Ohio River Small Ship Cruises
Pittsburgh to bourbon country
Cruise the Ohio River by Small Ship
The Ohio River stretches nearly a thousand miles from the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers in Pittsburgh to where it meets the Mississippi at Cairo, Illinois, and a small ship cruise covers some of the most storied ground in American history along the way. The river served as a boundary between the North and the South during the Civil War, a highway for westward migration before the railroads arrived, and a vital artery for the industrial cities that grew on its banks throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The standard 8-night itinerary runs between Pittsburgh and Louisville, calling at Cincinnati, with its world-class museums and the legacy of the first professional baseball team in America, the river town of Maysville, Kentucky, Marietta, Ohio, one of the first settlements in the Northwest Territory, and Moundsville, West Virginia, where a 2,000-year-old earthwork mound built by the Adena people rises above the riverbank. In Louisville, the city’s bourbon heritage and Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, anchor the port experience.
For a longer journey, the 15-night Grand Ohio River cruise extends west from Pittsburgh all the way to St. Louis, adding the river city of Paducah, Kentucky and Henderson, with its connection to the naturalist John James Audubon, before finishing at the Gateway Arch. Sailings run from June through August.
Ohio River Small Ship Cruises FAQs
What cities does an Ohio River cruise visit?
The 8-night Pittsburgh to Louisville itinerary calls at Louisville, Cincinnati, Maysville (KY), Marietta (OH), Moundsville (WV), and Pittsburgh. The 15-night Grand Ohio River extends the route west to St. Louis, with additional stops including Paducah, Kentucky and Henderson.
What makes the Ohio River historically significant?
The river served as a natural boundary between free and slave states before and during the Civil War, making it a major crossing point on the Underground Railroad. It was also the primary route west for early American settlers and later the industrial backbone of cities like Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
What is there to do in Cincinnati on an Ohio River cruise?
Cincinnati is one of the marquee ports on the river. Highlights include the Cincinnati Art Museum, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the American Sign Museum, and the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, one of the largest intact 19th-century urban districts in the country.
How long are Ohio River cruises?
The core itinerary runs 8 nights between Pittsburgh and Louisville. The Grand Ohio River cruise covers the full distance from Pittsburgh to St. Louis over 15 nights. Some itineraries operate in reverse.
What time of year do Ohio River cruises sail?
Sailings run from June through August, with the peak of departures in July. Call 800-578-1479 to check current availability and find the dates that work best for your schedule.