Sailing out of New Orleans

[merknerk]

Hello Everyone, We will be sailing out of New Orleans February 24. We have never been there. I know that Mardi Gras will be going on. Booked a room in West Bank. Any advise on any subject would be great. We have been on many cruises but this will be totally new for us. Thanks so much.

[SAS21]

Hi I am from the New Orleans area and just wanted to let you know Mardi Gras will be over by the day you embark.

[BigNance]

Mardi Gras in 2019 is March 5th. OP is leaving 2/24.

merknerk, you should look up the schedule of parades in New Orleans, and you should try to check out at least one of them! Alternatively, or in addition, go to the French Quarter and check out the sights...it has to be seen to be believed! If you want to have dinner at any of the better NO restaurants, make reservations NOW (and it may be too late). K-Pauls, GW Fins, Irene's, Commander's Palace, the list goes on. Also, if you like oysters, wait in line at Acme Oyster bar, or Felix', or go to the Bourbon House. Try the fire roasted oysters..........OMG...

Have a great time, but do be careful there!

[gknep]

New Orleans is one of the most fun cities we have ever visited. Lunch at Commanders Palace was a highlight. We made reservations about 3 weeks in advance and got the last available table that day. They found out it was my birthday and Lally Brennan herself came by the table to say hello. Our next visit will be in conjunction with a cruise so we can combine two of our favorite vacations.

[senoragilbert]

Hey, please check out the New Orleans port of call board and the gulf coast homeports board! We'd love to have you, there are many friendly locals and not-so-locals on those boards, and we love talking about cruising out of NOLA!

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk

[newmexicoNita]

Yes, check ports of call for ideas. We have sailed out of New Orleans about 3 or 4 times: Different from most opinions, we are not in love with the city, but I would certainly plan to spend a few hours in the French Quarters; it is a fun and interesting place and great for people watching.

[mdsgu]

The French Quarter is usually crowded, and it is even moreso at Mardi Gras. You simply have to go to Pat O's (yes, you can get a hurricane almost anywhere in NOLA, but they just aren't the same as at Pat O's). Restaurants are plentiful and they are almost all excellent -- just avoid chains, like Red Lobster.

 

Keep your wallet in your front pocket and remember where you got your shoes!

[merknerk]

We are staying in Gretna in West Bank. Does anyone know of any good restaurants there ? Also how far from French Quarter? Transportation besides taxis. Thanks so much for all the replies so far. Getting some great ideas !!

[pete_coach]

We are staying in Gretna in West Bank. Does anyone know of any good restaurants there ? Also how far from French Quarter? Transportation besides taxis. Thanks so much for all the replies so far. Getting some great ideas !!

 

We sailed out of New Orleans last February just after Mardi Gras. Loved New Orleans enough to stay after the cruise.

I suggest you stay at the Hilton Riverside. It is close enough to French Quarter and other sites in New Orleans to walk there. You can also walk from the hotel to the embarkation point, inside an outlet mall. Nice hard floors so your bags wheel easily. It may be a bit more expensive but it will save you a lot in cab fares because West Bank is a long way and over atoll bridge form the port and French Quarter.

[MINILvr]

It may be a bit more expensive but it will save you a lot in cab fares because West Bank is a long way and over atoll bridge form the port and French Quarter.

 

There are no tolls on the Crescent City Connection from the Westbank to the Port. The tolls were removed in 2013. Depending on which hotel on the Westbank, it is not that far to the Port. (As little as 4 miles from closest Westbank hotel to port.)

[MINILvr]

We are staying in Gretna in West Bank. Does anyone know of any good restaurants there ? Also how far from French Quarter? Transportation besides taxis. Thanks so much for all the replies so far. Getting some great ideas !!

 

Café 615 is good as is Tony Mandina's. Both are locally owned and in Gretna.

 

If you don't want to take a taxi, you can use Uber and Lyft.

 

The French Quarter is about 8 miles from Gretna. Could be a little less depending on where you are staying.

 

You can refer to this website for Mardi Gras parade schedules. http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/schedule.html

[gooch47]

I know there is a ferry boat near Gretna but I'm afraid I don't know enough about it to be of much help. It takes you right near the cruise port and close to the French Quarter.

 

https://www.neworleansonline.com/tools/transportation/gettingaround/ferry.html

[gym2]

Not sure how much pre-cruise time you will have in New Orleans, but the World War II Museum is unbelievable. You would have to plan to spend at least, the better part of a day there to take most of it in.

Enjoy your cruise! We sail out of NOLA in January!

Gym2

[NLH Arizona]

Don't forget to stop at Cafe Du Monde for a few beignets.

 

I'll be cruising out of New Orleans in December.

[mommyto2girls]

Not sure how much pre-cruise time you will have in New Orleans, but the World War II Museum is unbelievable. You would have to plan to spend at least, the better part of a day there to take most of it in.

Enjoy your cruise! We sail out of NOLA in January!

Gym2

 

We are on that cruise you should join our roll call:)

[newmexicoNita]

We sailed out of New Orleans last February just after Mardi Gras. Loved New Orleans enough to stay after the cruise.

I suggest you stay at the Hilton Riverside. It is close enough to French Quarter and other sites in New Orleans to walk there. You can also walk from the hotel to the embarkation point, inside an outlet mall. Nice hard floors so your bags wheel easily. It may be a bit more expensive but it will save you a lot in cab fares because West Bank is a long way and over atoll bridge form the port and French Quarter.

Hilton Riverside is a great hotel, in a great location

[pete_coach]

There are no tolls on the Crescent City Connection from the Westbank to the Port. The tolls were removed in 2013. Depending on which hotel on the Westbank, it is not that far to the Port. (As little as 4 miles from closest Westbank hotel to port.)

The response was to the OP's questions regarding taxis and how close to the French Quarter. It is still taxi rides and quite a ways away form the post. I am sorry if I got the toll wrong but it was really an inconsequential part of the post.

 

Don't forget to stop at Cafe Du Monde for a few beignets.

I'll be cruising out of New Orleans in December.

There is a Cafe Du Monde in the outlet mall next to the Hilton Riverside....the lineups are not long.

[cruiserssandr]

Hi I am from the New Orleans area and just wanted to let you know Mardi Gras will be over by the day you embark.

We will be getting off our cruise on the Norwegian Breakaway on February 17. The cost to fly back to Boston that day is crazy expensive. Any thoughts on if Mardi Gras is the reason for this? The flight down is only 185 p/p plus tax but the flight back is $522 p/p plus tax.

[cajunfla]

We will be getting off our cruise on the Norwegian Breakaway on February 17. The cost to fly back to Boston that day is crazy expensive. Any thoughts on if Mardi Gras is the reason for this? The flight down is only 185 p/p plus tax but the flight back is $522 p/p plus tax.

 

Feb. 17 is a Sunday. Almost all flights are more expensive on Sundays, but Mardi Gras may factor into it. Price the flights on Monday or Tuesday, plus hotel for staying a night or 2 post-cruise. Which is less expensive?

[Linda the Book Lover]

Hilton Riverside is a great hotel, in a great location

That is where my DD and I plan to stay, thanks to all the recommendations on CC.

[gooch47]

One warning about the Hilton. Some rooms are VERY close to the train/streetcar tracks. The engineers just love to blast their horns along there during the night and the noise almost blows you out of your bed.

[merknerk]

We are on that cruise you should join our roll call:)

Could you explain roll call. Been on cruise critic for a while but do not know exactly what it is for sure. Thank you.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Could you explain roll call. Been on cruise critic for a while but do not know exactly what it is for sure. Thank you.

 

They are threads for others sailing on the same ship and date to say hi and plan together. Sometimes someone has already or if not will volunteer to arrange the ship's meet and greet when you are on board. It is a great place to ask what other's are doing and also get together with a few more to arrange private tours in port. I have attended Meet and Greets and also arranged one and they have been fun. others help out with slot pulls, cabin crawls, and sometimes an activity while on the ship. Even if you are just curious just go to find your roll call and see if anyone has signed up or commented. We met a great couple years ago who we became friends with and now cruise together.

[YVRBassElectric]

We will be getting off our cruise on the Norwegian Breakaway on February 17. The cost to fly back to Boston that day is crazy expensive. Any thoughts on if Mardi Gras is the reason for this? The flight down is only 185 p/p plus tax but the flight back is $522 p/p plus tax.

 

We cruised out of New Orleans in 2016, 2017 and are on the same Feb 17th cruise, for us staying in New Orleans and flying out Monday or Tuesday was cheaper each time (including hotel) We love New Orleans, so we are staying before & after this time

[pete_coach]

One warning about the Hilton. Some rooms are VERY close to the train/streetcar tracks. The engineers just love to blast their horns along there during the night and the noise almost blows you out of your bed.

Were there 4 days and we never heard a train. There are no trains. What you may have heard is a boat on the river. They blow their horns regularly and you can hear them all over the city .

 

There is a Riverfront Streetcar that runs along the riverfront and they have a bell. It stops at the front entrance of the Hilton Riverside.