Our recent trip to New Orleans (long review)

[Happy Camper]

We cruised on the Conquest on 8/14 and had decided if we were going to spend the money to fly there from Calif, might as well throw in some time in New Orleans. We decided on five nights (Tuesday through Sunday). Please note that this was a spend time together trip and not a party all night trip (although we did witness quite a few of those).

 

In my search for the best bargain, I decided to sign up for email newsletters and updates on a few different travel, airfare and hotel websites. One of them was the Wyndam. Well, can you imagine my joy when within a week all of those annoying newsletters paid off. The Bourbon Orleans, a Wyndam historic hotel was on special for $35 a night. I booked it immediately. Because of the low rate I expected an old, adequate hotel, but our experience was quite the opposite! It was a fantastic location (right in the middle of the French Quarter) and the hotel was full of history, well preserved, and well exceeded my expectations! It wasn't as nice as other Wyndams I had stayed at, but I had no complaints about the hotel and would definitely stay there next time.

 

We are very good about saving money (especially since we were splurging on the cruise), and had purchased the Entertainment book for NO (at a reduced rate as half the year is over). We used the two for one coupons for our Oak Alley Plantation tour (fantastic), Haunted History Tour (good) and Cemetery tour (okay) as well as the buy one get one free at a local hotel's breakfast buffet and at Mike Anderson sea food. At Mike Anderson's, hubby had a Tenderloin Steak and I had the Shrimp Supreme. We are not too adventurous with our food, but the Louisiana Snowball dessert was fantastic. Food was good, but service was only okay. One of the few restaurants that we found with an actual non-smoking section.

 

Also ate at Bubba Gump's (neat atmosphere, food was good, non-smoking section) and Margaritaville (drinks great, food only okay). The Good Times Guide had a bogof drink, so of course we used it… Don’t laugh, but we also ate at Hooters as we had gift cards AND the game (insert any game) was on. Salads were good, dessert even better!

 

Loved Pat O’Briens!! The Hurricanes are exactly that and after one I had to move to the more foo foo drinks like their Rainstorm and Rainbow. The outdoor courtyard was a nice treat and the free popcorn helped soak up some of the booze. Went back a second time too! Also loved Cafe DuMonde. Great stop for any tours departing nearby.

 

Lafitte’s Blacksmith shop has a wonderful drink called the Voodoo. I believe it was a grape daiquiri, and it was fantastic (and dark purple).

 

The Aquarium and IMAX (the shark one) were fantastic. The Zoo was a bit far, but we took the streetcar and it was a fun experience. We were able to see part of the garden district and from what I could see it was wonderful.

 

The trip was very humid. In CA, the weather can get hot and I am long used to that. But the humidity was almost unbearable during our trip. It came and went, but it was quite a shock! We didn’t do too many walking tours as a result. Would have loved the garden district!

 

If you are a visitor to the area, please be careful at night. Stick to Bourbon or other well-known streets. We had just finished our Ghost Tour in front of a church on Orleans and were taking pictures (approx 10 pm) and were immediately approached by someone who wanted me (not my husband) to check her into a shelter for $10. I wasn’t about to walk down an unpopulated street at 10 pm, so I gave the lady $10 as I was uncomfortable with the situation. We were comfortable in the tour group and didn’t realize we were by ourselves at that point. Sure hope she checked herself in, but my husband said I was a sucker…….. At least I avoided a confrontation.

 

Great time! People were very friendly, especially during the day. We would absolutely visit again! Hope some/any of this information is helpful! I have learned so much from everybody else I though it was finally my time to share! Thank you all so much for all of your postings. I don't post very often, but I did ready anything and everything I could find regarding our trip. I really owe all CCrs a big thank you!!

[momt22]

Hey Happy Camper, thanks for all the information. I just have a few questions I am hoping you can answer. How did you get hold of the Entertainment book and were you able to find a coupon or discount for the Aquarium. We are sailing on the Conquest 9/18 and we would all (8)like to see the Aquarium but it is very pricey. I have been trying to find a coupon out there somewhere to keep the price down. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks and I am glad you all had a great time.

[Happy Camper]

Hi! The entertainment book is available through entertainment.com. The new 2006 New Orleans book is currently $30 plus s&h, but the site still shows 2005 books for $9.99 plus s&h (the offer is under buy a book). I have seen church groups and other organization sell the new books with no shipping fees. I don't remember if there was an aquarium coupon or not but you can view a sample of offered coupons online for each individual city. We did the zoo, aquarium and IMAX package which was decently discounted (packages are on their website auduboninstitute.org). There was a bogof coupon for the zoo cruise (from aquarium to the zoo) which is a great deal, but I get motion sick on small boats (fine on the cruise though). We spent four of five hours at each the zoo and aquarium and felt we got our money's worth. It is one of the better aquariums that we have visited and we didn't feel admission was overinflated. I thought I saw a coupon in the Good Times Guide, but I am not sure. Our hotel had a "what to do" area and I think there was a coupon for $2 or so on the aquarium flyer.

 

Hope this helps!

[Cotton]

Happy - It was a delight to see your review of my home town! I'm SO glad you enjoyed your visit.:) (Yes, we live in humidity here. In June, I was visiting my daughter who lives in Marina del Ray, and it was so very nice not to be walking around in humid climate like we do here.) I hope y'all get to visit again one day.

 

Mom - Even though it's too late for you to get copies of either the coupon book or the Good Times Guide.....just look around when you get to N.O. and pick up any of the free pamphlets that are in most of the restaurants or shops, and sometimes even on street corners. There are always coupons of all kinds in those. Hope you have as good a time as Happy did!:)

[Choozin Croozin]

Thanks for the review. I can't wait 'til March. :)

[Happy Camper]

I would also like to add that the people we encountered were very friendly. But I do come from Southern CA where people are generally rude, so take my opinion however you'd like.

 

And if you are easily spooked by the unknown (ghosts, spirits, etc.), I seriously suggest doing some research on your hotel. You should have seen the looks on people's faces during our ghost tour when the guide was describing the awful, brutal things that "allegedly" happened and are "allegedly" currently happening at some the older, historic hotels. Looked like they were ready to faint :eek: (it was the hotel they were staying at). I eat this type of thing up and loved every second of it!! Plus it didn't hurt that the Bourbon Orleans where we stayed has a "friendly, non-malevolent" history (at least that's what the websites, books, and even our guide said).

 

Cotton - I had a fantabulous time (my new made up word to describe our trip). I would absolutely recommend New Orleans as a place to visit instead of a place to spend a night before or after your cruise. Thank you very much as much of the New Orleans information that I utilized was from you!!

[tessie40]

Love to hear about people having a good time in my home city. If you are a member or your zoo at home you may be able to use your discount at our Zoo & Aquarium or maybe even they will accept membership your . Many zoo's have "exchange programs". Not a bad idea to check.

[arby70]

There are bunches of coupons for different things from the Good Times Guide online. This includes the $2 off coupon to the Aquarium. Print off a couple of them and divide your group up in to 2 groups as it appears that they limit you to a savings of $8 total. Don't know if they hold to that or not. Anyway you can find this coupon along with a bunch of others for various eating places, tours, hotels, and other entertainment on the following website.

 

www.neworleanscvb.com

 

Get on that web site and then there's a brochure/coupon section. Click on download coupons from that point and it will bring up 28 pages of coupons for you to check out and print. Hope this helps. Have fun on your cruise.:D