New Orleans cruise port guide

United States · Ships call at New Orleans, Louisiana

Ships leave from the Erato Street and Julia Street terminals on the Mississippi riverfront, next to the Riverwalk and the Warehouse District. The airport is about 20 to 30 minutes away by car, and the French Quarter is under two miles from the terminals.

Getting to the ship in New Orleans

Ships leave from Erato Street and Julia Street Cruise Terminals, Erato Street Cruise Terminal (Carnival), 1100 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans, LA 70130. Julia Street Cruise Terminal (Norwegian and Royal Caribbean), 920 Port of New Orleans Place. Check your boarding documents, since assignments can change. (Source: Cruise Deals Tips and Tricks)

Airports

MSY · Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
About 15 miles to the port, 20–30 minutes by car. (Sources: The Points Guy, Cruise Hive)

Rideshare, taxi and transit

Taxis from the airport charge a flat $36 for one or two people, or $15 each for three or more. Pick-up is outside baggage claim, Door 7. (Sources: Cruise Deals Tips and Tricks, The Points Guy)
The RTA Airport Express 202 bus costs $1.25 and takes 40 to 50 minutes. It suits light packers; with cruise luggage, a taxi or rideshare is easier. (Sources: Cruise Deals Tips and Tricks, The Points Guy)

Parking

The Erato Street garage is joined to the terminal and costs $25 a day, with porters taking checked bags inside the garage. (Sources: Cruise Deals Tips and Tricks, Cruise Hive)
For Julia Street, the 100 Poydras garage runs a shuttle to the terminal. Sources give $25 to $30 a day, so check when you reserve. (Sources: Cruise Deals Tips and Tricks, The Points Guy)

Prices and drive times were checked in October 2026 and change. Allow extra time on busy sailing days.

What cruisers do in New Orleans

What cruisers do the day before boarding or after getting off, collected in October 2026. Each item links to where it came from.

National WWII Museum
America’s official WWII museum, about a mile from the terminals in the Warehouse District.
On your ownWorks on a rainy day
Source: New Orleans & Company
Mardi Gras World
A working float-building warehouse a tenth of a mile from the port, where you can try on costumes.
Book aheadWorks on a rainy day
Source: New Orleans & Company
French Quarter
Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral and Royal Street’s galleries and balconies, under two miles from the terminals.
On your own
Sources: New Orleans & Company, The Points Guy
Café du Monde at the French Market
Coffee and beignets around the clock at America’s oldest public market.
On your own
Source: New Orleans & Company
New Orleans School of Cooking
Demonstrations and hands-on classes where you cook a local meal, eat it, and take the recipes home.
Book aheadWorks on a rainy day
Source: New Orleans & Company
Algiers Ferry
A ferry across the Mississippi every 30 minutes to Algiers Point, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods.
On your own
Source: New Orleans & Company

Tours you can book

Picked from Viator by reviews and how well each tour fits a port day. Affiliate links — these help keep our site free by earning us a commission at no extra cost to you.

Tours via Viator. Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. Booking through our links keeps this site free at no cost to you.