Booked on the Dream out of New Orleans and need advice

[Gari]

Hi All,

 

I just booked a cruise for November 9th on the Dream from New Orleans and need your help.

 

Has anyone travelled out of New Orleans? Flying in the day before and not sure where to stay or how close the port is to the city. I'd like to visit the French Quarter - hotel and transportation suggestions to port the next day would be appreciated.

 

Also wondering how to book the Cloud Spa as I am going solo and didn't have the money for anything but a regular room.

 

Finally, has anyone done the Chefs Table on the Dream? Thinking of booking that too.

 

Any other ideas and can't misses would be appreciated

 

I am so excited I can't wait :D

[mzloolue]

You want to stay in the French Quarter?

 

I kind of feel like you might as well have the French Quarter experience.

And no I am not talking about the icky parts of Bourbon Street.

There are some museums and walking tours that would be fun, to me anyway.

 

I noticed that groupon has a couple of places in New Orleans that look interesting.

 

Also, and I don't recommend it to everyone as it is kind of a quirky place, but check out Olivier House Hotel. It is definitely the French Quarter experience and the very definition of shabby chic.

[EZ4]

The street cars are $3 for an all day pass. You can go all over.

[Gari]

The street cars are $3 for an all day pass. You can go all over.

 

Fantastic I will have to check out the map to see where it goes and other options to stay.

 

Thanks

[Watery Dan]

Hi All,

 

 

 

I just booked a cruise for November 9th on the Dream from New Orleans and need your help.

 

 

 

Has anyone travelled out of New Orleans? Flying in the day before and not sure where to stay or how close the port is to the city. I'd like to visit the French Quarter - hotel and transportation suggestions to port the next day would be appreciated.

 

 

 

Also wondering how to book the Cloud Spa as I am going solo and didn't have the money for anything but a regular room.

 

 

 

Finally, has anyone done the Chefs Table on the Dream? Thinking of booking that too.

 

 

 

Any other ideas and can't misses would be appreciated

 

 

 

I am so excited I can't wait :D

 

 

Stayed at Hampton Inn New Orleans Convention Center a couple of years ago. Very convenient. Close to the port. Easy access to Riverwalk and casino. New Orleans is fairly easy to get around.

 

 

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[WLHyatt]

Olivier House, Place De Armes or some of the smaller boutique hotels in the Quarter.

 

You can stay anywhere in the Lower Garden district (closer to the Quarter), Central Business District, or the French Quarter and the fare from the hotel to the port will be flat rate $7pp.

 

Some hotels have shuttles, but most of the time it is easier to catch a taxi at the airport and they're really not that expensive.

 

My advice for folks who haven't stayed in New Orleans before is check out the ports of call forum for New Orleans, and look at the hotels mentioned there.

[winddawn]

Hi All,

 

I just booked a cruise for November 9th on the Dream from New Orleans and need your help.

 

Has anyone travelled out of New Orleans? Flying in the day before and not sure where to stay or how close the port is to the city. I'd like to visit the French Quarter - hotel and transportation suggestions to port the next day would be appreciated.

 

Also wondering how to book the Cloud Spa as I am going solo and didn't have the money for anything but a regular room.

 

Finally, has anyone done the Chefs Table on the Dream? Thinking of booking that too.

 

Any other ideas and can't misses would be appreciated

 

I am so excited I can't wait :D

The Hilton Riverside is a nice place and it is directly across the street from Harrah's. It is also very close to the port. Airport shuttle new orleans dot com will take you to the hotel from the airport for $20, and it can be booked online in advance. It is about a 20 minute ride or so from the airport to the port area depending on traffic (about 17 miles). I agree with the others that it is easy to get around once you are at your hotel. NOLA is also very walkable in the daytime. Even though the hotel is very close to the port, you will need to take a taxi to the port for a few dollars. There is a strip of land between the port and the public roadway that is a restricted area, so you can't really just walk over even though it is very close.

 

Hope you have a great cruise. I think there is a jazz festival around that time, so I wouldn't wait to book a hotel.

[lukydog]

We have stayed at the Drury Inn & it was nice. Short walk to French Quarter & trolley is close.

[misguidedangel]

I went last year and was there four days before and one after the cruise. I never had nearly enough time to check out everything I wanted to. I'm going back again four before and two after the cruise. If you can swing a few days after that would be give you more time to explore.

 

Place d'Armes is a nice boutique hotel to stay at and it is so close to just about everything it is well worth the money. The courtyard is really lovely, the pools nice, and I would always go for a balcony or courtyard room.....balcony first!

 

I would suggest you do your homework and find out what you want to do and map it out. Google Earth/street view is ideal because if you have it set right you can see bars, restaurants, attractions, shops, and so on....

 

Oh and if you want to buy really nice, quality mardi gras/maskarade masks, then the mask store Maskarade across from the Place d Armes is the perfect place. The prices vary from modest to really expensive....all quality made by local or US mask makers...

 

Museums--for $15 you can get a discount pass for three of the state run museums and three are right in Jackson Square....church is free, but it is a working church still....

 

Have fun!

[cruznkate]

The jazz fest is in May but there could be another festival around that time. Your bigger concern would be if it's anytime near a Saints home game. The hotel rates get high for home games!

[Lizzanna]

We stayed at the Hilton Riverside for 2 days pre-cruise. The location is great, you can easily walk along the river down to the French Quarter. We also walked to the port on the morning of the cruise, took about 10 minutes. Post cruise we spent the night at the Renassaince Arts Hotel, very nice hotel. That was also an easy walk to the French Quarter. New Orleans is a great city and very walkable, Enjoy! We got both of these hotels for very reasonable prices on a hotel bidding site.

[jdragr]

We have stayed at Le Richeliu before and really enjoyed it.

 

 

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[gdurha99]

We are staying at the Hilton Riverside. Got excellent rates using AAA.

[wrigley80]

We are staying at the Sleep Inn in Metairie in December. We have stayed there multiple times when in New Orleans for a cruise and we love this hotel and the location

[Gari]

Thank you all I will do my homework and look at the places you all suggested. I have 154 days to go and I can't wait

[Shasta3]

We will be on the Dream January 4th. Going to NOLA a few days early and staying at the Renaissance close to the WWI museum 1 night and 2 nights at the Hilton Riverside right by the cruise port. Got both hotels for $129 per night thru Priceline.

[CruzinPenny]

I've never cruised out of NO before, but I have cruised on the Dream twice. To get the spa pkg., you have to go to the excursions desk on deck 3 when you get onboard and you can purchase for the week. I believe it was $149 for a single & $249 for a couple back in Jan. They sell out quick, so get it as soon as you get onboard.:)

 

Good luck,

Penny

[Shaded Lady]

Cruise port is right near downtown, right beside the convention center (I didn't see anyone answer that question, if it's a dup, apologies). We stayed at a Springhill Suites 2 blocks north of the convention center, about 4 blocks from the cruise port... easy walking to Bourbon Street, casino, etc... and it was one of the most reasonably priced hotels downtown. Great part was that it has a kitchen- fridge, microwave, coffee pot dishes etc... great to help you cut down costs if you're like us and would prefer to eat breakfast in our room and save the money to eat at some of the fantastic restaurants in the area!

 

Unless of course breakfast is café au lait and beignets at Café Du Monde!!

Edited June 12, 2014 by Shaded Lady

[Waterloomarc]

Another vote for Hilton Riverside. Great location. Short walk to anything. Stayed at Homewood Suites in April and I wouldn't recommend it under any circumstances to anyone. It was terrible. I'd sleep in my car before I went there again.

 

 

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[tncap]

We are staying at the Astor Crowne Plaza and the Maison-Dupuy in September, both Hotwire rates for around ~$80.

Edited June 12, 2014 by tncap

[Tucker in Texas]

Any recommendations for a hotel that lets you leave your car there while on the cruise?

 

Tucker in Texas

[Msbabynurse]

Hampton Inn convention center is right across from the port. I have stayed there several times on business trips and the staff is wonderful, rooms are clean and they offer a parking package. I have walked to the French quarter from there and then took a taxi back. I enjoy the walk ... You get a better feel for the city.

 

 

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[ldarcy]

The Hilton Riverside is a nice place and it is directly across the street from Harrah's.

 

Even though the hotel is very close to the port, you will need to take a taxi to the port for a few dollars. There is a strip of land between the port and the public roadway that is a restricted area, so you can't really just walk over even though it is very close.

 

Hope you have a great cruise. I think there is a jazz festival around that time, so I wouldn't wait to book a hotel.

 

We cruised out of New Orleans in February this year, we walked from the Hilton to the port - there were no areas that were restricted, we just walked right up!

 

There is also a streetcar that stops just outside the port - if you're not carrying too much stuff it's an easy trip!

[ilovetexas]

Any recommendations for a hotel that lets you leave your car there while on the cruise?

 

Tucker in Texas

 

That's very unlikely in New Orleans proper, parking is expensive there. Some of the people in my CC group last time stayed at the Quality Inn out in Gretna. You can leave your car there and they provide transportation to the cruise port. I've just paid to park at the port both times I've cruised from New Orleans.

[PresDuLac]

I second Place D'Armes.

It's on St. Ann St. and near the French Market, Riverfront, and across the street from Jackson Square.

 

I'll be staying there in Nov. & Feb.

 

Bourbon Orleans is another nice hotel close by.

 

I don't do Bourbon St. and I don't like staying close to it either.

French Market area for me and you can walk anywhere in the Quarter.

 

Before we went to port, my daughter and I had a short but fabulous tour in one of the Pedicabs, it was a blast and I'll definitely do it again.

 

There is also a double decker tour bus with an all day ticket price that lets you hop on and hop off all over the area, including the Garden District and the cemeteries.

 

I also like taking the street cars but if you stay in the Quarter, you can walk all over.

 

Double Decker Tour Bus