The Norwegian Sun arrives in New Orleans to begin weekly sailings from a new cruise ship terminal. -- Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

One of our favourite fun ports to start and end a cruise is back in business again.

It's smooth sailing once more for New Orleans after the destruction from last year's Hurricane Katrina as a new cruise ship terminal has been built.

Unlike the previous facility, this one accommodates larger vessels and also has a parking garage atop for 1,000 vehicles.

Norwegian Sun entered the Port of New Orleans Oct. 16 to become the first cruise ship to "homeport" in the Crescent City since the hurricane's devastation.

The Norwegian Cruise Lines' ship docked at the new $37-million U.S. Erato Street Terminal to begin its winter season sailing seven-day Western Caribbean cruises. Ports of call include Mexico's Costa Maya and Cozumel; Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala; and Belize City in Belize.

That's not all. The Norwegian Sun is being followed in late October by Carnival's Fantasy to homeport in the "Big Easy," offering four- and five-night trips including stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya. Carnival Triumph will join the Fantasy in New Orleans for year-round sailings starting in the fall of next year.

Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas will become the third homeporter on Dec. 2 to launch seven-night Caribbean itineraries calling at Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Costa Maya.

"Cruise passengers returning to New Orleans will see that the city‚s historic beauty and charm is still alive and thriving,‰ said Gary LaGrange, port president and ceo.

Before Katrina struck and nearly wiped the Mardi Gras city off the map, it was one of the fastest-growing homeports in the U.S.with 753,000 passengers passing through, according to the Cruise Lines International Association. An expected 400,000 passengers are expected over the next year.

It's not surprising that many cruisers like to sail out of New Orleans, which allows them to spend a few days before or after enjoying all the city had - and is starting to again - offer.

Norwegian Sun will sail on Western Caribbean itineraries through next April and then late next year Norwegian Spirit will drop anchor in the Big Easy for comparable seven-day voyages through April 2008.

New Orleans has other prospects, too. Cunard's Queen Elizabeth II will make a "maiden stop" later this year. Princess Line's GoldenPrincess will "try out" the city as a seasonal-stay homeport starting Dec. 16 for seven-night cruises to Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Surveys show people spend more time in New Orleans before and after a cruise than in other port cities.

The city is offering some incentives to stick around with discount hotel packages including deals on meals, tours and attractions.

In fact, the Holiday Inn-owned Chateau LeMoyne in the French Quarter has a $109 U.S. room rate with free parking for seven days during the cruise and a room upgrade, if available, through Feb. 15.

Within walking distance of the pier is what is called a "block-party-style" outdoor mall on Fulton Street with restaurants and shops as well as the newly built Harrah's New Orleans Hotel and Casino.

Wavelets:

- The "big one" to hit Hawaii this month hasn't affected cruising around the enchanted islands.

The 6.7-magnitude earthquake shook up and damaged Hawaii's Big Island, in particular, but as of mid-week the popular cruise port of Kona was fully back in business for visits and shore excursions.

The pier used by cruise ship to shuttle passengers to shore by tenders (small boats from the main ship) reopened two days later after an inspection showed no problems from the quake centred nearby. As well, there were no concerns with the island's pier at Hilo.

Property damage and power failures occurred on all the Hawaiian islands, including Honolulu's Oahu, but hasn't affected cruising.

Ships operating in Hawaii include Holland America's Zaandam, making 15-day roundtrip voyages from San Diego, Calif., NCL America's Pride of Aloha and Pride of Hawaii, making circle-Hawaii tours, and Norwegian's Pride of America and Norwegian Wind.

- Another cruise tour hot spot devastated by a hurricane is Cancun, Mexico. Many of the resorts and businesses were closed for months after the destruction caused last year by Hurricane Wilma but things in many cases are only back to normal now. Major resorts, such as the JW Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa and the CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort, reopened last month after receiving extensive renovations.

If you sail:

For more information about Norwegian Cruise Lines' voyages out of New Orleans, go to www.ncl.com or call 1-800-327-7030.

For New Orleans-based cruise information, including where to stay and parking, contact Leslie Straughan, convention and visitor bureau tourism sales manager, at 1-800-748-8695, Ext. 5018.