California Wine Country River Cruises
The short history of overnight river cruising in Northern California, and where things stand.
Ask About a Wine Country CruiseThe 2023 Voyage
For one season, California wine country river cruises were real. In February 2023, American Cruise Lines began an eight-day itinerary on its riverboat American Jazz, which had sailed round from the Mississippi. The route combined the bays and rivers of Northern California: San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, the Napa River and the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.
| Stop | What it offered |
|---|---|
| Napa | An approach up the Napa River and an excursion to a winery |
| Vallejo | The town at the mouth of the Napa River, on San Pablo Bay |
| Stockton | An inland port on the San Joaquin River |
| Sacramento | The state capital and the Old Sacramento waterfront |
| San Francisco Bay | Scenic cruising past the Golden Gate, Alcatraz and the bay islands |
The program was first announced as a round trip from San Francisco; according to the line, it was changed to start and end in Sacramento when a San Francisco docking agreement was not approved.
Why It Stopped
After the first season, American Cruise Lines said the Napa itinerary would not be offered on its 2024 schedule and that it hoped to offer it, or something similar, in the future. Later reports said the voyages had been taken off sale through 2025. As of our last check, no overnight California river itinerary is on sale.
That leaves Northern California with no overnight river cruise for now. The rest of this site covers what you can do instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there California wine country river cruises in 2026 or 2027?
We have not found any overnight California river cruises scheduled for 2026 or 2027. American Cruise Lines ran one in 2023 and said it hoped to return to the region; if it does, we will list it here.
Which rivers did the 2023 cruise use?
San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay, the Napa River up to Napa, and the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers through the Delta to Stockton and Sacramento.
Can I visit the Delta by boat now?
Short sightseeing cruises run in places such as Old Sacramento, where the historic riverboat Delta King is now a hotel. These are day trips, not overnight cruises.
Alternatives for River Lovers
- The Columbia and Snake: a true U.S. wine-country river cruise through Oregon and Washington; see other US wine rivers and Columbia River Cruises.
- The Mississippi and other American rivers: week-long riverboat cruises with regional food and drink; US River Cruising covers them all.
- Europe’s wine rivers: the Douro, Bordeaux, the Rhine and Moselle, and the Rhône; Wine River Cruises compares them.
- Napa by land, after an ocean cruise: see California wine country cruises.
If an overnight California river cruise returns, our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will know and can hold your interest on file.
Ask Us to Watch for a California River Cruise
We will let you know if overnight California river cruising returns, and suggest alternatives now.
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