If you think airfare to the port of embarkation is costing you the price of some cruise packages, look to the Gulf of Mexico. Two familiar Gulf Coast cities are now opening up to cruise lines. Galveston Island is now a port on more than one cruise line, and the port of New Orleans now serves a cruise line with high hopes for expansion. Galveston and New Orleans are not only close and convenient for many cruise passengers, but are great undiscovered American cities that are worth a visit in their own right.
The two new Gulf Coast cruise ports are Galveston, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana. I live near Houston, Texas, and have found that in terms of sky weather, Houston is only about three hours from anywhere in the continental United States. I bet it’s the same with New Orleans.
What this means is that if you live far from some of the major cruise ports, you may be able to get a cheaper cruise deal by setting sail from a Gulf Coast port.
Although these ports don’t offer all the cruise destinations of some of the larger ports, they are great places to spend a few extra days that won’t break the bank.
Galveston, Texas is actually an island about an hour’s drive from Houston. What you probably don’t know about Galveston is that it is a historic area. It was a very large and bustling market town in the 19th century and you can still see the Victorian buildings and ornate gingerbread houses in and around its historic center (called The Strand). At the time, Galveston was Ellis Island of the South and many 19th century immigrants first set foot on American soil in Galveston; many of them were German.
There is still a lot of German and Czech influence in Galveston; it stretches into the Texas Hill Country, which features cities called “Frederichsburg” and “New Braunfels.” In fact, here is a rigorous. What is the third most spoken language in Texas today? (The answers are, in this order, English, Spanish and Czech.)
Galveston has plenty of beaches (try Stuart Beach), great fishing, and some beach culture. Don’t expect Santa Monica. This is more homey. If you dine out in this part of the world, choose shrimp (it’s a major industry in this part of the world) over Tex-Mex. (Tex-Mex is more popular in Houston.)
A great new attraction in Galveston is Moody Gardens, which includes an Imax theater, sprawling gardens, and even a butterfly zoo.
New Orleans is a lot like Galveston in terms of climate, but not much more. While Galveston is an island, New Orleans is a below-sea-level city built on the Mississippi River. Despite Katrina, much of New Orleans is open for business again.
In fact, the cruise business is good for New Orleans and those who want to help New Orleans recover after an unprecedented natural disaster can only help it by sailing from its port and taking a few days to see the city.
The best part of New Orleans for tourists is the French Quarter. Wear your walking shoes and bring sunscreen or wear a hat. This is a place to walk around, people watch, window shop and feel the warmth. The good news is that you can take a break from the heat every few steps by stopping at the wonderful restaurants and bars.
The French Quarter is a place to sit down and eat well (though not necessarily in a formal way), but you can get an unusual take-out there. Drinks. In fact, you can stop in and grab a drink to take with you. If you stop at Pat O’Brien’s and can’t finish your hurricane at the bar, just order a “cup to go.”
Drinking while shopping should be illegal, but it’s not. You can browse the antique shops, souvenir stalls and jewelry stores while you sip on your go cup.
Come to New Orleans hungry. You really can’t get a bad meal here, but here are my favorites. If you like oysters, check out the Acme Oyster Bar, which is off Canal Street (but in the Quarter) and has nothing to do with Wiley Coyote. Go down the French Market area (ask, it’s near the river and worth seeing) and stop at some of the grocery stores for a muffaletta on the bench. It is a sandwich made with olives. Don’t wear nice clothes.
For more elegant dining, try Commodore’s Palace (not in the French Quarter, it’s Emeril’s place). Another fun place is The Court of the Two Sisters. The food isn’t legendary, but the atmosphere is. And believe me, a “not great” place in New Orleans is great dining elsewhere.
Stroll near Jackson Square (you can visit the cathedral there) and you’ll see vendors, street performers and mule carts wearing sombreros. I have always been a big fan of the New Orleans mule-drawn carriage tour. The guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the southern way.
A muleteer once suggested that, to round off our stay in New Orleans, we try the turtle soup, which is particularly well made at Brennan’s. (By the way, if you want the best Eggs Benedict, go there for breakfast.) I asked what the turtle tasted like, expecting the clever reply that it tastes like chicken.
The guide moved away from his mule for a second, reflected, and said simply: “It tastes like an alligator.”
You can also get alligator. You will see it on many menus. When it comes to cooking in New Orleans, you’ve got the Creoles and the Cajuns. The Creoles are Europeanized in attitude and taste; they cook with wine, butter, thick sauces and enjoy cakes and fancy dinners. They don’t care much for spices. Cajuns are tough, more rural, love hot food, and will pretty much eat anything that doesn’t eat them first. They invented the fried turkey and aren’t picky about things like boudin (pronounced boo-dan) or crawfish.
Both Creole and Cajun cook in New Orleans and you’ll notice it in two completely different approaches to food.
New Orleans is mostly fun in a walking way. You have to visit Preservation Hall for both the atmosphere (it’s great but the seats are uncomfortable and the room is hot) and the spectacular live jazz; it’s cheap, too. Otherwise, discover the city on your own. It’s not the kind of place you want to see on a rigid schedule.
If you have time to get out of the French Quarter, you can take the famous Desire Street to the Garden District. These are old historic houses that were built by people who made their fortune in New Orleans. Walk down Canal Street to do some shopping and people watching and you may notice that there is no canal at all. Well, it was a plan that never quite materialized.
If you’re visiting New Orleans as part of your next cruise, be sure to spend some money; it’s what will really help New Orleans get back on its feet. Consider it disaster relief. Take a break and go to the Royal Sonesta. You can sit inside and eat oysters and drink something wonderful while watching the street scene on Bourbon Street. Even at two in the morning, there’s something to see on Bourbon Street. Or walk over to Café du Monde for coffee (not like any coffee you’ve had at Starbucks) and beignets (pronounced ben-nays).
One word of warning: summers and even springs and falls in Galveston and New Orleans are hot. The people are friendly, the style is casual and homey, and most people are out to have a good time. Don’t be too careless with your personal possessions! Pickpockets and other resort dwellers are also at work on the Gulf Coast. Party culture can be contagious, but don’t let it make you stupid. And don’t drive if you’ve had anything to drink, either. Gulf Coast cops may seem friendly, but they don’t have much of a sense of humor about drunk driving.