Getting to the pier

[JudyM]

Is there any kind of shuttle from the airport to Two Poydras? Or does anyone have a guess what the taxi fare might be like?

[Calliope]

From the airport to the wharf it's $33.00 for the first two passengers in a taxi. The third and fourth person are then $13.00 each. This is the set rate and there is no negotiating. GASC does not run a shuttle, to my knowledge, to pick up passengers arriving by air, but does to return passengers to the airport the day the voyage ends for a fee.

[JudyM]

Thank you, Calliope - much appreciated!

[willift]

Just got back from the June 4th sailing.

 

Getting to and from the Dockside is a bit of a hassle. We took a cab to the Hilton and figured it would be right there, it's not. The Dockside is around back and thru a shopping mall to get to the River. They don't let cabs near the actual docking area. It's kind of a long walk especially with too much luggage. I got a porter from GASB but I had to throw a mini hissy fit to get one.

 

Going home the Deembarkation paperwork clearly said there would be no Porters. They do offer a transfer to the Airport if that works for you, or a City Tour that ends at the Westin or the Airport.

 

Overall that was one of the biggest dissapointments of the whole cruise, starting out having a hard time getting to the boat and worrying about how to get off later just wasn't right.

 

Had a great time, hope the River's higher for you.

 

Willift

[Responder]

Just got back from the June 4th sailing.

 

Getting to and from the Dockside is a bit of a hassle. We took a cab to the Hilton and figured it would be right there, it's not. The Dockside is around back and thru a shopping mall to get to the River. They don't let cabs near the actual docking area. It's kind of a long walk especially with too much luggage. I got a porter from GASB but I had to throw a mini hissy fit to get one.

 

Going home the Deembarkation paperwork clearly said there would be no Porters. They do offer a transfer to the Airport if that works for you, or a City Tour that ends at the Westin or the Airport.

 

Overall that was one of the biggest dissapointments of the whole cruise, starting out having a hard time getting to the boat and worrying about how to get off later just wasn't right.

 

Had a great time, hope the River's higher for you.

 

Willift

 

I'm trying to figure out how we will be affected.

 

We are on the Aug 10 sailing and know we have to provide our own transportation from the airport to the Hilton where I think they will put us.

 

If so, I imagine it will be the same difficult trek from the hotel to the dock with all our luggage when we go to the ship the following day. Do they have any carts to borrow from the hotel?

 

Since they put us up at a hotel in Chattanooga at the end and they transport us to that hotel, getting to the airport shouldn't be a problem from there.

 

Thanks....

[njhoo]

This may a bit off topic, but maybe some who had experience with the former river cruises will have an answer. We are cruising from St. Paul to St. Louis the 5th of October. Made our original plane reservation from St. Louis at 12:40 pm to allow plenty of time to get from the boat to the airport. Now Delta changed the flight to 11:15 am departure. Understanding that we have to be off the ship no later than 9:00 am, am I correct in assuming we'll have no issues at all making our flight?

[Calliope]

This may a bit off topic, but maybe some who had experience with the former river cruises will have an answer. We are cruising from St. Paul to St. Louis the 5th of October. Made our original plane reservation from St. Louis at 12:40 pm to allow plenty of time to get from the boat to the airport. Now Delta changed the flight to 11:15 am departure. Understanding that we have to be off the ship no later than 9:00 am, am I correct in assuming we'll have no issues at all making our flight?

 

From the downtown landing to the St. Louis Airport it is normally less than a half hour drive. Under normal conditions there should be no problems.

[JEM4205]

I'm trying to figure out how we will be affected.

 

We are on the Aug 10 sailing and know we have to provide our own transportation from the airport to the Hilton where I think they will put us.

 

If so, I imagine it will be the same difficult trek from the hotel to the dock with all our luggage when we go to the ship the following day. Do they have any carts to borrow from the hotel?

 

Since they put us up at a hotel in Chattanooga at the end and they transport us to that hotel, getting to the airport shouldn't be a problem from there.

 

Thanks....

 

On our June 4th sailing, GASC picked up our bags from the hotel, and transfered them to our staterooms. they were in our rooms when we boarded the ship. I wouldn't worry a bit about it if I were you. Hello Willift

Nice to have you guys as neighbors on-board

[hondorner]

I'm trying to figure out how we will be affected.

 

We are on the Aug 10 sailing and know we have to provide our own transportation from the airport to the Hilton where I think they will put us.

 

If so, I imagine it will be the same difficult trek from the hotel to the dock with all our luggage when we go to the ship the following day. Do they have any carts to borrow from the hotel?

 

Since they put us up at a hotel in Chattanooga at the end and they transport us to that hotel, getting to the airport shouldn't be a problem from there.

 

Thanks....

Hi, Burris -- if I read Willift's post correctly, they took a cab TO the Hilton assuming the dock would be very near; I don't think they stayed AT the Hilton. Since you are staying at the hotel, I don't think there will be any problem.

 

I've done a little research into Chattanooga. We're sailing FROM Chattanooga (we'll be getting on board just after you get off), and doing a back-to-back that will end up in Louisville. Louisville and Chattanooga are only 300 miles or so apart. I decided to drive my RV to Chattanooga, park at the airport and get downtown to the hotel. then, at the end of the cruise, I'll go from the Louisville hotel to the Lousiville airport, rent a car, drive to the Chattanooga airport (about 4-1/2 hours, faster than we could fly), turn in the rental car, pick up or RV and drive home. We're renting from one airport and turning it in at another because it will be Saturday and those are the only rental locations open when we need them.

 

OK, after that long winded explanation, I'll get to my point. The hotel in Louisville has a complimentary shuttle to the airport, but the Sheraton Read House hotel in Chattanooga does not, at least according to their web site. So, I'll be taking a taxi from the airport to the hotel, and I assume you'll take a taxi from the hotel to the airport. The good news is I read one report that taxi fare is only $15 or so, which would be a bargain because the airport is nearly 18 miles from downton Chattanooga. I found that hard to believe, so I just fired off an email to the Read House hotel asking the best form of transportation to or from the airport.

[njhoo]

From the downtown landing to the St. Louis Airport it is normally less than a half hour drive. Under normal conditions there should be no problems.

 

Thanks Calliope for your reply. Figured a seasoned river-boater would have been there and done that along the way.

[willift]

I'm trying to figure out how we will be affected.

 

We are on the Aug 10 sailing and know we have to provide our own transportation from the airport to the Hilton where I think they will put us.

 

If so, I imagine it will be the same difficult trek from the hotel to the dock with all our luggage when we go to the ship the following day. Do they have any carts to borrow from the hotel?

 

Since they put us up at a hotel in Chattanooga at the end and they transport us to that hotel, getting to the airport shouldn't be a problem from there.

 

Thanks....

 

If GASC is providing the lodging at the Hilton or the Westin everything will go smooth. They pick up your luggage in the morning and you just walk over to the dock. We didn't stay pre_cruise so that's were we ran into trouble.

[steamboats]

njhoo,

 

We used the St. Louis MetroLink which has a station right at the bridge (called Arch Laclede´s) to Lambert Airport. The train is running app. every 20 min. The red line is going out to the airport.

 

It´s only a couple of minutes away from the landing and easy to walk.

 

steamboats

[Responder]

Hi, Burris -- if I read Willift's post correctly, they took a cab TO the Hilton assuming the dock would be very near; I don't think they stayed AT the Hilton. Since you are staying at the hotel, I don't think there will be any problem.

 

I've done a little research into Chattanooga. We're sailing FROM Chattanooga (we'll be getting on board just after you get off), and doing a back-to-back that will end up in Louisville. Louisville and Chattanooga are only 300 miles or so apart. I decided to drive my RV to Chattanooga, park at the airport and get downtown to the hotel. then, at the end of the cruise, I'll go from the Louisville hotel to the Lousiville airport, rent a car, drive to the Chattanooga airport (about 4-1/2 hours, faster than we could fly), turn in the rental car, pick up or RV and drive home. We're renting from one airport and turning it in at another because it will be Saturday and those are the only rental locations open when we need them.

 

OK, after that long winded explanation, I'll get to my point. The hotel in Louisville has a complimentary shuttle to the airport, but the Sheraton Read House hotel in Chattanooga does not, at least according to their web site. So, I'll be taking a taxi from the airport to the hotel, and I assume you'll take a taxi from the hotel to the airport. The good news is I read one report that taxi fare is only $15 or so, which would be a bargain because the airport is nearly 18 miles from downton Chattanooga. I found that hard to believe, so I just fired off an email to the Read House hotel asking the best form of transportation to or from the airport.

 

Don....

 

I think you will need a GPS to remember the route you set up. :D

 

I know we will take a taxi from New Orleans airport to whichever hotel they point us to but someone mentioned that in Chattanooga we could either take a taxi or buy some sort of transportation ticket on board. We will probably go ourselves as we have a 10:35am flight and you know how airlines are these days.

 

Try to get there early so we can say hello, but in any event, we'll leave a light on for you..

 

burris

[hondorner]

Don....

 

I think you will need a GPS to remember the route you set up. :D

 

I know we will take a taxi from New Orleans airport to whichever hotel they point us to but someone mentioned that in Chattanooga we could either take a taxi or buy some sort of transportation ticket on board. We will probably go ourselves as we have a 10:35am flight and you know how airlines are these days.

I just received the following information from the Sheraton Read House Hotel; no doubt you would have learned it at the hotel, but here it is, anyway:

 

 

"We do not have a hotel shuttle, but there is a taxi service in town that gives our guests a little bit of a discount. The company is All-American Taxi, and their number is (423) 867-6190 if you would like to call them and book a reservation."

 

Of course, this is just the info I needed because I'll be coming to the hotel, not from it.

 

 

Try to get there early so we can say hello, but in any event, we'll leave a light on for you..

 

burris

I'd have to camp in the airport parking lot to be there early enough to say "Hi", but there will be another time -- third time's the charm! You should book a b2b back to Vicksburg -- only cost you 50% of the second fare! :D

[Calliope]

I'm staying at the Canal Street Marriott the night before the cruise. I plan on walking with the suitcases to the Westin Canal Place and see if the bags can be left there to be taken to the boat. If not I'll walk with the luggage to the wharf.