Superbowl Embarkation on Getaway ?

[Lorne317]

I posted this in the New Orleans port forum with no help so, sorry if reposts are not cool but.. We booked a cruise on Getaway out of New Orleans embarking on Feb 9. We booked this months ago and never would have thought to check when and where the Superbowl was being played but it turns out it's being played in NOLA on embarkation day and looks like the stadium is very close to the cruise terminal. Hotels anywhere near NOLA are in the thousands of dollars for 2 days if available at all. We can book something 45 minutes to an hour away for a more reasonable rate but we're not sure 1- what transport options will be that far outside of the city and 2- what sort of nightmare it will be getting to the port. I realize this is a very specific problem but any advice would be appreciated. Should we re-book this for different dates/different port ?

[Capitan Obvious]

I've seen some horror stories on these forums before regarding the impact of events...Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the marathon in New York, etc. 

 

You can only assume that traffic will be a nightmare...and all transportation will take longer than normal. I'm also guessing that hotels will not only be pricey, but will require multiple night stays.

 

If your plans are flexible, I think rescheduling to another day in New Orleans (watch out for Mardi Gras) or changing to another ship/port would be the best thing to do.

[www3traveler]

Just checked, The Super Bowl is scheduled to actually begin at 5:30 P.M. New Orleans time.  All the pre-game stuff will probably begin about 2:00 P.M.  Yes, The Superdome is near the port terminal.

 

Traffic is going to be a nightmare into the city.  If you have already booked your hotel, check with them and see what your shuttle services might be.  I can not imagine that hotels are not making shuttle arrangements for cruise ship passengers.

 

Enjoy your cruise.  Be sure that you are outside as the ship pulls away from the pier.  She will make a "U" turn in the River and then head South down the River.  The trip from New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico takes about 8 hours or so.

[9tee2Sea]

I think there is a Harrahs Hotel right next to the cruise terminal.  Check out those rates, and if you are a casino player, maybe your loyalty program with Caesars ( I think that's who owns Harrahs) might get you a cheaper price.  Haven't been to NOLA for along tie, but I still believe the Harrahs Hotel is still there.

[MNcruisingcouple]

We've disembarked on Superbowl Sunday in NOLA and that morning it was very quiet.  If you get to the port early, I don't think you'd have an issue with traffic.  Hotel prices will definitely be high though and they may require more than a one-night stay.  Two different ideas -stay out of the city a ways, perhaps lower rates, and then Uber in early Sunday morning -stay near the port, higher hotel rates but easier to get to the port either walking or a short Uber.  Either way I'd get to the port early to avoid traffic.

Or see if you can switch to the week before.

 

[bluesea777]

26 minutes ago, MNcruisingcouple said:

 

Or see if you can switch to the week before.

 

 

No, better to switch to the week after. No embarkation/disembarkation fiasco.

 

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, Lorne317 said:

We booked a cruise on Getaway out of New Orleans embarking on Feb 9. 

Any "helpful suggestions" you get here are just wild guesses. NOLA is a relatively small city with relatively limited infrastructure. Personally, I would move the cruise a couple of weeks. While I think it would be "fun" being in the Super Bowl city, the costs and logistics will probably be a prohibitive. 

[zqvol]

Other than the hotel rates are jacked way up it is not much different than any Sunday when the saints are playing at home. 

[Capitan Obvious]

39 minutes ago, zqvol said:

Other than the hotel rates are jacked way up it is not much different than any Sunday when the saints are playing at home. 

 

I'd disagee with that. The Super Bowl will draw far more out of town visitors than would a normal Saints home game. The media presence is going to be HUGE compared to a normal home game. Then add in the SB level half time show and all that goes into that...Things will look nothing like a regular Sunday home game.

[schmoopie17]

41 minutes ago, Capitan Obvious said:

 

I'd disagee with that. The Super Bowl will draw far more out of town visitors than would a normal Saints home game. The media presence is going to be HUGE compared to a normal home game. 

Absolutely correct. The average NFL game probably has at least 85% of the attendees living in that city and/or state. The Super Bowl is a whole different animal. The vast majority of attendees will be coming from somewhere else, disrupting transportation, restaurants and most other services. The morning of the game should be a zoo. 

 

If the port is nearby to the stadium, as you say, I wouldn't touch that cruise with a 20-foot pole. Especially with the need to fly in no later then the day before and the cost of hotels and flights. Unless you're locked into that date for your cruise, I'd look elsewhere. 

[Lorne317]

Thanks everybody. I knew there wasn't going to be some magic solution to my problem, I guess I was just looking for moral support. This cruise was to celebrate our 25th anniversary on Feb 12 and my wife's birthday on the 13th so we also have a group of 5 other couples to consider. I could deal with this one if it was just the 2 of us but all things considered, it's easier to rebook. There's one leaving Miami the week before on Escape with the same itinerary, so I think we'll book that one and just celebrate early. I was looking forward to sailing on the Mississippi but I guess that's a good reason to book another one.

[Sand and Seas]

We disembarked in Miami on the day they were hosting the Super Bowl.   We were staying in South Beach for three days after our cruise.  It was amazing how many events and vendors overtook the South Beach area.   Every bar and restaurant was hosting 'watch parties'.  Streets were closed off so that the 'watch parties' could expand out in front of the restaurants. (Good luck getting food from any of those restaurants!) Sportscasters were broadcasting from South Beach also, which is miles away from the actual game. 

 

It's not just what is happening at the stadium.    On the plus side, we got some great deals on Super Bowl branded T-shirts the next day😎

[lepidoptera]

I regularly travelled the week of the Super Bowl pre-pandemic. I generally got good rates for airfare and hotels. It seems like a low travel week for the

nonhost city. I booked one out of Miami one year without realising they were the host city until after booking. 

 

Besides hotels, air fare etc is getting on/off the ship. I have gotten off the ship on Super Bowl Sunday, and the Monday after. All 3 times it was such a mess. I think the port workers, custom and border patrol, etc are all working shorter staffed because of vacations and call ins. My first year I had reservations for noon, I wasn’t even off the ship yet! 

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, zqvol said:

Other than the hotel rates are jacked way up it is not much different than any Sunday when the saints are playing at home. 

This year, over 330,000 people showed up to be in the Super Blow host city (far more than the 62,000 that actually went to the game). 

[schmoopie17]

15 hours ago, Lorne317 said:

There's one leaving Miami the week before on Escape with the same itinerary

You won't be sorry. The Escape is a great ship...been on her once and going on her again in September. Good luck whatever you decide.

[vince_g]

16 hours ago, Lorne317 said:

I was looking forward to sailing on the Mississippi but I guess that's a good reason to book another one.

The one time I cruised out of NOLA, I too was excited about the trip down the Mississippi, but to be honest it wasn't even memorable.  Lots of chemical and petroleum related plants.  You really won't be missing much by switching.