Carnival Dream 2/26/17 Mardi Gras/New Orleans (catching a parade)

[TedR]

Hi Everyone,

 

We'll be sailing out on the Carnival Dream on 2/26/17 which is during the last weekend of Mardi Gras. We were hoping to catch the 11am parade (Krewe of Okeanos) that goes down St. Charles Ave. It seems to be a 1 mile walk from the cruise port. I have a few questions...

 

1. Our boarding time is at noon. Do you think it will be an issue parking at the terminal a few hours earlier? In other words, I know the cruise is probably off loading passengers in the morning. Will they turn us away until closer to our boarding time?

 

2. The area seems nice enough and since it's a cruise port I'm assuming it's pretty easy to walk into town. I can't quite tell from google maps, but I think it looks like there are catwalks from the parking area into the convention center? Can I exit out via the convention center?

 

3. How crazy do you think it will be getting to this area on Sunday? It was pretty hard getting a hotel the night before close to the port, so we're staying about 50 min. outside close to Baton Rouge in a town called Gonzalez. We're planning to arrive pretty early. But I'm not sure what to expect with it being Mardi Gras and all. Will it be full on grid lock? Do you think parking at the cruise terminals will be complicated?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Teddy

Edited January 18, 2017 by TedR
wanted to include year in date

[mexicobob]

We are leaving on the Dream on the 2/19 sailing and have sailed out of New Orleans twice before.

We plan to get to the cruise terminal about 9-10. You get there much later than noon and it might be full.

The area is safe and relatively easy to walk around. The Sunday you will be there should be complete and total gridlock. The number of people there can be impressive. Leave yourself insane amount of time to get back to the ship before it sails, if you decide to venture to the parade.

The parade is worth going to, but expect a crowd.

[willdra]

The Sunday you will be there should be complete and total gridlock. The number of people there can be impressive. Leave yourself insane amount of time to get back to the ship before it sails, if you decide to venture to the parade.

The parade is worth going to, but expect a crowd.

 

This! 👍🏾 We go to Mardi Gras ⚜️🎉 often, and we sailed out on the Dream last year during Mardi Gras. It was chaos just getting to the Fulton Street Parking Garage and we were using Waze. It's definitely doable, just give yourself tons of time and have patience. 😉

[SherriL69]

I emailed the Mardi Gras Visitor center about traffic during Mardi Gras. We are also sailing on the Dream on 2/26 but found a hotel in Kenner, LA about 20 minutes away

 

Here was their response:

"The traffic will be pretty bad once the parades start, so please check the schedule and arrive before that happens and you'll be good.

 

taking the I-10 is usually pretty safe and getting off at the last exit before going over the Mississippi River bridge is best (Tchoupitoulas). Traffic starts to pile up, though, as people start setting up for the parade…."

 

My husband called the Port of New Orleans about parking times today and was told the garage opens at 8:30am and yes you can park earlier that day than you plan to board the ship. You will pay, they will take your checked bags and you park. You can then walk into town

 

Hope this helps! Can't wait for the cruise

Sherri

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[TedR]

Wow! Great info! Thanks everyone. I'm thinking I'll leave the hotel near Baton Rouge no later than 7am in hopes to arrive at the parking garage as soon as it opens. Hopefully I won't have too many issues that early.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[willdra]

I emailed the Mardi Gras Visitor center about traffic during Mardi Gras.

 

My husband called the Port of New Orleans about parking times today and was told the garage opens at 8:30am and yes you can park earlier that day than you plan to board the ship. You will pay, they will take your checked bags and you park. You can then walk into town.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

This is great news![emoji16] I was thinking it would be good to hear the perspective of someone who works down there. Kudos to you for doing the "homework"! [emoji4][emoji432]

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[loanshark]

Should be easy to catch a parade before boarding.....

 

Getting to the parking area may be another story all together, as the roads that encompass the parade route will close well before the parade.

 

That being said, please plan your route accordingly, and allow yourself an extra hour or two for traffic.

 

At the parking facility, many cruisers who are on the sailing before you will have already left or be in the process of leaving.... there should be plenty of spots in the port facility from 8 am through noon.

[TedR]

What happens if the parking garage fills up? Is there an auxiliary lot or any other options?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[DeeNOLA]

One thing to note is that the parade will not reach the area that is within walking distance to the terminal for at least 1 - 2 hours after the start time.

Than it will take about another hour for the entire parade to pass. The Sunday before Mardi Gras day can get very crowded. There will be 3 parades rolling down St. Charles Ave. that day with the very popular Bacchus parade that evening.

 

They will not block off streets until an hour before the start time and then it will only be streets that have access to the route. You shouldn't have any problems getting to the terminal parking at 8:30-9:00.

[SherriL69]

Thank you for the info and replies!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Ckrewz]

I can’t speak to the availability of parking but I can offer some insight on cruising that weekend and catching a parade.

 

We departed for a cruise during the same time a few years ago. We live only a ½ hour from port and had someone drop us off so we did fine time-wise. We also traveled from the “westbank” side on HWY 90 so traffic was better. My in-laws coming in from Mississippi, via I-55, had another story and were 2 hours later to arrive than they had anticipated. As others have said, allow a lot of extra time. FWIW I-10 from Gonzales to NOLA CAN be a bear anytime. :eek:

 

Here is a link to the Okeanos parade route. http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/schedule/parade-info/parades-okeanos.html . We watch this parade on St. Charles between Julia St. and Girod every year. I don’t remember a time that it has gotten to us before/at 1:00pm. You might want to download a Mardi Gras parade tracker app so you will know if the parade starts on time, plus how fast it’s moving. (you'll find app option through a search) One has to be flexible during “parade season”, and you will probably have to determine whether catching the parade is doable the day of. I highly recommend it if you can.

Walking from the port, I personally would head to Julia Street then take Julia to St. Charles.

[Kittybork]

Hi Everyone,

 

We'll be sailing out on the Carnival Dream on 2/26/17 which is during the last weekend of Mardi Gras. We were hoping to catch the 11am parade (Krewe of Okeanos) that goes down St. Charles Ave. It seems to be a 1 mile walk from the cruise port. I have a few questions...

 

1. Our boarding time is at noon. Do you think it will be an issue parking at the terminal a few hours earlier? In other words, I know the cruise is probably off loading passengers in the morning. Will they turn us away until closer to our boarding time?

 

2. The area seems nice enough and since it's a cruise port I'm assuming it's pretty easy to walk into town. I can't quite tell from google maps, but I think it looks like there are catwalks from the parking area into the convention center? Can I exit out via the convention center?

 

3. How crazy do you think it will be getting to this area on Sunday? It was pretty hard getting a hotel the night before close to the port, so we're staying about 50 min. outside close to Baton Rouge in a town called Gonzalez. We're planning to arrive pretty early. But I'm not sure what to expect with it being Mardi Gras and all. Will it be full on grid lock? Do you think parking at the cruise terminals will be complicated?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Teddy

 

I'm on the same cruise as you. Can't wait!

 

Don't expect any times or traveling distances to be anything near what is reported online. Mardi Gras changes everything.

 

Driving into the city on I-10 from Gonzales is normally an easy drive, but traffic will be terrible. You should leave the hotel MUCH earlier than you normally would. I-10 and the Bonne Carrie Spillway are always dicey. Mardi Gras... Who knows?

 

I live 1.5 hours from the port, and I'll be on the road by 7 or 8 and avoid I-10.

 

As for the parade? The walk won't be bad at all, but the number of people will be large. I'd wait and see,

 

If the weather is nice, it might be an easy walk and fun. I don't know if I could relax enough to watch the parade that close to departure time.

[Mommy2three]

Following along for information that may help us. We will be on the Triumph leaving on Feb 27th. We live about an hour and a half away and will be driving in the morning of the cruise.

[zookeeper]

Will be going home on the 26th (from the Dream). Plan to park at the Port. Will I have much trouble getting out of the port onto I10 to head toward Atlanta?

[spleenstomper]

Okeanos won't get to that part of saint charles until who knows when. Its the first parade that day, so it shouldn't have the back up that happens. I'd say 1:00 pm at the earliest, and people will be out there starting at 7:00 am. That day I think is the most enjoyable parade day, and very crowded.

[Ckrewz]

Will be going home on the 26th (from the Dream). Plan to park at the Port. Will I have much trouble getting out of the port onto I10 to head toward Atlanta?

 

That area in the morning, you should be fine.

[Kittybork]

Following along for information that may help us. We will be on the Triumph leaving on Feb 27th. We live about an hour and a half away and will be driving in the morning of the cruise.

 

I don't think the Monday will be as bad. Good luck!

[Kittybork]

Will be going home on the 26th (from the Dream). Plan to park at the Port. Will I have much trouble getting out of the port onto I10 to head toward Atlanta?

 

Are you able to handle your own luggage all the way off the ship?

 

If so, I would keep the luggage and self-assist. It will get you off the ship sooner, and you can be on the road before the city gets too crazy. I-10 has easy access near the port.

[mexicobob]

That area in the morning, you should be fine.

 

We are on the same cruise. Thanks for the information.

[Kittybork]

I wonder if it's possible to leave after going through customs and boarding the ship? Has anyone ever done that?

[ekajun1957]

Well love these Mardi Gras New Orleans cruise threads. Yes it will be difficult in some way to get to the port because of Mardi Gras. LEAVE EARLY! If coming in from I 10 West then turn on local radio or find a traffic app and check on Bonnet Carre spillway from the time you leave Baton Rouge and know the alternate route. Get there before 10AM by all means possible. If parking at Fulton Street garage get there early. The Krewe of Thoth will block up traffic as their busses that take them to their parade line up and leave on Convention Center Blvd. The yellow school busses head out around 10 carrying 1500 riders. If you leaving that day remember this also. I ride in Thoth so know what a problem we can be. If you decide to attend that first parade or if you staying in New Orleans that day and will walk to the port at some point make sure you are on the port side of the parade route before the first parade gets there. If you are near the parade route after the parades reach that part of St. Charles you will not get a taxi. So go drop bags early.

Also for anyone else if you want a more relaxing Mardi Gras experience come in early on Saturday and enjoy the parades that day and night. Endymion on Saturday night is amazing. Your hotel should store your bags until check in time.

Also if coming in Saturday might check with Machu Picchu Tours and Parking and they deliver to the port and pick up. Think you can arrange for them to bring you to hotel on Friday or Saturday stay parked there and they pick up at port and bring you to your car.

[Kittybork]

Great advice - Thanks!

[Scooters Daddy]

Yes !!! Love those parades. Won't be sailing with you guys , but will be riding in parades Saturday and Sunday with GWRRA . We will be the couple on the big yellow Can Am Spyder. Have a great time in our city and have a great cruise !!!

[Stephandboys]

Kind of along the same lines as Kittybork - once you are parked in the parking deck and they have taken your checked bags, can we leave our carry-on's in our car (our backpacks) and go watch the parades and then go back to the car in the parking deck to retrieve our backpacks just before we board the ship? We are going on the Dream on Feb 26 as well. Our FIRST CRUISE!! WOOHOO! And we had no idea it was during Mardi Gras - so when we realized, we added two days to our vacation and are coming down two days early and staying in a hotel just 8 miles from port so as to enjoy Mardi Gras - also for the first time!! :)

 

But, we are planners and don't want to be sideswiped with something we were not aware of. This thread is so helpful!!

 

We could simply carry around our backpacks, but hope to park EARLY - like 9am and wander around until we board. We read about how if you take Uber or a taxi to the port - that they will turn your luggage away until it's time to board, so we don't want to walk around pulling luggage. So, it's better to park in the deck early and let them have our luggage, there, right?

 

And besides walking around for 3 hours with backpacks on our backs, we also are concerned they wouldn't be happy to see backpacks on our backs for security reasons......?

[Stephandboys]

If you are near the parade route after the parades reach that part of St. Charles you will not get a taxi. So go drop bags early.

 

ekajun1957 - just as I had posted below - do you happen to know if the port WILL take your bags early? We had read that they will turn you away until your board time. That is why, even though our hotel is a "Park and Sail" hotel (the original reason we booked with them), we are thinking to not take that benefit and just go ahead and park at the port parking deck around 9 and just walk around until time to board.