New Orleans, Louisiana Cruise Ship Port Guide

The Port of New Orleans, or Port NOLA as everyone local calls it, runs two cruise terminals along the Mississippi riverfront. Carnival Cruise Line uses Erato Street, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International use Julia Street, and both sit close enough to the French Quarter that you could walk there in flip flops without regretting it. Few US embarkation ports let you swap a suitcase for a hurricane cocktail this quickly.

Carnival ships tie up at Erato Street, just a few hundred metres from Julia Street where Norwegian and Royal Caribbean dock. Julia Street is effectively home turf for NCL and Royal Caribbean in this city, sitting right on the riverfront streetcar line with easy access to I-10.

Cruise ship port New Orleans: quick facts

Port NOLA has cleared the one million passenger mark nine years running, pandemic aside, with the most recent full year clocking just over 1.06 million passenger movements, according to Port NOLA. That works out at close to $445 million a year in economic impact for the region, and most of those passengers travel in from outside Louisiana, with plenty booking a hotel night on either side of the cruise.

Cruise terminal New Orleans: Erato Street and Julia Street

Carnival Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line use Erato Street, while Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International are a short walk further along at Julia Street. Both buildings are climate controlled with an ADA compliant boarding ramp, which you’ll appreciate the moment New Orleans humidity hits you like a wet towel.

Inside you’ll find check-in kiosks, a baggage drop area, a customs point, and an elevated loading ramp that takes you straight onto the ship. There’s a small souvenir shop too, plus a refreshment stand doing coffee, soft drinks and snacks for anyone killing time before boarding.

• A separate souvenir and curio stand sells New Orleans keepsakes and doubles as the terminal’s ATM
• Viking River Cruises sails from Poydras Street Wharf, American Cruise Lines from Thalia Street Wharf, both separate from the two main cruise terminals

The map below shows Julia Street Cruise Terminal, handy if you’re arranging a taxi pickup or working out exactly where to be dropped off.

Cruise ships and cruise lines that depart from New Orleans

New Orleans doesn’t have the sprawling cruise line list you’d find at Florida’s mega-ports, but the names on it carry plenty of weight. Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International both run year-round programmes of four, five and seven night sailings, mostly to the Western Caribbean, Mexico and the Bahamas.

• Carnival Cruise Line, year-round, Western Caribbean itineraries of four to seven nights
• Royal Caribbean International, year-round sailings from Julia Street
• Norwegian Cruise Line, seasonal sailings, also from Julia Street
• Disney Cruise Line, seasonal sailings in select years from Erato Street

The specific ships assigned here shift from season to season, and even official sources don’t always agree on the current line-up. Check your cruise line’s own confirmation for the ship you’re booked on rather than assuming it’s the one you read about.

New Orleans Norwegian cruise port: what NCL and Royal Caribbean passengers should know

Norwegian sails from Julia Street too, the same terminal Royal Caribbean uses. The largest NCL ship based here in recent seasons has carried close to 3,900 guests, though Norwegian rotates its New Orleans ship year to year, so check which vessel you’re on when you book.

River cruises from New Orleans

New Orleans doubles as a starting point for Mississippi river cruises, running entirely separately from the big ocean-going ships. American Cruise Lines and American Queen Steamboat Company both operate paddle wheeler style sailings from the city, typically lasting anywhere from seven to twenty one nights.

Viking River Cruises uses Poydras Street Wharf, American Cruise Lines uses Thalia Street Wharf, and both sit a short distance from the main ocean terminals. Neither wharf shares facilities with Erato Street or Julia Street, so give yourself extra time to find the right pickup point if someone’s dropping you off.

How Port NOLA compares to other Gulf Coast cruise ports

New Orleans is the only major Louisiana cruise port, but it’s one stop along a wider run of Gulf Coast embarkation points that UK cruisers often weigh up against each other. For the full picture, our US Gulf Coast cruise ship port guide sets New Orleans alongside its neighbours in more detail.

If your cruise is based further along the coast, our guides to the Galveston, Texas cruise terminal and the Mobile, Alabama cruise port cover what to expect at each.

Getting to Port NOLA from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, known by its code MSY, is the only major airport serving the city, sitting somewhere between fifteen and sixteen miles from the cruise terminals depending on who you ask. Allow a good half hour for the drive, longer if your flight lands in the middle of rush hour.

There’s no single official shuttle running door to door between MSY and Port NOLA, and that catches plenty of people out. Carnival runs its own complimentary shuttle between the airport and Erato Street, but it only operates for a few hours around the middle of the day, so if you’re flying in early or late you’ll need a different plan.

• A flat-rate taxi covers up to two passengers into the central business district or French Quarter, with a per-person charge for larger groups and a small extra fee per bag
• The RTA, short for Regional Transit Authority, runs the Airport Express bus roughly hourly into downtown for a low, fixed fare, though it’s about a forty minute ride plus a further walk to the terminal
• Norwegian, Carnival and Royal Caribbean all offer pre-bookable ground transfers between the airport and the port, generally worth arranging in advance rather than on the day
• The official Airport Shuttle, signposted from the baggage claim area, covers downtown and uptown hotels, the French Quarter and the cruise terminals

Booking a cruise line transfer or checking the shuttle options before you fly is the simplest way round the gap. Don’t assume a ride will just be waiting for you the moment you land.

Making the most of a few hours in New Orleans

Both terminals sit close enough to downtown that you won’t need a car for a spare morning or afternoon. The French Quarter is about five minutes on foot from either terminal, and the Riverwalk Outlet Collection sits right alongside the terminal complex if you fancy a browse before boarding.

New Orleans runs hot and humid for most of the year, so pack reef safe sunscreen in your day bag if you’re covering any distance on foot. The pavements around the port are flat and well maintained, but proper walking shoes make the humidity far easier to deal with than flip flops or heels.

• Riverwalk Outlet Collection, for shopping right by the terminal
• French Quarter, for dining and sightseeing a short walk away
• Downtown hotels and restaurants, clustered along the riverfront streetcar line

Why Trust About2Cruise

This guide draws on official Port NOLA information, cruise line port data and independent travel sources, put together to give UK cruisers a clear, practical picture of sailing from New Orleans. We haven’t sailed from this particular port ourselves, so we lean on verified, publicly available details rather than personal claims, and we update the guide as port information changes. You can read more about how we research and fact check our content on our about us page.

Common Questions

Which airport serves the New Orleans cruise port?

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), roughly fifteen to sixteen miles from the cruise terminals and about half an hour by road.

Is there a direct shuttle from the airport to the cruise terminal?

Not one covering everyone, no. Your options are the RTA Airport Express bus, cruise line transfers booked ahead, taxis, or Carnival’s limited hours complimentary shuttle for its own passengers.

How far is the port from the French Quarter?

About five minutes on foot from either the Erato Street or Julia Street terminal, which makes this one of the easiest US cruise ports to pair with a short city stay.

Which cruise lines sail from New Orleans?

Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International sail year round, Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line sail seasonally, and river lines including American Cruise Lines work from separate wharves.

Do Carnival and Norwegian use the same terminal?

No. Carnival uses Erato Street, while Norwegian and Royal Caribbean use Julia Street, further along the riverfront.

Is there an ATM at the cruise terminal?

Yes, there’s one at the souvenir and curio stand inside the terminal building, along with a separate refreshment stand for snacks and drinks.

Where do river cruise ships depart from in New Orleans?

Viking River Cruises uses Poydras Street Wharf and American Cruise Lines uses Thalia Street Wharf, both separate from Erato Street and Julia Street.

Are the cruise terminals accessible for wheelchair users?

Both terminals are climate controlled with ADA compliant boarding ramps, though it pays to confirm drop-off and assistance arrangements with your cruise line ahead of time.

What size ships sail from New Orleans?

Ships based here have carried close to four thousand guests in recent seasons, though the exact vessel on your sailing depends on the cruise line and time of year.