My husband and I will be on this cruise. We are driving in, so there is no need for a room.

 Traffic may be an issue because of the game. The Bayou Classic is a big draw and there will be activities all weekend. N.O. will be one happening place that weekend.

We have not looked at excursions yet, like you we have been to Cozmel several times.  Hubby's sister goes every year, they rent mopeds & just go around.  We may try that.  I'm not very adventurous but my husband is.  He would like the parasailing, but we need to find one that will let me ride in the boat with him, because he does not like do do things without me. Very sweet, but sometimes a pain. This cruise is to use our points from Carnival Vacation Club, so its the trip not the desnation for us.

GOOD-BUCK:

.... its the trip not the destination for us.

 Fedele (29) & Scott (30) from West Virginia

Can one of you fill me in on the Vacation Club?  I always assume that there will be a talk offered on it onboard but have yet to see one on a schedule... we honestly can't wait to get our VIP status so we can miss out on the cattle hearding process like we did on our wedding cruise... got a taste of the good life too early I suppose!

We joined the Carnival Vacation Club on our 2nd cruise on the Conquest in April 2005.  It was sort of a timeshare for cruises with points.  It did not do well & got a lot of bad reviews on the internet, but by the time I read them we were already in.  We bought enough points for 3 cruises & got 2 resort vacations & 2 buy 1 get one free airfare cupons.  The problem was using the resorts & airfare was so restricted we were not able to use but 1 resort.  Our points decreased in value (prices go up, points buy less) so we only got 1 full cruise & the this one is remainder of our points & paid for balance. The big advange was getting VIP status but we paid a lot for it.  The new program is like a travel club you join for discounts, but has no affilation with Carnival so you do not get the VIP. I cannot say the CVC was too bad but for the price of the 2 cruises we have taken with them, we could have stay in a suite for the same perks.

We also got married on Carnival, our first cruise & got early boarding, so I know what you mean. Just keep cruising to make Platinum or book suites for VIP boarding.

I'm not sure why (must be some kind of filter) but everytime I got to update the list of who is sailing it goes to "moderation" - then posts later - but in the original spots.  So updates may be spotty - just know they are coming.

Just an FYI ..... my first name is Vicki.  Don & I have been only been married 6 years, so I did not change from my maiden name.  The Good-Buck is a combo of both our last names.  It is what we plan on calling our ranch (if we ever get one) & that is the name we use on our homemade wine labels, with a deer on it.

GOOD-BUCK:

..... the name we use on our homemade wine labels, with a deer on it.

UPDATE:

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

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

Rednblack and ??

Fedel (29) and Scott (30) from West Virginia

amethyst08(?) and hubby (?)

Dee (sexy 45) & Pat (53)

We might bring some with us & buy wine for dinner.  With it being fruit wine it is a little sweeter.  We call it "porch wine" because it is good to drink by itself & just to chill out, guess on a cruise it could be "balcony wine". 

I booked a room at the Drury Inn also, they said there you pay $15 dollar to park on the night you stay there, but no charge to leave your car while you are gone. It doesn't make sense to me & I hope that is correct. Have you checked what the cab fare to the port will be?  Courtyard by Marriott is within walking distanice & cheaper, but does not have free parking. I will keep checking on rates at different hotels but I wanted to make sure we got a room because of the game things might fill up.

We have not checked on cab rates - but read somewhere it wasn't bad. We may just carpool people and luggage over (as we have a group of 9) and then have hubby park and take a cab back or hoof it.  I'm sure my oldest will stay with him.  While it seems strange about the $15 for the first night - I'm sure they have to account for the car somehow.  Still better then paying $16 a day at the pier.  By the time you figure out your total cost for the room/one day parking/cab and then subtract the $80 that you would have spent for parking at the pier it makes the room pretty cheap for what you're getting.  I think we made a great decision. 

UPDATE:

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

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

Rednblack and ??

Fedel (29) and Scott (30) from West Virginia (fedel)

Dee  (45) and Pat (53) (amethyst08)

just bumping to keep it available for more cruisers to join.

I hope everyone had a great weekend.  

From the beginning I REALLY wanted to leave on Thanksgiving day as the ride down is about 9.5 hours for us (taking into account our numerous "potty" breaks).  That way we could get into NO early afternoon on Friday - as my friends are flying in and will be at the hotel around 2.  Hubby really wasn't onboard.  So this weekend I steer the conversation around to leaving on Thanksgiving.  He asks - where do you want to stop - half way?  I told him not really as I didn't see any nice hotels in Alexandria.  He didn't know that I already had a room booked in Baton Rouge (just is case).  When I brought up Baton Rouge he thought that was too close - since what are we going to do if we get there much earlier then our friends?  So HE suggested Shreveport.  Hey - as long as we are out of the house on Thursday I could care less.  It only gets us about 3.5 hours closer - but that's better then 9.5 on Friday.  I get so antsy and I knew there was no way I could just sit around on the house Thanksgiving day knowing we could be on our way.  We have no family in the area (husband retired here after 20 years in Navy) so we decided we would have Thanksgiving the weekend before, get up at our leisure on Thanksgiving - drop the dog off at our friends and head off.  Get to Shreveport at a reasonable hour - hang out, gamble a little and then head out around 7 or 8 the next morning - getting in around 1 or 2.  PERFECT.   

We have never been to Shreveport before (anyone one here been).  I found what I think is a good hotel - the Eldorado.  It's a hotel casino.  Cost $114 for all 4 of us (all adults).  We were going to stay the night after the cruise in NO but decied against it so this is a good compromise.

Now I need to cancel the night in Baton Rouge and the extra night in NO.