HCTiger9704

River cruise line picks Gretna for home port

New cruise company French America Line has picked Gretna's ferry landing as the homeport for its 150-passenger riverboat Louisiane under a deal that steers money toward restoring ferry service between Gretna and New Orleans.

 

French America Line will also locate its corporate headquarters on the west bank of Jefferson Parish. The company's move will create 94 jobs with a $7.5 million investment. Company representatives and officials with Jefferson Parish, the state and the Regional Transit Authority announced the deal Friday (June 24) in Gretna.

For those of you who do not know, Gretna is near New Orleans.

The 2.5 star for $131 is definitely Best Western Plus St. Charles Inn. The 3.5 star is new. I believe the Hotel Indigo, which was previously a 3 star, has been upgraded and that is it. There are two 3 stars with the same amenities. One of them is Prytania Oaks. I believe it is the one with 75% recommendation. Prytania Park is another hotel that has been on Hotwire in the Garden District previously but I don't see anything that seems to match it.

I stay at the Best Western Plus St. Charles Inn every year for the Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day Parade (I march in it). There no pool (that is a negative if you want to swim) but I always enjoy my stay there.

I do want to mention that I have book a hotel room at the Ambassador Hotel at http://www.neworleans.com (I live on the Westbank of Jefferson Parish but I want a hotel room for an event that I knew I would be drinking at).

I know you most already went on your cruise, but here is a video on the Travel Channel that deals with a restaurant in St. Bernard Parish.

http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/bizarre-foods/video/best-po-boys-in-saint-bernard

This is my 4th cruise but my first cruise with Carnival. My last three cruises has been with Norwegian Cruise Line (since NCL has gone up on their prices, I decided to try a new cruise line).

I am sailing on the Carnival Dream out of New Orleans in April 2016. I am wondering if you can book excursions onboard and how easy/hard is it?

I know this might be a simple question but I like know the facts ahead of time and have no surprises.

Tell me what you would do. We fly in on a Saturday around noon. Our ship leaves at 4 on Monday. We are staying in the warehouse district. A few things I want to add in: haunted walking tour, natchez cruise w/o without food. I want us to experience the food. Muffaletta and poboy.

If "we" includes children or adults that are animal lovers, you might want to check out the different attractions that the Audubon Nature Institute has (Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Audubon Zoo, the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, est.). The Aquarium actually has a new white alligator (the old one, Spots, died a few months ago). The white alligator is white due to being leucistic.

There is no where online to find out.

Even if you bought them your self still no where

Thanks for the information.

Check out the National World War 2 Museum.

Got to try beignets at Café Du Monde. Just do not wear black clothes since the white powder will be very noticeable. I recommend wearing white clothes.

The Catholic Directory (click here) might be helpful.

The two Catholic churches that you might want to keep in mind is St. Patrick's Church located at 724 Camp Street and St. Louis Cathedral.

If you have time, you can take the ferry to Algiers Point (a neighborhood on the Westbank of Orleans Parish) attend mass at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church located at 500 Eliza St.

Is there a way to tell how much cruise cash (aka onboard credit) I have online?

I received some for Christmas presents and wondering how much I got. I checked out the web-site and could not find anything on how much onboard credit I have.

Thanks for all the information.

I sailed on three different NCL ships (Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Epic, and the Norwegian Getaway) and I loved each one. For my next cruise, I just want to try another cruise line just too see what it is like and decided on the Carnival Dream.

I am sailing solo (aka by myself) on the Carnival Dream out of New Orleans.

This will be my forth cruise but my first cruise with Carnival Cruise Line. My other three cruises were with Norwegian Cruise Line.

I understand that some people prefer one cruise line over the other. So I am NOT trying to start a conversation on which cruise line is better. I am just wondering what are the differences that I should expect on the Carnival Dream that NCL does or doesn't have?

One of my friends lives in Chalmette. I asked them what they recommend base on what you posted and they said "Rocky's and Palms Casino too. Also Charlie's Diner and Crave."

All locations are in St. Bernard Parish (Chalmette is in St. Bernard Parish). I went ahead and looked up the addresses and Facebook pages for you:

Rocky & Carlo's

613 W Saint Bernard Hwy

Chalmette, LA 70043

Palm's Casino

8001 Saint Bernard Hwy

Arabi, Louisiana 70043

Charlie's Diner

6129 E St Bernard Hwy

Violet, LA 70092

Crave

3201 E Judge Perez Dr

Meraux, LA 70075

Since you will be staying in St. Bernard Parish, you might want to check out web-site called Visit St. Bernard

I have not stayed at the Hampton Inn Convention Center for a cruise but I have stayed there for a wedding before a few years ago. It is really nice hotel and the rooms (the one I stayed in and the one my parents stayed in) were great rooms. The staff were very friendly.

When I checked in, I got a coupon for a free drink at their bar.

If you have the time, check out The National World War 2 Museum. It can take almost a whole day to see everything. Even with a whole day, you might still miss stuff. But it is a great museum.

Hotels near the port:

Hampton Inn & Suites New Orleans-Convention Center New Orleans LA

New Orleans Marriott at the Convention Center

Hilton Riverside

Harrah's Casino

There are other hotels near by (just look up hotels on Convention BLVD).

Free parking

One of my friends from Where's George stays at the Holiday Inn in Metairie since if you stay there an x amount of days, you can leave your car there for free when you go on a cruise. I believe that the Holiday Inn Gretna has the same offer.

New Orleans startup airline launching flights to Memphis, Shreveport, Little Rock

A New Orleans startup airline focused on regional connections in the South will launch daily flights to Memphis, Little Rock and Shreveport in November from Louis Armstrong International Airport, officials said Tuesday (Sept. 29).

 

GLO, a public charter airline, was founded by New Orleans lawyer Trey Fayard.

For those who are in Memphis, Little Rock and Shreveport who wants to go on a cruise out of New Orleans, you can fly into New Orleans with GLO

There are studio type staterooms on some of the Radiance class ships too.

I did not know that. Thanks for the information. Once I hit the "submit reply", I am going to look up the information on the internet.

By what I understand, Royal Caribbean has a new thing (new for them) called studio cabins for those who are solo travelers (or for those who hate sharing a room) on the Quantum Of The Seas?

I am wondering if the Royal Caribbean is planning on having studio cabins on any new ships that they are building or are they only going to have it on this one boat?

I been on three cruises (Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Getaway with the last two having studio cabins). I love NCL buy I will be willing to give other cruise lines a try if they have studio cabins. I love NCL but that does not mean I can't love more than one cruise line.

New riverboat American Eagle to offer cruises out of New Orleans

American Eagle, like the company's Queen of the Mississippi, will offer various eight-day itineraries on the Lower Mississippi River between New Orleans and Memphis, Tennessee. It will have 84 staterooms and offer the "elegance of classic late 1800s riverboats."

American Cruise Lines

New American Cruise Lines Riverboat to Homeport in New Orleans

They need to make more smaller ships that can go to the ports that they have now. I know that the Tampa area is talking about expanding the port to allow the big ships to port here but I can't see that happening. There is too much at stake in the environment and the money spent, not just here but in each port area where the small ships are now home ported.

 

NCL could take the lead and build a handful of new small ships!!

 

janymac:p

If NCL did build a smaller ship with a few studio cabins, and that ship does Alaskan cruises during the summer time, I would most likely book a room before the ship was even finish being built.

Any advice on visiting Alaska by yourself? I usually travel by myself (I enjoy travelling solo).

When I go on cruises, I usually go with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) since a few of their ships have studio cabins. By what I understand, there are only three NCL cruise ships that visit Alaska (Norwegian Jewel, the Norwegian Pearl and the Norwegian Sun) and none of them have studio cabins.

What NCL cruise ships will be sailing to Alaska in 2015 and 2016? Will any of those ships have studio cabins?

Based on my research, the three NCL cruise ships will be the Norwegian Jewel, the Norwegian Pearl and the Norwegian Sun. And based on my research, none of them have the studio cabins.

Is my research correct?

22 things you have to explain to out-of-towners about New Orleans

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