NOLA local advice rental car locations?

[crabcracker]

Hi, DH and I will be on the 09/25/05 Conquest sailing.We are coming in on a red eye flight, but after the cruise, we will be renting a car and driving to Monroe via Miss. on Sunday, to visit a friend, and then will be driving back early Tuesday, and leaving Wednesday afternoon.We want to see something of New Orleans before we leave,so we'll probably spend Tuesday in the city, then go out to the airport area to stay for a night,or at least that was the original plan.
We could use some local advice as to the logic of what we are going to do, and if you know what its like to come back to NO via the Monroe to Baton Rouge route, or if its better to go back through Miss?
Another question I have is about the rental car locations.When we get off the cruise, is there a more convenient location to rent a car than going all the way back out to the airport?
Any help you can give here would be greatly appreciated.I am assuming, having never cruised before, to allow at least 4 hours to get off the Conquest,or am I being too hopeful????
Thanks in Advance.

[zydecocruiser]

If you rent from Hertz on Convention Bld, there is no drop off fee if you leave it at the airport, but the daily rental is usually more than if you picked it up at the airport.

I do the reverse when cruiseing out of New Orleans. Pick the car up at the airport and drop it off at Hertz on Convention Blvd and walk to the ship.

[jgmpuma]

The Mississippi route is the easiest, but pretty boring. You might consider coming back via Highway 61 from Monroe to Baton Rouge, then I-10 to New Orleans. Much more scenic, but 61 goes through lots of towns on the way. There is some construction on I-10 just south of Baton Rouge, but it isn't bad except around rush hour.

We were on the Conquest in March. There is construction going on adjacent to the terminal, and it is a zoo. If, as Zydeco advises, you rent a car from Hertz, you might consider having one of you go and pick up the car and then pick up the other person and the luggage. If you aren't too burdened with luggage, it isn't a bad walk: about six blocks.

[crabcracker]

Thanks to both of you for the advice,we also deceided to alter our plans to spend another day in Louisiana, so that we can return from Monroe via Baton Rouge.
I really screwed up when booking the flight, and assumed the cruise ended Saturday instead of Sunday, so I'm gonna bite the $100 bullet and change tickets to Thursday instead of Wednesday. I'm going to go down to AAA tomorrow and pick up a map and travel guide!
I know its nearly three months away, but I can hardly wait!