The paddlewheeler may sound as American as apple pie and it certainly conjures up thoughts of Mississippi gamblers, dance hall girls, and the American frontier. However, paddlewheel ships actually originated in China and can be found all over the world. Americans in the 19th century took the ancient concept of using a paddlewheel and made two improvements: they moved the wheel to the stern or back of the ship (ancient Chinese vessels had the wheel in the front) and they powered these new vessels with the steam engine.

Today, paddlewheel cruises are available from a number of lines. Some of them also feature old-fashioned furnishings and a staff in period costumes. You may also be treated to some themed events during your cruise.

Paddleboats cruised the Mississippi in the 19th century, but most of these ships were working vessels. They carried merchandise as well as passengers up and down the river. Some of the best known ports on the route include St. Louis and Memphis, but the Mississippi runs as far north as Minneapolis and as far south as New Orleans, where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

Accommodations on these modern versions of paddlewheel cruises tend to go back to the style of the day when travel was more leisurely but also a bit grander. Expect stately touches on the ship and modern amenities along with antique furnishings. One does not grab a bite on a steamboat; it's more typical to dine. While paddlewheelers today do accommodate our modern preference for the casual lifestyle, this is about as far from the "barefoot" cruise as you can get.

In their day, the American steamboats frequently offered gambling, entertainment that for its day was considered racy, and music from a calliope. A calliope is a very loud, steam-operated instrument most frequently associated with the circus. You'll find them on some steamboat cruises today, along with lots of music in the evenings (the type depends a lot on the cruise you take).

Before the Civil War, many Southern plantations along the Mississippi were deliberately built on the river so that they could send their crops more easily to market. Cruising by paddlewheeler allows you to see some of these antebellum mansions the way they were meant to be viewed ? by a party approaching on the river.

Even many Southern cities on the Mississippi were built to be visited not by land but by waterway. The grand dame of all river cities in the United States remains New Orleans. Katrina notwithstanding, New Orleans is back. You can visit the French Quarter (which abuts the Mississippi River) and at least one major cruise line is using New Orleans again as a port.

Probably the best known line for this type of cruise vacation is Majestic America, which offers Mississippi River and other paddlewheel cruises (http://www.majesticamericaline.com).

Paddlewheels also are frequently used on shorter day trips. Brunch cruises, short sightseeing cruises, or even day-long cruises can be found all over the country (including in Orlando, a landlocked city). While this can be a great way to sample the experience of a steamboat trip without committing to a cruise, it's not going to be as true a steamboat experience as a multi-day journey on the river.

While the steamboat may seem old-fashioned or even clumsy, their small size and design actually makes them far more maneuverable than larger vessels. Captains typically have a bit more latitude in setting their course and itinerary, meaning that depending on the time of year and the river conditions, the captain may be able to travel to slightly different areas to get the best views of wildlife or other sites of interest.

Don't expect to find lots of passengers; a steamboat cruise will take only a few dozen to possibly a few hundred passengers on any one trip. This means that passengers on a steamboat cruise will get to know each other, interact with each other, and actually rediscover the pastime of conversation. While you won't find as many activities on a steamboat as on a large cruise ship (there won't be a miniature golf course, ice-skating rink, or rock wall), you will find more opportunities to get to know other people.

Since steamboats have always been known for their music, you can usually expect lots of rollicking evening entertainment, from jazz cruises on the Mississippi to other dance bands in the North. Steamboats may be nostalgic and stately but they aren't quiet, especially at night.

And while the Mississippi River cruise has to be the quintessential steamboat experience, you'll also find river cruises that go as far north as Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Washington state and even Alaska. The Alaskan cruises, in particular, boast that they can access ports and areas that are off-limits to the larger cruise ships.

Whether you're looking for a red-white-and-blue cruise experience or just as slightly different spin on the traditional cruise vacation, a paddlewheel cruise in the U.S.A. offers a wonderful vacation experience.