New Orleans Dinner Cruises: the 5 Best Tables Afloat

1.New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 7,533 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $58Our pick

Board Steamboat Natchez at Toulouse Street Wharf for a three-hour evening on the Mississippi. You’ll hear the Dukes of Dixieland, explore the paddlewheel boat, enjoy narration and a calliope concert, and add a Louisiana buffet with gumbo, crawfish étouffée, fried chicken, and bread pudding.

“The ticket and listing say 6pm start time but it actually is 7pm and you can board between 6pm and 7pm. It would have been extremely helpful had this been clearly written somewhere. The music was ok, not great. Review said the meal was mediocre so we did the tour without dinner. The snack bar had a very small selection. Visibility was terrible due to inclement weather and I tried to cancel reservation when I saw lightening but was refused. Would not recommend.”

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2.Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise with Lunch Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,576 reviews · from $44

Spend two hours aboard New Orleans’ authentic Sternwheeler Steamboat Natchez, listening to live jazz, hearing river narration, and touring the steam engine room. Add a fresh Creole lunch with coffee and iced tea. The boat leaves from the French Quarter, with the Riverboat City of New Orleans filling in during annual maintenance.

“Great experience and very relaxing. The music was fun and the tire guide was very informative”

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3.Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Jazz Dinner Cruise in New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,469 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $107

Cruise the Mississippi aboard the Creole Queen from 7 to 9 p.m. with live jazz, city lights, and optional Creole buffet dining. Expect a Victorian-style dining room, promenade-deck views, a cash bar, and a strict boarding schedule. Bring a jacket for the river breeze.

“If you do the night cruise, make sure to bring a sweater or jacket. The jazz music is wonderful . The food smells amazing. We didn’t book with the dinner , but wished we had.”

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4.Sunday Jazz Brunch Cruise in New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 889 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $43Best value

Cruise the Mississippi from Toulouse Street aboard a historic paddle-wheel boat for two hours of live jazz, narration, and optional Louisiana brunch. Expect gumbo, shrimp and grits, pain perdu, cinnamon rolls, river views, indoor seating, and drinks for purchase.

“Nice day cruise with informative narration and history. Having the jazz music added to the ride, how could you not be put into a good mood?!?”

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5.VIP Jazz Dinner Cruise with Private Tour and Open Bar Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 838 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $190

Board near the French Quarter for a three-hour VIP evening with early access, reserved front-row seating for the Dukes of Dixieland, Champagne, shrimp cocktail, a Louisiana buffet, and a private vessel tour. Hosts such as Marlon and Brittany add personal care, while the open bar upgrade covers select cocktails, beer, and wine.

“We did the VIP experience and loved it! ALEX did an awesome job hosting us. My husband and I recommend taking advantage of this experience if you can. The cruise, food, and atmosphere were wonderful.”

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