Cruises To and From New Orleans

Lines, Schedules and Itineraries

New Orleans, in recent years, has resumed its former importance as a deepwater home port for cruise ships sailing the Caribbean and the inland waterways with the arrivals of four large, ocean-going vessels from three of the world's largest cruise lines, plus the addition of two ships traversing the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International have all made long-term commitments to homeporting some of their largest vessels at the Port of New Orleans for four- to seven-day cruises to a wide swath of destinations in the Caribbean Sea between the Bahamas and the eastern coast of Central America. In addition, two cruise companies specializing in excursions up and down the Mississippi Basin have also made New Orleans a major starting and ending point for some of their journeys.

The return of the major cruise lines and their large vessels has been seen as a sign of the city's recovery from the disruption of port activity following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Prior to the storm New Orleans had been one of the major American points of arrival and departure for large seagoing luxury liners, but that activity shifted to other ports for several years afterward. Today, with a returning tourism base and improved parking and loading facilities at the Erato and Julia Street terminals, cruise activity has returned to pre-Katrina levels for the Crescent City.

Here is a rundown of the cruises originating and terminating in New Orleans.

Carnival Cruise Lines Elation and Conquest: Year-round 4-7 day cruises to the eastern, western and central Caribbean. Erato Street Cruise Terminal.
Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Spirit: Year-round 7-day cruises to the western Caribbean. Julia Street Cruise Terminal.
Royal Caribbean International Voyager of the Seas: Seasonal (November-April) 7-day cruises to Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island and Cozumel, Mexico. Julia Street Cruise Terminal.
ACCL Niagara Prince: May-June, 14-day cruises from Chicago to New Orleans along the Mississippi River and tributaries.
Great American Steamboat Company American Queen: Starting April 2012, four- to eleven-day/night cruises on the Mississippi River and tributaries originating from or terminating at the Port of New Orleans.

Here are more details about the cruises and their parent companies:

Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Conquest

Carnival Cruise Lines, one of the largest cruise companies in the world with 23 ships sailing all over the globe, has two of its major vessels homeported in New Orleans � the Carnival Elation and the Carnival Conquest.

The Elation specializes in four- and five-day excursions to the Western Caribbean (particularly the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico). The Conquest sails for seven days to Key West, Florida and Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas in the eastern Caribbean; Belize City, Belize; Roatan Island, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico in the western Caribbean; and Montego Bay, Jamaica; Grand Cayman Island and Cozumel in the central and western Caribbean.

For more information about fares, itineraries, amenities, departure dates, etc. visit the Carnival website at www.carnival.com and type in the information you are requesting.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line operates one cruise ship out of the Port of New Orleans, the seven-day Norwegian Spirit. With a capacity of 2,018 passengers, the Spirit is almost 900 feet long by 105 feet maximum width. Seven-day cruises are offered year round throughout the Western Caribbean to the ports of Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan Island, Honduras; and Belize City, Belize.

For more information about the Norwegian Spirit go to the following link: www2.ncl.com/cruise-ship/spirit/overview. For information about Norwegian Cruise Line go to www2.ncl.com.

Royal Caribbean International

One of 22 cruise ships owned and operated by Royal Caribbean, the Voyager of the Seas carries up to 3,114 passengers in more than 2,200 cabins. With so many amenities and offerings, the Voyager has been described as "sports club meets Vegas meets theme park meets cruise ship" by Frommer's.

The Voyager of the Seas has arrivals and departures from New Orleans between November and April. During its stay in New Orleans the Voyager offers seven-day cruises to Falmouth, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman Island; and Cozumel, Mexico. On April 14 the Voyager of the Seas will depart New Orleans on a 16-day Trans-Atlantic cruise to Barcelona, Spain with stops along the way at Nassau, Bahamas; Ponta Delgada, Azores; and Malaga, Cartagena and Valencia, Spain.

For more information go to www.royalcaribbean.com.

American Canadian Caribbean Line (ACCL)

The 84-passenger, 42-cabin Niagara Prince is one of the few non-steam-powered "small ships" cruising the inland waterways of the United States and Canada. The Niagara Prince originates on Lake Michigan in Chicago and makes its way via canals and the Illinois River down to the Mississippi and to ports-of-call along the river, terminating in New Orleans.

Featuring two decks and a well-appointed dining area, the ship's sleek and low design enables it to pass under low bridges and traverse waterways too narrow or shallow for most other ships.

Great American Steamboat Company

The American Queen, the third, largest and newest of the former Delta Queen/American Classic Voyages Line, will return to active service on April 13 with the first of 17 excursions out of the Port of New Orleans in 2012. Formerly homeported in New Orleans and now under the ownership of the Memphis-based Great American Steamboat Company, the return of the American Queen also marks the return of overnight journeys of steam-powered paddlewheelers to the Mississippi after a three-year absence.

The American Queen, with a capacity of 436 passengers in 222 staterooms, will be offering river cruises ranging in duration from four to eleven nights. As before, the ship will offer numerous amenities, including fine cuisine, live music and other entertainment and stops at scenic and historic sites along the Mississippi and its tributaries.

For more details about the American Queen, including voyages, price ranges, accommodations, amenities, reservations and other key information visit their website at www.greatamericansteamboatcompany.com.

For parking and other portside information about any of the cruises arriving in or departing from New Orleans call the Port of New Orleans at 504-522-2551or visit their website www.portno.com.

Cruise Terminal Directions and Parking Map

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Driving Directions:

From Central Business District
Convention Center Blvd. to Henderson St., left on Henderson St. continue to Port of New Orleans Place, left on Port of New Orleans Place to Julia St. Terminals 1 & 2 or right to Delta Queen (Robin St. Wharf).

From Interstate 10 (East or West)
Exit at Business 90W/Westbank (locally known as Pontchartrain Expressway). Proceed to Tchoupitoulas St./South Peters St. exit, continue to Convention Center Blvd., right on Convention Center Blvd. continue to Henderson St., left on Henderson St. continue to Port of New Orleans Place, left on Port of New Orleans Place to Julia St. Terminals 1 & 2 or right to Delta Queen (Robin St. Wharf).

From River Bound Pontchartrain Expressway
Exit at Tchoupitoulas St./South Peters St. exit, continue to Convention Center Blvd., right on Convention Center Blvd. continue to Henderson St., left on Henderson St. continue to Port of New Orleans Place, left on Port of New Orleans Place to Julia St. Terminals 1 & 2 or right to Delta Queen (Robin St. Wharf).

From River Bound Westbank Expressway
Westbank Expressway to Crescent City Connection, continue over Crescent City Connection, exit at Tchoupitoulas St. exit. Continue to Henderson St., left on Henderson St. continue to Port of New Orleans Place, left on Port of New Orleans Place to Julia St. Terminals 1 & 2 or right to Delta Queen (Robin St. Wharf).

From New Orleans International Airport
Take I-10 East toward New Orleans. Follow signs for Westbank (Business 90) as you approach downtown. Exit at Tchoupitoulas St./South Peters St. exit, continue to Convention Center Blvd., right on Convention Center Blvd. continue to Henderson St., left on Henderson St. continue to Port of New Orleans Place, left on Port of New Orleans Place to Julia St. Terminals 1 & 2 or right to Delta Queen (Robin St. Wharf).

Parking:

On-Site Parking

Parking for Erato St. Cruise Terminal

Go directly to the Erato Parking Garage entrance. On the first floor of the garage (3rd floor of the terminal building) you will be directed to the offloading area in the middle of the floor. SeaCaps will take your checked baggage and deliver them directly to the ship. After parking, you will take Elevators #3, 4 or 5 to the second floor check in and waiting area. Parking cost $16 per day effective July 1 2009. Please have your cruise ticket available as you will need to show them to enter the garage. Maximum height is 8' 4" (limited space) on 3rd floor and 7' 6" on higher floors, and maximum 22 feet in length. Garage is secure, lighted and patrolled.

Parking for Julia St. Cruise Terminal

Parking will be in the Erato St. Garage adjacent to the Julia St. Cruise Terminal. If you prefer to carry your baggage from the parking garage(approximately 75 yards between garage elevator and Julia Terminal), upon entering Port of New Orleans Place get in right lane and go straight into the Erato St. Parking Garage and follow directions below. If you prefer to drop your bags at the Julia Terminal, upon entering Port of New Orleans Place get in left lane and go past the Erato Terminal and proceed directly to the Julia St. Cruise Terminal No. 2. Drop off all luggage except for your carry-ons, and all passengers except the driver. After dropping off all passengers and baggage, proceed to Julia St. and turn left. Go one block to Convention Center Blvd. and turn left. Go approximately one mile to the end of Convention Center Blvd., and turn left onto Henderson St. Go one block and turn left onto Port of New Orleans Place. (You have completed a circle.) Stay in right lane and proceed to the entrance of the Erato St. Parking Garage. After parking, you will take Elevator # 1 at the far end of the building, and go to the ground floor (Floor 1), and walk approximately 30 yards to the entrance for the Julia St. Cruise Terminal Complex (entrance is underneath outdoor stairway on your right). Parking cost $16 per day effective July 1 2009, cash or credit card. Please have your cruise ticket available as you will need to show it to enter the garage. Maximum height is 8' 4" (limited space) on 3rd floor and 7' 6" on higher floors, and maximum 22 feet in length. Garage is secure, lighted and patrolled.

Oversized vehicles, RV's and Buses

Oversized vehicles may use the Poydras St. Parking lot which is adjacent to the Julia St. Cruise Terminal No. 2. Utilize the same directions as to Erato/Julia terminals. Go directly to the drop off areas for either the Erato or Julia terminal. After offloading all luggage and passengers, the driver should proceed past the Erato and Julia terminals and turn right into the Poydras St. Parking Lot. There will be a shuttle available to bring you back to Erato St. (You can walk to the Julia Terminal). Parking for oversized vehicles is $32 per day effective July 1 2009. Please call ahead for space. (504) 525-5476. Ask for Mr. Leonard Smith. Lot is secure, lighted and patrolled.

Off-Site Parking
Parking may also be available at off-site parking lots near the terminal. Cruise passengers should check with these lots directly for rates and availability.

For more information visit: www.portno.com.