By
Laura Hyde |
The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) in Louisiana, USA, handled 1.2 million cruise passenger movements in 2024, breaking the previous record set in 2023.
In 2024 there were continued commitments from Port NOLA’s cruise line partners, including Carnival Cruise Line which finalised a five-year agreement for two year-round ships, Carnival Valor and Carnival Liberty, to sail from the port. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Getaway began sailing from the port in October as part of a five-year agreement, while Royal Caribbean International returned to Port NOLA in November with Brilliance of the Seas. Port NOLA is also the homeport for six river cruise vessels, including Viking Cruises’ Viking Mississippi, which was built in Louisiana.
“We are grateful to our cruise and hospitality partners, including New Orleans & Company, for their role in helping Port NOLA achieve a record-breaking number of passengers,” said Beth Branch, president and CEO at Port NOLA. “These valued partnerships continue to drive strong demand and promising growth projections for both oceangoing and river cruising from Port NOLA. We look forward to building on this momentum for another successful year in 2025.”
The port, which is the sixth largest cruise port in the USA, caters for both oceangoing and river cruising ships at its two terminals, Erato Street and Julia Street. Both terminals are situated close to the city’s French Quarter.
Read more: Carnival Cruise Line celebrates 30 years of sailing from Port NOLA
“Our team at New Orleans & Company works daily to ensure New Orleans remains a highly popular cruise destination for both travellers and the cruise lines,” said Walt Leger III, president and CEO of New Orleans & Company, the official destination marketing and sales organisation for the New Orleans tourism industry. “We salute our partners at the Port NOLA for a second consecutive year of passenger growth. These results, like tourism, do not just happen. It is the result of innovative strategies and years of relationships. We work to ensure that New Orleans remains the most remarkable, unique, and welcoming city in the world, and we are pleased that visitors from around the world continue to honour us by choosing our city as their top destination for cruising, leisure visits, meetings, and major events.”
On 16 January 2025, Port NOLA welcome an inaugural call from Explora Journeys’ ship Explora II. Some other notable ships scheduled to visit the port in 2025 include P&O Cruises’ Ventura and Saga Cruises’ Spirit of Discovery.