Get Ready
VACAYA OASIS @ Hotel Indigo New Orleans – French Quarter
FEB 28 – MAR 5, 2025
Our journey to Mardi Gras begins in:
We’ll also house an email archive on this page, too. This archive will feature all the trip-specific communications we have with you throughout your pre-resort experience with us. That way, if you happen to lose a general email somewhere along the way, you’ll be able to find it right here.
VACAYA’s mission is to give you everything you need with plenty of time to ensure a totally stress-free experience. Get ready for your vacaya!
Many people ask us “what will the VACAYA Resort experience be like?” VACAYA Resorts are certainly more laid back than our big-ship cruises, perfect for those seeking fun, relaxation, adventure, and romance.
The VACAYA Resort rhythm is… Relaxed. Easy. Fun. Balanced. Luxurious. Indulgent. Sporty. Unscripted. Adventurous.
ARRIVALS ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28
For guests who are taking part in our five-night Mardi Gras Experience, your check-in begins at 3pm on Friday, February 28.
- Throughout the Day – Arrivals into New Orleans for guests who’ve booked our 5-night Mardi Gras Experience
- Taxis and Uber are readily available at New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
- Hotel Indigo is located at 705 Common Street
- Luggage storage is available at Hotel Indigo if you arrive before rooms are ready at 3pm
- 3pm – Hotel Indigo check-in available
- 3pm-6pm – VACAYA Hospitality Desk open in the Hotel Indigo Lobby (with printed restaurant and bar recommendations as well as general safety tips for navigating New Orleans)
Tonight is yours to explore this fascinating and fun city.
The rest of the Vacayans will arrive tomorrow morning starting around 9:30am. We’ll all see you then!
BREAKFAST LUNCH AND DINNER
As a reminder, breakfast is not included with your stay. However, the hotel has a lovely restaurant where you can enjoy a tasty start to your day. Common Interest serves BRUNCH from 6am to 2pm daily. The menu consists of:
JAZZY CINNAMON ROLL 7
Gooey southern pecans
SOUTHERN COBBLER BREAKFAST PARFAIT 8
OVERNIGHT STEEL-CUT OATS 10
THE BREAKFAST BOWL 14
Grits, bacon, cheddar with sunny-side-up egg
BREAKFAST SKILLET 13
Scrambled, bacon, egg + brabant potatoes
BREAKFAST WAFFLE SLIDERS 15
Sunny-side-up egg, waffle, bacon, maple aioli, arugula
CRÈME BRÛLÉE WAFFLE 14
CREOLE SHRIMP & GRITS 20
Sautéed shrimp, herb butter, wine + Louisiana pride grits
NOT YOUR COMMON BENEDICT 19
Shrimp + crawfish cornbread benedict with Tabasco hollandaise
AVOCADO TOAST 14
House-made guacamole, toasted sourdough bread, sunny-side-up egg
CBD BREAKFAST 14
Biscuits, gravy, one boudin sausage link, two eggs any style, side of grits
POLO OMELETTE 13
Veggie omelet topped with hollandaise, wheat toast
SHORT RIB BENEDICT 16
Fresh house-made biscuit, slow-cooked short ribs, Tabasco hollandaise
In addition to Common Interest, we love the following nearby breakfast spots, as well:
- Café Fleur de Lis at 129 Camp Street (just a block away from our hotel)
- Daisy Dukes Café at 308 St. Charles Ave (also just a block away)
- Ruby Slipper CBD at 200 Magazine Street (two blocks away)
- And of course the iconic Café Du Monde in the French Quarter at 800 Decatur Street (about a 15-minute walk from Hotel Indigo) with its tasty beignets and café au lait
Common Interest’s LUNCH menu, served from 10:30am-2pm, is as follows:
NEW ORLEANS’ BEST GUMBO 10
with Louisiana popcorn rice
HOUSE FRENCH MARKET SALAD 11
Mixed greens, tomato, egg + cucumbers
SHRIMP RÉMOULADE COBB SALAD 16
Avocado, blue cheese, tomatoes, bacon, egg + corn relish
CREOLE MANCHEGO + CHICKEN CAESAR 14
Romaine wedge + cheese crisp
ROAST BEEF PO’BOY 13
Dressed
CHICKEN SANDWICH 16
Spicy chicken thigh + cool ranch slaw
SANGER DELI CLUB SANDWICH 16
Dressed, stacked ham, roast beef + Swiss on wheat
TURKEY SANDWICH 14
Deep-fried turkey, creole slaw + Swiss cheese
ONE-POT JAMBALAYA 15
Cajun chicken + andouille
RED BEANS 14
Andouille
COMMON SAMPLER 16
Cup of red beans, cup of jambalaya + cup of jumbo
And for DINNER (served Saturday from 2pm-12am, and Sunday-Tuesday 2pm-11pm), Common Interest’s menu consists of:
NEW ORLEANS’ BEST GUMBO 10
with Louisiana popcorn rice
GARLIC + PARMESAN FRIES 10
SPINACH DIP 13
Creamed spinach + melted cheese served with chips
SPICY WINGS 12
bone-in wings seasoned with our house blend
CHICKEN N’ WAFFLE SLIDERS 16
Spicy drizzle, fried chicken
ONE-POT JAMBALAYA 15
Cajun chicken + andouille
RED BEANS + RICE 14
Andouille sausage
CAJUN CHARCUTERIE BOARD 22
Boudin, andouille, alligator bites
HOUSE FRENCH MARKET SALAD 11
Mixed greens, tomato, egg + cucumbers
SHRIMP RÉMOULADE COBB SALAD 16
Avocado, blue cheese, tomatoes, bacon, egg + corn relish
CREOLE MANCHEGO + CHICKEN CAESAR 14 Romaine wedge + cheese crisp
RIVERBEND GRIDDLED BUTT’AH BURGER 17
Melted cheese, sautéed onions, + special sauce and fries
DEBRIS + GRITS 21
Slow-roasted seasoned beef over goat cheese + thyme grits
CHICKEN SANDWICH 16
Spicy chicken thigh + cool ranch slaw
BLACKENED FISH SANDWICH 18
Seasoned fresh gulf fish + jalapeño slaw
TURKEY SANDWICH 14
Deep-fried turkey, creole slaw + Swiss cheese
FRIED SHRIMP STACKER 20
with housemade tartar + fries
JAZZED-UP PARADE FRIED CHICKEN THIGHS 22
Pepper jelly sauce + jalapeño hush puppies
COMMON SAMPLER 16
Cup or red beans, cup of jambalaya + cup of New Orleans’ best gumbo
EVENING GOWN RENTALS
For our female-identifying guests, floor-length evening gowns are required for the Orpheuscapade Ball on Monday, March 3. If you don’t have an evening gown that fits the bill, there are several New Orleans sales and rental houses that specialize in Mardi Gras Ball wear for women. They are:
THE RED CARPET
4113 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
+1.504.281.4610
OPEN Monday-Saturday: 11am-5pm
CLOSED Sundays
PEARL’S PLACE BRIDAL
3114 Severn Ave.
Metairie, LA 70002
+1.504.885.9213
OPEN Monday-Wednesday: 10am-5pm
Thursday: 12pm-7pm
Friday-Saturday: 10am-5pm
CLOSED Sundays
YVONNE LAFLEUR
8131 Hampson Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
+1.504.866.9666
OPEN Monday-Saturday: 10am-6pm
CLOSED Sundays
FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
We can’t wait for all the fun we have in store for you over Mardi Gras! Here is your nearly full schedule of events:
Friday, February 28
- Throughout the Day – Arrivals into New Orleans for guests who’ve booked our 5-night Mardi Gras Experience
- Taxis and Uber are readily available at New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
- Hotel Indigo is located at 705 Common Street
- Luggage storage is available at Hotel Indigo if you arrive before rooms are ready at 3pm
- 3pm – Hotel Indigo check-in available
- 3pm-6pm – VACAYA Hospitality Desk open in the Hotel Indigo Lobby (with printed restaurant and bar recommendations as well as general safety tips for navigating New Orleans)
Saturday, March 1
- 9am – Group 1 transfers from Brilliance of the Seas to Hotel Indigo
- 9:30am – Group 2 transfers from Brilliance of the Seas to Hotel Indigo
- 10am – Group 3 transfers from Brilliance of the Seas to Hotel Indigo
- Upon arrival at Hotel Indigo, all rooms will be ready to be occupied
- Tonight, grandstand seating on Lafayette Square (just a few blocks away from our hotel) to watch the Krewe of Endymion parade through the city this evening.
- Pre-parade Cocktail and Dinner Reception at one of New Orleans’ most famous restaurants, Brennan’s. Open Premium Bar, with the following food menu:
- Gulf Oysters, served with Lemon, Mignonette, and Cocktail Sauce
- Marinated Crab Claws
- Seafood File Gumbo
- Vegetable Orecchiette Pasta, with seasonal Squash, Spinach, Leeks, Tomato, Shitake Mushrooms, etc. in a creamy herb and wine sauce
- BBQ Shrimp & Grits
- Sweet Tea-brined Turkey Breast
- Pepper-Dusted Prime Rib of Beef
- Whipped Potatoes
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Bananas Foster (Brennan’s is where this delicious dessert was invented!)
- Assorted Seasonal Mini Desserts
- Grandstand seating on Lafayette Square to watch the Krewe of Bacchus parade through the city this evening.
- 10:15am – Meet in the Hotel Lobby for a 10:30am departure to the Bayou Barn Cajun Fais Do Do (that’s a party, y’all)!
- 11:30am – Anticipated arrival at Bayou Barn
- Our Crawfish Boil lunch features:
- Premium Open Bar
- Boiled Crawfish
- Louisiana Celebration Salad
- Cochon de Lait (that’s roasted pig)
- Vegetarian Jambalaya
- Vegetarian Mardi Gras Pasta
- Cajun Corn Maque Choux
- Spicy Boiled New Potatoes
- Jalapeño Cornbread
- White Chocolate Bread Pudding
- 11:30am – Anticipated arrival at Bayou Barn
- 1:30pm – Depart Bayou Barn via bus for Airboat Adventures. It’ll be windy out there. So, be sure to bring an appropriate outer layer depending on the weather.
- 2pm – Anticipated arrival at Airboat Adventures
- 4pm – Depart Airboat Adventures for Hotel Indigo
- 5pm – Anticipated arrival at Hotel Indigo
- 7:45pm – Meet in Hotel Indigo Lobby in Black Tie Evening Wear for our group walk one block away from Hotel Indigo to our bus pick-up spot at 200 Carondelet Street
- 8pm – Busses depart for the Krewe of Orpheus’ Ball, Orpheuscapade, at the New Orleans Convention Center (the Ball is where the parade ends – the floats come right into the Convention Center for a massive celebration!)
- Upon arrival at the Convention Center, join one of the 18 VACAYA tables
- Each 10-top table will receive the following:
- 2 Bottles of Ketel One Vodka
- 1 Bottle of Tanqueray Gin
- 1 Bottle of Crown Royal
- Mixers & Sliced Fruit
- 25 Mini Muffulettas (those are some yummy Nola sandwiches, y’all)
- 50 Finger Sandwiches
- 50 Boiled Large Gulf Shrimp
- 24 Meat Pies
- 24 Chicken Tenders
- 20 Slices of King Cake
- A Souvenir Mardi Gras Bag (for all the beads you’ll catch!)
- 3am – Busses depart the Convention Center to return to Hotel Indigo. If you’d like to leave before 3am, you can certainly try to get a taxi or Uber, but your best bet is to return to Hotel Indigo on foot. It’s about a 0.8 mile walk and will likely take you about 20 minutes.
- Grandstand seating on Lafayette Square to watch all of Mardi Gras Day’s biggest parades – Zulu, Rex, Elks, and Crescent City
Wednesday, March 5
- Group transfers from Hotel Indigo to New Orleans International Airport (MSY) are available throughout the day. One bus will depart Hotel Indigo on the hour every hour from 6am until 3pm. Depending on your flight time, you can hop on any of those departures depending on how early you’d like to get to the airport before your flight. The drive from Hotel Indigo to MSY is about 30 minutes, depending on traffic. The airport will be VERY busy on Mar 5, so we recommend arriving at least a couple hours before your flight. Please note that each bus will arrive at Hotel Indigo approximately 30 minutes before its on-the-hour departure time, giving you a half hour to bring your luggage down, load your luggage onto the bus, and check out.
- 12pm – All Vacayans must be checked out of their room
TUXEDO RENTALS
Our post-cruise Mardi Gras Ball, Orpheuscapade, is Black Tie. If you don’t have a tuxedo, there are several rental houses in New Orleans we can recommend:
Perlis Clothing: For over fifty years, Perlis has been a go-to for formal wear, especially for occasions like Mardi Gras balls. They offer a diverse range of tuxedos and accessories. More information is available on their website: http://perlis.com. Tuxedos can only be rented out at the following location:
Perlis Magazine Street
6070 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
Phone Number: +1.800.725.6070
Bliss Bridal: Situated on Magazine Street, Bliss Bridal provides tuxedo rentals and features a “Build A Tux” option for personalized styling. For more details, visit http://jimsformalwear.com
Bliss Bridal
3624 Magazine St
New Orleans, LA 70115
Phone Number: +1.504.592.7507
Email address: nola@beablissbride.com
John’s Tuxedos: Serving the New Orleans area since 1984, they offer an extensive selection of tuxedos, suits, and accessories. Additional details are available on their website: http://johnstuxedos.com
John’s Tuxedos
3200 Houma Blvd.
Metairie, LA 70006
Phone Number: +1.504.455.5353
Additional Links: https://www.johnstuxedos.com/mardi-gras-tuxedos/ and https://www.johnstuxedos.com/measurements/
Mr. Tux II: A well-established business in New Orleans, Mr. Tux II offers a unique $76 Black Tie Special and various tuxedos suitable for different events, including Mardi Gras balls. Visit https://mrtuxii.com/ for more information.
Tux rental at Bliss Bridal is an easy three-step process:
- Meet us at 4959 West Napoleon Ave., Metairie, Louisiana 70001 so we can measure you and help you select what you need.
- On your scheduled pick-up day return to our location to pick up your tux and accessories.
- After your event return your tux and accessories to our Metairie location.
- Phone number: +1.504.486.5309