The two main cruise lines that depart from New Orleans are Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Lines: Triumph and Spirit ships respectively.
Carnival Cruise Line, Triumph from New Orleans can be a 5 or 4 day trip. After celebrating with Drew Brees and the Saints, now you’re ready to go see the world. Your ship will make stops in Progreso, Yucatan, Mexico and Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico before returning to the Big Easy. You’ll know you’ve arrived in Progresso when you see the combination of the famous lighthouse and extended pier, jutting out of the water like an extended bridge to paradise. The port of Progreso is home to beautiful beaches, a large shopping center, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, bus transportation (you are only 30 minutes north of the capital, Merida), mail services, taxis, real estate businesses, and convenience stores. With the pristine view of the water in full view, tourists will want to enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, and lounging around the ocean.
The next stop is Cozumel, which is the largest inhabited island in Mexico, surrounded by reefs that make it an ideal place for snorkeling and diving. The west side of the island enjoys calm and peaceful waves, while the east side is more rugged and violent. Since there are a large number of underwater caverns, only the most experienced registered divers are allowed inside. In fact, in 1990 the fifth largest underwater cavern in the world was found in Cozumel.
Carnival Triumph will make your trip to New Orleans that much more enjoyable with four pools, multiple hot tubs, and plenty of nightclubs for adult entertainment. There is also plenty for the kids to do with play areas and exercise rooms.
Norwegian Cruise Line, Spirit from New Orleans is a 7-day voyage that calls in Costa Maya, Belize City, Roatan and Cozumel before returning to the home of the Super Bowl champions. Costa Maya, home to the great Mayan reef, white sand beaches and undeveloped as the newly built pier has attracted visitors (soon to be you). In the harbor, there is a lot going on with other passenger ships enjoying the restaurant and bar scene, as well as the chance to go snorkeling or scuba diving on the coral reef. Belize City is home to the famous Swing Bridge, which is the only working manual bridge in service. Belize is reminiscent of Italy with its many rivers and canals along the cities, with an original atmosphere. Hurricane Hattie nearly destroyed the city in 1961, but luckily for cruise lovers, the port is proving to bring this area back to life. Roatán is a very long island in Honduras completely surrounded by coral reefs and excellent fishing. This is ideal for tourists to snorkel and explore underwater.
Norwegian Spirit is a beautiful German-engineered ship that spent the first five years of her life in Hong Kong. She still maintains her Asian influences (for whom she was built), with a Samurai theme, wooden stairs with iron railings, and glass elevators. With more than eleven restaurants and eight bars, you can go from one place to another all week long. The refurbished ship also includes eight new balcony decks (which is a growing need among cruise-goers).