embarkation NOLA

[untailored bostonian]

Our hotel is 1000 feet from the port building. I was wondering where you enter the cue relative to the building. Even being that close to the pier, would taking a cab make any sense?

 

Also, what time does embarkation start?

[dioxide45]

I think a cab would be necessary. When we went we passed through a gate that was lined with a long fence on either side. The port didn't seem conducive to walking to.

[Indytraveler83]

We walked out of the port when our ship got in earlier than expected. The shuttles weren't running yet and we didn't want to wait.

 

It can be done, but you are walking on the curb at a few points, and we got a few funny looks from cab drivers.

 

I remember we arrived around 10:30 am on embarkation day and they let us in, but there were still others leaving from the previous cruise

Edited December 6, 2015 by Indytraveler83

[WLHyatt]

You can walk it, but it will be a farther walk than just 1000 feet. You'll have to go down to Henderson, then back up port of new orleans place. The walk is not very pedestrian friendly, there are train tracks and a couple of places where you will have to cross roads without crosswalks.

Not to mention that the place you would go as a walk up is under the north end of the parking garage. You'll be walking nearly a mile even though your hotel is 1000 feet away.

 

That is the safer of the two routes you could walk, the other one puts you in a narrow section of port of new orleans place that has no sidewalks and will be filled with trucks and taxis the day you sail. There could be more than 1 ship in port and that will make it even more entertaining.

 

I would suggest you get a taxi, it will virtually eliminate stress and it is $7pp.

[untailored bostonian]

Sounds like a cab is the way to go. Is 10:30 too early?

[WLHyatt]

No, we regularly get there at 10.

 

Embarkation at New Orleans is pretty easy, a porter will usually meet you at your taxi, and take your bags and check your documents. You'll then go through another check station and they'll send you up the escalators and through embarkation photos to security. Once past security you walk through the seating area straight ahead to the check in line. When that's done, have a seat and wait for your zone to be called.

[untailored bostonian]

Just read the online pdf and it says NOLA embarkation is 1pm to 3pm. If youcan get there before 11AM, why do they say that?

[dsotm73]

Just read the online pdf and it says NOLA embarkation is 1pm to 3pm. If youcan get there before 11AM, why do they say that?

 

Probably to keep the mad rush from getting there when embarkation starts and delay the full crowd from boarding before the crew is completely ready for them.

 

Doesn't particularly matter why they say that, I can tell you I've been on board before noon on all four of my Carnival cruises leaving from New Orleans.

Edited December 6, 2015 by dsotm73

[Indytraveler83]

The disconnect between when people actually show up and when they say to show up is growing.

 

The night before our cruise we got an email saying due to some circumstances we weren't to show up until 3 PM. We were warned about these emails and arrived at 10:30

 

By 3PM almost everyone was on the ship and you could see that only a few very hurried stragglers remained. very glad we ignored the email.

[NikkiJ1983]

Those days seem to be going away. Now Carnival is telling you what time to arrive and not allowing you in prior. It will not be fleet wide until after the new year.

[bluey258]

we were at the port for 9:30 and all checked in for 10 and waiting to board. they let us board at 11:15 !!!

traveling the river to gulf !!!

[loxley]

It is not a safe area to be walking in and esp not with luggage.

 

The cruise terminal is not meant to be walked to.

 

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[beauty1492]

I'm the fugal type and never spend a dollar if you don't have too. My last cruise bill after OBC was $3.29. We just did NOLA and we took a taxi. We got door to door service and remember there could be a train and you could be standing in the weather for a time waiting and it didn't look that safe to just hang around. We stayed at the Hilton the night b4 and watched her sail in.

[tkportersat]

I guess it depends on if you have a hard time walking or not, we walked all the way from Gordon Biersch brewery in 2011. I will say our cruise was delayed 10 hours so we had dropped off most of our luggage already earlier in the day. We did have an infant in a stroller, small suitcase and (4) 60 year olds and we were all fine. I think that was about a 2 mile hike.