Must read!!! Hilton riverside "cruise special" in New Orleans

There was a recent posting ( I can't remember the name of the member,sorry) about a Hilton Riverside "cruise special" that sounded too good to be true, but it's not. I just booked it! You can stay at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans right next to the cruise terminal for just $99.00 dollars a night with complimentary parking for up to 7 days. Just show them your cruise info. and prove you're going on a cruise and it's only $99.00 dollars. We booked it with 2 queen beds for 4 people. I was trying to book the Hilton at $50.00 a night through Priceline like several other people had but it wouldn't go through. When I booked our $99.00 dollar room the operator that helped me indicated that guests normally pay for parking and that to get free parking you needed to book this deal. So maybe the $50.00 dollars at priceline wasn't such a good deal if I still had to pay for parking. I've never stayed there and she could be wrong. But I jumped on the chance to get a room at the Hilton with guaranteed free parking for just $99.00 dollars. All the discount websites were quoting me $238.00-$300.00 a night. The number to call is 1-504-561-0500 and ask for the $99.00 dollar cruise special. They will even refund the entire amount if you cancel at least three days in advance. So if I find a better deal I can cancel without any penalties. I hope this helps some of you out there. Sorry this is so long! I'll be on the Conquest for the October 31,2004 sailing and I can't wait!!!

hey thanks for the advice cruisinqt, I just did the same thing! good deal for what seems to be a great hotel!

I'm so glad I could help. Just for your information, you might be pleased to know that they are only three blocks from the cruise terminal. They have several pools, a couple of restaurants, a gift shop, hair salon, -everything! They are a four star hotel and in the pre cruise hotel section the board members rave about the hotel.It is walking distance to the French Quarters, but after a big meal and some partying you might want to take a trolley back. It seems like much farther to walk when you're tired. Oh, and what we plan on doing the morning of the cruise is to have my husband and the bags take a $7.00 taxi to the pier while the kids and I take a stroll there. The taxi's charge per person and bags for a family of four is just too much to drag along.I hope this helps.

I booked a King Suite at the HRS for $149.00.This includes parking for the entire cruise. You have to ask for the "Cruise Special" The $99.00 rate is for a standard King or double. A very good deal!

[img]http://www.animationlibrary.com/Animation11/Food_and_Drinks/BBQ_and_Picnics/Crawfish_cook.gif[/img] Let's see what we can stir up!
SINSATION 10/23/04 [img]http://www.geocities.com/giffsngiggles/firedevil.gif[/img]
CONQUEST 10/19/03
INSPIRATION 10/21/01

We'll be there just one night and don't plan spending much time in our room. So the $99.00 deal would be best for us. If it was just the two of us without the kids, we might think about the suite. I'm glad you posted it though. A lot of people will probably like that choice.

Just thought I might give you another quick tip. We have decided to just take our bags to the pier and let the porters put them on the ship. We will then take our car back to the hotel and take a trolley down to the French Quarters. The ship doesn't leave until evening This will give us several extra hours to enjoy in New Orleans. A cruiser just posted that they did that in New Orleans and it worked out well. When they dropped their bags off, the line to board the ship was two hours long. When they came back later that afternoon, it only took fifteen minutes to get on the ship. I think we will do that too. Sounds like a good idea. I just thought you might want to know. It will save a lot of time and hassle.

I WISH I could get this cruise deal! The Hilton's totally booked for our July 4th cruise AND also in November when we'll be on another trip with my parents. We're waitlisted for November and hoping something will open up. There's always a zillion conventions going on in New Orleans.....looks like I've picked two times that are packed. :(

Thank you all soooooo much! I was just getting on here to ask if anyone knew of a good deal pre-cruise in NO. Will be our first time there and looking forward to it.

Trouble48746,

If this is your first time in New Orleans, be advised. The food and atmosphere are incomparable. The parking is lousy. The parking is very limited and when you are lucky enough to find a spot to park, they make you pay. That is why we take the trolley's when we are in New Orleans. The first time with our own car was terrible. You can search forever trying to find a space to park in the French Quarters. The trolley is only a $1.50 and they are everywhere. The trolley's are also a lot of fun. I don't need to tell you to have fun in New Orleans. I know you will. We have been there a number of times and it's always a blast.

MissMissy,

For my cruise in November the hotel is booked up as well!!! I am going on Conquest 11/7/04 And tried to book for the 6th. My question is I asked the person if i could be on a waitinglist and she said i just had to keep calling back! Maybe i should call again and speak to a different person?? Did you just ask to be put on a waiting list?

Or date for December was already booked up. Anyone know of any other deals as good as this one?

My friend and I stayed at the hotel a month ago after getting off the 3 day cruise on the American Queen - lovely hotel, next to the Riverside Walk - lots of shopping and across the street from Harrah's where I won $200 on two nickel machines. I am very overweight so have a hard time walking very far, but we did walk to the French Quarter. Have breakfast at Mother's - excellent. Everyone there knows where that is. And the tours are great. But if you are in the French Quarter during the week, it can be pretty dead. Just bars and souvenir shops.

I hope you all have good luck getting rooms there - they are very nice and you will really enjoy the hotel. But the dock is a long three blocks away, not right across the street.

Trouble 48746,

I've heard about a good deal recently gotten at the Maison St. Charles but it doesn't include free parking. It's called the "Bon Voyage" package and includes transportation to the pier and a few other goodies. It's not advertised on their website. You have to call them directly to book it. This hotel is very nice. It's in the heart of the french quarters where all of the fun is. You might call and work something out with them on parking. If they provide parking, maybe you can get a discount. Or maybe there's a place nearby that they could recommend for parking your car. It's worth a try.

Cruisnqt,
Thanks for the info, I'll give them a try.

try priceline son tuesday or weds of the cruise. (have backup reservation just in case) we got two rooms on the river for 50.00 each in feb

FYI, the deal at the Hilton is only good if you're staying [color=red]one[/color] night. They wouldn't let me book it for two nights. So, I ended up bidding on Priceline and getting a room at the Doubletree for the 2 nights before my cruise. Just $60 each night. It doesn't include parking, but I'm flying in, so that doesn't matter to me.

I just called the hotel direct and was told that they didn't have any cruise special rates for when I'm going. I waited a few minutes and called their 800 number. 1-800- hiltons and they had the special, so I grabbed it. I guess it doesn't hurt to keep trying. The poor reservationist was so funny. She couldn't find the Riverside for a few minutes. Finally she said do you know the abbreviation for New Orleans. I told her N.O. and she said "Oh man, Its not even showing New Orleans as a state." Bless her heart. I know it's rude to laugh, but I couldn't help it. After I explained that she should try looking in La. She found it with no problem.

If I wanted to stay at the Hilton Riverside how would I go about bidding on it via Priceline.com. Is it in the convention district?

[quote name='keja1914']If I wanted to stay at the Hilton Riverside how would I go about bidding on it via Priceline.com. Is it in the convention district?[/QUOTE]
The Hilton is on Priceline's 4* Convention Center list. The Sheraton & Renaissance Arts are on the same list, so there's no guarantee you'd get the Hilton. [url="http://p071.ezboard.com/fpricelineandexpediabiddingneworleans.showMessage?topicID=247.topic"]Bidding for Travel [/url]maintains a complete list of New Orleans hotels used by Priceline.

I need to correct an error here. I said earlier that the Maison St. Charles is in the French Quarters. It is not. It is in the Garden District. I have been to New Orleans so many times that I feel like a local. I can't believe I made such a mistake! My husband noticed it right off and told me I needed to correct it. I'm sorry about the mistake guys! I think I need to stop partying so much in New Orleans and maybe I'll remember stuff better. As for good hotel deals, I think there are more hotel deals out there for cruisers than we think. The problem is, the hotels just don't advertise these deals. It's not on their websites or in any of their advertising. I think if any of you are looking for a good cruise special at a hotel you should call them. When I was first looking for a hotel in NOLA I hit a ton of hotel websites and discount hotel websites and could find no cruise specials or free parking. But when I called Hilton directly, low and behold, they had a cruise special that had free parking. And this was no where to be found on their website. I think the key here is to get off of the computer and get on the phone and start making a few phone calls to the hotels you're interested in. Have a happy and safe cruise guys!

Does anyone know how far in advance a room can be booked at the Hilton? Our very first cruise (AAAGH!) is May 22 on the Conquest and this cruise special seems like a terrific deal. We are too excited!!

Hello, I posted some info. a few weeks ago about the special 99.00 rate offered by Hilton Riverside. I actually contacted the NO Convention and Visitor's Bureau a while back and they gave me the following website link intended for travel agents detailing the hotel specials designed for cruise passengers. Hope this helps!

[url="http://www.nomcvb.com/travelagent/cruisedetails.htm"]http://www.nomcvb.com/travelagent/cruisedetails.htm[/url]

Sure am glad I looked here...just booked it for Nov. 26. Thanks cruisinqt!:D

No problem Truffles, I am just glad I could help.:D

I called Auntienance and they tole me they have not negotiated the cruise rate for the Hilton in 2005 and to call back later this year. Hope that helps!

[quote name='like2cruise']I called Auntienance and they tole me they have not negotiated the cruise rate for the Hilton in 2005 and to call back later this year. Hope that helps![/QUOTE]


Thanks