Port or Starboard while docked in NOLA

[reeinaz]

I just booked a cruise on the Equinox that will be docked for 3 days in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. It sails in from Cozumel and will depart to Ft Lauderdale. Any idea on which side of the ship will be facing the city? I've read that coming in, the starboard side is facing the city but when departing, it will be the port side. But what about while docked? Will it rotate daily?

 

Thanks

[jgmpuma]

Every ship I have ever seen docked at the port of NO has been with the right side toward the city. It would be really inefficient to have the ship do a 180. There's not much to see of the city from the ship anyway.

[dctravel]

4 hours ago, jgmpuma said:

Every ship I have ever seen docked at the port of NO has been with the right side toward the city. It would be really inefficient to have the ship do a 180. There's not much to see of the city from the ship anyway.

A few years ago, we watched the NCL Dawn (I think) do a full turn upon arrival at Julia Street Terminal so that the bow was facing down river. The Carnvial ships did the same, which would put the port side next to the dock. That said, there are lot of pictures on the internet that have starboard facing the pier. My guess is that it might be up to the Captain, based on the maintenance needs of the ship.

[tallyho8]

Sometimes, a ship will come in earlier than expected and the longshoremen are not ready yet to dock it so it will use up some time turning around before docking so that the port side will face the city and they can get an earlier start the next day.

 

This is a rare occurrence and will only happen maybe 1 in 20 times so the best bet is that the starboard side will face the city when at dock.

 

If you are coming on 2-14-21 you will be coming up the Mississippi River during daytime giving you some interesting views and you will pass the Norwegian Breakaway and Carnival Glory coming down the river an hour or two before you dock but they will pass on your port side about dusk.

[reeinaz]

11 hours ago, tallyho8 said:

Sometimes, a ship will come in earlier than expected and the longshoremen are not ready yet to dock it so it will use up some time turning around before docking so that the port side will face the city and they can get an earlier start the next day.

 

This is a rare occurrence and will only happen maybe 1 in 20 times so the best bet is that the starboard side will face the city when at dock.

 

If you are coming on 2-14-21 you will be coming up the Mississippi River during daytime giving you some interesting views and you will pass the Norwegian Breakaway and Carnival Glory coming down the river an hour or two before you dock but they will pass on your port side about dusk.

Thanks. I scoured the boards for information on past cruises, and yes, it has docked with the starboard side facing the city. I'm on a cruise that leaves out of New Orleans in December and I read that the port side gives good views of the city when traveling down the Mississippi and jumped on a portside balcony for this trip as well, forgetting that it is travelling up river. The downriver portion will happen overnight. But I suppose I will get nice views of other ships travelling up and down the river while docked. Either way, I will enjoy my 1st Mardi Gras :)