A cruise along the United States’ most famous river grants Tom Shepherd an authentic taste of the South and its historic towns

Where is it?

This luxury cruise ship makes a seven-day, 430-mile journey along the lower stretch of North America’s most famous river, the Mississippi. After boarding in New Orleans, it makes stops at Darrow, St Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, before returning to New Orleans.

What’s the accommodation like?

The Viking Mississippi combines cool design with honouring the spirit of the South. There are plenty of smart communal spaces, such as the lounge-library, where daily talks delve into the river’s history. There’s also a cool lower-deck bar, a formal restaurant, and the top-deck River Café, which leads on to a sun terrace. I stayed in a Veranda stateroom, with an en-suite bathroom. The room itself has a Scandi-style sleekness, with a smart TV and place for a sofa and writing desk. The best part is the floor-to-ceiling glass doors, which open to a private veranda.

What did you eat and drink?

The food aboard the ship is overseen by executive chef Frank DeAmicis, and serves as a love letter to the towns we sail through. At the casual River Café, there’s a buffet served through breakfast and lunch, where you might find fluffy pancakes or grilled grouper. The highlight of the main restaurant and its nightly changing menu is its destination dishes – a starter, main and dessert inspired by our location on the map. In New Orleans, for example, there’s chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. In St Francisville, a town with a big Cajun population, there’s lemon pepper catfish. Viking also runs daily excursions, some of which include dining out. In Natchez, we stopped for soul food at The Castle restaurant, which included fried chicken, soupy black-eyed peas, yams and okra. In New Orleans, we visited the Court of Two Sisters, where a buffet featured local specialties such as turtle soup, and red beans and rice.

What is there to do?

Viking runs several excursions at every stop, often with expert locals. Some are included with the trip, while others you need to book. They’re an easy way to get to the heart of these river communities. At Darrow and St Francisville, we were offered a glimpse at the state’s plantation history and the antebellum mansions – a style of grand residence associated with the South and the decades prior to the civil war. Further up the river in Natchez, we saw original slave quarters and hear gospel at the town’s Zionist church. Walking tours in Vicksburg and Louisiana state capital Baton Rouge brought with them an abundance of civil war history and colourful culture. Finally in New Orleans, our last excursion tapped into the soul of the city – a visit to Fritzel’s Jazz Bar on Bourbon Street. In a dark room lined with memorabilia, the four-man band on stage took us on a musical tour of the city’s history.

Lasting memory

The irresistible buzz of New Orleans – its streets busy with impromptu jazz recitals, poets-for-hire and palm readers. There’s also a mass of foods to try. Fudgy pecan pralines are made in shop windows, and the city goes big on beignets: square deep-fried doughnuts with an avalanche of powdered sugar.

Sainsbury’s magazine insider tip

Be sure to check out the different local musicians that play in the ships lounge area each evening. In Vicksburg, for example, multi-instrumentalist Dan Knowles plays sing-a-long ditties of the Union and Confederate soldiers, in tribute to the town’s civil war past (and even plays a musical saw).