New Orleans, Louisiana ยท Departure port guide
New Orleans Cruise Port Guide: Julia Street and the French Quarter
Short answer
What do you need to know before sailing from New Orleans?
New Orleans uses two adjacent cruise terminals on the Mississippi, Julia Street and Erato Street, both a fifteen-minute walk from the French Quarter. Parking costs $22 to $25 per day. It is the best pre-cruise city of any US port, and river fog delays sailings several times each winter.
Key takeaways
- Two terminals, Julia Street and Erato Street, a few minutes apart on the Mississippi.
- Both are a fifteen-minute walk from the French Quarter.
- Parking costs $22 to $25 per day in the terminal garages.
- Mississippi River fog delays departures several times each winter.
- The best pre-cruise city of any US departure port, comfortably.
Overview
New Orleans is the only US cruise port where the city is a better reason to come than the itinerary. Western Caribbean sailings from here are much the same as from Galveston or Tampa, but you board them after two nights in the French Quarter, which is a materially better start to a holiday.
The port is on the Mississippi, immediately upriver of the French Quarter, with two terminals a few minutes apart: Julia Street for Carnival and Norwegian, Erato Street for Royal Caribbean and Disney. Both are walkable from Warehouse District hotels.
The local complication is fog. The Mississippi fogs in during winter and river pilots suspend movements when visibility drops, which delays departures and returns several times each season. Build slack into return flights between December and March.
The Julia Street and Erato Street terminals sit side by side on the river at the edge of the Warehouse District. They are about a fifteen-minute walk from Jackson Square and five minutes from the National WWII Museum.
New Orleans is a Mississippi River port rather than a coastal one, so ships spend about five hours navigating downriver to the Gulf after departure. That means a late-afternoon sail-away and a first evening spent on the river, which is more interesting than an open-water departure.
The season runs year round, with Western Caribbean itineraries dominating. Summer sailings carry hurricane risk and winter sailings carry fog risk, which is a genuinely unusual combination.
- Two terminals side by side on the Mississippi at the Warehouse District.
- A fifteen-minute walk to the French Quarter.
- Ships navigate about five hours downriver to reach the Gulf.
- Fog risk in winter and hurricane risk in summer.
Terminals
- Julia Street Cruise Terminal, Carnival and Norwegian
- Erato Street Cruise Terminal, Royal Caribbean and Disney
Getting there
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International is about 30 minutes from the terminals, with a flat-rate taxi of about $36 for one or two passengers and rideshare at $35 to $55.
The E2 Airport Express bus runs to the Central Business District for a few dollars but is slow and awkward with luggage.
Driving is straightforward via I-10, and the terminals are signposted from the Pontchartrain Expressway.
- MSY to the terminals: 30 minutes, flat-rate taxi about $36.
- Rideshare: $35 to $55 depending on demand.
- Amtrak and Greyhound arrive at Union Passenger Terminal, ten minutes away.
- I-10 and the Pontchartrain Expressway both signpost the terminals.
Parking, priced honestly
Both terminals have adjacent garages at similar rates. Downtown garages offer a small saving but the terminal garages are genuinely convenient.
| Option | Cost per day | Seven-night total | Walk to terminal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Street garage | $22 to $25 | $154 to $175 | Two minutes | Directly beside the terminal |
| Erato Street lot | $22 to $25 | $154 to $175 | Three minutes | Directly beside the terminal |
| Downtown garage | $16 to $22 | $112 to $154 | 10 to 20 minutes | Modest saving, longer walk with luggage |
| Hotel park and cruise | Included in room rate | Room plus $60 to $120 | Walk or shuttle | Widely offered in the Warehouse District |
| Drop-off only | Free | Free | Curbside | No charge to stop |
Where to stay the night before
The Warehouse District is the best base at $210 to $360, five to ten minutes from the terminals on foot, with good restaurants and the WWII Museum nearby.
The French Quarter at $240 to $450 is the reason most people come, and it is a fifteen-minute walk or a short rideshare to the terminals.
The Central Business District at $180 to $310 is the value option, ten minutes from both terminals and the Quarter.
- Warehouse District: $210 to $360, closest to the terminals.
- French Quarter: $240 to $450, the experience most visitors want.
- Central Business District: $180 to $310, the value option.
- Rates spike enormously during Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest; check the calendar.
- Book refundable rates; Gulf storms disrupt the region June to November.
Worth your pre-cruise day
The National WWII Museum is five minutes from the terminals and is regularly rated among the best museums in the United States. Budget most of a day.
The French Quarter needs no explanation, but the useful advice is to walk it early. Royal Street before 10am is a completely different experience from Bourbon Street after 10pm.
The St Charles streetcar runs from Canal Street through the Garden District for a couple of dollars and is the best cheap sightseeing in the city.
- National WWII Museum, five minutes from the terminals, most of a day.
- French Quarter, best walked before 10am on Royal Street.
- St Charles streetcar through the Garden District, a couple of dollars.
- Frenchmen Street for live music, better than Bourbon Street.
- Swamp tours 45 minutes west, a genuinely good half day.
Embarkation day, step by step
New Orleans embarkation is relaxed, with one seasonal factor to plan around: river fog between December and March.
Confirm Julia Street or Erato Street
Carnival and Norwegian use Julia Street; Royal Caribbean and Disney use Erato Street. They are a few minutes apart, so an error is recoverable, but confirm anyway.
Complete online check-in when it opens
Boarding windows are first come, first served. Complete check-in on the opening day for an earlier slot.
Check the fog forecast in winter
Mississippi River pilots suspend movements when visibility drops, which delays departures and returns several times each winter. Build slack into return flights between December and March.
Walk if you are staying in the Warehouse District
Both terminals are five to ten minutes on foot from most Warehouse District hotels, which is faster than a rideshare on a busy morning.
Hand bags to a porter at the curb
Attach luggage tags before arriving. Tip $2 to $5 per bag.
Clear security and check-in
Expect 10 to 25 minutes inside your window. Both terminals process efficiently.
Be on deck for the river sail-away
Ships spend about five hours navigating downriver to the Gulf. The departure past the French Quarter and the Algiers Point bend is worth watching.
Terms worth knowing
- Julia Street Cruise Terminal
- One of New Orleans's two cruise terminals on the Mississippi, used by Carnival and Norwegian, at the edge of the Warehouse District.
- Erato Street Cruise Terminal
- New Orleans's second cruise terminal, a few minutes upriver from Julia Street, used by Royal Caribbean and Disney.
- River pilot
- A licensed navigator who takes control of a vessel on the Mississippi. Pilots suspend movements in fog, which delays New Orleans cruise departures each winter.
- Algiers Point
- The sharp bend in the Mississippi opposite the French Quarter, navigated by every departing cruise ship and the best viewpoint of the sail-away.
| Factor | New Orleans | Galveston | Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport transfer | 30 minutes | 70 minutes | 20 minutes |
| Parking per day | $22 to $25 | $12 to $20 | $17 to $20 |
| Pre-cruise city | Best of any US port | Good, Victorian Strand | Moderate |
| Walk to terminal from downtown | Yes, 5 to 15 minutes | No | Yes, 15 minutes |
| Weather disruption | Winter fog, summer hurricanes | Winter fog, summer hurricanes | Summer hurricanes |
| Lines based here | Four | Five | Four |
Planning a New Orleans departure
New Orleans is worth sailing from because of the city. Plan the trip around that and the port takes care of itself.
Arrive two days early
Choose it when: You are sailing from New Orleans at all. It is the best pre-cruise city of any US port and one night does not cover it.
Stay in the Warehouse District
Choose it when: You want the shortest walk to the terminals. Both are five to ten minutes on foot.
Stay in the French Quarter
Choose it when: The city is the point. It is a fifteen-minute walk or a short rideshare on cruise morning.
Build slack into winter return flights
Choose it when: You are sailing December to March. River fog delays returns several times each season.
Check the festival calendar
Choose it when: You are booking hotels. Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest push room rates to several times their normal level.
New Orleans port questions
Which terminal does my cruise use in New Orleans?
Carnival and Norwegian use the Julia Street Cruise Terminal; Royal Caribbean and Disney use Erato Street. The two are only a few minutes apart on the Mississippi at the edge of the Warehouse District, so an error is recoverable, unlike at ports such as New York or Seattle.
How much is parking at the New Orleans cruise port?
Both terminal garages cost $22 to $25 per day, so $154 to $175 for a seven-night cruise. Downtown garages run $16 to $22 but add a ten to twenty minute walk with luggage. Several Warehouse District hotels offer park-and-cruise packages bundling a night's stay with a week of parking.
Can you walk to the cruise terminal from the French Quarter?
Yes, in about fifteen minutes, though it is not a pleasant walk with luggage. From Warehouse District hotels the walk is five to ten minutes and is genuinely practical. On a busy cruise morning walking can be faster than a rideshare from the Quarter.
Does fog delay cruises from New Orleans?
Yes, several times each winter. The Mississippi fogs in between December and March and river pilots suspend vessel movements when visibility drops, delaying both departures and returns. Build slack into return flight plans if sailing in that window, and consider a same-city hotel night after disembarkation.
Is New Orleans worth a pre-cruise stay?
It is the best pre-cruise city of any US cruise port, comfortably. Two days covers the National WWII Museum, which is five minutes from the terminals and among the best museums in the country, the French Quarter walked early on Royal Street, the St Charles streetcar through the Garden District and live music on Frenchmen Street.
What cruises leave from New Orleans?
Western Caribbean itineraries dominate, typically seven nights calling at Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatan and Belize, with some shorter four and five-night sailings to Cozumel and Progreso. Carnival is the largest operator, alongside Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and seasonal Disney sailings.
About the author
Ports and Destinations Writer
Lena Hartley covers the parts of a cruise that happen off the ship: departure port logistics, shore excursions, weather windows and whether a port call is worth leaving the ship for at all.
48 sailings logged across 8 cruise lines.
This page was fact-checked by Priya Raman, family and accessibility reviewer, on . Prices and policies are re-checked against cruise line sources at least every 90 days. Read our editorial policy.