DisneyPiPhi
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 1, 2008
- Messages
- 1,384
We disembarked the Wonder on February 14, as well! Our Lyft XL from our airport hotel was something like $38.00, which seemed pretty reasonable. For those looking, we flew in late the night before embarkation, stayed at the Holiday Inn Airport North, had breakfast at Waffles on Maple, and hit the Target in Metarie for some essentials. It was a good embarkation morning! The Lyft dropped us about 20 feet from the terminal door, and we immediately handed off luggage to a porter. It was a very simple process! Our PAT was 11:30, but we didn't leave our hotel until about 11:45 because we just had a busy morning.
After the cruise, disembarkation took a long time, but that's to be expected. To be clear, we typically hang out on the ship until the last minute to avoid the crowds. This time, we had somewhere to be, so we got off when our tag was called and were surprised by the chaos. In the future, if we have somewhere to be, we'll do express walkoff OR we won't schedule anything and just wait!
We stayed at the Sheraton New Orleans for one night after the cruise. We got here via Lyft again and just walked for the rest of the trip. We did a Creole Kids tour with French Quarter Kids, which was great. We ate at Red Gravy, Powdered Sugar, and Cafe Beignet, which were all lovely. We also watched two Mardi Gras parades (Krewe of Oshun and Krewe of Cleopatra), for which we had purchased tickets to the St. Charles Place bleachers. This was a great move, and my daughter brought home a HUGE bag of beads, stuffed animals, wands, crowns, cups, etc. Krewe of Cleopatra threw SO MANY things. It was so fun - and very family-friendly. (Our friends in the parade stands were a couple from California and a high school marching band in town for a parade the next day. They were all lovely!)
Cruise Director on the February 7, 2020, inaugural New Orleans sailing was Ashley Long, who is amazing. Deano was the club host. Entertainment staff included Kristina from Wales, David from the UK, Anibal, Jenny, and Raani. (My daughter adores all these people.)
We had three sea days and three ports: Key West, Nassau, and Castaway. Seas were relatively calm except the first and last day, but nothing crazy. Weather was cool on the first and last days, as could be expected in the Gulf sailing toward NOLA in February. Nothing out of the ordinary in any ports, and weather in the ports was fantastic. Shows were the Golden Mickeys, Frozen, and Disney Dreams. Variety acts were a ventriloquist, a juggler, and Kyle & Mistie Knight. On Pirate Night, Frozen 2 was shown in the Walt Disney Theater. Pirates IN the Caribbean Deck Party was after second dining (10:00 PM) and there was a pirate buffet after.
There were five New Orleans sailing items available for purchase in the gift shop: a t-shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a Christmas ornament, a Pin Trading pin, and a hurricane glass. All but the hurricane glass sold out, but the CMs in the shop took orders for everything and it will get mailed. (In my mind, that's nicer than purchasing onboard because I don't have to carry it home!)
On the last night of the cruise, each stateroom was gifted with a limited edition art print by Don Williams of characters from The Princess and the Frog celebrating this inaugural sailing from New Orleans. It was gorgeous and unexpected! I believe the certificate noted that 1,100 total were printed.
Questions are welcome!
After the cruise, disembarkation took a long time, but that's to be expected. To be clear, we typically hang out on the ship until the last minute to avoid the crowds. This time, we had somewhere to be, so we got off when our tag was called and were surprised by the chaos. In the future, if we have somewhere to be, we'll do express walkoff OR we won't schedule anything and just wait!
We stayed at the Sheraton New Orleans for one night after the cruise. We got here via Lyft again and just walked for the rest of the trip. We did a Creole Kids tour with French Quarter Kids, which was great. We ate at Red Gravy, Powdered Sugar, and Cafe Beignet, which were all lovely. We also watched two Mardi Gras parades (Krewe of Oshun and Krewe of Cleopatra), for which we had purchased tickets to the St. Charles Place bleachers. This was a great move, and my daughter brought home a HUGE bag of beads, stuffed animals, wands, crowns, cups, etc. Krewe of Cleopatra threw SO MANY things. It was so fun - and very family-friendly. (Our friends in the parade stands were a couple from California and a high school marching band in town for a parade the next day. They were all lovely!)
Cruise Director on the February 7, 2020, inaugural New Orleans sailing was Ashley Long, who is amazing. Deano was the club host. Entertainment staff included Kristina from Wales, David from the UK, Anibal, Jenny, and Raani. (My daughter adores all these people.)
We had three sea days and three ports: Key West, Nassau, and Castaway. Seas were relatively calm except the first and last day, but nothing crazy. Weather was cool on the first and last days, as could be expected in the Gulf sailing toward NOLA in February. Nothing out of the ordinary in any ports, and weather in the ports was fantastic. Shows were the Golden Mickeys, Frozen, and Disney Dreams. Variety acts were a ventriloquist, a juggler, and Kyle & Mistie Knight. On Pirate Night, Frozen 2 was shown in the Walt Disney Theater. Pirates IN the Caribbean Deck Party was after second dining (10:00 PM) and there was a pirate buffet after.
There were five New Orleans sailing items available for purchase in the gift shop: a t-shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a Christmas ornament, a Pin Trading pin, and a hurricane glass. All but the hurricane glass sold out, but the CMs in the shop took orders for everything and it will get mailed. (In my mind, that's nicer than purchasing onboard because I don't have to carry it home!)
On the last night of the cruise, each stateroom was gifted with a limited edition art print by Don Williams of characters from The Princess and the Frog celebrating this inaugural sailing from New Orleans. It was gorgeous and unexpected! I believe the certificate noted that 1,100 total were printed.
Questions are welcome!
