The cruise ship industry in New Orleans is showing signs of a comeback.
The Port of New Orleans says some cruise ship business is already returning but the larger ships won’t be arriving until September.
The CDC has approved cruise passenger service for Florida and Texas ports beginning in July, now the Port of New Orleans says the Carnival Glory will be returning to New Orleans September 5th, offering 7-day cruises.
In 2019 the cruise ship industry produced $250 million in direct spending for the city of New Orleans as it handled over a half million passengers.
For now the cruise ship dock sits empty now but when the CDC approves the return of cruise ships to New Orleans there will be strict vaccine standards. Though the big cruise boats won’t be returning until September, river cruises aboard the American Cruise Line and the American Queen Steamboat Company returned two months ago.
But tourism officials say it may be another year and a half before the cruise ship industry returns to 2019 levels. After the Carnival Glory resumes cruising in September, the Carnival Valor will begin offering four and five day cruises out of New Orleans November 1st.
Disney cruise lines is expected to return in February 2022 and the port says they are expecting announcements soon from Royal Caribbean and Norwegian.
