April 19, 2003..time to cruise OH YEA! Departed from Dulles at 8:00AM, painless, this airport has all the kinks worked out, best airport around. We flew into New Orleans which is where we sailed from. We took a motorcoach to the dock, checked the bags with a seacap and took off to pick up a couple of forgotten items (hair spray) and get a look at Bourbon Street.
I had been to the French Quarter several years ago but my husband had never experienced it. The music was as fabulous as ever. You just cannot beat New Orleans jazz. The smells were hard to take, trash on the sidewalk (stacked up)and plenty of empty alcohol bottles to be stepped over. They need more cleaning crews.
Back to the ship to wait with the masses for the "embarkation process." For the amount of people they deal with it moves pretty quickly. It is so great to see and talk to people from all over the country. We got onboard at 3:45 and immediately went to check the cabin and check in with the boss, my mother in law. She worries. We had cabins next to each other with my sister and brother in law on the other side of Mom. It was perfect planning. The cabin was great - 4510, a little too close to the front for my taste but had all the necessities and then some. Loads of drawers and cubbies to keep stuff in. Closet is large to hang all the formal clothes and stack all the shoes. A trick- if you hold up the end of the bed you can slide your suitcase under for storage.