We chose this cruise line because it offered the most bang for your buck! And it did not disappoint. We have been on river cruses before, and this cruise surpassed the European river cruses we took. From the large, comfortable cabins to the food and excursions offered, we were quite happy. The before night stay in New Orleans was at a top notch hotel. The crew was most attentive and made us feel very "special." The on-board activities were informative and the shore excursions were not only easy to participate in, but had a lot to offer. We had free time, which is nice as although we like the escorted tours, it is nice to explore on your own on occasion. If you are looking for a LARGE ship with fancy productions for entertainment, river cruising is not for you. With less than 200 passengers, the venue for entertainment is limited. But the few nights we did attend, we thoroughly enjoyed the selections, which were themed for the region we were visiting. I would recommend this trip and the cruise line. As a matter of fact, we have already booked another trip with American Cruse Line!