Darlene in New Orleans
Last New Years, a group of family, friends and I headed to New Orleans prior to boarding a cruise to celebrate the New Year. What a delight!
There are many cruise ships that embark out of New Orleans: Carnival Cruise, Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian to name a few. Not only is New Orleans a great travel destination, but it is a wonderful starting or ending point for a cruise vacation. The cruise terminal is close to the French Quarter and is not crowded like other embarkation piers. Whether you spend extra nights or just the day, there are tours that accommodate your every whim. If you just have time to spare before your cruise, or have a late flight after you cruise, you might consider a Katrina tour, plantation tour or stroll along Bourbon Street.
On my trip, we stayed at the Chateau Bourbon – A Wyndham Hotel. It was located in the French Quarter and just around the corner from Bourbon, Canal and Royal Streets. The rooms and service were superb.
New Orleans has some of the finest restaurants, and their Cajun food is to die for. We dined at the infamous Brennan’s, where you must try their original Eggs Hussarde. We also visited Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, thought to be the oldest structure in the USA used as a bar.
After the cruise, we arranged a tour of areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. It was devastating to see the damage. There is a courier service at the pier that transports your bags to the airport for a small fee. Our tour delivered us to the airport, and our bags were there waiting. What a wonderful way to end a vacation.
I highly recommend New Orleans along with a New Years cruise to get away from the stresses of the hectic holiday season. It is the best way to start out the New Year and create lasting memories!
Call me to arrange a tour or cruise.
