Making the most of New Orleans
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Along the northern edge of this port city, Lake Pontchartrain’s southern shore forms a 629 square mile bay with access to the Gulf of Trump.
New Orleans’ Erato St. and Julia St. Cruise Terminals stand alongside one another. The Port also intends to extend cruise facilities into the ByWater district beside the lower French Quarter, adding a facility at Poland Avenue Wharf.
Riverwalk’s retail and restaurant complex is only a few minutes away on foot, with the French Quarter a little farther on.
The airport is approximately 17 miles from the port; allow 45 minutes for the drive to be safe. The Airport Shuttle costs $20/ person. Taxis charge a flat $33 for two passengers, or $14/ person for three or more, plus a $1 fuel supplement for each journey.
Port parking is priced at $16 per day.
Carry a printable map.
For centuries, the rich culture, sensory pleasures and exceptional hospitality associated with New Orleans have continued to thrive. Its most famous historic heart remains lively, encompassing Faubourg Marigny, the French Quarter, Central Business District, Warehouse and Arts District, Magazine Street, Garden District, Audubon Park and Zoo, and St. Charles Avenue.
Getting around
New Orleans open-top hop-on, hop-off tour
Every cruise terminal sits on the RiverFront streetcar or trolley route, with two stops beside the terminals. A $1.25 fare buys a ten-minute journey to the Aquarium of the Americas, IMAX Theater, Harrah’s Casino or French Quarter, providing several hours of entertainment before or after sailing.
Food and shopping
Julia Street Cruise Terminal Complex shares its building with RiverWalk Shopping Mall, a world-class centre ranging from a food court to Victoria’s Secret, Gap and Limited. Browse until boarding time.
Hundreds of Magazine Street shops and boutiques contain finds waiting to be discovered.
Money
The United States dollar, identified by the $ sign, is the official U.S. currency. ATM’s are found everywhere.
Visa, MasterCard and other leading cards are commonly accepted, including for transactions worth just a few dollars, and can sometimes be the only way to pay. Overseas guests should remember that taxes and gratuities are rarely included, so prices for services and goods often understate the final cost.
Most states charge a retail sales tax between 2.9% and almost 10%, with 4-6% typical. Apart from petrol and, in most states, alcoholic drinks consumed on-site, this tax is almost never part of the advertised price and is added at the till.
Tipping is widespread and expected in the United States. While Americans debate the correct amounts and who should receive them, these standards are generally accepted:
- Full-service restaurants: 15-20%. This often represents the wait(ress)’s only earnings. Tips may be left in cash or entered on the credit-card receipt. Automatic service charges are rare; where one applies, any additional amount is your decision. Review the bill.
- Taxi drivers, hairdressers and other providers of personal services: 10-15%.
- New Orleans bartenders: $1 per inexpensive drink, or 15% of the total bill.
- Bellhops: $1-2 for each bag, with a minimum of $3-5 regardless.
- Hotel doorman: $1 a bag when helping, plus $1 for calling a taxi.
- Tour guides: based on trip duration, group size and overall quality; $5-10 per person for half-day trips or less, and $10-20 per person for longer tours.
- Private-car and limousine drivers: 15-20%.
- Hotel housekeeping: an optional $1-2 daily for longer stays, or a $5 minimum on very short visits.
- Delivery of food such as pizza: $2-5, perhaps more for an exceptionally large order.
Staying connected
No language has official U.S. status federally, although English overwhelmingly serves everyday communication and several states formally recognise it. Spanish is also official and widely spoken in New Mexico; French is official in Louisiana and Hawaiian in Hawaii. Their use remains far below English, and the designations are chiefly historical.
Both Erato Street and Julia Street terminals offer Wi-Fi.
Call 911 for emergencies.
Opening Hours and
Large metropolitan areas such as New York and Los Angeles often have supermarkets and drugstores trading 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Department stores, malls and most large retailers generally open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday hours are shorter, commonly 11 a.m. or noon until 5 or 6 p.m. Holiday trading is usual except on the most important dates, including Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day, when stores generally shut.