New Orleans cruising

Hi,

I am already missing our October Hawaii Cruise so another bucket list is New Orleans. I would travel around mid to late November 2018. There are 7 days cruises on the Dream from New Orleans > Montego Bay > Grand Cayman > Cozumel > New Orleans for $1233 Oceanview and 5 day cruise on the Triumph > New Orleans > Cozumel > Progreso > New Orleans for $791 Oceanview. I would like to explore New Orleans either before or after the cruise so the shorter one might give us more time. We are in CA so airfare has to be factored in.

Which would you choose? I have never been on either ship or either location and my Mexican experience has only been Ensenada and we don't even bother to get off the ship! I've only been on the Miracle, Imagination and Inspiration with Carnival but we just turned gold so thinking its a good idea to stick with one cruise line.

I would do the 7 day on the Dream, because, well, a 7 day cruise is better than a 5 day cruise. LOL

We’ve done a NOLA cruise on the Dream several years ago. 2 days pre-cruise was plenty of time for us to do a lot of walking around the French Quarter and River Walk, ride around on the St. Charles streetcar, visit the aquarium, WWII museum, and Mardi Gras World.

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Hi,

 

I am already missing our October Hawaii Cruise so another bucket list is New Orleans. I would travel around mid to late November 2018. There are 7 days cruises on the Dream from New Orleans > Montego Bay > Grand Cayman > Cozumel > New Orleans for $1233 Oceanview and 5 day cruise on the Triumph > New Orleans > Cozumel > Progreso > New Orleans for $791 Oceanview. I would like to explore New Orleans either before or after the cruise so the shorter one might give us more time. We are in CA so airfare has to be factored in.

 

Which would you choose? I have never been on either ship or either location and my Mexican experience has only been Ensenada and we don't even bother to get off the ship! I've only been on the Miracle, Imagination and Inspiration with Carnival but we just turned gold so thinking its a good idea to stick with one cruise line.

It depends what you want of course. . . Triumph was built right after the Fantasy class ships, so she's an old boat. If you were satisfied with your short cruises from California, then this ship will be fine. The layout is somewhat similar to a Fantasy class ship but the main show room is laid out better. Everything is a slightly larger scale including the ship itself. We enjoyed it very much, but there is no denying that it's showing its age. We really liked the song and dance shows with their bright showy costumes. The comedy lounge filled to standing room only for the shows we saw so we learned to arrive early.

The Dream is much newer and in the class just barely smaller than the new Vista class ships. I have not been on these but they are a good deal larger and likely to feel fresher. Typically I have noticed that Carnival takes this into account and the price per person, per day is a bit higher on the newer ships, but in mid November you should be able to score a good deal on either as long as you don't choose Thanksgiving week.

The Triumph went to Progreso in the Yucatan. A lot of people don't care for this port as it's mostly a working class sort of village and not much set up for tourists. There are not a lot of beaches in that part of the Yucatan. If you have an interest in the Mayan ruins, there are a few options - a small ruin a fairly short ride from the ship, Chichen Itza, a couple hour ride away, and Uxmal, a bit further but the one we chose because it's not crowded and you can climb on the structures.

Cozumel is more traditionally touristy, with plenty of shops near the ship and a lot of beachy type shore excursions available. It has more of the tropical sunny vibe.

The cruise port is not far from the French Quarter so it's convenient to add days on before or after the cruise.

Like you, my first cruise was on Premier / a/k/a Big Red Boat, and I have since sailed on Disney and a somewhat fancier ship, the Carnival Millennium when she was brand new. But I have enjoyed Carnival recently with my family.

Have fun deciding. The only bad cruise is the one you don't take!

Both are great. I live just outside New Orleans and have done both itinerary. Progress is a small town on the beach. Lots of shops, restaurants and beach chairs. Has a good excursion to see the Mayan ruins.

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We live an hour from NOLA and have never sailed on Triumph. Have sailed Dream twice and have another one booked in June. I would not hesitate to recommend the Dream. It is a nice ship!

NOLA is always fun. Stay in the FQ -- on Bourbon if possible -- for a really good time. There's always a party going on, so you're sure to find something to do!

Having sailed both I would also recommend the Dream over the Triumph. The Triumph has been having problems and I believe is scheduled for an overdue drydock in 2019. I would also take Montego Bay and Grand Caymans over Progresso in a heartbeat.

The wife and I booked a spa balcony on the Dream for the week after Thanksgiving for less than $2000, including taxes, fees, and tips.

We have done both of those cruises 2 times each. If you can spare more than 7 days i would pick the dream. Its a very nice ship with 3 ports that we enjoy and if you could stay 2 or 3 days in new orleans it would give you plenty of time to explore. We enjoyed the triumph also , its great for a cheap , short cruise when time is a factor.

I'm casting another vote for Dream. I believe she sails on Sundays so you could fly into New Orleans on Friday and that would give you plenty of time to explore beforehand. Dream class is by far my favorite of the Carnival ships. Breeze is my all-time favorite but Dream is a close second. I'm adding Magic to the list in November.

We just did the Triumph pre-Christmas. We flew to NO on Friday night. We had Sat and Sun to explore NO. That would be the minimum I would suggest because we took a walking tour of the FQ Sat morning and one of the Garden District in the afternoon. Sunday was raining, so we spent about 5 hours at the WWII museum which allowed us to explore most of it as we pleased. We were on the ship by 11:30/12 and had a lovely cruise.

We love the Triumph - she has l-shaped balconies, and a similar feel to Sunshine, without some of the bells and whistles but that is coming to her dry dock in 2019.

Progresso was a new port of us and we quite enjoyed it. It is much less "tourist" Mexico as compared to Cozumel. The tour to Ux Mal was well worth it and climbing the pyramid unforgettable. If you chose this trip, I would definitely plan an all-day shore excursion due to the 4 mile long industrial pier. Cozumel is a fantastic port with tons to do, and this cruise has extended port times so you have an enormous variety of shore excursions and time to go to the mainland.

I cannot comment about the Dream but have been on the Magic, so similar. We were not a fan of the Magic because there were over 4,000 people on board (reported by staff) and you felt it. It was the same week the year before Triumph so I am comparing apples to apples for popularity. Yes, it has more bells and whistles but with people every where, it just wasn't as fun. The other reason I would pass on Dream is we are not fans of Jamaica. Don't get me wrong - it is a beautiful island with some wonderful people. However, it carries an element of people that pray on the tourists - they block the road way on stilts and try to demand money to pass, they try to charge you for a photograph of some rock formation etc. You absolutely should hire a private guide to explore here. And you should be comfortable saying "no" as you pass a million vendors standing in the middle of the sidewalk trying to get you to buy something. Aggressive is an understatement.

So personally, I would opt for more time in NO and the Triumph.

I have sailed both. If you are wanting to spend a few days before or after your cruise and time is an issue, I would sail the Triumph and spend those extra days in NOLA. You will be glad you did!! There is so much to do in NOLA other than just Bourbon Street.

One thing I'll throw out there..check hotel prices before you book. I've seen a lot of people book cruises out of New Orleans only to find out there's some kind of doctor, dentist or lawyer convention going on and hotel prices are sky high. Also be sure to visit the New Orleans board. You can get some good info there.

Hi,

 

I am already missing our October Hawaii Cruise so another bucket list is New Orleans. I would travel around mid to late November 2018. There are 7 days cruises on the Dream from New Orleans > Montego Bay > Grand Cayman > Cozumel > New Orleans for $1233 Oceanview and 5 day cruise on the Triumph > New Orleans > Cozumel > Progreso > New Orleans for $791 Oceanview. I would like to explore New Orleans either before or after the cruise so the shorter one might give us more time. We are in CA so airfare has to be factored in.

 

Which would you choose? I have never been on either ship or either location and my Mexican experience has only been Ensenada and we don't even bother to get off the ship! I've only been on the Miracle, Imagination and Inspiration with Carnival but we just turned gold so thinking its a good idea to stick with one cruise line.

I'm not sure what travel agent you are using or if you are booking directly, and I don't know if the $791 you mention is per person or for two, but I'm seeing Oceanview cabins on the Triumph sailing on 11/24 (Saturday) for $400+ pp online including taxes and fees. You'd be back in on Thursday morning and then have all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday and could fly home Sunday. Three days in New Orleans would be my choice! Have a wonderful trip whatever you decide!

I have also sailed on both boats / itineraries and we prefer the Dream. Just to throw some other options at you there is also a 6 day on the Dream and 8 day with Western Carribean routes. We did the Montego Bay/Grand Cayman last year and preferred the Roatan/Belize/Costa Maya ports.

All that said. The 5 day on the Triumph was good too if you want more days in NO.

If you are prone to seasickness, the smaller ship (Triumph) across the Gulf can be grueling. The Dream is a much smoother sailing although she does carry many more passengers which means more lines at more venues (buffet, comedy, etc.).

I agree with the poster who said peddlers in Jamaica can be aggressive. It is not a place where I felt 100% comfortable. Safety in mainland Mexico can be iff-y at times. You might want to consider that, too.

New Orleans is a wonderful town to explore - but I would still choose the longer Dream cruise at the expense of less time exploring NOLA.

I agree with others that I prefer the Dream over the Triumph although Triumph typically offers cheaper fares because it's an older ship. I've sailed on both ships and had a good time on both though. I also agree Progresso is one of my least favorite ports, but to me that's a great day to stay on the ship and enjoy a quieter sunning experience while others are off the ship and it's less crowded onboard.

Pay attention to the person that said to be sure to check hotel rates/availability before booking your NOLA cruise. Hotels can get crazy expensive during peak times. I stayed one night in NOLA on December 30th, and even booking 9 months in advance, availability was very limited and expensive. During these peak times, many hotels will not even offer a one night booking. So do your hotel homework before booking your cruise.

That being said, NOLA is my absolute favorite cruise port. I've spent a lot of time there as a tourist over the past 4 decades. The downtown area is very walkable in daytime with lots to see and do. And the food is amazing. The people are warm and friendly and very proud of their culture. I love to soak that in when I visit NOLA. Many people who've never visited NOLA want to visit the French Quarter at night because that's party time, but that is my very least favorite place to go in NOLA. I much prefer the downtown area riverside. I enjoy Harrah's casino, the Riverwalk Mall, and pedestrian friendly Fulton Street for a one or two night stay pre-cruise. I typically stay at either Harrah's Hotel or the Hilton Riverside.

The downtown riverside area is closest to the cruise port, so that's another plus for that hotel area. It's a short taxi ride from the hotel to the cruise port. And if you need an airport transfer to the downtown hotel district, I've found airport shuttle new Orleans dot com to be reasonable and reliable. I've used them for years. You can purchase your transfer in advance online or at the baggage claim area in the airport.

Hope you have a great cruise! Enjoy New Orleans.

I went on this trip on the Dream and absolutely loved it. It was my Mom's first cruise and I have her hooked! It is a beautiful ship.

I will agree with the above post about checking the hotel prices in New Orleans. They can get expensive quick. So much so that the Dream may be a much better deal than the Triumph plus several extra days on land.

I will suggest if you take the Dream to do an excursion in Montego Bay. There just isn't much right at the port. We did the Great House at Rose Hall (or something similarly named) and had a lovely time.

Either decision you make have fun!

I vote the Dream over Triumph. Have been on both, I believe both out of NOLA. We have our 2nd trip on the Dream in Jan 2019. I agree with other posters, NOLA is easily done in 2 days, you could fly in the day before and fly out the day after. I typically go that route anyway to ensure my plane, car, whatever getting me to my port destination arrives with plenty of time to board the ship.

We stay in the French Quarter area to allow us to walk and navigate without a car in the evening. And then use public transport during the day to get us to just about every where else we need to go and see.

Which ever you pick....

Laissez les bons temps rouler

I don't know enough about either ship to give you advice but I would always pick a 7 day over a 5 day since we would have to fly in for either one, 2 more days on a cruise is enough for me to pick 7. DW and I love Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Grand Caymen is good for snorkeling and spending time with the rays and Nachi Cocom in Cozumel is our favorite hang out. Nachi is $55 USD pp with a beautiful white sand beach, loungers with shade and pretty much all you can eat and drink (included in the price). They have a hot tub, swim up bar and only allow up to 1000 people a day which makes it not crowded and quiet. There are vendors there to rent things to do on the water, we've never done the extras so can't tell you the cost.

Thanks for all the advice! I ended up booking the Triumph in a 6C Oceanview room 2280. I got $50 OBC from Carnival and $50 from AARP (I joined to get discount gift cards but they don't have any right now). Total price for 2 people was $771 with $98 deposit. I am glad someone mentioned hotels so I booked a reservation at the Homewood Suites French Quarter that is listed as #1 out of 167 hotels in New Orleans for $161/night with AAA for a total of $562.42 for 3 nights. They have free breakfast, snacks and wifi and on the trolley line and walking distance to most things. My fiance is a jambalaya and jazz fan so I opted for more time in New Orleans plus he is a history buff and we will for sure check out the WWII musuem. Already this is starting to cost more than I expected but isn't that always the case??

One thing I'll throw out there..check hotel prices before you book. I've seen a lot of people book cruises out of New Orleans only to find out there's some kind of doctor, dentist or lawyer convention going on and hotel prices are sky high. Also be sure to visit the New Orleans board. You can get some good info there.

New Orleans has something big at least 14 times a year. almost every month something is going on. The online sites like expedia, hotel .com, and all the rest hold blocks of hotels rooms a year in advance. When this happens the room rate is crazy., or they will say no availability.New Orleans is overly expensive for hotel rates.When this happens, try hotwire and they will tell you what hotel you will be staying in after you pay. You get to pick the area and class of hotel you want.I am sailing on the dream in Sept 2018 and I tried to book a nice hotel in Sept 2017, I would see no availability, or room rates of 300 to $500. I went to hotwire and got a room in the Hyatt for $175, and that same hyatt wanted $425 when I called them for a rate. They all work that way in New Orleans.

Thanks for all the advice! I ended up booking the Triumph in a 6C Oceanview room 2280. I got $50 OBC from Carnival and $50 from AARP (I joined to get discount gift cards but they don't have any right now). Total price for 2 people was $771 with $98 deposit. I am glad someone mentioned hotels so I booked a reservation at the Homewood Suites French Quarter that is listed as #1 out of 167 hotels in New Orleans for $161/night with AAA for a total of $562.42 for 3 nights. They have free breakfast, snacks and wifi and on the trolley line and walking distance to most things. My fiance is a jambalaya and jazz fan so I opted for more time in New Orleans plus he is a history buff and we will for sure check out the WWII musuem. Already this is starting to cost more than I expected but isn't that always the case??

Great prices! I'm not sure it would be possible to do what you have in mind much cheaper. Now you have this to look forward to all year! Enjoy!

Dream on the 7 day hands down. Love that class of ships. New Orleans is a great city with some of the best food around, you will enjoy it and you will not regret spending some time there. Have a blast!

New Orleans has something big at least 14 times a year. almost every month something is going on. The online sites like expedia, hotel .com, and all the rest hold blocks of hotels rooms a year in advance. When this happens the room rate is crazy., or they will say no availability.New Orleans is overly expensive for hotel rates.When this happens, try hotwire and they will tell you what hotel you will be staying in after you pay. You get to pick the area and class of hotel you want.I am sailing on the dream in Sept 2018 and I tried to book a nice hotel in Sept 2017, I would see no availability, or room rates of 300 to $500. I went to hotwire and got a room in the Hyatt for $175, and that same hyatt wanted $425 when I called them for a rate. They all work that way in New Orleans.

Sometimes that works out. Sometimes it doesn’t. There was someone recently on the New Orleans board wanting to book a hotel for March and they were 300-500/night even on Hotwire. Turns out that’s the week of a grand national cheerleading comp and they’re expecting 20k for that.

Good thing is they’re looking at adding hotels in New Orleans with a Four Seasons in the old World Trade Center on the river, an additional Harrahs hotel above the casino which is one block from the river and a hard rock hotel on canal street. If approved those could start opening as early as next year giving New Orleans an additional 1,000 rooms.