Welcome to Groupon, New Orleans! For our inaugural deal, $15 gets you a two-hour daytime jazz cruise and lunch aboard the Steamboat Nanchez.

You're probably thinking, "That sounds great, but I've never bought a car or a computer without first reading the Wikipedia definitions for car and computer—I'm not about to buy a Groupon either without a briefing." Well, neither would we, and since this is everyone's first Groupon, allow us to briefly explain how it works.

How Groupon Works

Groupon is a combination of the words group and coupon. Each day, we offer an unbeatable deal on the best of New Orleans: restaurants, spas, sporting events, theater, and more. By promising businesses a minimum number of customers, we get discounts you won't find anywhere else. We call it "collective buying power."

If you want to get the deal, just click BUY before the offer ends at midnight. If the minimum number of people (20 for today's deal) sign up by the end of the day, you'll get a printable gift certificate in your inbox the next morning that you can use whenever you want (well, at least until the deal expires—today's expires on December 13, 2010). If not enough people join, no one gets the deal (and you won't be charged), so invite your friends to make sure you get the discount!

It's nice to wake up to something new every day. Some people get their daily fix from desk calendars with a cute puppy and a funny caption every morning. Groupon is like a desk calendar, except the puppy is an unbeatable discount and the funny caption is a profound reflection on the flowers and needles growing from life's cactus. We selflessly share our deep insights, hoping that you will join our mob of consumers, thus strengthening our collective buying power and commanding even better deals.

Details

Though river-travelers of the 1860s scoffed at the notion of steam power, they soon found that the scalding gas powered boat engines far more efficiently than mushing a herd of water-skijoring housecats. Enjoy the wonders of water vapor with today's Groupon. For $15, you get a two-hour harbor daytime jazz cruise and lunch aboard the Steamboat Natchez, a $34.50 value. Cruises depart from the Toulouse Street Wharf behind Jax Brewery and board at 11 a.m. or 2 p.m., depending on availability. Call ahead to reserve your cruise, as the boat's captain is legally required to give all stowaways the stink eye.

The Steamboat Natchez is the last authentic New Orleans steamboat operating on the Mississippi River. Each lunch cruise starts with a steam calliope concert (10:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.) that cunningly uses a 32-note, steam-powered organ to vaporize any steam-smitten musical doubters. The audio poetry continues throughout the voyage with live jazz and expert narration of river sites and history. Tour guides are highly proficient in providing storied wisdoms while you float effortlessly through the waters of the Mississippi.

Absorbing vast amounts of culture can generate vast amounts of hunger, so your cruise includes a traditional Creole lunch. Feel free to wander through the custom-crafted cruiser and visit the museum-worthy steam-engine room, where the boat crew's old timers remember old cribbage quarrels. Buy one Groupon for yourself and up to two more as gifts for vessel-venturing friends.

Reviews

Though no one's going overboard for the food, locals and tourists alike praise Steamboat Natchez for its live jazz and lively scenery. TripAdvisors, Yelpers, and Yahoo! Travelers all give it four stars, while three Citysearchers give it a solid 3.5:

• Great way to spend an afternoon along the Mississippi River. – starry943, TripAdvisor
• The food was the only thing I was not impressed with. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, we hung out in the bar and had a great time there talking to people. Informative, got some great pictures and learned a lot. – ms, Yahoo! Travel