Cruising out of New Orleans- is there anything I can do with my luggage early?

[dem372]

We are cruising out of New Orleans at the end of March.  We are staying at a hotel a few miles away from the port and are really hoping to get to the port early enough that we can still see some of the French Quarter before boarding.  Our official check in time for the boat is 11:30.  I am just curious if that is also the time they will allow us to check our bags?  Or is there a way to check the luggage early in the morning?  If not, anyone aware of any way we can "store" our luggage somewhere until we are allowed to check it?  Really don't want to be walking around the french quarter with suitcase dragging behind us.  Thank you!

[dcipjr]

Can your hotel hold your bags after checkout?

[beaucajun]

You can probably start checking your luggage with the porters around 9-9:30.

[davy jones]

There were porters taking luggage outside the terminal starting around 10:00. 

 

Passengers were still disembarking the previous cruise.  You could quickly check in at that time (no lines) and sit in the waiting area until boarding.  I think that you could arrive around 10, drop off your luggage, check in quickly,  and head to the French Quarter for a while and go straight to boarding upon return.

[Mike_DeA]

Ignore your "official" check-in time, it's meaningless.  You'll be able to drop your bags with the porters early, likely well before 10.00am.

 

I find it amusing when posters say things like "we don't want to drag our bags with us" or "I want to get on the ship as early as possible".  Yes, almost everyone else feels exactly the same.

 

[rmurray847]

I'd suggest leaving your bags at the hotel and avoid the hassle of going by the port twice.  I know of no hotel that won't hold bags for you.  Also, a morning-time visit to the French Quarter will be a pale shadow of a night-time visit.  Can you go there the night before, and thus just go straight from your hotel to the ship a bit later in the morning?

[flying fingers]

I left my bags with the porters at 8:45 and kept on going. Walked straight through check-in with no lines and onto the ship at about noon. This was on 2/17/19