Port NOLA: Cruise Passenger Numbers Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

NEW ORLEANS — The Port of New Orleans said it finished calendar year 2023 with nearly 1.2 million cruise passenger movements and renewed commitments to the New Orleans cruise market from oceangoing and river cruise lines.

“The cruise business has rebounded in New Orleans and cruise line partners are confident in our Port NOLA cruise market,” said Port NOLA President and CEO Brandy D. Christian in a statement. “This is really encouraging as our cruise business drives tourism and contributes significantly to the hospitality industry. We want to thank all our cruise line and hospitality partners as we work together to make cruising out of New Orleans two vacations in one.”

In 2024, Carnival Cruise Line is celebrating its 30th year of cruising from New Orleans, which is home to two year-round Carnival vessels. In addition, Norwegian Cruise Line has committed to five more years of New Orleans sailings. The cruise line’s “Norwegian Getaway” will replace the “Norwegian Breakaway” in October. Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic returned to the city in January. And Royal Caribbean’s “Brilliance of the Seas” will come to the city in November 2024. 

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Port NOLA also said it is seeing record growth in river cruises. The city’s nine homeported vessels includes a Viking vessel, built in Louisiana, that began sailing in 2022.

Port NOLA said it set a passenger record in March 2023 for oceangoing and river cruises, topping pre-pandemic levels with 155,225 passenger movements and 39 cruise vessel calls.

The port’s previous monthly high was set in February 2020 with 154,409 passenger movements and 31 vessel calls just prior to the entire cruise industry coming to a complete halt in March of that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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At Port NOLA, 90% of cruise guests travel from out-of-state. Seventy-three percent spend one or two days in New Orleans either before or after their cruise. Tourism officials estimate those stays generate more than 300,000 hotel room nights in New Orleans and more than $125 million in local spending each year. 

“New Orleans is one of the most popular pre-and post-cruise destinations in the country, which is a tribute to our excellent partners at the Port of New Orleans as well as the work of our team at New Orleans & Company,” said Walter J. Leger III, president and CEO of New Orleans & Company, the city’s destination marketing organization. “Travel drives our economy, but visitors don’t just show up. In a highly competitive marketplace, travelers have choices, and we have to earn their business through aggressive sales and promotion. We are pleased to work closely with the Port, the cruise lines and travel advisors to ensure that extremely loyal cruise passengers are selecting to sail from New Orleans instead of competitor cities.”

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