Pre-Cruise: The Elvis Experience
Begin your journey along the Mississippi River with a king's treatment as we depart the hotel and weave our way through the streets of Memphis towards the home of the King himself - Graceland Mansion!
Enter through “The King's” front door where the presence of Elvis can still be felt within the walls as you walk through the same rooms as he did after a long day's performance. Custom crafted and state-of-the art iPads will help guide your way through each room, providing thoughtful narration by actor and Elvis enthusiast, John Stamos as well as personal commentary by Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.
At this musical mecca, discover distinctly “Elvis” rooms such as the famous “Jungle Room,” an homage to “The King's” love for Hawaii, featuring green shagged carpets, exotically carved woodwork, and a Polynesian feel. View “Vernon's Office,” where Elvis' father, Vernon Presley, managed his career, as well as the Trophy Building and Racquetball Building, where you will find hundreds of awards and accolades, received throughout his career as well as those awarded posthumously. Just outside the mansion, a short stroll through the Meditation Garden, where “The King's” final resting place is located alongside other members of his family. Pay your respects to Elvis and his contributions to American music and entertainment, knowing his legacy resonates throughout the world and spans multiple generations.
But the adventure doesn't end there! This Elvis experience continues with exclusive exhibits including: • Graceland Mansion Audio-Guided Tour with New Orientation Film • Full Access to State-of-the-Art Visitor Entertainment Complex - NEW! • Elvis' Two Custom Airplanes • Elvis Presley Car Museum - NEW! • Elvis: The Entertainer Career Showcase Museum - NEW! • Elvis Discover Exhibits - NEW!
Before our journey continues enjoy some free time for lunch on your own at one of the many Elvis themed eateries! We then continue with Graceland in our rearview and Memphis's heart and soul - Beale Street ahead. Oozing with the gritty feeling of the blues and rock `n' roll, Beale Street's musical history is alive in every store front lining the road, street band performing on the corner, and brick paving our way. A larger-than-life iconic brass statue of Elvis marks the starting point of the “Walking in Memphis” portion of this exclusive excursion. Here, we will experience the most famous street in Memphis as our local guide leads us through the vibrant city he calls home. Our personal and exclusive guide shares his infectious enthusiasm and love for this southern city as he narrates stories of his favorite attractions as we walk past. A stroll along Beale Street is littered with music, history, culture and the sweet smell of smokey barbeque wafting through the alleys.
You will not want to miss this exclusive experience through the Music City!
All shore excursions, prices, and information are subject to change without notice.
- Transportation
- Provided
- Duration
- 6.5 hours
Pre-Cruise: Soundtrack of Memphis
Today, we embark on a musical tour of Memphis, Tennessee, the “Birthplace of Rock and Roll.” Activities begin in the early afternoon with a relaxing driving tour of Midtown Memphis's 342-acre Overton Park, where our first stop is the iconic Levitt Shell amphitheater. Here, we'll be treated to a musical performance by our tour guide on the stage where Elvis Presley put on his first paid concert in 1954.
Our driving tour continues through Overton Square, a cultural hotspot of the 1970s that has since been revitalized into a thriving, modern entertainment district. We'll pass Galloway House, the Methodist church where Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two put on their first performance, and “Soulsville, U.S.A,” where legends like Otis Redding, Booker T. & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, and others got their starts at Stax Records. Other sites include Priscilla Presley's high school, Church Park, and the W.C. Handy House Museum, the turn-of-the-century log shack that was home to the “father of the blues” himself.
As a brief intermission from our driving tour, we'll stop off at the Tennessee Welcome Center. Then, continue past sites that include Court Square, historic Beale Street, and the National Civil Rights Museum, built around the infamous Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was tragically assassinated in 1968. And no visit to Memphis, “Blues City,” would be complete without seeing the Blues Hall of Fame.
Additional sites that we will see today include the South Main Arts District, the Gibson Guitar Factory, scenic Vance Avenue, Bluff Park, FedExForum, and the WDIA radio station, where soul music first hit the airwaves. We'll top off our tour with the magnificent Peabody Hotel, the famed Memphis Front Street (also known as “Cotton Row”), and Lauderdale Courts. Time permitting, we'll see Humes High School --Elvis Presley's alma mater --and Sun Studio, a rock and roll landmark.
This excursion concludes at the dock of the vessel.
All shore excursions, prices, and information are subject to change without notice.
- Transportation
- Provided
- Duration
- 3 hours