How does crusing out of New Orleans influence your embarkation day expertise?
The port you select to depart from has a significant influence in your cruise—and New Orleans, Louisiana, is among the most unusual U.S. cities from which Royal Caribbean sails.
Positioned simply 90 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, New Orleans is a handy departure level for cruises. Cruises out of New Orleans start within the Mississippi River, exiting into the Gulf of Mexico hours later.
I sailed out of New Orleans for the primary time final month, on a Brilliance of the Seas cruise.
Presently, Brilliance of the Seas is the one Royal Caribbean ship crusing from New Orleans.
My 7-night crusing departed from New Orleans and referred to as upon Cozumel, Mexico; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; and Yucatan (Progreso), Mexico. On the primary day of the cruise, I used to be stunned by how completely different the departure day was.
Embarkation day felt completely completely different from Florida ports like Tampa or Miami, and it wasn’t simply due to New Orleans’ distinctive allure.
A cruise out of New Orleans is a superb alternative to discover town
Pre-cruise, I used to be stunned to find simply how shut the Royal Caribbean terminal is to the middle of town.
Royal Caribbean leaves from the Julia Avenue Terminal, which is simply off Canal Avenue. The terminal is near many well-known sights; a brief stroll from the French Quarter, proper throughout from the Ernest N. Morial Conference Heart, and subsequent door to the Riverwalk Mall.
I spent the day earlier than the crusing in a close-by lodge and wished I would arrived even earlier in New Orleans.
This distinctive metropolis gives a lot to discover and is conveniently near the cruise terminal. I did not count on it to be really easy to see New Orleans after flying in and never having a automobile!
I spent a day on the Riverwalk Mall, tried café au lait and beignets, and bought some Nola souvenirs. But when I would had extra time, I may have explored the French Quarter, prioritized listening to dwell music, and tried extra genuine Creole meals.
As a result of I stayed within the Marriot Warehouse Arts District, embarkation day was a breeze.
The Julia Avenue Terminal was only a brief stroll from the lodge, and porters took our luggage instantly.
We moved swiftly by means of the terminal and safety, with workers effectively checking our paperwork.
The embarkation day earlier than the ship departed was a enjoyable expertise!
Embarkation day begins with crusing on the Mississippi River
As everybody boarded and commenced to replenish the ship, we may look exterior and see the sights of New Orleans.
The ship’s place on the Mississippi River provided distinctive views, with the bridge and riverbanks seen on either side.
Because the ship departed, I noticed that the primary day of a cruise out of New Orleans felt extra like a river cruise. The ship sails down the Mississippi River for nearly eight hours earlier than the ship reaches the Gulf of Mexico.
Our cruise departed a bit later than common, so it was virtually night by the point we began crusing down the river.
Nevertheless, I may nonetheless see the lights and buildings of town.
It was fascinating to look at the ship navigate the winding river bends and maneuver round boats and buildings.
As soon as the cruise ship handed New Orleans, we largely have been seeing industrial vegetation and refineries. Grey smoke and coal storage services lined either side of the river.
Whereas it was nonetheless cool to observe the winding path of the Mississippi River and see the lights from the riverbank, the refineries have been a much less nice sight.
Learn extra: 6 issues I cherished and three issues I hated about my Brilliance of the Seas cruise
After darkish fell, and we bought bored with factories, we stopped gazing out the home windows. At a sure level, the novelty of crusing on a river as an alternative of the ocean started to put on off, and it felt gloomy as an alternative.
I started to overlook the ocean’s huge open area and clear evening sky when confronted with riverbanks and refineries.
Climate also can have a big impact in your first day
Selecting which ports to go to additionally means contemplating the climate for that point of yr.
With such an energetic 2024 hurricane season, it wasn’t a shock that my cruise was affected by the climate.
The Brilliance of the Seas crusing proper earlier than mine needed to change its itinerary because of Hurricane Rafael.
Though my November ninth cruise had no schedule adjustments, we have been nonetheless influenced by some dangerous climate.
Though the tropical storm was already weakening within the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana nonetheless skilled rain and wind.
The storm was approaching New Orleans as our ship departed, inflicting some dangerous climate for embarkation day.
Our first evening onboard was darkish and gloomy—the boat rocked forwards and backwards. The approaching winds have been so loud that they whistled by means of the stateroom all evening, making it exhausting to sleep.
In fact, many individuals know New Orleans for its vulnerability to hurricanes. Cruise ships are designed with security in thoughts, so climate considerations shouldn’t deter you from reserving a cruise from this port.
Nevertheless, it was attention-grabbing to see how our crusing was affected by the climate within the area.
If something, it is vital to note how the time of yr and regional climate may affect your cruise.
For future cruises out of New Orleans, I’d schedule a crusing within the spring or fall. Winter cruises to the Gulf of Mexico can usually be affected by extreme climate, similar to sturdy winds or tough seas.
Learn extra: Final Mexico Cruise Information