Anyone cruised to NO during Mardi Gras? Feedback please-Good & Bad

[K&RCurt]

I agree with the majority that Mardi Gras would not be the ideal time for a first visit to NOLA. 

 

DW and I have been many times and just returned from a long weekend there on Wednesday.  We got to see the Krewe De Vieux Parade as well as Krewe Delusion and spent some great evenings listening to music on Frenchman Street. 

 

We were discussing trying to make it to NOLA for Mardi Gras someday and this cruise looks like it may fit the bill!  Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

[finny2]

17 minutes ago, K&RCurt said:

I agree with the majority that Mardi Gras would not be the ideal time for a first visit to NOLA. 

 

DW and I have been many times and just returned from a long weekend there on Wednesday.  We got to see the Krewe De Vieux Parade as well as Krewe Delusion and spent some great evenings listening to music on Frenchman Street. 

 

We were discussing trying to make it to NOLA for Mardi Gras someday and this cruise looks like it may fit the bill!  Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

Hope you enjoyed Krewe de Vieux. My husband and I were in it for many years and many of the sub-krewes were very creative. So much fun to be in. Way better than one of the big parades.

[cruise wizard]

We booked the 2024 Mardi Gras cruise and the 9 night following. We have secured the same Sunset View Veranda on deck 9 for the B2B. Looking forward to our first time during Mardi Gras -have been to NOLA a couple of times (conventions) and once cruised from the port.

[Shiba_Lover]

If you want to experience Mardi Gras - then yes, go.  If you want to experience New Orleans itself - this is not the time to go.  I have been to New Orleans many times, and during Mardi Gras, many of the classic restaurants will be closed.  The reason is that it is quite difficult to get to the restaurant for the staff since streets are closed, and traffic, etc.  Also - it will be very crowded.  So think about what you want to experience - if it is Mardi Gras - then perfect time to visit.  If you want to visit classic NO, then skip this one.

[Cruise Raider]

3 hours ago, Bellfree Bat said:

We might have been on the same balcony. The food was great and drinks were flowing with a really great bartender. We threw beads, went down and wandered and caught more bead to just go back up to throw them. We may have been the last to leave that afternoon! I forgot who arranged it...

The disembarkation was a mess that first day but we just went and had dinner and then left the ship and ran into our first parade. Great memories!

 

I think it may have been the same place. Walking away from Canal Street, we were about two blocks down on the left.  I remember they had a great bartender that kept my glass full at all times as well as crawfish, corn on the cob, chicken, etc. 

We left there late as well, after the cake, and headed down to Cafe Du Monde to get some beignets for our room stewards.  They were oh so grateful because many of them didn't have the chance to wait in those long lines for a taste of NOLA.  

 

That first day in port, we sat in the beer pub area onboard (can't remember the name of it) and we waited and waited for our departure group to be called.  We did catch one of the late parades and headed down to Harrahs for a bit of gambling.  

 

The whole trip was really a blast, though.  Would I do it again?  Probably not ... only because it was a bucket list trip and I truly believe it exceeded my expectations.  

[Dr. Pam]

23 hours ago, sandancer said:

We also did this (actually next door to awhfy). We really did have a ball. We did our own cruise critic Mardi Gras parade onboard the day before arrived in NOLA. We also saw many, many parades and collected beads etc. This was just before Covid made its presence felt. Would love to visit again but maybe not during Mardi Gras. 

The last Mardi Gras Cruise on Reflection was Feb 21-Mar 2, 2020 not 2019.  I know because we were so glad to make it home safely before COVID hit and cruises were cancelled.  We have not cruised since (miss) but want to ride out this possible variant wave.  The thought of maskless cruising does not sit well with us.

 

We enjoyed the Reflection and having been to NO 2x prior, I would probably chooses to visit at another time then Mardi Gras. 

 

Safe and Happy travels,

 

Pam

[sandancer]

You are right. We stayed on for the following cruise and flew back to the UK on March 19th. A few days later we were locked down. 

[phoenix_dream]

12 hours ago, RosieRoo said:

Used to love those cabins, but there have been reports of noise ever since they added the movie screen to the deck above. Was the screen there when you were on the Constellation? We ended up choosing a different deck. 

 

 

We’ve sailed in Deck 11 cabins (side, not aft) several times and never had a noise issue from the movies. At times when sitting on the balcony we could hear them faintly in the background. It’s always our first choice AQ on M class.

[5:00_Somewhere]

22 hours ago, RosieRoo said:

Used to love those cabins, but there have been reports of noise ever since they added the movie screen to the deck above. Was the screen there when you were on the Constellation? We ended up choosing a different deck. 

 

 

 

The movie screen was there when we were on board and, we were concerned about it before we boarded. We were on the Summit before the Constellation, though not in those aft cabins, but we ventured up to see how loud the movies were, and I was a little worried after that visit. Fortunately, though, when we were actually on the Constellation we discovered that it wasn't really an issue for us.  The only time we ever really heard it was when the ship was docked, and even then it was very faint, and we were mostly off ship on excursions. There was only one time it was problematic, when they were playing some movie with lots of explosions, but we left for an excursion so were away for most of it. We heard there was supposedly a plan to issue Bose headphones for that area, but I don't know whether that every happened. 

 

But, I understand different people have different tolerances. One couple a couple doors down complained that from their balcony they could hear the solo guitarist who would play at the sunset bar, below our cabin, every evenings. We liked his music, and enjoyed it. 

[gerelmx]

Exactly 2 years ago, We was in the 2020 Reflection cruise, when the pandemic started. A lot of people in the streets, many drunken and making his piss at the streets, Celebrity Balcony  tour to the parade was oversold so many passengers can't get a seat, And the buffet they offered was not that great. I will not go again during Mardi Gras. If one day I return it will be in low season.

 

Celebrity decoration

 

 

[RosieRoo]

Thanks for sharing your opinions of the aft AQs.  I love those cabins, but have been hesitant to book them since reading all the noise complaints from people here on CC. I was never bothered by noise from below, but I wasn’t sure if the movies would be an issue so I chose an SV cabin instead. 

Edited February 21, 2022 by RosieRoo

[kjwent]

We were on the Equinox Mardi Gras cruise in 2017.  Loved, loved, loved it.  We walked to the night parade (Orpheus Krewe) that Harry Connick Jr hosts.  Family friendly -- no crazies.  Lots of families, line dancing in the street before the parade reached us (at about 9pm), people playing with frisbees.  The street is narrow -- the bands and floats were right up next to us.  Best. Time. Ever.  Day 2 we went to the Zulu Krewe parade.  Totally different atmosphere during the day.  But we had a great time there also.  I have convinced my husband and friends to do the 2024 trip -- we booked it today.  Can't wait.  

[Desert Diamond]

We did a Mardi Gras cruise in Feb-March 2020, right before the shutdown. It was one of the best cruises we've done. Not only is the ship your New Orleans hotel for two nights, but the slow sail up the Mississippi is one for the memory books. If you plan ahead and make reservations, you can visit the WWII museum, a plantation if you're interested and also see a Mardi Gras parade in the two and a half days that you're docked there. The atmosphere on the ship is super fun and lively. We even took part in a Mardi Gras parade around the ship that added to the atmosphere. 

Mardi Gras is a crazy time, for sure, but for us, it was exciting to experience and still get to sail away and have some beach days at other ports. Totally unique and something we'll always remember.

[suefrankw]

Thanks everyone for your great feedback. we have booked the 2024 NOLA cruise!