Rhode Island cruises will most often conjure up the picture of white-capped waves under clear blue skies, opulent yachts, and grand sailing ships. The state of Rhode Island, and most especially the town of Newport, is known as the yachting capital of the United States. This is quite true, and cruises in Rhode Island will most often be of the type on both small and large yachts as well as on sailboats. This includes dinner cruises in Rhode Island that will operate around the islands of Narragansett Bay and along the 400-mile-long coastline, allowing you to admire the sunset while you enjoy dining on delicious local seafood.

However, you might be surprised to learn about Rhode Island cruises that operate tours in the beautiful Blackstone River Valley. The Blackstone River Valley is a National Heritage Corridor stretching from Worcester in Massachusetts to Providence and Narragansett Bay. This region is considered the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, and as such played an important part in the history of the state and the country. You can book cruises in Rhode Island that follow the course of this historic river. There are narrated cruises available that inform you about the history of the sites along the way. Stops are made at some of the museums and historic mills, including the fascinating Slater Mill in Pawtucket, a living history museum and site of the first water-powered cotton textile mill in the United States.

For dinner cruises in Rhode Island, you will most often look to the coast. This is also where you will find other ocean cruises in Rhode Island that ply the waters doing sightseeing tours through Narragansett Bay, to Block Island, and along the scenic coastline. There are a large number of charter companies in the town of Newport and in Newport County. You'll also find companies that offer Rhode Island cruises in other towns along the coast, including Warwick, Misquamicut, and on Block Island.

Rhode Island Map

You have a wide variety of companies and types of ships from which to choose. You can take ferryboats, in some cases you can take your car rentals onboard, from various points on the coast to Block Island and Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts and New Haven in Connecticut. Dinner cruises in Rhode Island are available on small boats and very large ships that can accommodate as many as 400 passengers. These are excellent for corporate events, reunions, and even weddings.

The town of Newport is the United States center of yacht racing, including the prestigious America's Cup competition, and is regularly visited by the tall ships from all over the United States and countries around the world. Rhode Island cruises are available on some of the famous America's Cup ships from the past, as well as other racing ships. When the tall ships visit, you can board sightseeing boats for tours among the ships anchored in the harbor. You can even enjoy scenic cruises in Prohibition era "rum runners" from the freewheeling days of liquor smuggling. Saltwater fishing is an important sport here and is one of the state's major attractions. It's also possible to charter fishing boats for both day trips and overnight excursions.