Drive or Fly from Nashville to New Orleans

[dsb1122]

My wife and I are going to go on our first cruise in July of '05. We'll be on the Carnival Conquest for a week. My question is should we fly or drive. Driving down there probably wouldn't be that bad, but I'm afraid it would be terribly tiring driving back and then having to get up for work the next day. I've never been to New Orleans but I'm guessing it will be about an 8-9 hour drive. I'm hoping Southwest will have some decent rates but I really have no idea if they will or not.

 

Anyone have any suggestions, tips, advice, etc?

[sportsterjohn]

If you are going to drive, I would take the next day off from work. It is a long boring drive!

[springtxbill]

The drive is about 8 hours. Southwest should have a sale on before then, but right now their fare ion 2 Sundays in April is $178 which is probably close to what the sale fare would be. However Delta right now is showing $150 for July with connections thru ATL. The travel times would be close to driving, but the flights would be not as tiring. Considering parking at Port (more expensive than BNA or a friend), gas, taxis to/from Port, etc. about $150-175 extra for both of you to fly doesn't sound all that bad.

[Kitty34]

I had the same decision to make but it was from Michigan to New Orleans! I opted to fly. For me I think it's worth the extra $$ to same on time but then we're going during Spring Break where we don't have as much time because of school.

[lisaland]

I just drove with my family from Madison, Alabama to NO. We went through B'ham to pick up my parents. From B'ham, it was about 4-5 hours. Not a bad drive at all. We had a large group (6 of us) so it was a big savings for us to drive. We stayed Friday night at the Hilton Garden Inn (very close to cruise terminal) and parked our car there for $8/day. (You have to ask hotels for the cruise/park special. They don't advertise it.) Unless you get a fabulous deal on airline tickets, I'd tell you to go ahead and drive. It wasn't too bad.

 

Lisaland

[darnallj]

I would suggest flying i have flown out of BNA twice to New orleans watch southwest and AA both times we have i have gotten tickets for about 115.00 pp r/t no way you can drive that cheap if you do fly. Go 1 exit past the airport in nashville and park there it is 5.00 a day instead of 9 at the airport they have a free shuttle back and forth

[Coolmama_1]

I would opt to fly too. Sign up at SWA for their weekly emails. Flights to NO go on sale quite often. It is about a 7-8hour drive and that would not be much fun after a relaxing cruise.