way too often on these travel forums. If responders are to be helpful, they have to point out the bad with the good - and perhaps point out alternatives.

At least the OP wasn't asking about those cruises along the St. Lawrence Seaway. They are sometimes much more than the ones along the Mississippi.