Don't know what happened to my original thread so I'm starting this new one.

We are a family of 4.  Myself (47), Husband Mike (47), son Jeromy (22), son Nathan (19).  We are cruising with my friend of over 35 years, her family, husband and daughter, and her sister-in-law and brother-in-law. 

We got a great deal on this cruise since Nate and I had 50% from a cruise last Sept that was shortened.  That discount combined with the military discount made it possible for us to get a suite.  The first, and probably the last time we will have one so we are going to enjoy it.

Can't wait to get on the ship.

I had posted a roll call for this ship & date also, but I don't find it.  My hubby & I are going on this cruise & use up the last of our Carnival Vacation Club points, so we did not have to put up much cash.  I think it is odd how much cheaper NOLA rates are copared to Galveston.  I was looking at a Halloween 5 day, out of Galveston is $169 more... Strange .. but I'm sure it is supply & demand. It will just be the two of us I'm 57 & Don is a very young 61.  The guy runs circles around most people (really he runs marathons).  Look forward to getting to met you, I read your advise on the Carnival boards & your site often. We went out of NOLA when the Conquest sailed from there 2005, but they have had to rebuild the port.  I am looking for information about the parking.  It is about a 5 hour drive from Houston, so we will leave Friday night, but might not drive all the way to town, stay a couple hours out to split up the trip..  What are ya'll doing?

I think it is supply and demand.  I've noticed the difference for years now.  We sailed out of NO on the Conquest in 2005 also - it was a couple weeks before Katrina.  We haven't been back since so I'm looking forward to seeing what they have done. 

I think my friends and their family are going to fly to New Orleans.  They are coming from Oklahoma.  We plan to get into NO the day before.  We are staying at the Drury and will leave the car there during the cruise.  I'm trying to talk my husband into leaving Thanksgiving day as it's about a 9 hour drive for us from Fort Worth and I want to be refreshed to go out with the others when they arrive in NO. 

We will be VIP this time - because we are now Platium but also booked our first suite.  Hoping we can get our friends through with us.  I have a little trick that I think will work but don't want to post here.  It surprises me how much people reveal on a public message board (and one sponsored by the cruiseline none the less).  I have my tricks (smuggling booze and such) but I'm not going to post it here.  We were asked in San Diego last week if we had any open water bottles.  I'm sure they were looking for people smuggling booze in water bottles.

My older son is going out of NO on the Fantasy in August and I told him I was going to research parking - they may stay the night before also though - but I'll let you know what I find out about public parking.

We have not traveled with anyone but it is my understanding from other threads that only the passanger the room is booked to & their guest can use the VIP line.  That is the same as the past guest party.  I think we are talking about the same thing. I will check into the Drury but we may not drive all the way to town on Friday night.  I heard there is a big game that weekend so I may go ahead & book a room.  We can always cancel a day or two before if needed.

I found the thread I started before & had 1 response. I answered & told them to come to this thread so we will just have one.  Also found someone on a general Triumph/NOLA thread with our sail date & let them know about this thread. 

If you email me off line I can tell you how to get around the MUST BE booked for the VIP.

There is a big game that weekend.  I booked our room for the Drury last December.  I believe they are booked solid.

Hello Good-Buck,

I saw your message on the other thread.  Yes, I will be on the Triumph on 11/28/09 for my first cruise.  There is a big game and I ended up at the Hampton Inn nearby with the same situation where they will let me park my car there for the entire cruise.  It is very close to the port, so I think it will work out.

Naturally, any suggestions and advice is welcome since this is my first cruise.  Hopefully, others will answer the roll call as well.

I realized not long after I booked this cruise that the big game was that weekend.  I booked the Drury in December and at that time they had very little rooms.  I called today because I saw they were booking again and the price was lower then I booked.  Called back and they adjusted the price on all of our rooms.  So some rooms must have opened up.  Still not cheap - like people have stated for other times of the year.

Hi all!  My husband and I are booked on this cruise as a surprise birthday gift for him (he will be 30 on Thanksgiving Day).  This will be our 5th Carnival Cruise and we were actually married on the Fascination back in 2003.  

Anyway, this will be our first cruise out of a non-Florida port.  (It was specifically chosen based on the date, as we have Thanksgiving with his family in PA and instead of flying home, I am flying him to NO... can't wait to see the shock!).  I have only been to NO once before and it was pre-Katrina.  Any suggestions for hotels?  I have the Marriott@ the convention center booked due to the proximity to the port, but I was thinking of trying to get into a different place if possible.  Had no idea there was a game there that weekend and now I am thankful that I got that room.  I know the Bayou Classic or something to that tune is celebrated that weekend... is that the name of the game?  (I'm not into sports....)

Should I stay booked where we are for location, or do any of you know how much trouble we may or may not have staying somewhere else (assuming I can get a room somewhere else) and getting a cab, or some other sort of transportation into the port?

Thanks in advance!

I was last in New Orleans at the Georgia - Hawaii Sugar Bowl game, but if I remember correctly the port is very close to the convention center, so I think you are fine there.  I did contact the Holiday Inn near the Superdome since they had a free shuttle and they were already completely full due to the Bayou classic (We love college football in this part of the country!).  I ended up at the Hampton as you can read in my previous post.

Hope you have a great time and I am sure your husband will love the cruise.  The first part of the cruise will be great just getting to the Gulf via the Mississippi River.  This will be my first cruise, but I am looking at the Fascination out of Jacksonville next year for a family vacation if this cruise goes  well.

Glad you found this post & this cruise will be great so start packing for your next one.  Read the threads here, check out cruisecritics.com & seauonboard for lots of information on cruising. The tips that were the most helpful for me is to get one of the over the door shoe hangers to use.  I put ours on the inside closet door that opens by the bath room door.  You can put all your small stuff in the pockets & reach them from the sink.  You only have like 3 small drawers at the dressing table & none in the bathroom, so the pockets make it easy to see your stuff & quick to reach. You should also take a extention cord or strip, there is normally only one outlet & not alway convent. Check back with ya'll later.  Vicki

GOOD-BUCK:

check out cruisecritics.com & seauonboard for lots of information on cruising.

Yes - the Bayou Classic is on Saturday (the day we sail).  The festivities starts at 10 - so there shouldn't be any issue getting a cab to the port. 

The port is on the other side of the Convention Center.  Anything by the Convention Center will get you close.

They still have some rooms at the Drury.  I can't rmember now what we are paying (since I just got the price decreases) but I can say that when you subtract the $80 it costs for port parking (adding in the cab there and back) it still ends up being a great price for a great hotel. It is rated number 2 in New Orleans on Trip Advisor - http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60864-d223116-Reviews-Drury_Inn_Suites_New_Orleans-New_Orleans_Louisiana.html - so I think we picked a good one.

The power strip is great - but I have learned it does take away from the countertop.  I found a great one prong to three prong pull in that swivels that allows me to plug in more things.  You don't want to over load the curcit so be sure to unplug those things that have charged or you aren't using.

I have taken 2 of the over the door "thingies" when I know we will be in a smaller cabin.  I use one for the bathroom adn one for the misc stuff in the cabin.  I hang it nearest the door.  When we come in for the night we throw our S&S cards in the bottom right spot - in the morning we know right where they are.  Also have a pocket for dollar bills and change.  Easy to find when you order room service or want to give a few extra bucks to the steward.  Kids can have their own pocket for arcade tokens.  In the otehr pockets I put the post-it notes, highlights and all the rest of the stuff that normally ends up on the countertop.  I think I may even use my label maker before I go and pre-label the pockets.

I need to pick up another one as I read a great tip for these - use it on the back of the door in your home office to store all those cords for all the gargets that we love to have - but can never find the cord for.  You label each pocket and when you need a cord it is right there.

Can't wait to go.  The last time we were there was about a week before Katrina - the hotel we stayed in was wiped out.  It will be nice to see how it has come back.

So far we have….

Cheryl (47), Mike (47), Jeromy (22) and Nate (19) from Fort Worth area

Good-Buck (57), and Don (61) from Houston area

Rednblack and ??

Fedel (?), hubby (?)

I just posted to the thread and it came back as moderated (not sure why).  It just let me post the big post with the info about the game - of well let's see what happens to this one (if it posts right away - or pops up later).

I just wanted to find out if anyone else was going to Nachi Cocom??  We have been to Cozumel more times then I care to count and have never been there.  After reading the reviews on tripadvisor (can you tell I like tripadvisor?) I think we are going to go there.  My son and his girlfriend are going to try and just so up without reservations - as they are not 100% sure they want to do this and don't want to be locked it.  I hope they don't get turned away.

We have been to Progreso one time and really didn't do much - just took the little $2 bus tour and walked down to the beach.  While I would love to do the resort I just can't see spending $50 each and a long bus ride.  Thinking it might be easier to just hang out at the beach and get food and drinks from one of the resturants along the beach.  What is everyone else doing?

We tend to do the more high adventure excursions.  Neither of us have been to Progreso, but from what friends have told me, there isn't much there.  I looked at the options and figure the ATV/Jeep or Kayak tour is what we will end up on.  As for Cozumel, I think we will end up on the Segway tour but may do the zip line.  We did a zip line tour in Jamaica on our cruise last year and we had a blast.  Since it is a surprise birthday trip for the husband, I am going to insist on him picking the excursions, but I think I am pretty close to what he will pick.

 On a side note, finding the message boards was quite a stroke of luck.  I haven't hid anything like this from my husband before and this at least provides an outlet to talk about it without giving up the surprise... so thanks!

Sounds like you are going to have a blast.  We can't be too adventurous with Nate.  He is mildly autistic and doesn't do well with new things.  I booked dolphins one time thinking he would rellay enjoy it - couldn't get him in the water.  No refunds - so not trying that one again.  I may do the parasailing at Nachi. 

I know what you mean about the boards - it is a lifesaver when you are keeping a surprise cruise a secret.  You can only talk about it so much with your friends, co-workers and family - some just don't get the whole cruising thing.  We have surprised Nate twice and I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have my cruise friends to share it with.