New Orleans cruise passenger numbers back to pre-pandemic levels

Raeven Poole
·2 min read

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Officials with the Port of New Orleans announced that the number of cruise passengers has reached pre-pandemic levels.

Port NOLA reported 2023 closed out with 1.2 million cruise passenger movements.

Port NOLA CEO and President Brandy D. Christian said the number is encouraging as the cruise business drives tourism in the city and contributes to the hospitality industry.

“The cruise business has rebounded in New Orleans and cruise line partners are confident in our Port NOLA cruise market. 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,” said Christian.

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According to Port NOLA, 90% of cruise guests come from out-of-state, with 73% spending days in the city either before or after their trip. This reportedly generates more than 300,000 hotel room nights in New Orleans and more than $125 million in local spending yearly.

Carnival Cruise Line, which homeports two year-round vessels from New Orleans, will celebrate 30 years of cruising from the port in 2024.

Norwegian Cruise Line has renewed its commitment to the port for five years with additional sailings. The company is also bringing in a new ship in October. The “Norwegian Getaway” is set to replace the “Norwegian Breakaway.”

“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 New Orleans & Company CEO and President Walter J. Leger, III.

In January, the Disney Cruise Line also returned to the city, while Royal Caribbean will return in November with a new vessel, the “Brilliance of the Seas.”

Additionally, Port NOLA officials said they have seen a growth in river cruise numbers. Currently, there are nine vessels in New Orleans, including America’s first Viking Cruise, which was built in Louisiana and began sailing in 2022.

In March 2023, Port NOLA set a passenger record for oceangoing and river cruises with 155,225  passenger movements and 39 cruise vessel calls at the port. The number is compared to the previous record high in February 2020 of 154,409 passenger movements and 31 vessel calls before COVID-19 halted operations.

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