How long does it take to get from New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico?

[cruiseguy1016]

This is embarrassing to say but here goes. I thought my knowledge of U.S. geography was pretty good but boy did I miss on this one :eek:. I was in New Orleans last month (first time ever) for business and saw the Navigator in port. I was curious how far up the river it had to come to get to the port. I figured once I got up on the I 10 bridge, I'd be able to see the Gulf. OOPS, not even close! I just did a distance path on Google Earth and it shows about 113 miles from the port to the mouth of the river. 82 miles as the crow flies. I never new New Orleans was so far up river. I always thought it was on the Gulf Coast.

 

So my question is - how long does it take to get from the cruise pier to the gulf or vice versa? I'm thinking it's got to be all of 12 - 15 hours. Am I way off on this too?

[kruzerci]

We entered the Mississippi at around 11PM when returning to New Orleans and reached the Gulf just after midnight when we were headed down towards Cozumel.

[cruiseguy1016]

We entered the Mississippi at around 11PM when returning to New Orleans and reached the Gulf just after midnight when we were headed down towards Cozumel.

 

:confused: Sorry, I don't mean to sound nasty but if you entered the Mississippi returning to New Orleans how did you end up back in the Gulf heading towards Mexico?

[Clarea]

I believe it was about 8 or 9 hours for us on Voyager in 2011.

[kruzerci]

We didn't... I was typed the order backwards, when we got back to New Orleans and when we left New Orleans.

[sunkey1]

It's a different kind of departure as you see shoreline for a long time. We took the trip on the Conquest last year and it was really pretty neat. People along the shore would set off fireworks as the ship sailed by so we just sat out on our balcony enjoying the show. :)

[cruiseguy1016]

We didn't... I was typed the order backwards, when we got back to New Orleans and when we left New Orleans.

 

Okay - but how long was the trip in the river?

[kruzerci]

Okay - but how long was the trip in the river?

 

About 7 hours....

[lady_cruiser]

AHHH the trip down the Mississippi is awesome especially when it is dark, as in coming back home to New Orleans. The lights from all the oil platforms light up the night sky with looks like thousands of lights.

[Eriksgarden]

Speaking of the Mississippi, has anyone ever done a riverboat cruise? I'm curious what the experience/ships are like.

[cruiseguy1016]

About 7 hours....

 

Thank you. That's what I was looking for.

[DrD]

The delta of the Mississippi was unnavigable in the old days.

 

You may notice on a map a big lake north of NO (lake Pontchartrain) with a relatively short shot into the Gulf.

 

NO was built where it is because that's where the river and lake are closest.

 

Ship coming downriver would unload in NO and load onto ocean-going ship on the lake, which could then sail out into the gulf much more quickly. And vice-versa.

 

For a long time there was a canal from the river to the lake, and now it's Canal Street, and does run from river to lake still.

 

Now there's channels so ships just go all the way down river.

[jgmpuma]

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/new-orleans-know-it-all/Content?oid=1241283

[Darkwolfe]

This is the Mississippi river delta as it spreads out into the Gulf. You'll notice that the Gulf surrounds it for quite some distance. NOLA is out of sight going off to the right. One big river....

 

Mississippi River Delta by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

[CruzieSue]

Darkwolfe, love that photo !!!

 

The time it takes to get down river or up river will also depend on the depth, the speed of the current, and the amount of traffic on the river.

 

When we left out of NOLA last March on Voyager, it took about 7 hours to get to the Gulf. Coming back, we were entering the Mississippi about 9:00 pm and docked about 6:00 am - that's 9 hours. But time back up river may have been slower to allow for docking at the correct time.

[Host Kat]

For a great thread about what you will see going down the Mississippi titled "Take A Virtual Tour Down The Mighty Miss.", click here http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1211622. It is on the Ports of Call - New Orleans Forum.

 

Speaking of the Mississippi, has anyone ever done a riverboat cruise? I'm curious what the experience/ships are like.

Eriksgarden,

 

Click here American Queen Steamboat Company Cruises and here American Cruise Lines Cruises for some reviews.

 

Kat

[MAD70601]

Darkwolfe, love that photo !!!

 

The time it takes to get down river or up river will also depend on the depth, the speed of the current, and the amount of traffic on the river.

 

When we left out of NOLA last March on Voyager, it took about 7 hours to get to the Gulf. Coming back, we were entering the Mississippi about 9:00 pm and docked about 6:00 am - that's 9 hours. But time back up river may have been slower to allow for docking at the correct time.

 

Going against the current of the River plays a factor too.

 

While in NOLA several times, we took the boat "Audubon" from the Aquarium upriver to the Audubon Zoo - seems like it took a good while, but didn't time it - return trip, with the current, I didn't even have time to finish my drink (Coke) LOL.

Edited March 1, 2013 by MAD70601

[chong67]

How long does the cruise ship takes to get from New Orleans to the the Gulf?

Thanks.

[ssb]

A long time . Host Clarea has it about right . 

[CruzieSue]

Something to look for going down river ... about an hour after leaving port the ship reaches a BIG bend in the river and it looks like you are heading back to New Orleans.  Pretty good view of the city at this point.  We have enjoyed our trips down river.