Saint Greg’s NOLA trips

[Saint Greg]

[Saint Greg]

This used to be CCs coffee. I’m seeing several French trucks now. I’m going to have to try it some time.

 

[Saint Greg]

[Saint Greg]

[Saint Greg]

Sunrise at…I guess they call this harmony circle now.

 

 

[Saint Greg]

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by Saint Greg

[Saint Greg]

[Saint Greg]

It’s bright!

 

[Saint Greg]

This lady is like dragging her dog. There are kids waiting outside school across the street and it wants to go say hi.

 

 

[Saint Greg]

Sure

 

 

[Saint Greg]

[Saint Greg]

Tallest building in Louisiana 

 

 

[Saint Greg]

[Saint Greg]

Looks like they have breakfast at Petes

 

 

[Saint Greg]

About three doors down this grew overnight from one bag to two bags and a 12 pack of white claw

 

 

[Saint Greg]

 

[TN Roz]

Looking forward to it! I really enjoy your cruise reviews and always get a lot of valuable information from you. NOLA is one of my favorite cities and the Saints are my team! Cruising out of there for the fourth time next month. 

[Saint Greg]

For those interested in the beer price difference between a Mets game and a Saints game. Pretty much everything I got at the Mets game was $15. The cheapest beer I had was $14.25 for a 16oz can at the grab your own beer place. Everything I had at the Mets game was local 16 oz beers.

 

At the Saints game the draft beer was $10.50-12.50. 24 ounce cans of Bud Light were $13. At the Mets game I remember a guy walking around selling Bud Light for $15.75. But I'm not sure if those were 16 or 24oz cans.

 

I dropped $100 on beer and a chicken biscuit at the Mets game. But I wanted to try their local beers. At a Saints game I won't do that. I buy cocktails. Doubles for $15.50. I think that's a better value. I'm not sure what mixed drink prices were at the Mets game.

[pcrum]

Sorry if I missed it, but were you at the Saint vs. Bucs game?

[RocketMan275]

@Saint Greg I don't want to divert this thread but I don't know any other way to ask you this Hotel question: Need a room for wife and I for 4 March deparing on 5 March on Breakaway.  Price isn't as important as a good clean room with convenient access to the Julia Street Cruise Port.  I can get rooms at the Embassy Suites, Hilton Riverside, or the Holiday Inn Super Bowl.  We do need a safe place to park for the night and for the cruise.  Convenient to a good restaurant and a good breakfast are plus. TIA

[Saint Greg]

16 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

@Saint Greg I don't want to divert this thread but I don't know any other way to ask you this Hotel question: Need a room for wife and I for 4 March deparing on 5 March on Breakaway.  Price isn't as important as a good clean room with convenient access to the Julia Street Cruise Port.  I can get rooms at the Embassy Suites, Hilton Riverside, or the Holiday Inn Super Bowl.  We do need a safe place to park for the night and for the cruise.  Convenient to a good restaurant and a good breakfast are plus. TIA

 

I have stayed in all of them. In general for cruising I would rank them Hilton Riverside, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn - superdome. Hilton Riverside has the potential for better views and it's connected to the riverwalk mall where the NCL port is located. It also has a good seafood restaurant Dragos inside it.

 

Embassy is about a two block walk to the port but it has free beer and hurricanes for guests in the evenings and a great free breakfast buffet with a cook to order omelet station in the morning. So depending on if that moves the needle for you. Close to many restaurants including Emeril's if you really want to do it up.

 

 

Here are my reviews of those hotels

 

https://www.saintgregtravel.com/new-orleans-hotel-guide-hilton-riverside/

 

https://www.saintgregtravel.com/new-orleans-hotel-review-holiday-inn-downtown-superdome/

 

It doesn't look like I did one on Embassy Suites. One thing I would say is try not to have a room on the side street opposite the river. That would be commerce street. There were really loud air conditioning units you could hear outside there even with the balcony door closed. That was my only problem there. Try to be on the river side and you're good.

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Saint Greg

[RocketMan275]

13 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I have stayed in all of them. In general for cruising I would rank them Hilton Riverside, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn - superdome. Hilton Riverside has the potential for better views and it's connected to the riverwalk mall where the NCL port is located. It also has a good seafood restaurant Dragos inside it.

 

Embassy is about a two block walk to the port but it has free beer and hurricanes for guests in the evenings and a great free breakfast buffet with a cook to order omelet station in the morning. So depending on if that moves the needle for you. Close to many restaurants including Emeril's if you really want to do it up.

 

 

Here are my reviews of those hotels

 

https://www.saintgregtravel.com/new-orleans-hotel-guide-hilton-riverside/

 

https://www.saintgregtravel.com/new-orleans-hotel-review-holiday-inn-downtown-superdome/

 

It doesn't look like I did one on Embassy Suites. One thing I would say is try not to have a room on the side street opposite the river. That would be commerce street. There were really loud air conditioning units you could hear outside there even with the balcony door closed. That was my only problem there. Try to be on the river side and you're good.

 

Thanks.  Really tough finding hotels for 4/5 March in NOLA.  Many hotels sold out.  In fact, the Riverside says it's sold out.  I was able to book a room through Chase Travel Rewards.   I didn't see any options for view or buildings.  

I'm a bit concerned that the Embassy Suites is available when many other hotels are not.  Does that indicate lesser desireability?  

 

Another question:  since we're arriving the evening of the 4th, departing on the cruise on the 5th, and returning from the cruise on the 12th.  Can we park at the Hilton Whale lot on the evening of the 4th, walk to either the E/S or the Riverside to spend the night and walk to the port leaving our car in the lot until we return on the 12th?

Question;  is there a more appropriate thread to continue this discussion?

BTW, do you have any insight as to why so many hotels are sold out on that specific weekend but available on most others?  Is there a big event in NOLA that weekend.  Mardi Gras is long over.

Edited September 21, 2022 by RocketMan275

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

Thanks.  Really tough finding hotels for 4/5 March in NOLA.  Many hotels sold out.  In fact, the Riverside says it's sold out.  I was able to book a room through Chase Travel Rewards.   I didn't see any options for view or buildings.  

I'm a bit concerned that the Embassy Suites is available when many other hotels are not.  Does that indicate lesser desireability?  

 

Another question:  since we're arriving the evening of the 4th, departing on the cruise on the 5th, and returning from the cruise on the 12th.  Can we park at the Hilton Whale lot on the evening of the 4th, walk to either the E/S or the Riverside to spend the night and walk to the port leaving our car in the lot until we return on the 12th?

Question;  is there a more appropriate thread to continue this discussion?

BTW, do you have any insight as to why so many hotels are sold out on that specific weekend but available on most others?  Is there a big event in NOLA that weekend.  Mardi Gras is long over.

 

I don't know of anything going on that weekend. That's around the time I cruised out of New Orleans this year. The thing is it's really unpredictable. In addition to the normal festivals, New Orleans sometimes has things like the NBA all-star game or Wrestle Mania that will drive prices up. In addition to that it's a very popular convention city.

 

I wouldn't think that one is a convention if you got a room at Hilton Riverside which is right by the convention center. I think it's best to check hotel availability and pricing before booking the cruise if you really want to make sure you're staying by the port.  I've been to New Orleans a lot, so it isn't a big deal for me to stay an hour away in Baton Rouge if a big event is going on in town. But one year I changed my cruise to Galveston because I didn't want to deal with the NBA All-star game madness.

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

Thanks.  Really tough finding hotels for 4/5 March in NOLA.  Many hotels sold out.  In fact, the Riverside says it's sold out.  I was able to book a room through Chase Travel Rewards.   I didn't see any options for view or buildings.  

I'm a bit concerned that the Embassy Suites is available when many other hotels are not.  Does that indicate lesser desireability?  

 

Another question:  since we're arriving the evening of the 4th, departing on the cruise on the 5th, and returning from the cruise on the 12th.  Can we park at the Hilton Whale lot on the evening of the 4th, walk to either the E/S or the Riverside to spend the night and walk to the port leaving our car in the lot until we return on the 12th?

Question;  is there a more appropriate thread to continue this discussion?

BTW, do you have any insight as to why so many hotels are sold out on that specific weekend but available on most others?  Is there a big event in NOLA that weekend.  Mardi Gras is long over.

 

As for the parking I have only parked in that whale lot for shopping at the riverwalk. Their cruise pricing doesn't have anything about additional days so I would think you'd have to pay a regular day which is $39 then the cruise rate for a week.

 

Customer parking is available in the Center-adjacent “Whale” Surface Lot, operated by Riverside Parking (Hilton Hotel).

The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk offers a validation program provided by the lot operators. Center guests who spend a minimum of $20.00 during their visit will receive the following $8.00 discounted rate:

0 – 1 hour: $3.00
1 – 2 hours: $5.00
2 – 4 hours: $7.00
4 – 6 hours: $11.00
6 – 12 hours: $20.00
12 – 24 hours: $39.00

In order to receive the parking validation, shoppers should bring their purchase receipt(s) totaling at least $20.00 to one of the Parking validation stations – Located in stores throughout the center marked with a “P” Parking symbol.

*Receipt date must match date on parking ticket to receive discount.

 

https://www.riverwalkneworleans.com/articles/parking-at-the-riverwalk/

 

 

PARKING FOR JULIA STREET CRUISE TERMINAL

• Once you enter Port of New Orleans Place, proceed past the Erato Street Terminal to Julia Street.
• You will receive directions to the Julia Street Terminal drop-off area where SeaCaps will assist you with your luggage.
• You will receive directions to the parking lot located next to the cruise terminal.
• Parking rates: 4 day parking is $90; 5 days parking is $110; 7 days parking is $150.
• The parking lot is a within a block of the terminal, and shuttle service is provided if needed. Parking lot is secured, lighted and patrolled. Reservations are not available for regular-sized vehicles, but a parking space is guaranteed.

 

https://www.portnola.com/cruise/parking-directions

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

Thanks.  Really tough finding hotels for 4/5 March in NOLA.  Many hotels sold out.  In fact, the Riverside says it's sold out.  I was able to book a room through Chase Travel Rewards.   I didn't see any options for view or buildings.  

I'm a bit concerned that the Embassy Suites is available when many other hotels are not.  Does that indicate lesser desireability?  

 

Another question:  since we're arriving the evening of the 4th, departing on the cruise on the 5th, and returning from the cruise on the 12th.  Can we park at the Hilton Whale lot on the evening of the 4th, walk to either the E/S or the Riverside to spend the night and walk to the port leaving our car in the lot until we return on the 12th?

Question;  is there a more appropriate thread to continue this discussion?

BTW, do you have any insight as to why so many hotels are sold out on that specific weekend but available on most others?  Is there a big event in NOLA that weekend.  Mardi Gras is long over.

 

As for the specific building at Hilton Riverside. I've made the request at check-in. But you may be able to call ahead now using your reservation number and request a specific location if you want one. It's worth a try.