Guides
Getting to the ship in New Orleans
The schedule tells you when to sail. These guides cover the rest of the trip to the ship: which terminal your line uses, where to park, how to get in from the airport, where to stay the night before, and the documents to bring. Each one lists its sources and the date we last checked them.
First cruise from New Orleans: common questions
Arrive in the slot your line gives you, not early. Carnival uses the Erato Street terminal; Norwegian and Royal Caribbean use Julia Street. The garages open at 9 a.m.
Updated 2026-10-23
Cruise terminals at the Port of New Orleans
Carnival sails from the Erato Street Cruise Terminal, 1100 Port of New Orleans Place. Norwegian and Royal Caribbean use the Julia Street Cruise Terminal next door, at 920.
Updated 2026-10-23
Cruise parking at the Port of New Orleans
Each terminal has its own garage. On October 23, 2026 the port listed 7 days at $180 in both, plus $1 a day if you reserve online, and prepaid parking is not refundable.
Updated 2026-10-23
From New Orleans airport to the cruise port
On October 23, 2026 a taxi from MSY to the Central Business District or French Quarter was a flat $36 for up to two people, and the Airport Express bus was $1.25.
Updated 2026-10-23
Hotels near the New Orleans cruise terminals
Hilton New Orleans Riverside lists the cruise terminal 0.4 miles away and, on October 23, 2026, cruise self-parking at $24 a day. Several hotels sell park-and-cruise packages.
Updated 2026-10-23
Passport or birth certificate for a New Orleans cruise
On a cruise that starts and ends in New Orleans, U.S. citizens can sail with a birth certificate and photo ID. One-way trips need a passport, and only Carnival accepts a photocopied birth certificate.
Updated 2026-10-23
