New Orleans on a cruise day: a self-guided city game from the port

Yes, and it works best before boarding or after your cruise, because New Orleans is mainly a homeport. Ships use the Julia Street and Erato Street cruise terminals on the riverfront. Our scavenger hunt starts at Spanish Plaza, a short flat walk along the river or a few minutes on the Riverfront streetcar. It takes about 3 hours, follows the river into the French Quarter and ends at Congo Square. Keep a generous margin before all-aboard time.

From the cruise terminals to Spanish Plaza

1. Carnival ships use the Erato Street Cruise Terminal, just upriver; Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean use the Julia Street Cruise Terminal. Both sit on the riverfront in the Warehouse District, next to the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk.
2. On foot, walk downriver along the riverfront past the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk to Spanish Plaza at its downtown end. The way is flat.
3. Or take the Riverfront streetcar (Route 49) from the Julia St stop beside the terminals to the Poydras St stop next to Spanish Plaza; the ride takes a few minutes.
4. Taxis serve the cruise terminals as well; the riverfront and the French Quarter are about 5 minutes away by car, useful if you are short of time.

A New Orleans cruise day, hour by hour

1. 0:00Leave the terminal (or your hotel) and head downriver towards Spanish Plaza.
2. 0:20Start the hunt at Spanish Plaza and solve the first riddle.
3. 1:00Along the river past the Audubon Aquarium and through Woldenberg Park.
4. 1:45Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral, then the French Market and Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar.
5. 3:20Finish at Congo Square in Louis Armstrong Park and take a taxi back to the riverfront terminals.
6. 3:45Back at the terminal at least 1 hour before all-aboard time; on boarding day, keep a bigger margin.

Tips for New Orleans when time is short

• New Orleans is mainly a homeport, so most passengers play before boarding or after the cruise ends; on boarding day leave plenty of time before all-aboard.
• The route is flat but largely unshaded along the river and in the French Quarter, and New Orleans is hot and humid for much of the cruise season, so carry water and a hat.
• Congo Square is at the far end of the route, so a taxi back to the terminals is quicker than walking the whole way.
• The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk sits right next to the terminals and the start, handy for a break before or after the game.
• Jackson Square, with St. Louis Cathedral behind it, is one of the stops, so you see it on the way without a detour.

Why a self-guided game works on a port day

• You start when you step off the ship, not at a fixed tour time, and nobody waits for a group.
• Everyone in your party can follow on their own phone with one booking reference.
• You can stop for lunch or a swim and carry on later, and end the game whenever you need to head back.
• Google Maps guides you from stop to stop, and the game needs no entry tickets.

New Orleans cruise day: questions

Pick your New Orleans game

Port and transport details checked in November 2026. Docking positions and timetables change, so always check your ship’s all-aboard time and your cruise line’s port information before you set off.