We are so excited for next year!  Earlier this week, Jaclyn and I announced that we are hosting a Carnival cruise to Mexico in 2015!  On Monday, October 12th, we're going to board the Carnival Elation for a 5-day cruise to Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico.  And, we're leaving out of New Orleans, which is good news.  There are several ways to get to the port and truly one to fit every price range!

I have cruised from the Port of New Orleans twice before and I will for a third time this December.  And, by December, I will have ventured to New Orleans in each of the three ways I am going to describe now.

Option #1-  The Most Affordable Travel Option

(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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The most economical way to get to New Orleans for Cruise with the DJ's is to drive.  And the best route, by far, is taking I-65 to I-59 to I-10.  It's 665 miles and takes around 10 hours.  Of course, you're on interstates most of the time and, if traffic is flowing pretty smoothly, you can knock about an hour off your drive time.  Estimated fuel cost for the trip is a couple of hundred dollars, but if you're traveling with friends you can split that up!  I suggest carpooling anyway because road trips are AWESOME!

Plus, when you get to New Orleans you can drive directly to the Port of New Orleans and park there.  It's currently $16 per day and all you have to do is present your cruise documents for access to the lot.  Again, $16 per day for a 5-day cruise isn't bad!  And really inexpensive if you have carpooled with friends and are splitting the cost of parking!

Option #2-  The Park 'n' Cruise Option

(Photo by Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images)
(Photo by Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images)
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If you want to head down to New Orleans a day in advance, check out hotels that offer Park 'n' Cruise specials.  If you can find them (and the folks at Ambassador Travel will help you), they are awesome.  I cruised from New Orleans a couple of years ago and booked a stay at the Holiday Inn French Quarter.  That hotel, like many others, offers a really cool incentive for cruise passengers who choose to come enjoy New Orleans before their cruise!  You can stay overnight, then leave your car in their lot or garage while you're on the ship.  How great is that?  Some hotels charge per day.  Some hotels, if you find the right ones, will let you park FREE!  Some others will go one step further and even offer you shuttle service to and from the Port.  Again, some hotels charge for this or farm out the service to a private vendor.  Others offer shuttle service for FREE!

**Quick tip.  If you plan to look into Park 'n' Cruise options, don't just limit your hotel search to New Orleans.  There are hotels in the suburbs (like Metairie) and near the airport which offer similar services and, a lot of times, are more economically priced.

Option #3-  The Quickest Option

(Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
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And that would be flying!!  In fact, you can fly to New Orleans pretty inexpensively if you book your seats far enough in advance.  For instance, in December, we are flying Nashville to New Orleans . . . DIRECT . . . for under $300 per person!  The flight is quick too.  We're in the air for an hour and a half, then we're on a shuttle directly to the cruise terminal.  And, you have several airports offering flights daily: Nashville, Louisville and Evansville.  You could, conceivably, even fly from Owensboro to St. Louis then St. Louis to New Orleans!  The Cape Air flights from Owensboro depart for St. Louis at 7:06am and arrive in St. Louis at 8:25am, plenty of time to catch a connecting flight to New Orleans.

Again, the staff at Ambassador Travel can help you find the right flights for the right price!

If you are serious about joining us for our 2015 cruise, we are totally serious about helping you make this trip work for your budget.  Trust me!  I travel a lot, but I travel wisely.  My friends will tell you . . . I will squeeze a penny until it drops dead!

For more information about our 2015 Cruise with Chad and Jaclyn, CLICK HERE!  Remember, prices for Interior cabins begin at $401.84.  And that price is locked in for the first 50 cabins booked for the WBKR trip!  You can reserve your spot now for just $200 per person and you have until July 14th, 2015 to pay off the balance!!

So, come on!  All aboard!!  We want to see you in New Orleans and in Mexico!!

Cruise with a DJ is presented by Henderson Chevy Buick GMC!

 

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