New Orleans Cruises Coming Back

92 Caribbean cruises are scheduled to depart from New Orleans from October of 2006 through April of 2007. The ships' passengers will boost the city's economy.

New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) February 8, 2006 -- Cruise ships will return to New Orleans in a big way this year. Four major cruise lines are promoting 92 cruises with departures from October 2006 to April 2007. Caribbean cruises from Carnival, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean cruise lines are now taking reservations and will be a big boost for the Big Easy.

Cruise business was a major part of New Orleans tourism prior to Hurricane Katrina. The city's cruise industry had hoped to break the one-million passenger mark in 2005, and it generated $226 million in direct and indirect sales annually.

Many cruise passengers stay in New Orleans before or after their cruise to take advantage of attractions such as the historic French Quarter, Harrah's Casino, the Aquarium of the Americas, the National D-Day Museum and countless live music clubs and world-class restaurants. In the French Quarter and the Garden District, a long list of hotels, shops, restaurants and bars are now open and busy.

The Norwegian Cruise Line Sun makes 7-day exotic western Caribbean cruises from New Orleans. The voyages visit Costa Maya, Mexico; Santo Tomas De Castilla, Guatemala; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. The ship features nine distinctive restaurants accommodating 1,936 passengers with more than 400 balconies, 30 mini-suites with balconies and four Owner's Suites. Departures are scheduled for October 15th, 2006 through April, 2007.

Carnival Cruise Line's Sensation is offering 4- and 5-day western Caribbean cruise from New Orleans. The 4-day itineraries sail to Cozumel, Mexico. 5-day cruises visit both Cozumel and Playa del Carmen or Costa Maya in Mexico. Departures from October, 2006 to April, 2007. The Sensation will be renovated prior to returning to service.

Princess Cruises makes 7-night western Caribbean cruises from New Orleans on the Golden Princess. Visit Montego Bay, Jamaica; Grand Cayman Island; and Cozumel, Mexico. These cruises depart December 16, 23 or 30 in 2006.

The longest voyage from New Orleans is the 16-night Brazilian Adventure cruise to Rio de Janeiro on the Golden Princess. Visit the Cayman Islands; Aruba; Isla Margarita; Trinidad; Devils Island; Fortaleza, Brazil; and Salvador, Brazil before ending in Rio. This special cruise departs January 6, 2007.

Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas makes 7-night western Caribbean cruises from New Orleans. Visit Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Costa Maya, Mexico. Departures are offered from December, 2006 through April, 2007.

The Delta Queen Steamboat Company has not announced when it will return its paddlewheel ships to New Orleans. Both the Mississippi Queen and the Delta Queen are currently scheduled to arrive in New Orleans for Thanksgiving, and may offer cruises from the city from that date forward. All cruises on the American Queen have been cancelled for May to November of 2006. The Delta Queen Steamboat Company's Mississippi riverboat cruises usually range from New Orleans in the south to Minneapolis in the north.

Travelers can learn more about all the cruises from New Orleans at the New Orleans Cruise Guide website, an online resource from the Cruise Guide Network. The site includes a complete calendar of the cruises and details about the offerings of each cruise line. Visit the site at http://www.NewOrleansCruiseGuide.com/

About the Cruise Guide Network:

New Orleans Cruise Guide is part of Greg Manter's growing Cruise Guide Network. A minimum of a half-million visitors are expected to go to each of the Network's websites over the next year, making it one of the leading sources of information about America's cruise ports.

Mr. Manter is a cruise expert who has brought together a team of writers to profile all 25 American cruise ports. The Cruise Guide Network is known for ease-of-use and objective information.

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