This was my seventh cruise, my husband's fifth, (our second on NCL) and my 3 kids' first. Overall it was an awesome experience from start to finish.
Arrival in New Orleans: We drove to New Orleans the day before and stayed at the Hampton Inn-French Quarter. My DH dropped us off at the hotel, parked at the Fulton Place Garage (leaving most of the luggage in the car) and walked back to the hotel. We walked to the French Quarter and looked around for awhile. It was the day before St. Patrick's day so the streets were hopping. We ate at the Gumbo Shop (DELICIOUS), stopped by Cafe Du Monde for dessert, and headed back to the hotel.
Embarkation: We walked to the Fulton Street Gargage, collected our luggage, and took the shuttle to the ship, arriving about noon. We were sent to VIP check-in (5 minutes) and escorted to the Concierge's Lounge. It was PACKED but fortunately as soon as we got there the concierge received a call that we could board the ship. We were escorted to the ship and straight up to Cagneys for lunch. Very smooth so far!