Port NOLA Welcomes the Return of Carnival Cruises

NEW ORLEANS – Carnival Cruise Line announced that the Carnival Glory will depart on Sunday, Sept. 19 from the Erato Street Cruise Terminal on a seven-day cruise to the Bahamas. The week-long voyage will be the first sailing from New Orleans since an industry-wide pause in operations that began in March 2020.

Local business leaders are cheering the news at a time when the city needs a few wins. Brandy Christian, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans, said the return of Carnival is a positive development for the local economy.

“We are proud to welcome Carnival Glory back to the Erato Street Cruise Terminal for the first oceangoing cruise from New Orleans since the pause in operations in March 2020,” she said. “We value our longtime partnership with Carnival Cruise Line, and we applaud their commitment to exceeding health and safety requirements in order to protect our community, guests and crew. Approximately 90% of our state’s cruise guests travel from out of state, with 73% spending a day or two in the New Orleans area either before or after their cruise. Carnival’s return to Port NOLA is a boost to our local economy as passengers once again are able to experience two vacations in one when they sail from our vibrant city.”

To celebrate the first New Orleans cruise the since pandemic, Carnival’s Vice President of Guest Operations Sarah Beth Reno and Carnival Glory Captain Nicola Iaccarino will host a #BackToFun event in the terminal before the ship’s Sunday departure. They will cut a ceremonial ribbon and officially welcome the Glory’s first guests.

The pandemic-induced shutdown of cruises — as well as the loss of most big meetings and international travelers — has hurt New Orleans tourism, which under normal circumstances generates about $10 billion in economic activity annually. For the last year, the cruise industry here and elsewhere has been struggling to find a way to resume operations safely amid round after round of spikes in COVID cases. In a press release announcing the Glory’s return to New Orleans, Carnival said its operational protocols exceed the recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Click here for more information.