7-night Gulf Coast Cruise

New Orleans is a happy, high-spirited city with the pulsing beat of Dixieland jazz. It delights visitors with its riverboats, Creole cuisine, quaint antique shops and narrow streets of the French Quarter. While here, be sure to take a ride on one of the picturesque trolley cars. Eccentric, elegant New Orleans is strongly connected to both the Mississippi River and the South, but its identity remains aloof from any regional or even national affiliation. It reminds some visitors of European cities, in part because French and Spanish colonial architecture adds an Old World backdrop to some streets. But the feeling of foreignness goes deeper: The celebrated New Orleans atmosphere, cuisine, music, traditions and lifestyle are rooted in an embrace of the decadent and assimilation of the unconventional. New Orleans welcomes all, but is familiar to none, and the result is a city which attracts the romantic, the spiritual, the wild and the inquisitive—all while successfully promoting itself as corporate America’s playground. No matter what is expected from a visit to New Orleans, no one goes home disappointed.

Destination Guide

The town of Gulfport was founded in 1845, but it was not until the completion of the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad, in 1902, that it became a city with a population of over 5,000. Like the other towns and cities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Gulfport has a long history of discovery and exploration, and the Port of Gulfport is one of the nation's largest ports. Today, luxurious casino resorts thrive and championship golf courses rest amiably alongside centers for historical and cultural exhibits, museums, historic bed and breakfast inns, and other structures of architectural beauty in Gulfport, Mississippi. Events, like the Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo brings thousands of visitors each year to sample the thrill and excitement of the gulf coast. Top attractions include: casino resorts, Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, championship golf courses, Ship Island excursions, Historic Fort Massachusetts, and the beach.

Most of Biloxi's tourist attractions are concentrated on or near water and national recognition of the city's name benefits the entire coast tourism industry. Long stretches of soft white sand and the sound of waves lapping against the shore beckon those seeking serenity and those searching for excitement. Stretch out on the beach and "soak up some rays" or enjoy the heart-racing excitement of a jet ski. Rent sailboats and paddleboats, wade fish, deep sea fish, or play volleyball. Enjoy coastal golf from one of over 20 public courses. For relaxation, take the self-guided walking tour of historic downtown where there are museums, art galleries, unique shops, historical sites, stately homes and charming architecture. For the history buff, visit Beauvior, the last home of Jefferson Davis. See 1880's life, marvel at civil war antiques and memorabilia, and enjoy a quiet moment in the gardens or the cemetery of Civil War veterans. At night Biloxi's "strip" comes alive with action with casino games of chance, live entertainment for dance the night away, and spectacular Las Vegas-style shows.

Destination Guide

Mobile, Alabama is a port city on the Mexican Gulf coast of the United States. Colonised by the Spaniards in 1519, the French established a fort here in 1702. It was a major Confederate port during the American Civil War and the site of a naval battle. It is Alabama's only major port on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Sights worth visiting include Bellingrath Gardens, the Civil War Forts Morgan and Gaines, the antebellum home Oakleigh and Battleship USS Alabama Memorial Park.

Destination Guide

Located 340 mi/550 km northwest of Tampa, Pensacola is the largest city in Florida's Panhandle, and it also was Florida's original capital. Pensacola is known as the City of Five Flags because it has been ruled by Spain, France, Britain, the Confederacy and the U.S.

Pensacola is home to a U.S. Naval Air Station, whose grounds include historic Fort Barrancas. Built by the British in 1763, the fort has been held by three different countries; under the U.S., it guarded the Pensacola Navy Yard. It was restored by the National Park Service in 1980. Also at the base is the National Naval Aviation Museum, which houses more than 140 restored Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft.

Make time to visit the city's unusual historic districts: Historic Pensacola Village; the Seville Historic District, 1780s-1880s structures with Creole and Victorian influences; the Palafox Historic District; and the North Hill Preservation District, a late-19th- and early-20th-century neighborhood.

Two adjoining city museums—the Museum of Industry and the Museum of Commerce—present a number of interesting exhibits ranging from armor worn by Spanish explorers in the 1500s to horse-drawn carriages from the more recent past. Next door to the museums is the restored Julee Cottage, the 19th-century home of a free black woman that's now a museum dedicated to local African-American history.

One of the town's more distinctive attractions for travelers is the Brownsville Assembly of God, which holds rousing revival services that have brought big crowds to the city. Waits of up to five hours are not unknown for those who are trying to get a seat in the church.

Destination Guide

Located 340 mi/550 km northwest of Tampa, Pensacola is the largest city in Florida's Panhandle, and it also was Florida's original capital. Pensacola is known as the City of Five Flags because it has been ruled by Spain, France, Britain, the Confederacy and the U.S.

Pensacola is home to a U.S. Naval Air Station, whose grounds include historic Fort Barrancas. Built by the British in 1763, the fort has been held by three different countries; under the U.S., it guarded the Pensacola Navy Yard. It was restored by the National Park Service in 1980. Also at the base is the National Naval Aviation Museum, which houses more than 140 restored Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft.

Make time to visit the city's unusual historic districts: Historic Pensacola Village; the Seville Historic District, 1780s-1880s structures with Creole and Victorian influences; the Palafox Historic District; and the North Hill Preservation District, a late-19th- and early-20th-century neighborhood.

Two adjoining city museums—the Museum of Industry and the Museum of Commerce—present a number of interesting exhibits ranging from armor worn by Spanish explorers in the 1500s to horse-drawn carriages from the more recent past. Next door to the museums is the restored Julee Cottage, the 19th-century home of a free black woman that's now a museum dedicated to local African-American history.

One of the town's more distinctive attractions for travelers is the Brownsville Assembly of God, which holds rousing revival services that have brought big crowds to the city. Waits of up to five hours are not unknown for those who are trying to get a seat in the church.

Destination Guide