Cruising out of New Orleans - A Personal Experience
Published Monday, June 8th 2015
Categories
When selecting cruises it is always wise to explore the options. This includes departure ports. Sometimes leaving from a port that is only a couple hours away can offer you savings. However.....With savings, it can mean compromise.
A very strong word of advise - plan to arrive the day/night before in New Orleans. I'd recommend that you park as close to the cruise port as possible, or alternatively a hotel that allow you to park while you cruise and offers a shuttle to the cruise port. In any case, plan on arriving the day before. Can't express this enough.
New Orleans is a great city and has so much to offer in terms of what there is to see and do that it would be worth while just to tour the city. Most especially the French Quarter. It could possibly make it your while. Particularly if you have never been there before.
Traffic can be horrendous, even on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Even more so when the locals decide to celebrate something with a parade. Which is frequently. Traffic can be bottle-necked, and other issues can arise as you try to make your way to the cruise port which is in the heart of downtown. What would normally take you 15 minutes can literally take you hours. I nearly missed my ship for this reason.
Parking can also be a challenge for those who opt to drive to New Orleans. Availability is extremely limited at the pier, and it would be wise to look for alternatives. Parking garage that offers cruise parking. They do exist. There is one in front of the convention center for example.
Parking is costly compared to other cruise homeports as well.
The positive side. It is an experience the sail on the Mississippi as the ship navigates its way to the Gulf of Mexico. En route to your Western Caribbean destinations or beyond. Or sail on an authentic paddle-wheel ship up the Mississippi.
Currently only Carnival cruises (ocean) and the Mississippi Queen (river) sail out of New Orleans year round.
For more information on staying at or cruise from New Orleans, please contact Cruise Planners: Linda Kolanko. 940-453-8904
A very strong word of advise - plan to arrive the day/night before in New Orleans. I'd recommend that you park as close to the cruise port as possible, or alternatively a hotel that allow you to park while you cruise and offers a shuttle to the cruise port. In any case, plan on arriving the day before. Can't express this enough.
New Orleans is a great city and has so much to offer in terms of what there is to see and do that it would be worth while just to tour the city. Most especially the French Quarter. It could possibly make it your while. Particularly if you have never been there before.
Traffic can be horrendous, even on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Even more so when the locals decide to celebrate something with a parade. Which is frequently. Traffic can be bottle-necked, and other issues can arise as you try to make your way to the cruise port which is in the heart of downtown. What would normally take you 15 minutes can literally take you hours. I nearly missed my ship for this reason.
Parking can also be a challenge for those who opt to drive to New Orleans. Availability is extremely limited at the pier, and it would be wise to look for alternatives. Parking garage that offers cruise parking. They do exist. There is one in front of the convention center for example.
Parking is costly compared to other cruise homeports as well.
The positive side. It is an experience the sail on the Mississippi as the ship navigates its way to the Gulf of Mexico. En route to your Western Caribbean destinations or beyond. Or sail on an authentic paddle-wheel ship up the Mississippi.
Currently only Carnival cruises (ocean) and the Mississippi Queen (river) sail out of New Orleans year round.
For more information on staying at or cruise from New Orleans, please contact Cruise Planners: Linda Kolanko. 940-453-8904
Leave a Reply
indicates a required field
