United States Departure & port-visit guide
The Quarter, market stalls, and a focused museum visit.
Choose the French Quarter around Jackson Square, a browse through the French Market, or a focused visit to the National WWII Museum. New Orleans rewards an unhurried stop, but the city visit comes after the cruise arrangements: identify Erato, Julia Street or your river-cruise berth, settle the bags and keep the passenger deadline in view.
Option 1
Choose a plan for the stops, food, walking and extra costs. Before sailing, arrange luggage storage and follow your cruise line’s check-in window and final boarding deadline. On a port call, use the ship’s all-aboard time to set your return.
Hours and prices checked Oct 6, 2026.
A small piece of the French Quarter
Use the square as your focus, with a short look at the cathedral exterior rather than a full neighborhood circuit.
Stops, in order
Your jackson square and the cathedral exterior plan
Local tip
The cathedral is a separate decision. The Quarter’s tourism guide distinguishes its public streets and square from the surrounding attractions. Our suggestion: enjoy the exterior first and make any interior visit a separate choice.
Set a return reminder
Your phone uses its own clock; if it differs from ship time, set the reminder by ship time.
Hours and prices checked Oct 6, 2026.
New Orleans & Company: Jackson SquareNew Orleans & Company: French Quarter walking visit and construction noticeNew Orleans & Company: the French Quarter
Stalls, small purchases and a food pause
Choose a part of the market rather than treating the whole six-block district as one stop.
Your browse the french market plan
Local tip
The district is larger than the stalls. The operator’s district includes six blocks, from Upper Pontalba to the flea market. Our suggestion: select the market area you want rather than following every part of the district.
Set a return reminder
Your phone uses its own clock; if it differs from ship time, set the reminder by ship time.
Hours and prices checked Oct 6, 2026.
French Market Corporation: visitor hours and market areasFrench Market Corporation: district boundaries
Choose the galleries that matter to you
Give a selected part of this large museum campus the activity time; do not promise every exhibit and show.
Stops, in order
Your a focused national wwii museum visit plan
Local tip
The shows have their own clock. Museum films and theater experiences have scheduled start times. Our suggestion: choose galleries first and book a show only when its complete time leaves room for your return.
Set a return reminder
Your phone uses its own clock; if it differs from ship time, set the reminder by ship time.
Hours and prices checked Oct 6, 2026.
The National WWII Museum: visitor informationOn embarkation day, work back from your cruise line’s check-in window instead. Count from when you can get off the ship, or ashore by tender, to the all-aboard time, using ship time. Times on these plans are our estimates, with time to spare; they cannot promise a plan fits your sailing.
Short plans need up to 4 hours in total, medium up to 6, long more than 6. A plan with a connection still to confirm has no total.
Select a terminal or place to see its location and open directions.
Open Jackson Square in Google Maps
Choose a place for its location, then open Google Maps for directions. Confirm the terminal on your cruise documents; a map result does not establish your ship’s berth or an accessible route.
For drivers, Port NOLA directs terminal access through Henderson Street and warns against approaching via the Julia Street or Poydras Street entrances. Follow the current signs and your assigned terminal’s instructions.
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsOur suggestion: if you want a streetcar ride, check the current route, accessible boarding, service notices and return connection before adding it to sightseeing. A streetcar stop is not the ship’s passenger gate.
MSY airport taxis load outside Level 1 baggage claim at Door 7. Give the driver your assigned cruise terminal and confirm the complete fare; the airport’s city-zone fare is not presented here as a verified port quote.
MSY: airport taxi pickupRTA says an internet connection is needed to buy and activate a stored Le Pass ticket. If your phone has no data plan, activate while connected to Wi-Fi, then show the active pass when boarding. Choose the appropriate bus, streetcar or ferry product and check its validity; purchasing a ticket does not establish cruise-terminal access. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
New Orleans RTA Le PassThe French Market has eateries and café-style seating; the Quarter offers Creole food and beignets. Our suggestion: choose one stop near your activity, check ingredients and prices, and shorten a queue before shortening the ship return.
French Market Corporation: visitor hours and market areasNew Orleans & Company: the French QuarterPublished information checked Oct 6, 2026. Confirm current prices before paying.
Connections
Arrange and price both directions to your assigned passenger entrance; neither activity admission nor city parking includes cruise transport.
Entry and purchases
Check dated admission, any added experiences, food and purchases. No complete outing price is established.
Option 2
Prefer an organized outing in New Orleans? Browse tours with Viator, then check the exact meeting point, departure, inclusions and cancellation terms before booking.
Tour duration is only part of your time ashore. Allow for getting to the meeting point, early check-in, any transfers outside the tour and your return reserve. Confirm the ship’s clock, all-aboard time and any earlier last tender. These results have not been checked against your sailing.
Search up to one year ahead. Schedules are indicative; confirm available departure times and your group’s final price on Viator.
We may earn a commission when you book through these links. How we are paid.
Port details
Check the full route from the assigned terminal, not just distances within the French Quarter. Current construction, crossings and paving can change an on-foot visit.
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsNew Orleans & Company: Jackson SquareFrench Market Corporation: visitor hours and market areasThe National WWII Museum: visitor informationMSY: airport taxi pickupNew Orleans RTA Le PassAnother focus: French Market or WWII Museum. Choose market stalls and a food pause, or give a selected museum gallery the activity time. These are alternatives, not a combined circuit.French Market Corporation: visitor hours and market areasThe National WWII Museum: visitor information
Use your actual terminal. Any quoted walk starts at the location named, not automatically at the gangway. Allow for port access, weather and your walking pace.
First steps ashore
Erato Street and Julia Street are separate ocean-cruise terminals. Confirm the building and gate in your joining instructions; a river-cruise berth needs its own instructions.
Your ship confirms the arrival pier and any tender arrangements for your sailing.
| Terminal | Location | Passenger detail |
|---|---|---|
| Erato Street Cruise Terminal | 1100 Port of New Orleans Place | The port lists Carnival here. Confirm your ship’s assignment and passenger entrance.Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directions |
| Julia Street Cruise Terminal | 920 Port of New Orleans Place | The port lists Norwegian and Royal Caribbean here. Check your sailing; do not confuse the terminal with its separate parking garage.Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directions |
| River-cruise boarding | Use your operator’s berth assignment | This ocean-terminal table does not establish a riverboat boarding point or parking entitlement. Follow your river operator’s joining instructions. |
Port hours vary by ship and date in New Orleans. Check your sailing itinerary for scheduled arrival and departure, then the onboard app or daily notice for all-aboard, ship time and any last-tender deadline. Subtract clearance, both transfers and a return buffer before choosing an outing. Scheduled arrival is not your guaranteed time ashore.
Our suggestion: choose one local plan and arrange the return before setting off. On embarkation day, settle baggage and check-in requirements before considering a city visit.
Sources checked Oct 6, 2026
New Orleans & Company: Jackson SquareMSY: ground transportation and official assistanceNew Orleans & Company: French Quarter walking visit and construction noticeUK FCDO: USA safety, security and weather guidanceTake your ship card or wearable, the identification specified in the ship’s port briefing, any tour ticket and a way to pay. Save your terminal name, return deadline and ship’s emergency contact offline. Ask whether your original passport is required for this visit; do not assume a phone photo replaces required identification. U.S. dollars (USD). Check the complete bill, including any taxes and gratuities, before paying. No whole-day budget is established.
Sources checked Oct 6, 2026
Royal Caribbean: shore-excursion documents and planningCarnival: identification when reboardingU.S. Department of State: cruise travel planningFederal Reserve: U.S. currencyWait for the ship’s announcement that passengers may go ashore. Follow its gangway, shuttle or tender instructions and any ticketing order. Keep your ship identification ready when leaving and returning. Allow for terminal access checks, queues and security screening before reboarding; tender passengers also need to meet the last return boat.
Sources checked Sep 24, 2026
Carnival: identification when reboardingRoyal Caribbean Group: boarding and port-call screeningMSY advises using properly badged airport assistance and official transport. Check current USA weather and security guidance and your ship’s briefing; the French Quarter walking guide flags construction. No complete passenger-route safety assessment is established.
Sources checked Sep 24, 2026
MSY: ground transportation and official assistanceNew Orleans & Company: French Quarter walking visit and construction noticeUK FCDO: USA safety, security and weather guidanceU.S. dollars (USD). Check the complete bill, including any taxes and gratuities, before paying. No whole-day budget is established.
Currency checked Oct 5, 2026
Federal Reserve: U.S. currencyFor embarkation, use your cruise line’s terminal and check-in instructions. After the cruise, allow for disembarkation, baggage collection and the airport transfer before airline check-in.
Use the port’s current line-specific instructions: Erato’s garage for Carnival, or 100 Poydras Garage with a terminal shuttle for Norwegian and Royal Caribbean. Confirm the sailing, vehicle clearance, full-stay total and reservation terms before paying. The former Hilton Whale Lot is no longer the port’s cruise parking facility. River-cruise parking is arranged separately.
Sources checked Oct 5, 2026
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsLouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). MSY airport taxis load outside Level 1 baggage claim at Door 7. Give the driver your assigned cruise terminal and confirm the complete fare; the airport’s city-zone fare is not presented here as a verified port quote. For drivers, Port NOLA directs terminal access through Henderson Street and warns against approaching via the Julia Street or Poydras Street entrances. Follow the current signs and your assigned terminal’s instructions.
Sources checked Oct 6, 2026
MSY: airport taxi pickupPort NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsUse the arrival window and final check-in or boarding deadline issued by your cruise line for New Orleans. They are different from the ship’s departure time. Allow for terminal traffic, baggage drop and security; arriving early does not necessarily mean you can board early.
Sources checked Sep 24, 2026
Royal Caribbean: assigned terminal arrival timeAt Erato, the port describes checked-bag handover in the garage offloading area. Julia Street passengers using the port’s 100 Poydras parking are directed to a shuttle with their bags. Drop luggage only through the active operation for your ship; confirm the handover point and acceptance window. Attach your cruise luggage tags before handover. Keep travel documents, medication and valuables in your carry-on. Baggage drop-off is not a promise of early boarding or all-day luggage storage.
Sources checked Sep 24, 2026
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsRoyal Caribbean: packing and luggage tagsMSY airport taxis load outside Level 1 baggage claim at Door 7. Give the driver your assigned cruise terminal and confirm the complete fare; the airport’s city-zone fare is not presented here as a verified port quote.
MSY: airport taxi pickupUse the port’s current line-specific instructions: Erato’s garage for Carnival, or 100 Poydras Garage with a terminal shuttle for Norwegian and Royal Caribbean. Confirm the sailing, vehicle clearance, full-stay total and reservation terms before paying. The former Hilton Whale Lot is no longer the port’s cruise parking facility. River-cruise parking is arranged separately.
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsEnjoy the square and views of St. Louis Cathedral from public areas. Keep the Cabildo, Presbytère and church interior as separate visits.
New Orleans & Company: Jackson SquareBrowse a chosen part of the market and leave room for a food pause. Individual vendors and market areas can close at different times.
French Market Corporation: visitor hours and market areasChoose the galleries you most want to see rather than promising the whole campus. Shows and experiences use their own schedules.
The National WWII Museum: visitor informationOur suggestion: use the line’s arrival window, documents and final check-in deadline. A terminal opening time or scheduled departure is not permission to arrive whenever you choose.
At Erato, the port describes checked-bag handover in the garage offloading area. Julia Street passengers using the port’s 100 Poydras parking are directed to a shuttle with their bags. Drop luggage only through the active operation for your ship; confirm the handover point and acceptance window.
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsOur suggestion: plan swamp tours, plantation visits, City Park, the Garden District and Mississippi riverboat cruises separately. Their transport or fixed departures can change the return calculation; none is included in these three choices.
The port, beaches and places to explore
34 itineraries leave New Orleans. See every route on one map, with the ship, the length and the season.
See all 34 cruises from New Orleans51 itineraries in the catalog
Check the full route from the assigned terminal, not just distances within the French Quarter. Current construction, crossings and paving can change an on-foot visit.
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsNew Orleans & Company: Jackson SquareFrench Market Corporation: visitor hours and market areasThe National WWII Museum: visitor informationMSY: airport taxi pickupNew Orleans RTA Le PassSources checked Oct 6, 2026
Erato Street and Julia Street are separate ocean-cruise terminals. Confirm the building and gate in your joining instructions; a river-cruise berth needs its own instructions. Check the terminal comparison above for the different arrival areas.
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsSources checked Oct 6, 2026
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). MSY airport taxis load outside Level 1 baggage claim at Door 7. Give the driver your assigned cruise terminal and confirm the complete fare; the airport’s city-zone fare is not presented here as a verified port quote. For drivers, Port NOLA directs terminal access through Henderson Street and warns against approaching via the Julia Street or Poydras Street entrances. Follow the current signs and your assigned terminal’s instructions.
MSY: airport taxi pickupPort NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsSources checked Oct 6, 2026
Use the port’s current line-specific instructions: Erato’s garage for Carnival, or 100 Poydras Garage with a terminal shuttle for Norwegian and Royal Caribbean. Confirm the sailing, vehicle clearance, full-stay total and reservation terms before paying. The former Hilton Whale Lot is no longer the port’s cruise parking facility. River-cruise parking is arranged separately.
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsSources checked Oct 5, 2026
Use the arrival window and final check-in or boarding deadline issued by your cruise line for New Orleans. They are different from the ship’s departure time. Allow for terminal traffic, baggage drop and security; arriving early does not necessarily mean you can board early.
Royal Caribbean: assigned terminal arrival timeSources checked Sep 24, 2026
At Erato, the port describes checked-bag handover in the garage offloading area. Julia Street passengers using the port’s 100 Poydras parking are directed to a shuttle with their bags. Drop luggage only through the active operation for your ship; confirm the handover point and acceptance window. Attach your cruise luggage tags before handover. Keep travel documents, medication and valuables in your carry-on. Baggage drop-off is not a promise of early boarding or all-day luggage storage.
Port NOLA: cruise terminals, parking and directionsRoyal Caribbean: packing and luggage tagsSources checked Sep 24, 2026
Port hours vary by ship and date in New Orleans. Check your sailing itinerary for scheduled arrival and departure, then the onboard app or daily notice for all-aboard, ship time and any last-tender deadline. Subtract clearance, both transfers and a return buffer before choosing an outing. Scheduled arrival is not your guaranteed time ashore.
MSY advises using properly badged airport assistance and official transport. Check current USA weather and security guidance and your ship’s briefing; the French Quarter walking guide flags construction. No complete passenger-route safety assessment is established.
MSY: ground transportation and official assistanceNew Orleans & Company: French Quarter walking visit and construction noticeUK FCDO: USA safety, security and weather guidanceSources checked Sep 24, 2026
Local guide checked Oct 6, 2026. New practical guidance carries its own source dates. Published prices, hours and terminal use can change. Our outing suggestions are editorial advice, not cruise-line schedules or return guarantees. Cruise-line links illustrate their own policies; your line’s instructions govern your sailing.
