As a cruise traveler with a port of call in “The Big Easy” you can be sure that New Orleans shore excursions will “laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll) from the moment you come ashore. New Orleans is the home of jazz, jambalaya, and gin joints, not to mention saints, with and without the capital S, sinners, and Sazerac, the city’s official cocktail.

You’ll find that among the best things to do in New Orleans from a cruise are guided explorations of the city that start at the French Quarter, the heart of the city. Stroll down streets and admire the lacey ironwork balconies on the way to the French Market, where locals and visitors alike come to see and be seen, shop, and savor the incredible food, drink, and wares. From fine art to fines herbes, from live prawns to luscious pralines, the French Market area has it all. A stop at the original Café Du Monde, famous for its powdered sugar-drenched beignets and strong chicory coffee, is a favorite for those on a New Orleans cruise. As you stroll on, admire the work of the artists in old-world Jackson Square and see the St. Louis Cathedral.

Set off for the Louis III Cemetery where you’ll see the above-ground tombs that give the cemetery its popular name “city of the dead”. As you make your way through the city, you’ll see magnificent old live oak trees at City Park and hear tales and legends of how the French, Creole, Spanish, and Caribbean cultures have influenced the city over time.

Louisiana’s rich history is on full display on New Orleans shore excursions to Oak Alley Plantation. Marvel at the plantation’s namesake alley of  long and lovely live oaks that leads up to the “Big House,” as the mansion house was referred to. Enjoy a guided tour of the mansion and walk through educational exhibits on sugar cane, the plantation’s main crop, slavery, and the Civil War.

Sample a Sazerac cocktail, savor fine cuisine, and enjoy jazz venues on tours that offer a night out like no other. Whether you choose an evening on a paddlewheel boat sipping and eating as you roll down the Mississippi to the sound of jazz tunes, a late night pub crawl with different styles of jazz at each, or a sophisticated old-world setting for dinner and jazz sets featuring a Steinway grand piano, you’re sure to have the time of your life on New Orleans shore excursions.

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