Peek into USA River Cruising: Columbia & Snake Rivers

Step aboard American Jazz with us to cruise the spectacular Columbia and Snake Rivers! Uncover vital info you need to know to make the most of this incredible Pacific Northwest adventure. 

You'll discover what makes this ship special, how to prepare for the stunning landscapes you'll encounter, and the fascinating cultural and historical insights that will enrich your journey from Native Americans to the expedition of Lewis and Clark.

We'll walk you through our highlights, exploring Astoria to hiking Beacon Rock and experiencing Mount St. Helens – plus give you our best packing tips and practical advice for this route. 

If you're considering American Cruise Lines for their accessibility and comfort, or if you're curious about Columbia River cruising, this episode will help you understand exactly what to expect and how to maximize your experience.

Be sure to listen to our All-American Cruise Lines Sailing USA Rivers & Coasts episode for an overview of the cruise line.

Chapters

• 0:35 Step Aboard American Jazz River Cruise Ship With Us
• 1:05 Cruising Aboard American Jazz
• 3:40 Importance of Direction of Sail on the Columbia & Snake Rivers
• 6:08 Port Highlights
• 9:51 Cultural & Historical Insights on the Cruise
• 12:27 Excursions on the Columbia River Cruise
• 16:37 Summer Landscape & Weather in the Pacific Northwest
• 18:44 What to Pack for a Columbia & Snake Rivers USA Cruise
• 21:00 Mobility Matters on ACL & Final Thoughts

Transcript

Dan (00:35)

Welcome to Small Ship Cruise Talk, another onboard edition. We are currently on American Cruise Lines. Specifically, we are on American Jazz in the Columbia River.

Mikkel (00:48)

We are very much looking forward to deep diving into our Columbia and Snake Rivers itinerary in the Pacific Northwest, which goes through Washington and Oregon. I say let's just get right into it.

Dan (01:05)

Yeah, let's talk about American Jazz, the ship that we are currently on. What's the highlights?

Mikkel (01:13)

Like you said, we are on American Jazz. The ship was built in 2020, so it's not new, but it's not one of the older ships in the American Cruise Lines fleets. Last week we talked about American Cruise Lines overall. That is in the show description. So if you haven't listened to that, press pause on this and come back or listen to that after this. But they have a fleet currently as of summer 2025 of 21 ships with more coming in the water in the very near future, including in the fall. So we're on American Jazz again, 2020, and it looks great. I will say something that stands out about this ship compared to, I believe we were on American Serenade on the Tennessee River previously.

Dan (02:01)

Right, in 2022,I think it was. Or was it ‘23?

Mikkel (02:06)

I think it was 2023.

But that ship, we happen to be in a very decorated room if you're watching on YouTube. If you're listening, there's nice furniture. We're on a couch. There's a coffee table. There's a fake plant in front of us that is part of the decorations interior design in this lounge. But it does feel a little bit bearer in terms of decoration than American Serenade. I do like that it still feels like a clean, you know, well-kept ship and it has some great things about it that we'll talk about specifically to American Jazz. But I wish there was a little bit more ornamentation kind of like in the lounge area.

Dan (02:50)

But there's a lot of similarities overall. I agree with you. I think this is a little less ornamentation or decoration throughout the entire ship.

Mikkel (03:01)

I like that we can do laundry on this itinerary.

Dan (03:06)

That's always a selling point on any cruise. Yeah, And it's one of those things if you know that you can pack accordingly - bring half what you would normally bring or bring more because you can do laundry right on the ship.

Mikkel (03:19)

So American Jazz can fit 190 passengers. There are five decks for guests use. There are six decks total, but one is for the crew only. So there is actually two decks of outdoor space, which I love. And that is great for seeing the incredible views on the Columbia River and the Snake River.

Somebody pointed out to us something that I want to highlight up front and that is the direction that we sailed. We sailed from Clarkston west towards the mouth of the river, which goes into the Pacific Ocean. So we sailed from Clarkston, Washington, which is just literally a stone's throw from the border of Idaho, where Lewiston is. 

So you got your Lewis and Clark right up front. But we sailed from there, which is the Snake River, over to the Columbia River out west and ended, technically it was supposed to end in Portland, but we're ending in Stevenson, which is a beautiful port. And we're going to be bused over to Portland to end. 

But I think that it was Harry, the educator on board, that pointed out that we are sailing in the direction of the prettier views. So if you sail from Portland to Clarkston, because it does the reverse, you're kind of getting the highlights and the incredible view up front. And it's not that the Snake River is a disappointment. It's just that the scenery can be very brown during summer. Right.

Dan (04:50)

Yeah, and we experienced that. At the beginning of the trip, everything was very brown and it felt almost desert-like.

Mikkel (04:57)

Yeah, it did. It was still beautiful. We don't we live in Florida. There's not a mountain there. Not that we haven't lived other places that have mountains like North Carolina, but it was very pretty. But sailing from the Snake River, which is brown, during this time of year, it is the end of June. 

They said two weeks ago it was nice and green, but the end of June into the Columbia River was really a stunner. And even today, our last day, which was a day of sailing, I was just in awe, and look at this, look at that, look at this scenery and it just really drove the point home that America truly is beautiful. And really big.

Dan (05:35)

And big.

Just looking at the forests and the mountains, you really get this sense of how small you are, but also how much these two rivers meant to the communities along it. Right. I mean, you get that on kind of any river, but for me, I really felt it on this trip of how the river is a source of enjoyment and recreation but also commerce because there was shipping and other industry on the river.

Mikkel (06:09)

Let's get into a little bit of the highlights because your point about commerce was really a point that was driven home. Is that phrased properly? It was a point that was driven home. We're driving the point in an automobile alongside the river. Just like the trains, there are many trains on this. You see a lot of trains along the river. 

And we stopped in Astoria. So Astoria is in Oregon. It is a... I want to say major city, not as major as Portland, but way bigger than somewhere like Stevenson where we are right now that the population I think is 2,000 people.

Mikkel (06:51)

So, some itinerary highlights in Astoria: I loved walking around. It's actually one of the areas that's the best to walk around and just kind of like exploring on your own. There was a guided walk that we participated in and saw Fort Astoria, which was Fort George when the British took over, which is why Fort George Brewery is right there that we got some Spruce Tip beer, which is a good local thing to get, just like in Alaska, actually, it reminded me of that, which actually the evergreens and some of the landscape reminded me of Alaska. You got a Pilsner.

So definitely a good beer town. The guide joked that Astoria is a drinking town with a fishing problem. It was fun that Astoria had some Scandinavian roots. They even have a little parklet that was dedicated to the Scandinavian nations because immigrants had come over from there. And the gloominess and all the seafood felt like Scandinavia and we love Scandinavia. So that was really fun.

But our American Cruise Lines lanyards - or name tag - got us into the Maritime Museum that was right there and I loved seeing more about the river with the Coast Guard. Because when we got off the ship, the Coast Guard was right there. So it was so cool to see some stats and facts and fun figures about the Coast Guard. 

It gave me a completely new respect for the Coast Guard and the training they have to go through. And the mouth of the river where it converges with the Pacific Ocean, I'm pretty sure they said the most dangerous area for the waves and such - motion of the ocean - on the planet. Because the currents that come to, I'm no meteorologist or oceanographer, but they said the currents that come down from Alaska, they are just so dangerous. And there are so many shipwrecks that have happened in that area. And actually we learned that the Astoria

Dan (08:31)

So like currents.

Mikkel (08:49)

Pilots - the Columbia River Bar Pilots Association - they are the ones that jump on the ships to guide them into the river, right? Every ship that is coming in from the Pacific Ocean to the Columbia River, as I understood it, legally is required to have a pilot on board because there is a sandbar there. That's why it's the Bar Pilots, not because they're drinking. No drinking! They are guiding them into the river. Now, we didn't have to have that on board because we didn't go past the river.

Our American Cruise Lines ships only went on the river in Astoria. But it was kind of cool because it was brackish water. It was salt water meeting, ⁓ fresh river water. So we saw a sea lion kind of out our window. And then when we sailed away, I said to Dan, I said, "I'm so glad we saw that little guy swimming around because we're not going to see him when we go back east on the river to port in Stevenson," which is where we just ported today. So I really liked Astoria. 

What's a highlight for you from this cruise?

Dan (09:51)

Well it's interesting. American Cruise Lines does something so well, and it's truly in their name: they highlight America.

Dan (10:01)

they give a lot of thought to the amount of education, the guests they bring on board. A lot of thought also goes into the musical guests they bring on board and connects you with the area that you're cruising through. Yeah. And gives you much better context of how it fits into the history of the United States.

Mikkel (10:14)

Yeah.

I really enjoyed the educational aspect because it's been so many years since we've been in elementary and middle school learning about Lewis and Clark. And the educator on board is actually a history teacher in the school system. 

So that's really fun. And it was such a good refresher in the Louisiana Purchase and America in the 19th century and Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. And when the Louisiana Purchase happened and why Lewis and Clark were commissioned or paid to come out here to map it and the Oregon Trail. And Sacagawea know, the famous Native American. 

And in terms of highlights of what were highlights on this cruise, I really loved and appreciated that they started with a Native American presentation at the hotel before we even boarded the cruise ship because you know, for better or worse, obviously, for worse with everything that, you know, the settlers of the United States and the first U.S. residents or citizens did was drive out the Native Americans from their native land. So I very much appreciated that it started off that way to recognize the Native Americans.

Dan (11:37)

I think it draws that right back into it about understanding or really learning about American history. The good, the bad, and the things that we may not want to recognize or relive. But it's packaged in such a way that it's easily digestible. I mean, it's enjoyable because you're on a cruise, but also it's just interesting because it's literally the things that the guest speaker or speakers are talking about outside your window.

Mikkel (12:09)

That's true. It's easier to have a connection to it and remember it than learning about it in a classroom.

Dan (12:15)

Yeah, it truly brings it to life. And experience it with a glass of wine.

Mikkel (12:19)

I love that. Harry did a number of presentations that really talked all about the history and we could ask him questions and everything.

Another highlight for me being docked in Stevenson right now, is the hike that we did. So I guess you could say - yeah, for sure - the most strenuous of all the excursions offered. It was a hike. And if you're curious about the cost of the excursions with American Cruise Lines, because it's not all inclusive in terms of the excursions, so you cannot pay for things you don't want and then add on things you do. 

They really ranged anywhere from $15 for the Sacagawea Center up to $145 was the most expensive for the hike that we did. And this was a hike on Beacon Rock, part of the Washington State Park system. And it really wasn't that strenuous. It was a mile up to 850 feet of this beautiful rock with the most gorgeous views and a hike down.

We were 10 people and there were three guides. So there was one at the front, the middle, and the end. And I would say that the ranges of the participants' ages were from 27 up to I would say 82, 85 and was incredible.

Dan (13:33)

And the guides did a great job of making sure that everybody was comfortable, but also giving us facts and conversations along the way that helped kind of bring all of what we were looking at together. And they had all that local knowledge of, remember last year when there was a fire on the island over there. Or, you know, when I was running on the trail down here, there was a herd of elk or something that was really interesting and brought a lot of the hike.

Mikkel (14:02)

And visually, the landscape was so…greens and blues. We saw it on a gorgeous day. And back to your point about how wonderful the guides were: they had water, they had snacks, they made sure we were well taken care of. So if you are considering this cruise, this itinerary, and you are on the fence about the Beacon Rock hike, I would say don't hesitate. It's really not that strenuous. They gave us walking sticks. I like a walking stick especially for the walk down, you never know. 

Actually, the walk at the, I always mess up this name, but Maloom, Maloom (Multnomah) - I'm going to put it in the show notes - Falls, which are the most visited falls in the state of Washington. They are 650 feet tall and it is the largest falls that continuously runs with water year-round, which to me, I didn't ask the guide, but means there are bigger falls, but they're just not flowing all year-round. 

We had two hours there, so you could hike on your own. To me, the incline of that hike, I didn't see a lot of people from the cruise doing it, but I had time, so I ventured off and did it. Dan wasn't able to join on that tour - he did something else that day.

The hike was more strenuous than actually the hike that we did. The incline was worse. Luckily, I stopped to take photos of a lot of flowers. That's what I do. So that was really cool. What other highlights am I missing? We also did Mount St. Helens. That was really cool. And we lucked out with a really beautiful day.

Fascinating to hear about the eruption that happened in May of 1980. They started to see signs of it in March of 1980. Now, I really didn't know much about it except you hear "Mount St. Helens," growing up. You might learn about it briefly in school, but we went to a center to learn about it. That was really amazing. If you like geology at all, it was cool to just be reminded of magma and, you know, silica components make a rock basalt versus another stone and see the volcano. So that was really cool. I think the thing that surprised me about that was actually how depressing it was that 57 people lost their lives, but also really amazing that only 57 people lost their lives. Right. Because though they had signs, they were also taken a little bit off guard about the eruption.

So Mount St. Helens was another highlight.

I want to talk about a little bit of the landscape that we saw or have seen because this is the last day, so we're still seeing it along the river. I love the kite surfers that we have seen in the port of Stevenson. This is one of the windiest ports in the United States, we are told, especially, you know, on the rivers. So there's a lot of kite surfers.

Dan (17:02)

The river itself is very wide, which was a little bit surprising for me.

couple of weeks ago, we were in Europe, on the Rhine, and that's a lot narrower. So that was that was fun to see that. It almost felt like we're cruising through a series of lakes that are all connected. Also, the mountains: the size of the mountains like you alluded to earlier. We live in Florida. 

We don't see mountains very often, so it's refreshing to see that. Also, the temperature, for me, this is perfect time of year to come to this area, to the Pacific Northwest. We had warm days, we had cooler days. I think we only had one or two days of rain. So overall it was great weather and a nice range of weather.

Mikkel (17:44)

And it barely rained at that. Right. So that was really nice. So in terms of the time of year, this is obviously a popular itinerary during summer. If we were here two weeks earlier, they said we would have seen those green rolling mountains or hills along the Snake River. But, you know, that could really change every year. It's just like the cherry blossoms. You just never know. You don't know the exact time that the tulips are going to blossom in the Netherlands.

Of course, there's general guidance for that, but it could just be dry and the mountains turn or the hills turn brown sooner than later. So for us, it was two weeks before we were here. So I would say that probably happened the second or third week of June. Yeah. So the time of year, I agree it is great to be here now, especially because there's a heat wave on the East Coast where we live. So having a little bit of relief from the heat is really nice.

What about packing? Speaking of weather...

Dan (18:47)

I think every cruise that I go on, I say I didn't pack correctly for this cruise.

Mikkel (18:52)

Yeah, same.

Dan (18:56)

I brought a sweatshirt that I wore. And I didn't need a jacket. I brought a raincoat.

Mikkel (19:00)

A jacket in terms of like an outer layer or a dinner jacket?

Dan (19:03)

Yeah, something for another layer, for outside. But that is a good point. I also didn't bring a jacket for dinner.

Mikkel (19:12)

Yeah, it's very informal.

Dan (19:13)

It's very informal, very approachable. The menu is approachable. The staff or the crew is approachable. And it does feel very American, right? Compared to a European sit-down formal, more of formal dinner setting on board.

Mikkel (19:32)

And last week we talked a little bit about the dining situation and how that works on board, the open dining and the menu. It's pretty much a continental menu. So we're not going to get into that. But if you are listening to this episode and you are wondering what the food is like, please go back to last week's episode, which we will put in the show notes about American Cruise Lines in general. 

And also to your point about packing, I did take my Patagonia coat which you know is really thin and bunches up to nothing. I was surprised you didn't because you usually do especially for layering. Things I packed that I didn't need: a dress. I'm wearing a dress right now because I never wore it during this cruise because it was too chilly. Like off the ship, it was a little bit too... just too cold for my dress liking. It wasn't warm enough. Yeah, and then you know, it's not fancy at night like Dan said. So I didn't wear a dress to dinner. And I'm glad I brought a cardigan and a shawl because the dining room was cold.

I'm glad that I brought the two layers. I brought a raincoat as well, a really thin raincoat. And I brought that Patagonia. I'm sad I didn't bring a sweatshirt because I like to be comfy, cozy, and that would have been really nice, especially for days that we were sailing. And it's so lovely to sit outside. And it's so nice that you can get your meals delivered to the upper deck because it's just so wonderful to eat out there and look at the Columbia River and the Snake River. And also there's a grill option out there, which we touched on last week as well.

Dan (21:00)

One of the last things in my opinion, that sets American Cruise Lines apart is how they cater so well to people with different levels of mobility.

This is our second time cruising with American Cruise Lines, and it's something that always stands out for me. And how they are accommodating and helping passengers who need a little extra assistance. But even the way the ships are built, it's very accommodating for all activity levels.

Mikkel (21:28)

Yeah.

That's so true and I love learning from the older passengers on board. We are amongst the youngest. People ask us if we are the youngest when we're on the ship. They ask us if we're the youngest when we're off the ship. When we tell people about our experience. We don't mind being amongst the youngest. There's so much to learn from all the fantastic avid travelers on board. And I love hearing what itineraries they love that they went on in the United States with American Cruise Lines. A lot of repeat cruisers, which is just a testament to the brand and being a part of their loyalty program, which is the Eagle Society. So I can't wait to sail with American Cruise Lines again. I really do recommend them, especially if you are looking to explore the United States more. And then just one other thing I want to mention about American Cruise Lines and this particular itinerary is that about 30 passengers of the group on board, went to the National Parks beforehand.

Dan (22:21)

Yeah. American Cruise Lines does such an interesting mix of itineraries. Because they're so focused on America, they realize not every river goes everywhere in the States. So they have a lot of really interesting add-ons or after-cruise add-ons to help tell that story. And they do such a great job with the storytelling of the United States.

Mikkel (22:44)

If you have any questions about American Cruise Lines and this itinerary that we didn't answer, feel free to reach out to us. You can DM us on any social. Please read the show notes. There is a multitude of ways to contact us. 

We can't wait to hear from you and we are looking forward to next week. Talk soon.