New Orleans Terminal

[omadutchess]

We will cruise on the Conquest Nov 3rd out of New Orleans. Since this is our first time out of New Orleans can anyone give info if embarkation and debarkation are smoothly and in a timely manner at this terminal? Thanks so much.:)

[Keith1010]

You will get more responses if you ask about this on the Carnival Board.

 

There is a Gulf Coast Departures Board but I think the Carnival Board is the way to go.

 

Keith

[Monalis]

If you park at the pier, it will be one of the easiest ports you'll ever park at. You pull into the parking deck, pay your parking fee, show your boarding pass to the porters, drop off your luggage, park, and then take the elevators down to the check in desk. Easy as pie.

 

You may want to see what is going on in the city the day your ship leaves and the day you arrive back since traffic can be hell in NO.

[okgirl]

We will cruise on the Conquest Nov 3rd out of New Orleans. Since this is our first time out of New Orleans can anyone give info if embarkation and debarkation are smoothly and in a timely manner at this terminal? Thanks so much.:)

 

Embarkation in NOLA is very smooth. They have a separate security line for Priority guests, and a VIP lounge with a hostess at the door so everyone is processed in the order that they arrive.

 

If you are doing general embarkation the lines seem to move very quickly. Boarding usually begins between 11 and 11:30 even though your docs say 12:30. I usually get to the pier around 10am.

 

Departure from NOLA involves a 6+ hour trip down the Mississippi river, but since you are leaving in the dark it won't be quite as fun as a daytime departure.

 

The Casino opens after the muster drill and sailaway, the Fun Shops open at 5:30.

 

I love sailing from NOLA, the only bad thing is if it's raining when you are embarking or disembarking the streets and parking lots usually have 6" of water standing in them. I was over my ankles in storm water getting to my car parked at a hotel in April.........it was yuk........

[Tralynn]

Embarkation and Debarkation are handled very well at the Port of New Orleans. Parking is a breeze there also. Traffic in the immediate area is where the hold ups occur. The port is basically right behind the giant Convention Center. There is also Harrah's Casino and the Aquarium of the Americas right there on the same street, so weekend traffic can be a real bummer. Once you enter the terminal, everything seems to run quite smoothly.

 

Enjoy and Bon Voyage!

[GORDONCHICK]

There are two piers at the New Orleans port, but they are right next to each other. Carnival usually uses the Erato Street Pier, and NCL uses the Julia Street Pier.

[omadutchess]

I want to thank every one for your fast responses and very helpful information. Can't wait to experience cruising out of NOLA since we have family living there now. We usually go from Galveston or Miami.

Thankfully we don't have to deal with parking, since we will be dropped off and picked up. :)

Again, I really appreciate the fast replies and want to wish every one "HAPPY CRUISING"!! :)

[lady_cruiser]

Even with several hours of delayed boarding during our September 2013 cruise on the Conquest, boarding was easy as was disembarking. And to have family there will make it that much more special because you will be able to see the true New Orleans from the eyes of a new NOLA resident.

[mitsugirly]

We have cruised twice out of the NOLA port, both times with NCL. The first time, it was so simple and the flow was excellent. The second time it didn't go so great. It was the biggest cluster fluck ever and I swear it was NOT the same terminal as before. The passengers were coming off and out the same doors we were going in. There were no signs to tell us which was to go and no one really helping us. You pretty much had to fight the people traffic and we were beyond lost. After returning from the cruise, it was the same chaos as before if not worse.

 

Did NCL somewhere along the line between Sept 2011 and Dec 2012 change ports?

[Monalis]

We have cruised twice out of the NOLA port, both times with NCL. The first time, it was so simple and the flow was excellent. The second time it didn't go so great. It was the biggest cluster fluck ever and I swear it was NOT the same terminal as before. The passengers were coming off and out the same doors we were going in. There were no signs to tell us which was to go and no one really helping us. You pretty much had to fight the people traffic and we were beyond lost. After returning from the cruise, it was the same chaos as before if not worse.

 

Did NCL somewhere along the line between Sept 2011 and Dec 2012 change ports?

 

There are 2 terminal buildings at the pier, Erato St and Julia St. Carnival Sails out of Erato and NCL and RCCL sails out of Julia St. At least usually, now you may have sailed out of each terminal, they sit right next to each other, Erato is first and Julia is second. It all depends on what ships are in port the day you sail.

[mitsugirly]

There are 2 terminal buildings at the pier, Erato St and Julia St. Carnival Sails out of Erato and NCL and RCCL sails out of Julia St. At least usually, now you may have sailed out of each terminal, they sit right next to each other, Erato is first and Julia is second. It all depends on what ships are in port the day you sail.

 

I know there's 2 terminals at NOLA and I have been to both. We have sailed with NCL BOTH times with the 2 terminals. My question is...did NCL use to sail out of Erato terminal (in 2011 when we sailed) and they switched some time in 2012 to the Julia St terminal? Just wondering how I have sailed out of both and only sailed with NCL both times from there. :)

[Monalis]

I know there's 2 terminals at NOLA and I have been to both. We have sailed with NCL BOTH times with the 2 terminals. My question is...did NCL use to sail out of Erato terminal (in 2011 when we sailed) and they switched some time in 2012 to the Julia St terminal? Just wondering how I have sailed out of both and only sailed with NCL both times from there. :)

 

If you go to the ports website you can look at the vessel's schedule, including the past... I looked up Sept 2011 and it looks like ALL the ships went out of Erato St that month. Don't know why, maybe they were fixing the Julia St terminal. But yup looks like you have been out of both. :p

[kcwingwalker]

Usually very easy. We did have a problem once when Carnival was running 4 hours late. It was chaos 3,000+ trying to get off quickly and 3,000+ anxious to start their cruise.

 

Carnival kept making announcements about be held up by the Port of New Orleans, but we left the Bahamas more than 8 hours late. Hard for people who missed their flights.

[mitsugirly]

If you go to the ports website you can look at the vessel's schedule, including the past... I looked up Sept 2011 and it looks like ALL the ships went out of Erato St that month. Don't know why, maybe they were fixing the Julia St terminal. But yup looks like you have been out of both. :p

 

I knew last December when we went it definitely wasn't the same terminal and I HATED it. It was the worse ever. We will be back there again this December and I'm not looking forward to it again. Hopefully it's not going to be as bad, but I'm not holding my breath. :( I want to cruise out of Erato St!!! Looks like I'll have to book another Carnival cruise. :p