Boarding in New Orleans.

[Gregam]

I will be cruising out of New Orleans. Should I show up early? How long is the typical wait to board the ship.

[cruise_control]

I will be cruising out of New Orleans. Should I show up early? How long is the typical wait to board the ship.

 

What do you consider early?? Show up around 10:45 - 11:00 and you'll be fine. The wait isn't long at all.

[runner15km]

10:30-11:00 is a good time to be at the pier and you should be on by 12:30.

Edited February 27, 2014 by runner15km

[Mysticks1]

10:30-11:00 is a good time to be at the pier and you should be on by 12:30.

 

I agree that 10:30 is a good time if you want to be onboard quickly. If you wait until after 11:00 you could encounter some long lines for awhile. I sail from there in May and plan to get there between 10:00 and 10:30.

[bmckim]

We got there around 10:45-11, and it was mobbed, and highly disorganized. Getting there early would probably be good. It didn't seem like there were enough seats. We did faster to the fun and walked right on the ship, but it was a mess from embarkation to disembarkation in the port.

[cruise_control]

If you're driving, make sure you allow enough time. The drive into port is utter mayhem. Once you get to the parking garage, you're fine.

[Joyride37]

get there early, or get there later. We actually got there a little before noon and made it through all the check ins and were on the boat in about 35 minutes. Fastest time was about 15 minutes when we thought we were running late. That was about an hour before last call to get on.

[kycruiselover]

If you are leaving this weekend or early next week be sure to give yourself time for traffic tie ups due to Mardi Gras. We leave Monday so I plan on leaving hotel fairly early just in case.

[maldenmusic]

We always park at Fulton Parking garage a few blocks away and their shuttle drops us off right out front in plenty of time. Last year was the quickest check in we ever had. We boarded just a few minutes after the F2TF and priority (Platinum, Diamond) cruisers did. NOLA has always been an easy port for us to use and very few long lines. We usually arrive no later than 10:30.

[CatlinSTJ]

It's been a couple of years, but NOLA was one of the least organized ports we have boarded from with the longest lines. We probably got there a little after 11:00 and were in line for about an hour.

 

 

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze June 2014

[bigreid07]

We sailed out of NOLA last January, and I felt that it was the best organized, quickest boarding process I'd ever experienced. GOt there by 10, in the building by 10:20 and checked in. Just had to wait on several wedding parties to board, but had no issues.

[Gregam]

Thanks everyone. We leave in April. The whole trip w/ spending money is a gift from my employer. looking forward to this cruise. Sailed from the N.O. port back in 1997 and the line was terrible, although there was construction going on at the convention center. Will take the advice and get there early. Thanks again.

 

Skelly.

[Creole Girl]

I have gotten there at different times for different cruises. Last year I got to the port at 11 and it took less than an hour to park and get onboard. The longest it has taken me is when I got there at about 1 and it took a little over an hour. But compared to some other ports I have been to, New Orleans is the fastest.

[jvparish]

Thanks everyone. We leave in April. The whole trip w/ spending money is a gift from my employer. looking forward to this cruise. Sailed from the N.O. port back in 1997 and the line was terrible, although there was construction going on at the convention center. Will take the advice and get there early. Thanks again.

 

Skelly.

 

Nice gift:)

[crawfrd7]

We arrived about 11 and did not wait in a single line.

Tip: parking in the parking deck and check your baggage there.

 

 

Cruise fan

[tigereye]

What does it cost to park in Fulton these days?

[cruise_control]

What does it cost to park in Fulton these days?

 

I think it's around $8 per day, but I'm not positive.

[huntm]

I would go with the 10:30-11:00 plan. We just cruised out of NOLA for the first time late January. We arrived about that time. It was the most disorganized port we have ever been too (embarkation and debarkation), but we were still on the ship before noon... And the DOD tasted very good!

 

 

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[halterk]

Sailed out of NOLA in Nov 2012 and it was very organized. We quickly got through and boarded.

Sailed out of NOLA in Dec 2013 and it was NOT very organized. We waited in line for a long time, while only 3 or 4 reps checked people in. All the other reps were just sitting there at their computers not doing anything. :( I have no clue what was going on, but it really irritated me!

[maritch]

The first time we sailed out of NO it organized and we were on the ship within 30 minutes or less, debarkation was a breeze too. Last year was not at all the same experience. We arrived early again only to wait for hours to get on the ship, there was not enough seats and we were all packed in like sardines. Worst embarkation I have ever experienced and the debarkation was not much better. However once on the ship I quickly forgot about the wait and hope it was just a fluke bad embarkation experience.

 

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