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New 35-day American cruise charts Civil War battlefields

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The 'Civil War Battlefields Cruise' will span 13 states and all major theaters of the war
Travelers can visit nearly every major Civil War battlefield on a new 35-day itinerary offered by American Cruise Lines.

It takes place on three vessels, begining May 4, 2024, in New Orleans and wrapping on June 6 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The itinerary spans 13 states and all three major theaters of the war. Each day will highlight battlefields and events, from Fort Sumter and Shiloh to Vicksburg and Antietam.

Historians will accompany the trip

The onboard experience will bring context to each day’s exploration and provide a larger understanding of the war as a whole. Historans will be along every step of the way to discuss the motives, strategies and personalities that drove each side of the war.

Led by the great-great-grandson of Jefferson Davis

This 'Civil War Battlefields Cruise' will be led by Bertram Hayes-Davis, the great-great-grandson of Jefferson Davis, who represented Mississippi in both the US Senate and House of Representatives and served as the president of the Confederate states from 1861-1865.

A Civil War scholar, Hayes-Davis also offers a personal perspective on the events and battles that divided the country but ultimately helped forge a 'more perfect union.'

The cruise sails the Mississippi, Tennessee and Potomac rivers, the East Coast Intracoastal Waterway and Chesapeake Bay. A day-by-day overview is here.

Fares start at $24,700

Per-person fares start at $24,700 with a $5,000 deposit due upon reservation. Included are a pre-cruise hotel night at New Orleans, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, daily cocktail hour, Wi-Fi, hotels and transportation between segments, gratuities and port charges.