Cruise Travel....

PORT OF THE MONTH:
NEW ORLEANS

If there’s a more exotic, yet easy, port of call in the United States than New Orleans, we haven’t docked there--yet. While a one-day exploration of the Big Easy is fun, this is a city that’s meant for a multi-day pre- or post-cruise visit.

“People want to cruise from New Orleans because it adds another interesting port to their itinerary,” says Gary P. LaGrange, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans. LaGrange reports that more than three-quarters of cruise ship passengers stay in New Orleans at least a day or two before or after a cruise, saying, “It’s like two vacations in one. The city is better now than ever.”

Founded in 1718 by Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville as a French settlement called Nouvelle Orleans, this melting pot of a port town was situated between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain (originally mostly in what is now the famed French Quarter). Settlers came from France, Germany, Canada, and farther afield, including many imported slaves from Africa who would eventually earn their freedom and become part of the Creole culture.

New Orleans and the surrounding area went to the Spanish in 1762 and then back to the French for a few years in the early-1800s, before being transferred to the U.S. as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The city would soon expand beyond the French Quarter to include what is now the neighboring Central Business District (just north of the convenient cruise ship terminals), the lovely Garden District out St. Charles Avenue, and Uptown and Riverbend areas farther out St. Charles.

Though New Orleans generally escaped the ravages of the Civil War, the decline of plantations and river traffic hurt the city’s economy until the chemical and oil industries provided a temporary boom in the mid to late 1900s. Of course, 2005’s Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on outlying areas, but all that everyone loves about the Big Easy--the French Quarter, the Garden District, and most of Uptown--were relatively unscathed by the storm and the whole city has rebounded to make New Orleans better than ever for a visit.

Cruise lines and their passengers continue to do their part in the recovery, by bringing ships and visitors to the city and even lending a helping hand where it’s needed. This was evidenced this past January, when many participants in one of John Heald’s "Bloggers Cruises" with Carnival volunteered to help rebuild a flood-ravaged park up on Lake Pontchartrain (Carnival Cruise Lines also donated $5,000).

The famous French Quarter--with Bourbon Street. Jackson Square. jazz clubs, po’ boy sandwiches, and crawfish boils--is quite the appetizer on the New Orleans menu. An 80-block walker-friendly National Historic District, is less than a half-mile from the cruise ship terminals, just beyond Riverwalk Marketplace. Quite simply, it’s a fun area to roam from block to block, taking in the sights, smells, and sounds of this very sensory part of New Orleans. Those who prefer to ride can take the Riverfront Trolley, which runs between the cruise ship terminals and the French Quarter.

The best place to start is Jackson Square (on the Trolley line), with the Mississippi River and levee on one end and 1794’s St. Louis Cathedral on the other. While typically filled with fun-loving street musicians, sidewalk vendors, and tarot card readers, there’s also some stunning architecture and sightseeing options around it.

History lovers should head for the two buildings flanking the cathedral, both part of the Louisiana State Museum system. On the left is the 1911 Cabildo, with some interesting exhibits on early New Orleans. On the right, the 1813 Presbytere was originally a rectory that’s now a great Mardi Gras museum that provides a colorful overview of the huge New Orleans tradition. Other nearby museums of note include: the Old U.S. Mint (400 Esplanade Avenue), with varied New Orleans history exhibits; the Historic Voodoo Museum (724 Dumaine Street); and the Historic New Orleans Collection (533 Royal Street), an interesting collection of early New Orleans buildings and exhibits.

No visit to Jackson Square would be complete without a stop at Café du Monde (800 Decatur Street). Yes, it’s tourist-y, but they do serve wonderful versions of the New Orleans morning classics--café au lait (dark chicory-flavored coffee with warm milk) and beignets (tasty “donuts” without the hole, topped with a ton of powdered sugar). The historic French Market is just up St. Peters Street. Once a bustling trading outpost, it’s now a great place to find an array of souvenirs (including chicory-flavored coffee and beignet mixes if you forgot to buy it at Café du Monde).

There’s much more to see in the French Quarter and it’s all quite walkable --don’t forget to look up at all the classic Big Easy balconies. Other highlights include: Faulkner House Bookstore (624 Pirate’s Alley), where writer William Faulkner once resided; venerable Preservation Hall (726 St. Peters Street), a jazz Mecca; classic Big Easy bars like Old Absinthe House (240 Bourbon Street) and Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop (941 Bourbon Street); and, of course, everything about Bourbon Street.

The French Quarter is also home to several of the city’s most interesting restaurants. Classic picks include: NOLA (534 St. Louis Street), of Emeril Lagasse fame; Johnny’s Po-Boys (511 St. Louis Street), the place to get stuffed po’ boy sandwiches; Acme Oyster & Seafood House (724 Iberville Street), shucking fresh oysters and serving crawfish and more since 1910; Brennan’s (417 Royal Street), famous for its elaborate “breakfast” and Bananas Foster, but lunch and dinner are also tasty; Susan Spicer’s French-Mediterranean Bayona (430 Dauphine Street), which is located in a romantic Creole cottage; and Central Grocery (923 Decatur Street), where their huge muffaletta sandwich feature ham, salami, provolone, and their signature olive relish in a huge round loaf of bread.

If the French Quarter is the appetizer, then the rest of New Orleans is the main course and dessert for those who know to go beyond Canal Street. Whether it’s the varied offerings of the Central Business District and the neighboring Warehouse/Arts District or the Garden District and Uptown areas, there’s more to this port city than the Quarter.

Just across Canal Street from the French Quarter, the Central Business District (CBD) has several highlights. Riverwalk Marketplace (starting at the foot of Poydras Avenue) is a great place to start, with a walkway overlooking the Mississippi (look for paddle wheelers, ferries, and maybe even a cruise ship docked below), lots of shopping and locally focused dining (think fast food, New Orleans-style), and the fascinating Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

Nearby, the  Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (1 Canal Street)focuses on water-based plants and animals of the Mississippi River and resulting Delta wetlands areas. The attached Imax Theatre, with it’s huge modern screen, can be visited on combo tickets with the aquarium --another combination ticket that adds Audubon Insectarium (423 Canal Street) and Uptown’s excellent Audubon Zoo (see below). Also nearby, Harrah’s New Orleans Casino (512 St. Peters Street), with a luxury hotel, restaurants like Besh Steak, shopping, and lots of gaming action.

Other CBD and Warehouse/Arts District options have to include the Ogden Museum of Southern Art (925 Camp Street), the modern National World War II Museum (923 Magazine Street), and Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World (1380 Port of New Orleans Place). The Odgen focuses on southern art, but is also affiliated with the Smithsonian for a further worldwide reach. The war museum uses a soldier’s point of view to ficus on D-Day and the Battle of Normandy in particular, and World War II in general. Convenient to the cruise ship terminals, Mardi Gras World is a colorful stop that highlights the floats, masks, and other traditions of the colorful local extravaganza; there’s also a West Bank location for those who want to enjoy a ferry ride across the Mississippi.

This area has also evolved into a creative dining destination well beyond po’ boys. Some favorites within walking distance of the French Quarter (and the cruise ship terminals) include: John Besh’s Luke brasserie (333 St. Charles Avenue); the original Emeril’s (800 Tchoupitoulas Street), where the kitchen bar is the place to watch the action; Donald Link’s Cochon (930 Tchoupitoulas Street) and Cochon Butcher shop (just behind it (both are odes to the pig); fun Café Adelaide & the Swizzle Stick Bar (300 Poydras Street); and MiLa (817 Common Street), reflecting both Mississippi and Louisiana influences. On Saturday mornings, cruisers setting sail later in the day can visit the Crescent City Farmers Market (corner of Magazine and Girard streets), a great place to see and sample everything that’s fresh about New Orleans.

Take the historic St. Charles Avenue streetcar south into the Garden District, whose avenues are lined with ancient oaks and old mansions in varying states of repair. This is a great place to simply and randomly jump off the streetcar and roam, with quaint shops, restaurants, and houses seemingly around every corner. The Audubon Zoological Gardens (6500 Magazine Street) is well worth a half-day visit, with the Louisiana Swamp exhibit alone worth the price of admission.

Without doubt, the place to eat in the Garden District is Commander’s Palace (1403 Washington Avenue). Chef Tory McPhail has followed in the hallowed wake of luminaries like Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, and the late Jamie Shannon. Since 1880, this has been a New Orleans culinary tradition that still packs them in for good reason (and seasoning).

The post-Katrina hotel scene in New Orleans is better than ever. Among many options, varied pre- and post-cruise accommodations possibilities include: hip International House (221 Camp Street); The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans (921 Canal Street, with some surprisingly affordable packages); Harrah’s New Orleans (228 Poydras Street); the newly-renovated and re-opened Roosevelt New Orleans (123 Baronne Street, including a new Italian restaurant from John Besh); Royal Sonesta Hotel (300 Bourbon Street); Dauphine Orleans (415 Daunphine St.; be sure to ask about its historic Audubon cottages through Hotel Maison de Ville); and several other Hilton options, including the convenient and value-oriented Hampton Inn Downtown/French Quarter Area (226 Carondelet Street) or the Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans French Quarter/CBC (821 Gravier Street) near the cruise ship terminals.

From the French Quarter to the mighty Mississippi, it’s easy to see why New Orleans is a such a popular port-of-call and place to enjoy an easy (and tasty) pre- or post-cruise stay. Bon voyage--and bon appetit!

Know Before You Go

*Ships That Call: Vessels from Carnival and NCL are homeported year-round; American Canadian Caribbean homeports seasonally. Many other lines call occassionally, including Hapag Lloyd, Holland America, P&O, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, and Silversea. for an overview of the possibilities, log on to www.portno.com.

*Weather: New Orleans temperatures average a high of 65 and a low of 47 in the winter, and an average high of 90 and low of 73 in the summer.

*For More Info: Contact your travel agent or the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (Cruise Travel Magazine), 2020 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130; call 800-672-6124; or log on to www.neworleanscvb.com.

Festivals & More

Though best-known for Mardi Gras and all of carnival’s festival season, as well as late-April’s famed Jazz Fest (officially, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Presented by Shell; www.nojazzfest.com), New Orleans also hosts many food- and drink-focused “festivals” throughout the year in New Orleans. Some possibilities include: April’s French Quarter Festival (www.fqfi.org), dubbed “World’s Largest Brunch” and featuring great cuisine from famed restaurants; May’s huge New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (www.nowfe.com); COOLinary New Orleans (www.coolinaryneworleans.com), with special prix fixe three-course lunches and dinners during July and August); July’s Tales of the Cocktail (www.talesofthecocktail.com); October’s Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival (www.jazzandheritage.org); and December's Treme Creole Gumbo Festival & Holiday Bazaar (also www.jazzandheritage.org).