We arrived in New Orleans via Amtrak at 1 AM. The train was 3 hours late due to bad weather along the route. There were no taxis waiting outside. After about 10 minuets a couple showed up. The driver took us and another couple in his cab and said it would cost $10 per couple to go to the Hyatt hotel across from the dock. This should have been a $7 metered ride, but since he was only one of two cabs that showed up he was not going to use the meter. It was pay or walk. When we left for the ship on Sunday morning it was the same thing. It cost us $14 for a $7 ride. He said it was a special event and they were allowed to charge $7 each passenger.

The Conquest was three hours late getting into port due to being caught behind a slow moving barge. We arrived at the port at 10:45 AM. Platinum check in was fast. We went thru security and then had to wait in a pre boarding area until the ship was ready for embarkation. At 11:30 they called for the three wedding parties to board then the Diamond and Platinum members. I believe the Faster to Fun were called after the D & P. We were on the ship before 12. The hallway doors were closed but had a sign reading Diamond and Platinum guests could proceed to your staterooms. We were in our room by 12. Our luggage was waiting for us in our room not outside like it has been in the past.

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