Dadzgirl

Thank you all so much for your experiences. We are looking for to it!

We have done 2 B2B cruises in the last 2 years. You can leave all the clothes on hangers. You will have to pack your drawers. The cabin steward will help you move. The hour or two when only B2B cruisers are on board and everything is closed is pretty strange. We hung out on the Serenity deck and chilled as all the bars are closed.

Did you have to go through the immigration process again? New sail and sign card?

Several years ago my husband and were cruising and met this couple that had never cruised before. We were paired at dinner too. The husband was a loud mouth and started swinging his fist a guy just outside the theatre because he looked at his new wife. He was literally beating the crap out of him. He was detained and taken into custody by security on the ship. The lady ended up staying with us the rest of the cruise because she had no one else. I felt horrible not only for her on her honeymoon but worse was the fact she married a guy like that which was supposed to be lifelong. It was awful. I felt so bad for her.

Hi all! Looking for some understanding on back to back cruising. Sailing on the Glory out of Miami in October. How does that work? We weren't able to get the same cabin unfortunately, so we will have to switch rooms. Just looking for feedback from those that have done that in the past. Thank you in advance!

This was a 12 day vacation. I've never shared with you all before, so I thought why not. I don't have pictures to share right away, but eventually I will try to post some.

Our vacation started out by flying to New Orleans on a Thursday from California, cruise departs Sunday. It was just my husband and I this time. We left our two boys with Grandma. I've been on 9 cruises since 1995, the majority of them Carnival.

We collected all our luggage from the baggage area and found that it was a very easy airport to get a taxi to the Garden District area. It's a standard price of $33 for 2 from the airport to any hotel towards the port area. We chose Prytania Park Hotel in the Garden District for 3 nights. We wanted to enjoy New Orleans and adjust to the time difference before we left on the ship.

Arriving Thursday, it was raining, a very hot, humid rain, but it didn't last long at all. Hotel check in was a breeze. Cheap accommodations, nearby the streetcar, with about a 15 minute ride to the French Quarter. It is a nice place to stay that is very "New Orleans". It's an older hotel, but nice. Staff treated us great and made several recommendations for us, including giving us a wonderful map of the city.

We arrived at the hotel about 8:00pm and needed a quick bite to eat. The hotel staff recommended Zea's, which was just a block away. She gave us a card for a free dessert. We walked over and sat for a great dinner! Fantastic food, wonderful first meal in New Orleans. My hubby had southern fried chicken with red beans and rice. I had a half roasted bbq chicken with veggies and dessert we shared sweet potato bread pudding. Wow was that bread pudding good. After dinner we walked around the area a little and then went back to turn in. The bed was very comfortable.

Our first full day in New Orleans! Picked up our map, and off we went. We headed towards the French Quarter and enjoyed going through the Garden District, Warehouse/Business District and ended in the French Quarter. My hubby and I walked Bourbon Street (big difference at night verses the daytime), then headed over to Cafe Du Monde for beignets and coffee. 5 stars, but remember to bring cash, credit cards not accepted. We walked the Mississippi River all the way to the Riverwalk which we could see in the distance. we walked past the Aquarium & IMAX Theatre, very busy. It appeared that there were a lot of school children there on field trips. Once we arrived at the Riverwalk, we went inside to see what it was. It was an outlet mall, type place! Awesome. We enjoyed the cool, air conditioning. My husband bought two new shirts from the Gap, because he was sweating so bad. I was too, but I settled for a new Coach purse :)

At the opposite end of the Riverwalk, we saw a sign inside that said cruise port with an arrow, so we went to investigate. I know we probably walked a few areas that we shouldn't have, but we took bets where we would enter, saw where all the taxis would go the day we board and just got comfortable with the area. We also got to see big trucks bringing goodies, we assumed for our cruise, into these big warehouses. Pretty neat to watch!

I pulled my map out to determine where we were and off in the distance I saw Harrah's so off we went for a drink and a little gambling. Casino odd, they search you before you enter, but eh, I was on vacation, search away! We lost a little, but again it was cool and the drinks were good and the bathrooms were clean.

Our friends flying in from Nevada texted! they've arrived, so we took the streetcar back to the Garden District and did some investigating in that area. The homes were beautiful. Went back to the hotel to freshen up for a fun night!

Our fun evening began back on Bourbon Street which was completely different after dark! Wow! Not a place I'd ever take my children, but had a drink at the Hard Rock bar and that helped loosen me up for a Friday night. Headed towards The Court of Two Sisters, our dinner spot for the evening. The food was phenomenal. I highly recommend it. After dinner we walked along Bourbon Street and took in the sites. We had an early morning planned for Saturday, so we headed back to our room around 10pm.

Saturday was going to be a long, long day! Woke up at an early 6am (CA time 4am) and jumped on the streetcar to get to Mother's for breakfast. This place was highly recommended by a coworker of my hubby's and I've heard about how long the lines get the later you go. It was so popular that the streetcar driver said "have fun at Mother's", not ever telling him where we were going. My husband asked him how he knew, he said "where else would anyone be going this early on a Saturday morning in New Orleans". I was excited to try somewhere new! My hubby was in heaven. He had black ham, scrambled eggs, grits and a biscuit. I was silly...I didn't try anything new, I went with pancakes. I wish I had ordered what he did, but oh we'll, ya live and learn. He did let me try it and oh my, the black ham was delicious.

After breakfast we had a cemetery and voodoo tour through Grayline planned. It was good. Very informative about the area and cemetery. They explained the history of burials, where voodoo started and why they bury above ground. We were there early and it was a ghost town, really nice. Towards the end of the tour it got really busy and hot/humid. Weather felt like a repeat from the day before. After the tour, the tour guide made several recommendations in the area, but we wanted to take our friends back to Cafe Du Monde. We walked by the Mississippi River down to the Cafe...long, long line, but no worries, we sat really quickly and enjoyed more Beignets and this time a coke!

I promise more to come. Hope those reading are enjoying and finding this useful so far. Dinner awaiting...

I've done it both ways, with and without it. I prefer it every time now. I was on board and in my room at 11am, luggage present. It was fantastic!

My hubby won $800 two nights in a row on the blackjack table. I've never won anything, I just lose....:rolleyes:

Are the dry eraser boards you are using magnetic? If not, how do you put them on the door! I've never done it, but have always wanted to!

Parking was super easy for me in Long Beach. We also had FTTF and got there at 10:30am. We sat for a half hour and at 11am we were on our way to board. Have fun!

There are so many ways one might have OBC applied to one's S&S account.

 

Let's see how many I can come up with:

 

 

- price drop difference awarded as OBC after final payment

- occasional MC and other promotions for booking a certain way, etc.

- perk offered by TA with whom cruise was booked

- cashing in Carnival MC FunPoints or purchasing OBC with other cc reward points

- refund for an onboard purchase made (excursion, etc.) and then returned

- stockholder's benefit

- incentive from some Carnival sales (such as Military sale)

- using an FCC

- having booked cruise while onboard a previous cruise

- buying it ahead of time - some people like to do this to have a credit already on their S&S account

- being gifted the OBC as a bon voyage from friends or family

 

 

I'm sure there are more that I'm just not thinking of right now. Hope this helps.:)

Thank you so much!

Am I the only one that doesnt know anything about OBC's and how to get them? It seems like so many people have them, use them, know how to get them, but I have no clue where to begin. I need some education. Cruise coming in October on The Dream!

Walking distance close, probably not.

But in a car very close.

The bridge is right there where the boat docks and it was a few minutes from the bridge.

 

I don't know how far it is to the ferry to the French Quarter.

We were thinking of doing it, but we did not get in early enough and were only there for one night, but it sounds like fun.

 

What do you want to do for your three days?

Will you have a car?

 

If you want to visit some of the River

Road plantation houses you might want to stay in that area.

 

Oh, I signed up for Groupon for New Orleans and I get some interesting touristy offers. Ghost and swamp tours and all that.

We get in late Thursday night, so we have Friday and Saturday. I still don't have a room, but yes, we want to tour New Orleans experience as much as we can.

I've been once with my company for a convention, but no tours or anything. My husband has never been.

I signed up for Groupon! Great idea.

If you go to lastminutetravel DOT com, put in NOLA and then specify convention center, it's bringing up two different hotels. One is $71 and the other is $110. You can find out what the hotels are by calling the toll free number.

 

I booked the Hilton Garden Inn through lastminutetravel last year and got a great deal. It's just a couple of blocks from the port. When we got up the following morning, we could see the Whale Tail of the Conquest from our hotel window!!!

 

Hope this helps! ;)

That's amazing! I love that!! Thank you. I'll check it out!

This happened to me and we stayed in a Best Western in Algiers.

It has a pool in a courtyard and was quite nice.

 

A lot of people don't think of staying on the other side of the river.

Thank you! We are flying in from CA on a Thursday, so we will be there for three nights. Is it easily accessible to "everything"?

Ok everyone! I'm the idiot that waited until now to get a hotel in New Orleans. We are flying in on Thursday. Why is everything either sold out or soo expensive? Any ideas for the procrastinator?