Human Speedbump
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Posts posted by Human Speedbump
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Honestly.... I just don't declare it. I pay too much taxes already, I'm not volunteering to pay more.
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Or take a quick cab ride ($8) to Wet Wendy's. They have the best margaritas on the island and the food is great to boot.
They were regularly #1 on trip advisor when we started going there 6 years ago, free wifi seals the deal.
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[quote name=poobears;50057176
I've heard the Dream has had a lot of problems making it to scheduled ports recently' date=' did you experience shortened port times due to getting there late/leaving early? We are going on the Dream in Dec.[/quote]
I was on this same cruise.... Back home today and nobody has made my bed.... Nobody has made me a towel animal. I had dinner tonight and reached for the bread basket. It's gonna take a few days to get back to normal.
And yes, the Dream is limping it's way to a January dry dock, the highest speed on the whole cruise was 17.6 Knotts. We were only short a couple hours in Cozumel, but we were all drunk by then anyway so all was well. Belize and Honduras were as scheduled.
There was a Coast Guard helicopter rescue of a passenger as the ship re-entered the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River. It was a thrill to watch but we feel sad for that person and their traveling companions having to go through that.
Has anybody heard of that PAX is OK??
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Do the high decks debark last even with self assist?
Yes
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Debarkation from the Dream in NOLA this morning was a zoo. It was well after 10am before we pulled out of the parking garage. For us self assist and zone debarkation turned out to be the same time. We were in a deck 11 balcony cabin [emoji849]
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I see Mardi Gras 2017 is Feb. 28, so you are going to getting in pretty close to that action. It really depends on whether you are flying in or driving to New Orleans.....
The Holiday Inn Express Downtown on Okeefe St. Might not be a bad choice if you got a good rate there. It's a few blocks out of the big CBD hustle and bustle but still walking distance to the French Quarter. It's located a couple blocks from the Tulane medical center/ school and it's a little bit desolate at night there. If you do stay there try Walk-Ons sports bar 2 blocks away and get the "Devils on Horseback"... My favorite on the menu. It's casual but can be very lively.
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I was referencing the Coz/Belize/Roatan Itinerary.... We don't go to GC this trip. We were only short about 1.5 hours port time and that was in COZ.
The ship has never gotten over 17.6 knots the whole trip, last night we we sailing at 14 knots. I am a little puzzled how Carnival can let this issue persist until the January dry dock. It reeks of mid-representation to me.
Anyhow, the only really abating thing to me is the elevator situation. There are at least one or two (sometimes more) out of service in each area. We are traveling with a friend that is in a wheelchair and the level of rudeness has been astonishing. College aged kids too lazy to walk a flight or two of stairs [emoji22]
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The itenerary was only affected in Cozumel. We arrived 30 minutes late and are set to leave an hour early (so far). Belize and Roatan are scheduled to be normal port times.
No big deal!!
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I have stayed at both many times. Omni is a little closer to the action, but further from the port.
When I stay at Marriott Convention Center I book on Priceline (4 star convention Center area bid, usually around $70) and then at check in ill ask if they have any Handicapped King rooms unsold and they always put me in one. These are the corner rooms and are very Large L shaped rooms.
Speaking of Priceline Bids.... There are only 5- 4star hotels in the Convention Center area. Marriott CC, Omni Riverfront, Renaissance Arts Hotel (my absolute favorite in the city), Loews hotel, and Harrahs Casino. All are great choices.
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Does anyone know if the Coz/Belize/Roatan itinerary will be affected like this next week?
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We did this excursion last Spring Break 2015. I will say the it was the wildest zip-line we have ever done. It was not that they were higher or longer than any we had done before, it was that they encouraged stunts at every opportunity. We were encouraged to flip off of the platforms and to zip feet-up. There were a couple of lines where they ley you double zip with a friend or guide.
I wish I knew how to post a picture on here, My sister did a superman zip with our guide Brandon and it looked very naughty in the picture. It makes for a fun time during holiday gatherings....lol
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I checked the rate and it was about $199 each for those dates. The OP said he was not stuck on rate.
I would do the Residence Inn simply for the fact that he and his family can walk to anything they want to do in minutes and not have to drive into the city everyday. He could put his vehicles at the Fulton St. Garage about 2 blocks away and relax.
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Notice you are from Baton Rouge. We are from Tuscaloosa. If I see a shirt with LSU on it and you see one with an A on it, we may make contact!
Your gonna see a whole lot of purple and Gold on this cruise, as well as black and gold. I personally don't have any LSU gear, I'm a fan, I just don't wear the colors. You may see us in Louisiana Tech Gear though, this is a HS graduation cruise and our son is heading to La Tech in the fall. Either way, it should be a good time.
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I grew up in Slidell, its not a bad place to stay, but try this idea.
Residence Inn in New Orleans at 345 St Joseph St. They have a whole side of the hotel that is converted 2 and 3 bedroom apartments converted to hotel rooms. I have stayed in one before and they are very nice and give everyone some space. For 12 people you will probably need 2- 3 bedroom units.
The upside is free breakfast and afternoon meals. Its just 2 blocks from the St Charles Ave streetcar line and that will take you either to the French Quarter or Garden District. There are plenty of dining options around the area or you can prepare your own meals in your in-room kitchen. Its only about 6 blocks from the Cruise Terminal.
I hope this helps. I know the hotel and the area well so feel free to ask if you need any more recommendations (Dining, activities, parking etc)
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I will be on the Dream on the same cruise as you.
We went to Belize on the Magic out of Galveston last year. We encountered a 5 minute storm on the island then it cleared up. I guess that's why they put a 100% chance of rain every day.
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Lynda.... I was responding to her earlier post where she asked for post cruise advice.
And I agree about walking to Clearview mall. If she stays at Comfort Suites in Kenner, she should call Nassir Ali, the hotel GM, and ask if he will shuttle them to and from the mall. Nassir is a friend and former client of mine and he will bend over backwards to help a guest out.
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Hotel Mazarin is newly renovated about 2 years ago. The rooms are small like a bedroom in your house but nicely appointed. I usually don't stay in the FQ, but my wife stayed there for a weeding that was held in the courtyard of the hotel.
I like hotels with modern amenities and spacious rooms so I have my Go-To hotels in the Warehouse District that I can get on Priceline for around $65 (4star) most weekday nights. I am still able to walk distances so it's just about 6-8 blocks to the FQ when I want to go eat. I also like the fact that it is safer and quieter and I can park in the street for free in the WHD between 6pm and 8am
. I have stayed at the Courtyard in the FQ and it was exceptionally nice and modern.
Can't miss dinner meals in the FQ are Irene's , GW Finns, Restaurant Revolution (pricey), Palace Cafe. the list is loooong in this area. You'll need reservations.
I really like Cafe Maspero for lunch in the FQ, priced right and great local flavor. Don't go in thinking its fancy or pretentious, It's anything but.
In the Garden District try Atchafalaya or Clancy's.... You can't go wrong with either.
In the Warehouse District try Peche or Cochon, both great treats. August and Domenica is in the CBD and is great, just pricey, need reservations.
I personally think that Antoine's is badly overrated and sadly Galitoires is getting that way too. I personally steer clear of K-Pauls also due to being overrated/overpriced/not rodent averse (bad personal experience there).
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Oh and I misread which Comfort Property you were asking about. The Comfort Suites is nice also and is a little closer to dining than St Rose Comfort Inn. Either would be my choice, but I'm Double Diamond in the Choice Privileges program and I never pay for a room, always book on points earned from business travel.
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Honestly.... I would fly in the morning of the cruise and just stay an extra day (on top of the days you were planning already). But I do have lots of hotel knowledge in these areas so here goes.
1) Red Roof Inn in Kenner was just recently converted from a Sleep Inn. It's directly on I-10 and road noise is significant, it's basic and would be fine for one night, but if I had my choice between the two I would take the Comfort Inn St Rose. This hotel is a better run property and the free breakfast is good. You should not be bothered by the noise here, as its on Airline Hwy.They offer airport pickup and they also have a shuttle to the cruise port on embarkation day. There is plenty of restaurants in Metarie and Kenner for a $10 or less cab fare
2) Sleep Inn Metarie is OK, you will get a lot of highway noise. They have a free breakfast but not as good as Comfort Inn. The upside is that they are across the street from Clearview Mall and plenty of dining option in there or nearby. I'm not sure if they offer a cruise shuttle. Cab fare to this hotel from MSY should be $20.
3) Baymont Marrero was once a Sleep Inn a few years ago. They seem to be pretty clean but road noise might be significant as they are at the foot of the Westbank Expressway. The area is OK, more suburban but it's not like a high crime area, it's where all the working class folks live. Dining is a little more sparse here though. I'm not sure about a cruise shuttle to the port. Cab fare to this hotel from MSY should be around $40
4) Of the hotels that you mention in Slidell, the Wingate is the nicest, Country Inn is a close second. It is not very feasible to stay in Slidel though as cab fare to Slidell would be probably $80 and the same back to the cruise port. If you do stay in Slidell let me know, I grew up there and can give dining help if needed. The bridge over Lake Pontchartrain is really not a big deal, definitely not worth going through New Orleans East (Scary) to get to.
If you need help with hotels when you debark.... I've spent hundreds of nights in New Orleans and dined all over the French Quarter/CBD/Warehouse District (my fave). Just ask.
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^^^^^ should have been a 5/15/16 sail date.
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Sail Date : 4/15/16
Ship: Carnival Dream
Class of Gaurantee: Cove Balcony ($419pp, 4 people)
Cabin assigned: 8G Panorama Deck (11)
Date assigned: April 5 (Booked March 30
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Its very nice, and its the absolute closest hotel to the cruise-port. The hotel is very nice and the breakfast is great.
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I think this belongs in either the New Orleans board or the Gulf Coast Departures board.
The Blake Hotel in New Orleans is an Ascend property in the Choice Hotels family. We stayed there in 2 rooms last December when our sons High School Football Team went to compete (and win) the state championship.
The lobby area was fairly nice, but the rooms were really small and kind of BLAH...that being said, the location at the corner of Poydras and St Charles Avenue is second to none. It is on the streetcar line (you can hear them late into the night). We booked it because it was free on Choice Hotel loyalty points...otherwise I would have pricelined a 4 star in the Convention Center area for around $60-$75.
If its just for one or two nights, it should be fine though. Its New Orleans and there is so much to see so you wont be in the room that much anyway.
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You can't go wrong with these....
GW Finns on Bienville St. Will get you in and out for about $150-200 with cocktails. I've never been disappointed there. You will need a reservation most nights. Occasionally they offer a Pre-fixe menu around $50pp but I don't like those limitations if I'm going fine dining.
Restaurant R'evolution, also on Bienville will run you about $250-300 with a decent bottle of vino. This is white tablecloth fancy dining at its best in New Orleans. Reservation needed.
Peche is on Julia Street in the Warehouse district. It offers utterly fantastic seafood, it's a great atmosphere too. Reservations needed.
Here is a link to a local food blogger in New Orleans, in case you want to go hog wild and eat like a local....
Breakaway Live! March 10-17, 2019
in Norwegian Cruise Line
Posted · Edited by Human Speedbump
I'm a Dummy
We are on the March 17 cruise, and we live in the Baton Rouge area.
Our favorite cajun/seafood restaurant in Baton Rouge is Parrain's on Perkins Road. Acme Oyster House is almost next door if that's more your liking.
In the event that you run late getting in to Baton Rouge, Lafayette has one of bthe best cajun restaurants there is anywhere. Its called Prejean's and its about 2 miles north of I-10 on the service road to I-49.
Happy eating...ask away if you need any BR info.
Edit: I just realized im a day late...DUH!!!