mlpreston

Thanks for all the info. I too am totally looking forward to beignets!! I've heard Cafe du monde is good also. We're booked in at the Astor Crowne Plaza on the corner of Canal and Bourbon St.

We'll be flying into New Orleans on Apr 20 the day before our cruise in hopes of doing some sightseeing (and stuffing-faces with cajun cooking! YUM!) weighing the pros and cons of a rental car or some form of pbulic transport.

How far is the airport from the french quarter (where we'll be staying)?

Price of parking in the French Quarter?

Is there a shuttle/bus that goes from the airport to the french quarter or would we need to taxi?

If we taxi, how much would a taxi cost from the airport?

If we rent a car from the airport, are there car rental places near the french quarter to which we can return the car?

We're travelling with an infant and a 5yr old and LOTS of luggage (mostly mine).

From those who've been in a similar position before in NOLA what do you think is the best/least expensive option for us?