FTTF port of New Orleans

[love-lee]

What is the earliest we should plan to arrive at the port of New Orleans with FTTF? We’d like to get on as early as possible but don’t want to show up too early. Thanks in advance! This is my first time out of New Orleans and I’m having a hard time finding my answer with the search function 

[ProgRockCruiser]

Unfortunately the answer is highly dependent on the on-time arrival of the ship back to port and efficiency of debarking all the pax, plus the quantity of weddings, platinum/diamonds, and suites in front of you.  Usually (!) you should be able to board somewhere between 10:30am and 11am.  But delays can happen - the good news is you will be on before everyone else (other than aforementioned D&P, suites), regardless of the size of delay.

[Purvis1231]

I have cruise out of New Orleans several times and have never purchased FTTF but we have always been on the ship by 11:30. Our last trip in June 18 on the Dream, the assigned check in times were totally ignored by the staff. We had an 11:30 check in time. We got to the parking garage at 10:30 and planned to walk around for a while but the staff told us to get on in so the did. We were on the ship at 11:20. 

[fuddrules]

We showed up at 10 am as everything with was running on time.  We waited in the holding pen for a while but got on earlier than planned.

[watermelonqueen99]

If we were cruising out of NOLA with FTTF (cruised out of NOLA twice but we don't buy FTTF), we would show up at 10/10:15.

[Jamesatgsu]

We went out of NOLA in 2017, and the lines weren't bad, but had earliest possible boarding time.  That was the one cruise I haven't had FTTF.  Took forever to get our luggage, like 9pm.  They were sold out before I ever booked.  I've purchased it every time since (granted that is only 2 cruises I've been on both out of Miami, and a 3rd out of Mobile this summer).  It probably only saves you about 15-20 minutes, unless early boarding times are gone, as far as getting on.  But it definitely gives you the chance to beat food lines (but sometimes you wait for them as they are still re-setting up) and you get to use your room immediately.  So IMO, worth the $70ish on what is usually a $2K-$3k vacation.