Getting ashore
New Orleans is usually a dock stop.
Most ships dock at New Orleans, which usually makes the day simpler: walk off the ship, meet your tour, and get back on board without tender queues.
United States
Cruises from New Orleans
New Orleans is a major embarkation gateway with moderate cruise traffic, typically mid-size ships, and departures throughout the year, but concentrated in December through April.
Usually docks
Moderate traffic
Cruises start or end here
Mid-size ships
What to expect in New Orleans
How much time will you have?
About 4h is typical
Most cruises spend 4h to 4h in New Orleans, which makes it a shorter port day compared with many stops.
How busy does New Orleans get?
Some dates are noticeably busier than others.
Multiple ships are in port on roughly 21% of days, so the exact date can change the port experience considerably.
- Typical day: ~6,650 passengers
- Busy day: 13,900+ passengers
- Multiple ships on 21% of days
When to cruise from New Orleans
Cruises depart throughout the year, with the busiest season from December through April.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Departures
25
18
21
17
14
13
12
13
10
1
18
18
Price/night
$66
$81
$105
$80
$129
$150
$146
$90
$82
—
$83
$115
↑
Cheapest
↑
Priciest
Check your date
October 2026
Jump
Better value
Pricier
Sailings
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Where New Orleans fits into a cruise
Cruises from New Orleans most commonly head into Western Caribbean itineraries, often starting with Cozumel and Roatán .
Commonly arrives from
New Orleans
Commonly continues to
Who sails here?
Ships visiting New Orleans typically carry around 2,984 guests, with Carnival Liberty, Carnival Valor, and Carnival Dream calling most often.
Most frequently visiting ships
- 1 Carnival Liberty 52 calls
- 2 Carnival Valor 43 calls
- 3 Carnival Dream 36 calls
- 4 Mariner of the Seas 23 calls
- 5 Norwegian Breakaway 20 calls
- 6 Aurora 2 calls
Next port calls
Oct 31 Carnival Valor
Nov 1 Carnival Liberty
Nov 5 Carnival Valor
Nov 7 Mariner of the Seas
Nov 8 Carnival Liberty