Mardi Gras, Jazzfest, and Emeril aren’t the only ones returning to New Orleans following the wrath of Hurricane Katrina. In just a few months you will once again be able to “Rail and Cruise” in and out of the Big Easy.
Amtrak and Carnival Cruise Lines will resume their “Rail and Cruise” program out of New Orleans beginning in October. Four-and-five-day cruises will depart from the Port of New Orleans. The four-day voyages will take you to Cozumel, while the five-day sailings have you visiting Cozumel and either Calica or Costa Maya. To sweeten the deal Amtrak is offering discounts up to 25% for passengers’ traveling by rail to and from all Carnival cruises now through December 13, 2007.
Travel experts say the move is an attempt to help rebuild one of America’s greatest travel destinations. The main objective behind the partnership between Amtrak and Carnival Cruise Lines is to provide travelers with “an affordable, hassle-free transportation option.” But, I see it as a way to make two of my life long dreams come true, simultaneously. Regular readers of this blog know that I have long dreamt of cruising the Mediterranean, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean (really, anywhere that offers warmer winter temperatures than Wisconsin), but the stars just haven’t seemed to align themselves. As for the “Rail” dream, growing up on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean severely limited my opportunity to “hop aboard” any mode of transportation that didn’t float or fly. Trains fascinate me. There’s just something about being able to eat a steak dinner while watching giant Sequoias whiz by. The “Rail and Cruise” program would allow me to load up on protein, see large trees fly by and get a tan… all at the same time. Did I mention my birthday is right around the corner? (I wonder if there are rules against using blogs to publish birthday wish lists?) You’ll have to check back in a few weeks to see if my “Rail and Cruise” wish was granted.
For additional information on the “Rail and Cruise” program out of New Orleans visit Amtrak.com.