Presenting the ultimate New Orleans trip for a museum group or any collection of 20-40 art-and-culture-loving travelers.

       On this customizable 4-night trip, you are hosted by charming museum curators and engaging private collectors who gain you privileged access inside the very best of the New Orleans art scene: museums, private collections, alternative spaces and artist’s studios.  NOLA’s fabled food & music scenes, too.  The stellar Windsor Court Hotel.  All meals included (and they’re amazing).  From $2,480 per guest.

       Landings Travel and Royal Insider has been extremely successful with art group trips to New Orleans, frequently eliciting “best trip ever” comments from our guests. 

       Click here to view this trip : Ultimate Art Insiders in New Orleans .

     

          Many of you have been asking Landings Travel for an e-brochures featuring New Orleans itineraries for individual travelers that don’t break the bank yet still feature amazing Royal Insider experiences of the local people and culture.

       Well, here you go!  The first in our new series of New Orleans trips for individuals, this one featuring a gorgeous 3-night getaway for 1-8 guests, starting at $996 per guest.  (Exact pricing depends on the number of guests and the dates chosen.)

       On this customizable, 3-night trip, you are hosted by a top jazz singer for an unforgettable night on the town, a prominent French Quarter resident to gain privileged access inside the carriageway gates—and one of the great chefs of New Orleans will create and prepare a special dinner menu just for them.

       Accommodations are at the stellar Windsor Court Hotel. Click here to view this special Savor the Soul of New Orleans.

We have been on board for nearly two weeks.  I don’t see any changes to the physical aspects of the ship, yet there is a subtle difference.  We (and probably others as well) seem to be the center of attention with the crew.  They practically fawn over us.  The Leo Assmair stops by our table almost every night, Franz and Guiseppi )(head waiters) visit at least twice at every meal, two or three waiters seem to climb over each other to supply water and  somebody is always there to open the back door for us when we leave the table.  When we encounter a behind the scenes crew member, most of them greet us by name, even though we have never seen them before.  I know Crystal conducts pax recognition classes, as we have seen it in other years, but it is even more evident this year.  BTW, last night was very cloudy! 

The ship seems deserted.  We are often in the dining room with only one or two tables occupied on our side.  First formal night, we were one of two tables the entire night in Prego.  Officers are permitted in the dining room on specified evenings.  At the Welcome Aboard Party, the Captain said we were about 200 WC and 200 segment cruisers.  I think he overstated the case, and Bruno in Prego later said it was about 150 segment plus clergy, entertainers and lecturers.  We are supposed to be even less on the Rio-Capetown segment.  Bad for Crystal but we are being treated like royalty.  We love it! 

Duke

The limo ride from Sarasota to the hotel in Miami was a piece of cake.  3-1/2 hours door to door with a good driver and a comfortable ride. 

We are on board, passports were delivered to the ship as promised and apparently all outstanding issues have been resolved.  Our cabin is awash in lovely flowers and forbidden sweets.  Many familiar faces among both the crew and fellow passengers.  We have our favorite table 7 by the window for the whole cruise. 

The overnight stay at the Four Seasons was an experience in luxury and the bon voyage gala party was superb, albeit a bit noisy with a 12 piece band that wouldn’t stop playing.  Just a bit too much interference to be able to carry on a conversation.   TSA shut down the ship for a couple hours while they played their game but we were on board in time for a nice salad lunch with champagne. 

It’s been a good start to what we expect to be a wonderful experience. 

For those who keep track of such things, here is our itinerary. 

Duke & Nancy 

Itinerary WC2010

 1/11/10         Miami                      Shore Ex.

1/15             St. Lucia                 STL-A

1/16             Barbados                 Virtuoso

1/18             Devil’s Island            DVL-AC

1/21             Fortaleza, Brz

1/25             Rio                         RIO-A

1/29             Montevideo              MVD-A

1//30            BA                         BUE-AC

2/8               Capetown                CPT-A

2/12             Port Elizabeth           PLZ-A

2/14             Durban          DUR-C

2/18             Zanzibar                 

2/19             Mombassa               MOM-C

2/22             Victoria Seychelles-canceled

2/25             Male Maldives-canceled

2/27             Cochin India            

3/1               Marmagao, India      

3/2               Mumbai, India

3/5               Muscat, Oman

3/6               Bandar Abbas

3/8               Shuwaikh

3/9               Manama

3/11             Abu Dhabi

3/14             Dubai

3/17             Khasab

3/18             Al Fujayrah

3/23             Jedda

3/25             Aqaba

3/26             Safaga

3/29             Alexandria               ALX-C

3/31             Ashdod, Israel ASH-E

4/2               Athens, Greece        ATH-AC

4/5               Odessa,                  ODE-A

4/7               Yalta                      YAL-A

4/8               Sochi                      SOC-A

4/10             Istanbul                  ISB-A

4/13             Kusadasi                 KUS-F cancel-Virtuoso

4/15             Catania                   CAT-C

4/16             Naples                    NAP-C

4/17             Rome                      ROM-AI

4/18             Livornia

4/20             Barcelona                BAR-AC   BAR-D1 CANCEL?

4/23             Gibraltar                  GIB-A

4/24             Lisbon

4/26             Bilbao                     BIL-A

4/27             La Rochelle

4/29             Southampton

We made several new friends, including some with flippers.

If you’re interested in a memorable vacation, give us a call. We’ll give you helpful recommendations and we’re always happy to share our insider knowledge with you!