Driving from Dallas to New Orleans day of cruise??

I booked my first cruise for my daughter and I July 30th 2017. I live in Dallas and was thinking of driving down to New Orleans day of the cruise. We depart 4pm, I figure if I leave by 5am we should get down there by 1pm and parking is $20 a day or $140 for 7 days. Is this a bad plan?

I booked my first cruise for my daughter and I July 30th 2017. I live in Dallas and was thinking of driving down to New Orleans day of the cruise. We depart 4pm, I figure if I leave by 5am we should get down there by 1pm and parking is $20 a day or $140 for 7 days. Is this a bad plan?

For me personally I would NEVER drive or fly the day of a cruise. Too many things can happen that could delay you or make you miss the ship entirely. One wreck on the interstate that shuts it down and you are screwed!

Too much stress for me......and trust me if you are not checked in by 2:30 for a 4:00 sail away you won't be allowed to board.

Any way you could drive down the day before?

I agree with GTO-Girl. I'm in Dallas and have cruised out of New Orleans a couple of times. We always drive down the day before. We usually stay outside of New Orleans though to save money on the hotel.

A 4:00 PM sailaway means a 2:30 check-in time, which is 9 1/2 hours after 5:00 AM.

Yes, it can be done - but not if anything went wrong: bad traffic, flat tire, even a wrong turn in Dallas or New Orleans. It is over 500 miles - meaning allowing anything less than 8 hours is crazy (unless you plan to speed - in which case you should add police pull-over delay to things which might go wrong).

Do you feel lucky?

For me personally I would NEVER drive or fly the day of a cruise. Too many things can happen that could delay you or make you miss the ship entirely. One wreck on the interstate that shuts it down and you are screwed!

 

Too much stress for me......and trust me if you are not checked in by 2:30 for a 4:00 sail away you won't be allowed to board.

 

Any way you could drive down the day before?

I just didn't want to spend money on a hotel and thought driving might be cheaper than flying, but you are right a lot could happen. Like I said this is my first cruise and it is starting to stress me out lol. I should of planned better.

Dallas cruiser here as well. the cost of a hotel room will be much cheaper that the cost of a cruise that you missed because of an unforeseen traffic problem popping up. The small cost of a hotel room is pennies on the dollar for the peace of mind that you will have arriving early. I'm an OCD cruise planner (already been getting my lists together and whatnot for my 2019 cruise) the thought of driving same day to port stresses me out just reading about it. LOL

If you are worried about hotel costs, stay in La Place or even Metairie. The costs go way down the further away from the quarter you get. Our cruise in October, we are staying in La Place the night before the cruise and we are doing a couple of nights near the quarter post cruise. Wish you the best in whatever you decide to do.

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Be at port city a day before. Don't take much risk on your first cruise.

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There are a couple hotels in NOLA that offer free parking if you stay there the night before. Check out hotelnparking.com

I would want to be AT the port by 11am....I think you're pushing it. You may have NO issues at all...but you could have traffic, car troubles...you never know what will happen on the road.

no way in heck. we live in Pensacola.. only 4 hours from NO, and we would never drive in the day of. I want to be able to have my beignets and coffee all relaxed that morning.

I booked my first cruise for my daughter and I July 30th 2017. I live in Dallas and was thinking of driving down to New Orleans day of the cruise. We depart 4pm, I figure if I leave by 5am we should get down there by 1pm and parking is $20 a day or $140 for 7 days. Is this a bad plan?

Yes.

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And if you drive down the day before, you will probably get to enjoy an extra 3 hours on board!

Gather 'round kids, it's time for Broadwaybaby's story time! I understand that some of this may not have anything to do with transport to/from the hotel, but hear me out, as there is a domino effect. This was my 13th birthday cruise. I wish I was making this up!

Sunday, Embarkation Day, 4AM: My family and I are on our way to the airport via limo company. We have to pick up another party, which is fine, on our way to the airport. We are flying from NH to Aruba with a connection in Atlanta, all booked via the cruise company. Our flight is at 6AM to Atlanta and our connection departs from Atlanta around 10AM. The boat leaves the dock about 4PM. We catch our flight to Atlanta fine, but it only gets worse from there.

Sunday afternoon/evening: We are still in the Atlanta airport. Our flight has been delayed....12 hours! The issue: flights from our connection flight company kept coming in without crew passports. Back at the terminal, we keep getting food vouchers we can't use. We met half the ship before we even got on it!

Midnight Sunday: We finally have a plane from the connection flight company come in from Turkey and are able to get us to Aruba! Instead of arriving at 4PM on the ship, we arrive at 4AM the following day! My family and I have officially been up for 24 hours straight! The cruise company held the ship for us. If we hadn't arrived by 5AM, we would have to fly to our next port of call.

Monday, 10 AM: Wakey-wakey, it's now time for the Lifeboat Drill! This is the most amount of sleep my family and I get the whole vacation. Meanwhile, nobody is walking straight, as the ship is now literally going full-speed ahead to make up lost time.

Wednesday night, about 9PM: I'm in the theater with a friend of mine, watching the live show. I was chosen to be sung to, and all of a sudden in the middle of the song, the ship stops and we are in pitch darkness. Turns out, we had lost power and an engine from making up for lost time on Monday. Thank goodness for backup generators!

Friday night, dinner: It's the day before my birthday! But alas, the crew forgot, so I had no cake. But the maître d' did call my room, apologized, and all is right with the world.

Saturday morning, the day of my birthday and Disembarkation Day: We booked a tour for when we got off the ship. The tour was fine, and we made our way to the airport. But our troubles are just starting for the day!

Saturday, 2PM: Our connection flight is yet again delayed, but this time only by 4 hours. 6PM rolls around, we get on the flight, and all is right with the world.....or so we thought!

Saturday, 9PM: We arrived in the Atlanta airport. Our connection flight back home has also been delayed.....but only by 15 min. So my family and I make a mad dash through customs and check in only to wave bye-bye to our baggage as it flies away out of the airport on our flight....without us on it! The cruise company found out and agreed to put us up in a hotel for the night, hold our baggage at the terminal back home, and fly us first class back the next morning!

Moral of the story: NEVER fly or drive down the day of the cruise, always fly or drive down the day before!

Gather 'round kids, it's time for Broadwaybaby's story time! I understand that some of this may not have anything to do with transport to/from the hotel, but hear me out, as there is a domino effect. This was my 13th birthday cruise. I wish I was making this up!

 

Sunday, Embarkation Day, 4AM: My family and I are on our way to the airport via limo company. We have to pick up another party, which is fine, on our way to the airport. We are flying from NH to Aruba with a connection in Atlanta, all booked via the cruise company. Our flight is at 6AM to Atlanta and our connection departs from Atlanta around 10AM. The boat leaves the dock about 4PM. We catch our flight to Atlanta fine, but it only gets worse from there.

 

Sunday afternoon/evening: We are still in the Atlanta airport. Our flight has been delayed....12 hours! The issue: flights from our connection flight company kept coming in without crew passports. Back at the terminal, we keep getting food vouchers we can't use. We met half the ship before we even got on it!

 

Midnight Sunday: We finally have a plane from the connection flight company come in from Turkey and are able to get us to Aruba! Instead of arriving at 4PM on the ship, we arrive at 4AM the following day! My family and I have officially been up for 24 hours straight! The cruise company held the ship for us. If we hadn't arrived by 5AM, we would have to fly to our next port of call.

 

Monday, 10 AM: Wakey-wakey, it's now time for the Lifeboat Drill! This is the most amount of sleep my family and I get the whole vacation. Meanwhile, nobody is walking straight, as the ship is now literally going full-speed ahead to make up lost time.

 

Wednesday night, about 9PM: I'm in the theater with a friend of mine, watching the live show. I was chosen to be sung to, and all of a sudden in the middle of the song, the ship stops and we are in pitch darkness. Turns out, we had lost power and an engine from making up for lost time on Monday. Thank goodness for backup generators!

 

Friday night, dinner: It's the day before my birthday! But alas, the crew forgot, so I had no cake. But the maître d' did call my room, apologized, and all is right with the world.

 

Saturday morning, the day of my birthday and Disembarkation Day: We booked a tour for when we got off the ship. The tour was fine, and we made our way to the airport. But our troubles are just starting for the day!

 

Saturday, 2PM: Our connection flight is yet again delayed, but this time only by 4 hours. 6PM rolls around, we get on the flight, and all is right with the world.....or so we thought!

 

Saturday, 9PM: We arrived in the Atlanta airport. Our connection flight back home has also been delayed.....but only by 15 min. So my family and I make a mad dash through customs and check in only to wave bye-bye to our baggage as it flies away out of the airport on our flight....without us on it! The cruise company found out and agreed to put us up in a hotel for the night, hold our baggage at the terminal back home, and fly us first class back the next morning!

 

Moral of the story: NEVER fly or drive down the day of the cruise, always fly or drive down the day before!

Good (though unfortunate) story.

What a lot of casual travelers don't realize is that some announced (and seemingly simple) delays, which may sound like they'll only take a few minutes, can easily consume many hours.

We used to fly regularly (for several years) between Albany NY and SFO. On one of those commutes, the pilot announced, before taxiing, that we'd have to deplane so that they could change a flat tire.

How long could it take to change a tire? How about 6 hours? Why? Both the new tire and the mechanic had to come to Albany from a later flight that originated from IAD.

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I booked my first cruise for my daughter and I July 30th 2017. I live in Dallas and was thinking of driving down to New Orleans day of the cruise. We depart 4pm, I figure if I leave by 5am we should get down there by 1pm and parking is $20 a day or $140 for 7 days. Is this a bad plan?

I agree with everyone's responses wholeheartedly. It's too risky. And even if everything goes smoothly, you'll be exhausted and won't fully enjoy your first day onboard. Arriving the day before the cruise is the best protection of your investment. And you can get some beignets!

Heck, just driving between Texas and Louisiana....the 2 states with the country's worst drivers (true statement)....is exhausting and frustrating in and of itself. Definitely drive in the day before. If hotel cost is a concern, look outside of NOLA. Try Kenner near the airport, Metairie or heck, even up in Mandeville/Covington.

There are a couple hotels in NOLA that offer free parking if you stay there the night before. Check out hotelnparking.com

Thanks, I checked this site out and its actually cheaper then parking at the port!

Gather 'round kids, it's time for Broadwaybaby's story time! I understand that some of this may not have anything to do with transport to/from the hotel, but hear me out, as there is a domino effect. This was my 13th birthday cruise. I wish I was making this up!

 

Sunday, Embarkation Day, 4AM: My family and I are on our way to the airport via limo company. We have to pick up another party, which is fine, on our way to the airport. We are flying from NH to Aruba with a connection in Atlanta, all booked via the cruise company. Our flight is at 6AM to Atlanta and our connection departs from Atlanta around 10AM. The boat leaves the dock about 4PM. We catch our flight to Atlanta fine, but it only gets worse from there.

 

Sunday afternoon/evening: We are still in the Atlanta airport. Our flight has been delayed....12 hours! The issue: flights from our connection flight company kept coming in without crew passports. Back at the terminal, we keep getting food vouchers we can't use. We met half the ship before we even got on it!

 

Midnight Sunday: We finally have a plane from the connection flight company come in from Turkey and are able to get us to Aruba! Instead of arriving at 4PM on the ship, we arrive at 4AM the following day! My family and I have officially been up for 24 hours straight! The cruise company held the ship for us. If we hadn't arrived by 5AM, we would have to fly to our next port of call.

 

Monday, 10 AM: Wakey-wakey, it's now time for the Lifeboat Drill! This is the most amount of sleep my family and I get the whole vacation. Meanwhile, nobody is walking straight, as the ship is now literally going full-speed ahead to make up lost time.

 

Wednesday night, about 9PM: I'm in the theater with a friend of mine, watching the live show. I was chosen to be sung to, and all of a sudden in the middle of the song, the ship stops and we are in pitch darkness. Turns out, we had lost power and an engine from making up for lost time on Monday. Thank goodness for backup generators!

 

Friday night, dinner: It's the day before my birthday! But alas, the crew forgot, so I had no cake. But the maître d' did call my room, apologized, and all is right with the world.

 

Saturday morning, the day of my birthday and Disembarkation Day: We booked a tour for when we got off the ship. The tour was fine, and we made our way to the airport. But our troubles are just starting for the day!

 

Saturday, 2PM: Our connection flight is yet again delayed, but this time only by 4 hours. 6PM rolls around, we get on the flight, and all is right with the world.....or so we thought!

 

Saturday, 9PM: We arrived in the Atlanta airport. Our connection flight back home has also been delayed.....but only by 15 min. So my family and I make a mad dash through customs and check in only to wave bye-bye to our baggage as it flies away out of the airport on our flight....without us on it! The cruise company found out and agreed to put us up in a hotel for the night, hold our baggage at the terminal back home, and fly us first class back the next morning!

 

Moral of the story: NEVER fly or drive down the day of the cruise, always fly or drive down the day before!

Wow! On the upside Aruba sounds nice :) But I am def looking at flights and driving options day before

Thanks, I checked this site out and its actually cheaper then parking at the port!

You may have pay for a shuttle/taxi to the cruise terminal; but, I think, paying a few bucks to save a shipload of stress is money well spent.:)

I took a cruise out of Seattle and flew in from Nashville on cruise day. I was stressed from 3AM when we left the house until we boarded at 2PM.

For me personally I would NEVER drive or fly the day of a cruise. Too many things can happen that could delay you or make you miss the ship entirely. One wreck on the interstate that shuts it down and you are screwed!

 

Too much stress for me......and trust me if you are not checked in by 2:30 for a 4:00 sail away you won't be allowed to board.

 

Any way you could drive down the day before?

I agree with not taking the chance of a problem driving/flying in the same day.

I have personal experience with it. A few years ago I was going to fly into Jacksonville from Baltimore on the same day that the ship was leaving. There was a problem with the plane and we kept getting delayed. No other flights would get me there in time other than this flight (including other airlines). I was in constant contact with Carnival to keep them informed of my situation. They gave me the phone number to someone directly at the port. I was told if I can get there before they pull up the gangway, I can board the ship. This was an extenuating circumstance. In the end, I had to miss the cruise because I could not get there. Luckily, I had insurance which covered everything but the disappointment. We re-booked for a few weeks later and all was well.

There are many hotels within a few hours from New Orleans that should be within your price range. Check out Lafayette or Breaux Bridge. Lafayette is only a 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive to New Orleans via I-10.

So my husband and I live near Baton Rouge and are cruising out of New Orleans in Oct. We won't be able to leave until around noon on the day of our cruise. The ship sails at 4 and the port is only about an hour away (and the Saints don't have a home game that day - Thank you Jesus!) so I put our check in time as 1:30 but I'm still a little nervous about cutting it close. We really don't have any other choice (my husband is a pastor and can't leave until after the service that day) so this plan will have to work...

An hour away on local roads is much different animal than an eight to ten hour drive. It takes me an hour to drive to Costco not a big deal.

Just pack up your vehicle the night before and leave ASAP direct to port - don't go back home. Just give your pardons and don't hang around to long afterwards.

Also have alternate routes planned and pay close attention to traffic and accident reports.

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An hour away on local roads is much different animal than an eight to ten hour drive. It takes me an hour to drive to Costco not a big deal.

 

Just pack up your vehicle the night before and leave ASAP direct to port - don't go back home. Just give your pardons and don't hang around to long afterwards.

 

Also have alternate routes planned and pay close attention to traffic and accident reports.

 

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Exactly -- very often when you fly to a port the day before you will stay at a hotel/motel that far away. The big thing is to be within range.