New Orleans - Not ready for Prime time - Carnival pulls the Triumph

"Odysseus" wrote

That doesn't sound good. In less than a month I'm leaving on RCI out
of NOLA. I'm spending two nights pre-cruise there. I suppose I
should be OK. I probably should consult the concierge before going
out of the French Quarter.

You are correct... you should NOT go outside the French Quarter if you have
no business there. I strongly suggest that you take this tour:
http://www.graylineneworleans.com/katrina.shtml This 3 hour tour will show
you far more than you wanted to know about the damage to New Orleans and how
the government has botched the job of re-building this city and making it
safe for residents to return home.

I know I'll sound like a broken record, but imagine your home town without a
hospital. Imagine 60% of your town without electricity or water for 18
months.

I don't know how anyone could go through this city and not be furious with
the way this has been handled.


--
George Leppla http://www.countryside-travel.com

April 29, 2007 GGC2007 http://cruisemaster.com/pride.htm
October 14, 2007 MOAGC 3 - http://www.moagc-3.com
January 20, 2008 - Adventure - http://cruisemaster.com/adventure.htm

Rosaly Z. Greenberger wrote:
Bravo George. rosaly

Bravo from me also!!

sue

What happened to all the money that was given to new orleans to rebuild
it?


cruise lover

"George Leppla" wrote in message
...

"Odysseus" wrote

That doesn't sound good. In less than a month I'm leaving on RCI out
of NOLA. I'm spending two nights pre-cruise there. I suppose I
should be OK. I probably should consult the concierge before going
out of the French Quarter.

You are correct... you should NOT go outside the French Quarter if you
have
no business there. I strongly suggest that you take this tour:
http://www.graylineneworleans.com/katrina.shtml This 3 hour tour will
show
you far more than you wanted to know about the damage to New Orleans and
how
the government has botched the job of re-building this city and making it
safe for residents to return home.

I know I'll sound like a broken record, but imagine your home town without
a
hospital. Imagine 60% of your town without electricity or water for 18
months.

I don't know how anyone could go through this city and not be furious with
the way this has been handled.


--
George Leppla
[snipped]

Why is it government's responsibility to re-build New Orleans? Is it the
local, state or federal government's responsibility?

Why re-build a city that sits below sea level? What about the people who
live or lived there, how much responsibility do they have to get the
re-building started? Would you invest your money in a city that sits below
sea level?

"Surfer E2468" wrote

What happened to all the money that was given to new orleans to rebuild
it?

What money? According to the tour we took, over 100,000 claims for
assistance have been filed and the government has acted on LESS than 200 of
them.

Meanwhile, we sent so much CASH money to Iraq that they didn't count it..
they WEIGHED it. That's right... 363 TONS of currency in shrink wrapped
bundles have been shipped to Iraq. So much money that it was easier to
weigh it than to count it.

Don't believe me?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...audited19.html

http://www.newsobserver.com/559/story/542221.html

That's $12 BILLION dollars and no one seems to know where it went...
including the man who was in charge of it.

I know one thing for sure... none of that money made it's way to New
Orleans.... and 18 months after a natural disaster, 60% of one of the
largest cities in the United States still does not have electricity, running
water or a fully functioning hospital.


--
George Leppla http://www.countryside-travel.com

April 29, 2007 GGC2007 http://cruisemaster.com/pride.htm
October 14, 2007 MOAGC 3 - http://www.moagc-3.com
January 20, 2008 - Adventure - http://cruisemaster.com/adventure.htm

"Newby" wrote

Why is it government's responsibility to re-build New Orleans? Is it the
local, state or federal government's responsibility?

Uh..... the availabilities of UTILITIES like power, water and sewer might
have something to do with it, you think? Also it was the GOVERNMENT'S
system of levees and dikes that failed and destroyed this city. How about
we give the right of the people to sue the government for damages?

Why re-build a city that sits below sea level? What about the people who
live or lived there, how much responsibility do they have to get the
re-building started?

Problem is that they can't get building permits when their property doesn't
have electric, water or sewer... and the utilities are pretty much the
domain of government, no?

Would you invest your money in a city that sits below
sea level?

Holland says Hello.


--
George Leppla http://www.countryside-travel.com

April 29, 2007 GGC2007 http://cruisemaster.com/pride.htm
October 14, 2007 MOAGC 3 - http://www.moagc-3.com
January 20, 2008 - Adventure - http://cruisemaster.com/adventure.htm

In article , says...



"Odysseus" wrote

That doesn't sound good. In less than a month I'm leaving on RCI out
of NOLA. I'm spending two nights pre-cruise there. I suppose I
should be OK. I probably should consult the concierge before going
out of the French Quarter.

You are correct... you should NOT go outside the French Quarter if you have
no business there. I strongly suggest that you take this tour:
http://www.graylineneworleans.com/katrina.shtml This 3 hour tour will show
you far more than you wanted to know about the damage to New Orleans and how
the government has botched the job of re-building this city and making it
safe for residents to return home.

I know I'll sound like a broken record, but imagine your home town without a
hospital. Imagine 60% of your town without electricity or water for 18
months.

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll book the tour.

Don't bother telling me that I have no respect for our elected officials...
because I agree with you. I have no respect for ANY elected government
official who has put such a low priority on taking care of the victims of
this natural disaster. Funny how we send billions to tsunami victims on the
other side of the world... but 18 months AFTER Katrina, 60% of Orleans
Parish HAS NO ELECTRICITY, HAS NO RUNNING WATER AND THERE IS NO FULL-SERVICE
HOSPITAL. Funny how this was totally ignored in the President's State of
the Union Address this year. Anyone remember "You're doing a great job,
Brownie!"


I think there is another big factor, corruption. Louisiana has long been
known for that.

There are still problems in Mississippi and Alabama too. Amtrak's Sunset
Limited is still not running along the gulf coast. According to their
website, "Due to problems associated with Hurricane Katrina, service east
of New Orleans, via Biloxi and Mobile, has been suspended."

Don't blame Amtrak. They don't own the tracks that have not been
rebuilt yet.

"George Leppla" wrote in message
...

"Newby" wrote

[snipped]

Would you invest your money in a city that sits below
sea level?

Holland says Hello.

[snipped]


Looks to me like the answer is a resounding "NO" regarding investing "your"
money in New Orleans.

We took that RCCI cruise on Grandeur Jan 20 - 27, '07, and stayed 4 nights
in NOLA before. The cruise was pleasant and so was New Orleans. There is
certainly a lot of devestation to see, but we found 4 days of "old" New
Orleans to enjoy, including restaurants, antiques, art, shopping, carriage
rides, French quarter, etc. The Hilton New Orleans Riverside hotel is about
200 yards from the ship and the Bellman will take your luggage. Very safe
and convenient.

Harry Cooper
"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
That doesn't sound good. In less than a month I'm leaving on RCI out
of NOLA. I'm spending two nights pre-cruise there. I suppose I
should be OK. I probably should consult the concierge before going
out of the French Quarter.


Carnival Cruise Lines has announced that it will NOT send the Carnival
Triumph to New Orleans this year and is canceling all bookings made on
that
ship for New Orleans departures. Instead, the Triumph will stay in Miami
and do "exotic Eastern Caribbean" 7 night itineraries.

In their letter to travel agents, Carnival says that the public's
perception
is that New Orleans is just not ready yet... and the public is right.
Bottom line is that Carnival was having trouble selling cruises from
NOLA.
They will leave the Fantasy there doing 4 and 5 night cruises for now
with
hopes of adding a second ship some time in the future.

I was in New Orleans last week and took a tour of the areas devastated by
Hurricane Katrina.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN NEW ORLEANS IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE!

60% of Orleans Parish is still without electricity
60% of Orleans Parish is still without running water
60% of Orleans Parish has no public sewer capability
Saint Bernard Parish is pretty much totally uninhabitable.
New Orleans has NO FULLY OPERATIONAL HOSPITAL. Only basic emergency
cases
are seen. Anyone needing more than basic care is sent elsewhere.