New Orleans Embarkation...

[fl4delis]

Has anyone recently sailed on the Dream out of New Orleans and what did you find were the best times to get to the port so we don't have a really long wait. We're sailing in 8 days! Many thanks!

[runner15km]

90 minutes before the scheduled departure should be the shortest wait time.

[mzloolue]

I try to be pulling into the parking garage at around 10:30.

[bakersdozen12]

Wow, talk about totally different responses! 90 mins before departure would be 3:15 pm. So looks like either get there really early or really late. Personally, I wouldn't go late and risk missing the boat if you run into traffic on the way there. But then again, it will be my first cruise, so I will be overly excited!!! Also sailing out of New Orleans on the Dream. [emoji4]

[YubaSutter]

Wow, talk about totally different responses! 90 mins before departure would be 3:15 pm. So looks like either get there really early or really late. Personally, I wouldn't go late and risk missing the boat if you run into traffic on the way there. But then again, it will be my first cruise, so I will be overly excited!!! Also sailing out of New Orleans on the Dream. [emoji4]

 

Dream sails on Sunday. That's 9 days, not 8.

[bakersdozen12]

Dream sails on Sunday. That's 9 days, not 8.

 

 

Lol, what does your disagreement on the OP's count of days left before he/she sails have to do with my post?! I'm also sailing out of NOLA on the Dream, but not for another 191 days. :-)

[mzloolue]

Wow, talk about totally different responses! 90 mins before departure would be 3:15 pm. So looks like either get there really early or really late. Personally, I wouldn't go late and risk missing the boat if you run into traffic on the way there. But then again, it will be my first cruise, so I will be overly excited!!! Also sailing out of New Orleans on the Dream. [emoji4]

 

If you want to be on the ship early, then get there as soon as you can after 10:30, seriously.

I stood in line in New Orleans a couple of times for hours and decided that I did not want to do that again.

Take a book and some crackers to embarkation just in case there is a delay.

[Tapi]

I'm on team "arrive later". We normally arrive at the port around 1:30pm. By then, there are either no lines or very short ones, we walk right onboard and straight to our cabin (since they are ready after 1pm), and best of all, the lines at the buffet and the chaos at the lido have died down because all the people that boarded early with their 500 carry ons have already finished eating and are not lounging or waiting around for their cabins anymore.

[cruser3]

We went to the port last year around 11:30-12:00 last year. I think it took less than an hour to board the ship. I was pretty impressed with NOLA embarkation.

Have a great trip!

[BigB0882]

We just sailed on the Dream about 2 weeks ago. We got to port between 10:30-11:00 so by the time we parked and got our bags to the porter and down the elevator, we were in line about 11. There were a lot of people in line but the lines move constantly so don't worry and be patient. The nice thing about arriving at this time is that if you go any earlier you make it through the line but then have to sit and wait to get on board as they let Diamond, Platinum and FTTF go on board first. Right as we got out of the line they were calling for everyone else to board so we got on the ship at the same time as those who arrived an hour before us. So plan on parking around 10:45 or being dropped off right at 11 and you will be in great shape to be on board by 12.

 

Someone else mentioned arriving late and that does get you right through without much if any lines BUT you miss out on getting to walk around the ship and grab a quick bite to eat, the way I see it is I paid for that day so I want every minute possible!

[kublaieod]

New Orleans a great port for embarkation. Very efficient. Get there by 10:00-10:30 if you want to be on board soon after they begin. If you don't already have FTTF or Priority then you can get an early ZONE by getting there around that time. You will wait but will be pretty quick as most of the craziness at the port at that time is people trying to LEAVE.

 

If you want the EASIEST/Quickest, then definitely go in the afternoon. After 1330 is a good time to know you won't be in long lines and can get right on board.

 

I prefer to get on EARLY but spend the first hour or two just walking around the ship as the lido food troughs are pretty hectic.

 

Enjoy the Dream.. its a great ship.

[fl4delis]

Dream sails on Sunday. That's 9 days, not 8.

 

Well since my counter says 8 days 16 HOURS I'm going with that one! And really after work next Friday I'm on vacation so that's my real count down :):)

[minnesotamamafish]

Wow, talk about totally different responses! 90 mins before departure would be 3:15 pm. So looks like either get there really early or really late. Personally, I wouldn't go late and risk missing the boat if you run into traffic on the way there. But then again, it will be my first cruise, so I will be overly excited!!! Also sailing out of New Orleans on the Dream. [emoji4]

 

Assuming departure is 4pm, 90 minutes before would be 2:30, not 3:15pm. I'm not trying to nitpick, it was probably just a counting error. I would just hate if someone arrived less than an hour before sailing and not be allowed to board! :eek:

[fmrlkr]

Well since my counter says 8 days 16 HOURS I'm going with that one! And really after work next Friday I'm on vacation so that's my real count down :):)

 

When I left for work this am DH said "8", so we count like you do! We will be on the same cruise. If you are driving you will definitely want to arrive early, we once got there at 11:30 and although allowed to pay and enter the parking deck, there were no open spaces and we had to park illegally (along with many others). Generally embarkation is fast and painless for us, then we enjoy sitting watching the behavior of the crowd and try to guess what the personality of this cruise will be. We try to arrive by 10:00, after we are checked in we sit and talk to those around us. We would rather be early and have to sit and wait than to get into the crowds between 12-2. See you onboard.

[BigB0882]

Why wasn't there any parking spots available? Were you on the Elation? I ask because the Carnival terminal is only used for those sailing on Carnival and there are only two ships. If you are sailing on the Dream, which the OP is, then all the people who just got off the Dream should free up tons of parking. We parked around 11 and there were spots all over the place. I could see having a problem parking for Elation if the Dream is out because the Dream holds more people which means more vehicles.

[ATLCruiseJunkie]

Yes, either go early or late to avoid the lines. On our cruise out of NOLA a year ago, there was a lot of gridlock as we approached the port, but that was because a train was coming through town. Unfortunately, the train tracks run along the river front, between the convention center and the port, so no traffic was able to get through. However, once traffic was moving, we were parked and on the ship within an hour. We probably parked around 11:45.

[kublaieod]

Parking at NOLA can get you into gridlock.. I have parked in the Fulton Garage the last couple of times. Cheaper with an efficient shuttle service to take out the hassle..

[fmrlkr]

Why wasn't there any parking spots available? Were you on the Elation? I ask because the Carnival terminal is only used for those sailing on Carnival and there are only two ships. If you are sailing on the Dream, which the OP is, then all the people who just got off the Dream should free up tons of parking. We parked around 11 and there were spots all over the place. I could see having a problem parking for Elation if the Dream is out because the Dream holds more people which means more vehicles.

 

It was last year on the Sunshine. It was a Spring Break cruise so I guess lots of people drove. Usually we arrive early and like your experience, there are lots of spaces available. On this particular cruise, we arrived later than usual and the deck was packed. We are platinum so get to board early and go to our room so we like to be thru check in by 11:00 but were running late, we drive in from Jackson, MS. On our November cruise we just left extra early and were parked by shortly after 9 and were the 3 couple thru check-in.

[Purvis1231]

On our last voyage, we arrived around 9:30. The parking garage was almost empty so we got a great parking space. We walked right to the port, went through security, checked in and where in the waiting area by 9:45- the first ones. (We came so early since there were thunderstorms that morning and we where not sure how the traffic would be.) We did have to wait until 11:15 to board the ship but we had a good time meeting other passengers, staff, and even crew members who brought coffee and cookies ashore of us. We really hit it off with a young waiter from South Africa and saw him many times during the cruise.

[fl4delis]

Thanks everyone for the advise. We live in NOLA and are having a friend drop 6 of us off at the port. Think we will plan on being there by 11 and see how it goes. Either way it will be great since we are going on VACATION :)