Diamond Tours review: Bus trip from NC to New Orleans, Louisiana

Just came back from an awful 7-day/6-night trip to New Orleans with 45 other black seniors. This trip was a waste of time and money. The trip was booked through Diamond Tours for just under $1,000 apiece. We were expecting a large, spacious bus like others from previous Diamond Tours trips; our bus was far from comfortable. The seats were so crammed together – you couldn't stretch your legs out or put your headrest back. Everyone had swollen feet and ankles by the end of the day every day.

Included in the price of the trip were several paid dinner options along the way that were terrible. To add insult to injury, they put us in a neighborhood hotel, The Comfort Inn in Marrero, which was 20 minutes outside of New Orleans and far from the sights and sounds of Bourbon St. The hotel looks nothing like the photos online and sits next to a Dollar Tree store on one side and used tires on the other. Upon entering the hotel, we were overcome by a foul, musty smell and disgusted by the dirty, brown carpet. It was immediately obvious we were in a 1-star fleabag hotel; what we didn’t anticipate were ACTUAL bugs. That’s right, my friend stayed in a room two doors down from us and had BED BUGS with visible BITES on her neck, arms, and back.

Regarding the activities, I don't know who thought the World War II museum, a slave plantation, and the other attractions were appropriate for seniors given the amount of walking required, especially for so many of us with limited mobility. The thought of going to New Orleans and not having the option to go out for an evening of jazz, Zydeco music and authentic New Orleans food boggles the imagination. I held out hope for the last night’s events, and was bewildered that their idea of an evening of entertainment consisted of doing the “hokey pokey” and line dancing at what felt like a senior community center.

I am extremely disappointed with the planning and execution of this trip, but I recognize my experience may not have been the same as others. Two groups of white seniors that we befriended on the trip, who also came on trips sponsored by Diamond Tours, who said they paid the SAME amount as we did, were on MUCH nicer buses and stayed in the heart of the French Quarter.