Port of New Orleans · New Orleans Cruise Parking
The Port of New Orleans sells parking as a flat total for the whole cruise rather than a nightly rate: $120 for four days rising to $200 for eight at the Erato Street garage. Confirm your terminal for your ship and sailing date before choosing parking. Reserving online adds $1 per day, and prepaying forfeits your refund.
Provenance: Read on portnola.com, spothero.com · checked 2026-08-08
Published by CruiseDayGuide · Rates checked September 21, 2026 · guide updated August 8, 2026
The effective daily rate is higher on a four-night sailing than a fourteen-night one, clearance limits rule out taller vehicles, and the Convention Center lots a few blocks inland undercut the port.
Port rates are flat totals for the whole cruise; off-site figures are starting prices for one booking window, not cruise-week totals.
| Option | Serves | Getting to the ship | Limits and rules | What the operator publishes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erato Street Terminal Garage | ServesErato Street Cruise Terminal, 1100 Port of New Orleans Place — Carnival | Getting to the shipYou drive up a circular ramp on top of the terminal itself. No shuttle involved. Over 1,000 covered, secured spaces; gate opens 9:00am CST | Limits and rules8ft 4in clearance on the third floor and the port notes space there is limited; 7ft 6in on higher floors; 22 feet maximum length. Credit or debit card only | What the operator publishes$120 for 4 days, $135 for 5, $160 for 6, $180 for 7, $200 for 8, $350 for 14. Add a $1 per day convenience fee if you reserve online |
| 100 Poydras Garage | ServesJulia Street Cruise Terminal, 920 Port of New Orleans Place — Norwegian and Royal Caribbean | Getting to the shipFree shuttle from the garage to the Julia Street terminal. Over 500 covered, secured spaces; gate opens 9:00am CST | Limits and rules6ft 6in clearance, the tighter of the two garages; 22 feet maximum length. Credit or debit card only | What the operator publishes$120 for 4 days, $135 for 5, $180 for 7. Add a $1 per day convenience fee if you reserve online |
| Louisiana disabled veteran parking | ServesBoth port garages, on whichever side your ship sails from | Getting to the shipIdentical to the paid spaces in the same garage. Allocated first come, first served, with no way to hold a space in advance | Limits and rulesLouisiana residency plus a VA letter or DV plate showing at least 50% service-connected disability, presented on arrival. Riverboat cruises excluded | What the operator publishesFree for up to 7 days. The port warns refunds will not be issued if the documentation is not produced at arrival |
| Fulton Place Garage | Serves901 Convention Center Blvd, off-site, marketed to both terminals | Getting to the shipAdvertised as one block from the seaport with a free continuous shuttle available 24 hours every day. 320 spaces listed on SpotHero, a 13 minute walk to Julia Street | Limits and rules6ft 6in garage clearance. Oversized vehicles that take up more than one space are charged an extra amount on site | What the operator publishesNo rate on the operator's own site. Booking resellers quote dynamically; SpotHero shows the garage starting at $5.99 and advertises free cancellation |
| Nola Lot, 861 Convention Center Blvd | ServesOff-site surface lot, closest of the SpotHero options to Julia Street | Getting to the shipSelf-park and walk. SpotHero puts it at 10 minutes and half a mile from the Port of New Orleans, 15 minutes from the Erato Street terminal | Limits and rules128 spaces. You may enter only after your reservation start time and must leave before it ends, or risk a ticket, tow or extra charge | What the operator publishesSpotHero lists it starting at $15.99 |
| Piccolo Lot, 619 S Peters St | ServesOff-site surface lot in the Warehouse District | Getting to the shipSelf-park and walk, 14 minutes and 0.6 miles to the port per SpotHero | Limits and rules195 spaces, the largest of the nearby independent lots on SpotHero's list. Same reservation window rules apply | What the operator publishesSpotHero lists it starting at $12.49 |
| WTC Garage, 100 Poydras St | ServesSold through SpotHero at the same street address the port gives for its Julia Street garage | Getting to the ship13 minutes and 0.6 miles on foot per SpotHero, which does not mention the port's terminal shuttle | Limits and rules182 spaces. Booked as a SpotHero reservation, so the port's cruise-length tiers and veteran waiver do not apply | What the operator publishesSpotHero lists it starting at $42.40 |
| The Mercantile Hotel park-and-cruise | Serves727 S Peters Street, walkable to the Warehouse District terminals | Getting to the shipThe hotel describes itself as minutes from the port. Its package page does not mention a shuttle, so plan on a rideshare or a walk with bags | Limits and rulesOne night in a suite with parking for up to 8 days included; additional days available. Sold only through the hotel's own site | What the operator publishesNo price published. Includes complimentary breakfast and late checkout subject to availability |
Port figures exclude the $1 a day online fee; starting prices, space counts and walk times are SpotHero's; clearance, shuttle and cancellation terms can change.
Confirm your terminal or berth at Port of New Orleans for your ship and sailing date in your cruise documents, then compare the parking options serving it.
Park at: Erato Street Terminal Garage, 1100 Port of New Orleans Place
The garage sits on top of the terminal and is reached by a circular ramp, so Carnival passengers need no shuttle at all. Clearance is 8 ft 4 in on the third floor, where the port notes space is limited, and 7 ft 6 in on the floors above. Vehicle length is capped at 22 feet.
Read on portnola.com — checked 2026-08-08.
Park at: 100 Poydras Garage, for the terminal at 920 Port of New Orleans Place
Julia Street passengers do not park at their terminal. They park at the 100 Poydras Garage and take a free shuttle that carries passengers and luggage. Clearance is 6 ft 6 in, a foot tighter than Erato Street, and vehicle length is capped at 22 feet — a roof box or a high bike rack is the usual reason an ordinary family car fails to clear here.
Read on portnola.com — checked 2026-08-08.
Park at: None provided by the port
The port provides no cruise parking for Viking or American Cruise Lines passengers and directs them to contact the cruise line directly. If you are sailing with either, settle the parking question with the line before you plan a drive-in, because neither port garage is an answer for you.
Read on portnola.com — checked 2026-08-08.
Not required, but the port calls reservations highly recommended because space is limited. Weigh that against the refund term, which is the harshest of any port on this site: prepay and the money is gone.
The port says reservations are not required but that space is limited and reservations are highly recommended. Booking online adds a $1 per day convenience fee. Both garages accept credit or debit cards only.
Cancellation: The port's parking page states in capital letters that refunds will not be issued if you opt to prepay.
Read on portnola.com — checked 2026-08-08.
The benefit is allocated first come, first served, so it cannot be reserved. Documentation is required on arrival — proof of Louisiana residency together with a VA letter or a DV license plate — and the port warns that refunds will not be issued if you turn up without it. Riverboat cruises are excluded.
Read on portnola.com — checked 2026-08-08.
A marketplace booking is a windowed reservation, not a cruise product. SpotHero states you may enter any time after your reservation's start time and must depart before its end time, and that time parked outside the window is subject to a ticket, tow or additional charge. Book past your scheduled return, and remember the port's cruise-length tiers and its veteran waiver do not apply to a marketplace booking.
Read on spothero.com — checked 2026-08-08.
Cost$180 for a 7-day cruise, paid on arrival without a reservation
From I-10, take Exit 234A (US 90 W) at Tchoupitoulas St. Follow the ramp, turn right onto Tchoupitoulas, left onto Henderson St, and left onto Port of New Orleans Place. Cross the railroad tracks to reach the terminals. Do not try to enter from Julia St or Poydras St.
Pro tip: Erato has 1,000+ covered spots in a garage on top of the terminal, reached by a circular ramp — no shuttle involved. Julia Street passengers park at 100 Poydras and take a free shuttle. Neither terminal requires advance reservations, but space is limited and the port recommends them, so arrive early on busy sail days. Both garages take credit or debit cards only — no cash — and both cap vehicle length at 22 feet, with 6ft 6in of clearance at 100 Poydras against 8ft 4in on Erato's third floor. Note that prepaid parking is non-refundable.
Verified Sep 21, 2026 · Port of New Orleans — Cruise Parking & Directions · See something outdated? Tell us
CostTaxi: $36 flat for up to two passengers, or $15 per passenger for three or more, published by the airport for the Central Business District and French Quarter. Rideshare: no published fare. The city's named airport shuttle now carries groups of ten or more only.
MSY is about 15 miles west of the port, roughly a 25-35 min drive depending on traffic. The airport completed a brand-new terminal in 2019 and is well-connected to the city via I-10.
Pro tip: The flat-rate taxi is often the best deal for couples, since the price holds regardless of traffic. For groups of 3+, an Uber XL usually works out better. Airport shuttles stop at multiple hotels en route, so they take longer but are reliable.
CostQuoted at booking; the properties do not publish package prices.
Several nearby hotels offer park-and-cruise packages with port shuttles. The Mercantile Hotel, Wyndham French Quarter, and Hilton Garden Inn Convention Center all offer packages that include parking during your cruise and a ride to the terminal.
Pro tip: The Mercantile Hotel's Stay, Park & Cruise package includes one night in a suite, parking for up to 8 days, complimentary breakfast and late checkout subject to availability, and is sold only through the hotel's own site. Its package page mentions no shuttle, so plan on a rideshare or a walk with bags, and price the whole thing against the port's flat $180 for a seven-day sailing plus the room.
Cost$1.25 per ride, exact change or Jazzy Pass ($3/day unlimited)
If you're staying in the French Quarter or along Canal Street, the St. Charles or Canal streetcar lines can get you close to the port area. The Riverfront streetcar runs along the river near the Convention Center, dropping you within a 10-minute walk of the terminals.
Pro tip: This works great if you're traveling light. With heavy luggage and kids, take an Uber instead. The streetcar is fun, but it's not fast.
CostNot published. Rideshare pricing is dynamic and neither the airport nor the port publishes a fare, so none is quoted here.
Rideshare is widely available throughout New Orleans. Both terminals have designated drop-off areas accessible from Port of New Orleans Place.
Pro tip: Saturday embarkation days can see surge pricing late in the morning. Check prices early for cheaper rates. The port area drop-off is straightforward, and drivers know where to go.
CostAirport to the Central Business District and French Quarter, where both terminals sit: $36 for up to two passengers, or $15 per passenger for three or more, on the airport's own published rates. Nothing is published for trips starting in the city.
Traditional taxis are readily available in the French Quarter and at the airport. New Orleans taxis use meters downtown and flat rates from the airport.
Pro tip: The airport flat rate is a solid deal — no surprises regardless of traffic on I-10. From the Quarter, it's short enough that the meter won't run up much. United Cabs and NOLA Cab are reliable local companies.
The port's FAQ says $25 per day. Its own tier table works out to $30 a day at four days, $27 a day at five, and $25 a day only at eight and fourteen.
The tier tables, the $1 convenience fee and the no-refund-on-prepay warning are quoted from portnola.com's cruise parking and directions page. The $25 per day description is from portnola.com's cruise FAQ page. Both were read on August 8, 2026, and the arithmetic comparing them is ours.
Your terminal decides your garage, and older guides still send New Orleans cruisers to the Hilton Whale Lot, which the port no longer uses for cruise passengers.
Terminal addresses, cruise line assignments, garage access and the Viking and American Cruise Lines exclusion are from portnola.com's cruise parking and directions page and its cruise FAQ. The Hilton Whale Lot statement is from neworleans.com's cruise parking page. All read August 8, 2026.
There is no published oversized product — the city's tourism site says the port cannot accommodate oversized vehicles at this time — so for an RV or bus, call Simeka Anderson at LAZ Parking on 504.296.1757 and ask.
Clearance and length figures and the LAZ Parking oversized contact are from portnola.com's cruise parking and directions page. The statement that the port cannot accommodate oversized vehicles is from neworleans.com. The 6ft 6in off-site clearance and the multi-space surcharge are from the airportparkingreservations.com listing for 901 Convention Center Blvd. All read August 8, 2026.
Enter your real dates and read the total: SpotHero puts average rates near the port at $25 to $60.
Facility names, addresses, space counts, walk times and starting prices are SpotHero's own listings for the Port of New Orleans and for Carnival cruise parking in New Orleans. Shuttle, security and covered-parking claims for the Fulton Garage are from neworleansparking.com's cruise parking pages and the airportparkingreservations.com listing for 901 Convention Center Blvd. All read August 8, 2026.
A park-and-cruise package makes sense if you wanted the pre-cruise night anyway; it rarely beats the port's flat tier if you did not. For a Louisiana veteran who qualifies, the free week is worth $180 against the port's published seven-day tier.
Package inclusions and the hotel address are from themercantilehotelneworleans.com's cruise specials page. The disabled veteran parking terms are from portnola.com's cruise parking and directions page and its cruise FAQ. All read August 8, 2026.
Both port garages open at 9:00am CST, so arriving earlier gains nothing. Take I-10 to U.S. 90 West (Exit 234A), exit at Tchoupitoulas (Exit 11C), turn right at the second stoplight, left onto Henderson Street for two blocks, then left onto Port of New Orleans Place after the railroad tracks. Avoid the Julia Street and Poydras Street entrances.
Garage opening time, the driving directions and the warning against the Julia Street and Poydras Street entrances are from portnola.com's cruise parking and directions page, corroborated by neworleans.com. The luggage phone numbers are from portnola.com's cruise FAQ. All read August 8, 2026.
Port garages vs the Convention Center lots
The head-to-head: the port's trip-length bands against reseller starting prices.
Hotels near the New Orleans cruise terminal
Warehouse District walk-ups and the park-and-cruise packages worth the room rate.
New Orleans terminal guides
Drop-off and check-in for the Erato Street and Julia Street terminals.
New Orleans sailing schedule
Which ship sails which day, and from which of the two terminals.
Louis Armstrong (MSY) to the cruise port
About fifteen miles and twenty-five minutes, and why you still should not fly in on sailing day.
Cruise travel insurance, explained honestly
What line protection plans and third-party policies actually cover, before you assume you need either.
Published parking rates, shuttle hours, and hotel package terms change without notice. Every fact here carries the date it was read from an operator, so you can tell how fresh it is. A figure that could not be read at the source is left out rather than repeated. Reconfirm anything time-sensitive before you travel.
Restaurants, activities, hotels, terminal tips, parking, packing lists, and boarding advice — all in one page.
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