Your Recommendations for a Caribbean cruise starting in New Orleans?

Doing some research on a possible Caribbean cruise and would like to start the cruise with a few days in New Orleans.

My friend enjoys having a casino on board, but we're not huge partiers. We've really enjoyed the service we received on Princess cruise lines. I've also done Carnival and NCL, but my preference is Princess.

I understand the choices are basically Carnival, NCL, or Royal Caribbean. I'm think RCI will be the most "Princess-like," but we're open to suggestions, especially if another line offers much better ports of call.

Royal Caribbean offers New Orleans/Western Caribbean cruises from November - April. Any suggestions on which is the "best" month (weather-wise or other factors)?

Thanks for any suggestions.

I would definitely avoid Sept - Dec and look at April or January.

We like Carnival and NCL and have not taken RCCL based on feedback from friends who have and who know what we like. We will try Princess in the future but we're concerned about the smaller cabins.

But I would just steer clear of the rough sea months as you will undoubtedly miss a port or 2.

WE just returned from a western Carib sail on the Carnival Dream which is coming to New Orleans and we loved our cruise on her. Belize, Roatan, and Costa maya are great ports and Cozumel is as well.

The Dream is the only year round ship for the 7 night cruises and she does 3 different itineraries. RCL is no longer there and NCL Dawn will return only from Mid October - early spring. We have sailed numerous times on all itineraries and often in January with no problem on the motion of the ocean:)

The Dream is the largest and newest ship now sailing out of New Orleans. Great ship.