New To New Orleans Cruise Port - Questions

This will be our first time on Carnival and first time cruising out of New Orleans. Any tips, recommendations and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

So I have a few questions. We'll be driving over from Pensacola....any suggestions on where to stay the night before. Any suggestions on where to park our vehicle while on the cruise. If parking is an option at the port what is the daily rate. Any pay in advance options? Any recommendations for eats and drinks?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers.

Happy2Crews

You looking at staying in New Orleans?

port parking is very convenient....and $20/day. I park offsite at Fulton garage which runs $12/day rooftop or $15/day covered. And they have a shuttle to the port. You can book that one ahead of time at www.neworleansparking.com

Parking at the port is $20.00 per day of the cruise. No need to pay in advance. You can park at the Fulton street garage. It is a little cheaper and you do need to pay in advance for it. There are so many great place to stay and eat in New Orleans so it is hard to give advice with knowing your preferences and budget. Enjoy!

You looking at staying in New Orleans?

 

port parking is very convenient....and $20/day. I park offsite at Fulton garage which runs $12/day rooftop or $15/day covered. And they have a shuttle to the port. You can book that one ahead of time at www.neworleansparking.com

We'd like to stay in New Orleans and would like to check out the sights during the day and have a nice dinner in the evening. Have preference for Hampton Inns, Hiltons, etc...we just don't know how far anything is from the port. Would rather be in walking distance to hotel in the evening for dinner/drinks.

Thanks so much.

We'd like to stay in New Orleans and would like to check out the sights during the day and have a nice dinner in the evening. Have preference for Hampton Inns, Hiltons, etc...we just don't know how far anything is from the port. Would rather be in walking distance to hotel in the evening for dinner/drinks.

 

Hampton Inn Convention Center is just a block or two from port and has a Park & Cruise Package. Hilton Riverside is about 1/2 mile from port and is convenient to everything.

Parking at the port is $20.00 per day of the cruise. No need to pay in advance. You can park at the Fulton street garage. It is a little cheaper and you do need to pay in advance for it. There are so many great place to stay and eat in New Orleans so it is hard to give advice with knowing your preferences and budget. Enjoy!

Thanks for the parking info. There really isn't much we don't like or willing to try when it comes to food. Would prefer business casual type places...wine glasses, sit down, cloth napkins, etc.

Thanks!

We'd like to stay in New Orleans and would like to check out the sights during the day and have a nice dinner in the evening. Have preference for Hampton Inns, Hiltons, etc...we just don't know how far anything is from the port. Would rather be in walking distance to hotel in the evening for dinner/drinks.

 

Thanks so much.

Yeah check out Hampton Inn New Orleans Convention Center. They have a park and cruise package which basically charges you $14/day to park and shuttles you to the port.

Another block or two down from that is a Hilton Garden Inn Convention Center. They are right next to that Fulton Garage where you can park for the cruise at $12-15/day.

Another couple blocks away is Embassy Suites by Hilton. No park and cruise package and you'll pay more if you park there the night you stay there. They have a great included breakfast with cooked to order omlets...and free drinks for a couple hours in the evening.

A couple more blocks down is Hilton Riverside. A very popular cruise hotel..especially with people who don't have cars because there's a mall attached to the hotel that you can walk to the port through.

A couple blocks down from there is Hilton on St. Charles Street. Historic Building. Used to be a Masonic Temple.

Believe it or not there are more Hiltons but those are the ones closest to the port. The ones I listed top to bottom are closest to the port-farthest from the port...And farthest from the French quarter-closest to the French quarter. However you can get a street car pass for like $3/day and take a short street car ride from Julia Street which is just a couple blocks from most of those hotels..and get to the French quarter pretty quick. There's also a stop right out in front of Hilton riverside. Outside of that cruise parking at Hampton Inn and next to Hilton Garden Inn, if you park at hotels, it'll likely cost $30-45/night to park unless you find a cheaper garage nearby.

Restaurants are all over the place. In the area of the hotels I listed...If you're sparing no expense I'd go Emeril's. If you're looking for more of a mid-range place I'd go Drago's in the Hilton Riverside. Here are some restaurant rankings done by a local food critic. This is sorted by neighborhood. Most of those hotels I listed would be in the warehouse district.

https://nomenu.com/41504-2/

You may also want to check out the New Orleans board

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=21

We'd like to stay in New Orleans and would like to check out the sights during the day and have a nice dinner in the evening. Have preference for Hampton Inns, Hiltons, etc...we just don't know how far anything is from the port. Would rather be in walking distance to hotel in the evening for dinner/drinks.

 

 

 

Hampton Inn Convention Center is just a block or two from port and has a Park & Cruise Package. Hilton Riverside is about 1/2 mile from port and is convenient to everything.

 

 

 

There is also a Double Tree right at the edge of the Quarter. I have also stayed at the Hampton in the Quarter and the Waldorf as well. All are in walking distance to the Quarter.

 

I’m a Hilton fan myself all are great places. I second parking at the Fulton garage.

 

 

 

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There are so many options. We choose to stay cheap the night before so we have more $$ for while we are on the cruise. We stay in Gulfport MS. About an hour drive to the port. Usually able to get a rate around $100 night and don't have to pay for parking which runs about $20 extra in all hotels in New Orleans. Hotels are also 2.5 times higher in the city. Clawdaddy's in gulport has great crawfish. Not a sit down place, but some of the best I have ever had. We have parked in Fulton Street and the Port parking. Fulton Street is cheaper but reserve online ahead a time to make it a quicker process.

Disembarkation morning we head straight for Cafe du Monde. Coffee and the best beignets ever.

I love the Hilton Riverside. If you can get a room overlooking the river, you can watch the cruise boats and other river traffic. I dream about the grilled oysters at Drago's. Their other selections are delicious also.

With the mall attached to the Hilton Riverside, there is a Cafe

DuMonde location easily accessed. It is a great central location putting you close to the cruise port and to the French Quarters.

I always have to have a bloody mary and a muffaleta when I go to New Orleans. But, the food in NO is so spectacular, it's hard to go wrong.

It's my favorite port to catch a cruise. So much to see, do, and eat!!

My vote is the Hilton Riverside. Short walk to the Ship thru the mall, connected to the mall. 10- 15 min walk to french quarter along the river. There are a few places to eat along river and also a ferry boat to take short river cruise's on.

Yeah check out Hampton Inn New Orleans Convention Center. They have a park and cruise package which basically charges you $14/day to park and shuttles you to the port.

 

Another block or two down from that is a Hilton Garden Inn Convention Center. They are right next to that Fulton Garage where you can park for the cruise at $12-15/day.

 

Another couple blocks away is Embassy Suites by Hilton. No park and cruise package and you'll pay more if you park there the night you stay there. They have a great included breakfast with cooked to order omlets...and free drinks for a couple hours in the evening.

 

A couple more blocks down is Hilton Riverside. A very popular cruise hotel..especially with people who don't have cars because there's a mall attached to the hotel that you can walk to the port through.

 

A couple blocks down from there is Hilton on St. Charles Street. Historic Building. Used to be a Masonic Temple.

 

Believe it or not there are more Hiltons but those are the ones closest to the port. The ones I listed top to bottom are closest to the port-farthest from the port...And farthest from the French quarter-closest to the French quarter. However you can get a street car pass for like $3/day and take a short street car ride from Julia Street which is just a couple blocks from most of those hotels..and get to the French quarter pretty quick. There's also a stop right out in front of Hilton riverside. Outside of that cruise parking at Hampton Inn and next to Hilton Garden Inn, if you park at hotels, it'll likely cost $30-45/night to park unless you find a cheaper garage nearby.

 

Restaurants are all over the place. In the area of the hotels I listed...If you're sparing no expense I'd go Emeril's. If you're looking for more of a mid-range place I'd go Drago's in the Hilton Riverside. Here are some restaurant rankings done by a local food critic. This is sorted by neighborhood. Most of those hotels I listed would be in the warehouse district.

 

https://nomenu.com/41504-2/

Thank you! Very helpful!

We stayed at the Riverside and found it to be a perfect location for 3 nights pre-cruise. It was easy to walk to the French quarter and to catch transportation to The Garden District.

We actually used Uber to go to the port - it was like $10 because it is such a short distance and so worth it to not have to lug baggage that far.

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