If you just got off the Wonder today (2/14/20)...

[squirk]

...a few questions on your embarkation, if you don’t mind:

1.) If you drove to the terminal and parked in the Erato garage, what time did you arrive and how bad was traffic getting in? I am driving into the city for next week’s cruise and trying to figure out the best time to time my drive to avoid the worst of traffic.

2.) If you parked in the Erato garage, were there porters to take your checked luggage as you parked? Or did you have to schlep your luggage into the terminal? The DCL Blog has a commenter that stated you had to bring your luggage into the terminal.

3.) Did you happen to have a gentleman named Ashang as your lead server? He is someone we’ve had on the Fantasy many times, and several months ago, someone here stated that Ashang was looking to transfer to the Wonder.

Please and thank you!

 

[Minnie352]

...a few questions on your embarkation, if you don’t mind:

1.) If you drove to the terminal and parked in the Erato garage, what time did you arrive and how bad was traffic getting in? I am driving into the city for next week’s cruise and trying to figure out the best time to time my drive to avoid the worst of traffic.

2.) If you parked in the Erato garage, were there porters to take your checked luggage as you parked? Or did you have to schlep your luggage into the terminal? The DCL Blog has a commenter that stated you had to bring your luggage into the terminal.

3.) Did you happen to have a gentleman named Ashang as your lead server? He is someone we’ve had on the Fantasy many times, and several months ago, someone here stated that Ashang was looking to transfer to the Wonder.

Please and thank you!

We just got off the ship this morning, and had a wonderful time!
1. We stayed in Slidell, LA the night before, and left the hotel about 930am. Its about a 35 mile drive to the port, and it took us about 45 minutes to drive. It was congested stop and go traffic on I-10, from right before you turn towards the 90 bridge, all the way to the exit.
2. Yes, we parked in the Erato gatage. We pulled into the garage after paying at the gate, and luggage attendants were on level 3 (where you end up when you come up the ramp into the garage) they took your checked bags. Then you went around the corner and parked in a spot. I heard people say they were told to schlep their big bags, but perhaps they didnt park in the Erato garage. There wasnt any general bag takers out front of the terminal.
3. Sorry, I cant say I saw any server named Ashang.

I'm happy to answer any other questions.
In general, because it was the first cruise from NOLA, there was some confusion from all the new cast members. Almost everyone was "earning their ears." But there were plenty of employees and they were super nice and excited to be there.

 

[squirk]

We just got off the ship this morning, and had a wonderful time!
1. We stayed in Slidell, LA the night before, and left the hotel about 930am. Its about a 35 mile drive to the port, and it took us about 45 minutes to drive. It was congested stop and go traffic on I-10, from right before you turn towards the 90 bridge, all the way to the exit.
2. Yes, we parked in the Erato gatage. We pulled into the garage after paying at the gate, and luggage attendants were on level 3 (where you end up when you come up the ramp into the garage) they took your checked bags. Then you went around the corner and parked in a spot. I heard people say they were told to schlep their big bags, but perhaps they didnt park in the Erato garage. There wasnt any general bag takers out front of the terminal.
3. Sorry, I cant say I saw any server named Ashang.

I'm happy to answer any other questions.
In general, because it was the first cruise from NOLA, there was some confusion from all the new cast members. Almost everyone was "earning their ears." But there were plenty of employees and they were super nice and excited to be there.

Thanks. We have lived in NOLA for the past 25 years but have never sailed out of the Port of New Orleans before.

Given the state of Convention Center Blvd., I was just hoping to pinpoint an ideal time to “thread the needle” and slip in after morning rush hour but before the cruise ship crush. Sounds like 10:00 might be too late?

 

[DCLPrincess]

@Minnie352 I'd love to hear your thoughts on the cruise. Would you do it again? Any special characters or merch? Is getting to the port relatively easy?

 

[TestingH2O]

I heard people say they were told to schlep their big bags, but perhaps they didnt park in the Erato garage. There wasnt any general bag takers out front of the terminal.

Any idea how someone not driving themselves would go about checking bags? Obviously we won't be using the garage for the WBPC in a few weeks.

 

[Minnie352]

Thanks. We have lived in NOLA for the past 25 years but have never sailed out of the Port of New Orleans before.

Given the state of Convention Center Blvd., I was just hoping to pinpoint an ideal time to “thread the needle” and slip in after morning rush hour but before the cruise ship crush. Sounds like 10:00 might be too late?

Thanks. We have lived in NOLA for the past 25 years but have never sailed out of the Port of New Orleans before.

Given the state of Convention Center Blvd., I was just hoping to pinpoint an ideal time to “thread the needle” and slip in after morning rush hour but before the cruise ship crush. Sounds like 10:00 might be too late?

I understood from my TA that the port garage opened at 10am, so we tried to arrive about that time. We appeared to be some of the first parkers about 1015 when we got there. I think that was about ideal, and we were able to board about 1115am ( we were in group 1).
We felt any earlier start risks more workday commuter traffic and risk of having to wait for the garage to open in a city we weren't familiar with.

 

[Minnie352]

Any idea how someone not driving themselves would go about checking bags? Obviously we won't be using the garage for the WBPC in a few weeks.

If you're flying into New Orleans you would use the bag tags that Disney gives you to check them through to DCL. Otherwise, if you're using Disney atransportation to the port that morning, ise the DCL tags and the bus driver should manage them.

 

[squirk]

I understood from my TA that the port garage opened at 10am, so we tried to arrive about that time. We appeared to be some of the first parkers about 1015 when we got there. I think that was about ideal, and we were able to board about 1115am ( we were in group 1).
We felt any earlier start risks more workday commuter traffic and risk of having to wait for the garage to open in a city we weren't familiar with.

Thanks. That whole section of I-10 is always a mess, even on days when there isn’t a ship in port. The off-ramps dump you onto very slow-moving streets, and there’s also been a lot of construction near the port that slows things down even more.

 

[TestingH2O]

If you're flying into New Orleans you would use the bag tags that Disney gives you to check them through to DCL. Otherwise, if you're using Disney atransportation to the port that morning, ise the DCL tags and the bus driver should manage them.

None of the above. We are going to grab an Uber.

 

[Minnie352]

@Minnie352 I'd love to hear your thoughts on the cruise. Would you do it again? Any special characters or merch? Is getting to the port relatively easy?

Yes, getting to the port was very easy (just a lot of traffic in the heart of the city). I used driving directions on the Port of New Orleans website to the Erato Street garage.
We absolutely loved the cruise, and had never been on the Wonder. It was lovely. We especially loved Tiana's Place dining room and those 2 shows. Lots of cruisers from New Orleans on board.
Being operations nerds, we LOVED going down the Mississippi River and seeing where it meets the gulf. Felt different to be on the river. It took about 8 hours to reach the pilot spot near the mouth of the river. We also got some gorgeous photos of the city and bridge at sunset. Would absolutely do the cruise again.
There wasnt a lot of special NOLA merchandise... some hurricane-style glasses with logo and an inaugural shirt. They could have done more with merchandise. Didnt see any special characters.

 

[o&smom]

Yes, getting to the port was very easy (just a lot of traffic in the heart of the city). I used driving directions on the Port of New Orleans website to the Erato Street garage.
We absolutely loved the cruise, and had never been on the Wonder. It was lovely. We especially loved Tiana's Place dining room and those 2 shows. Lots of cruisers from New Orleans on board.
Being operations nerds, we LOVED going down the Mississippi River and seeing where it meets the gulf. Felt different to be on the river. It took about 8 hours to reach the pilot spot near the mouth of the river. We also got some gorgeous photos of the city and bridge at sunset. Would absolutely do the cruise again.
There wasnt a lot of special NOLA merchandise... some hurricane-style glasses with logo and an inaugural shirt. They could have done more with merchandise. Didnt see any special characters.

We are leaving out of NOLA on the WBPC cruise in a few weeks and somehow it just hit me a couple of weeks ago that we would be cruising down the Mississippi. A dream since I was a kid; even though I thought it would be on a different kind of boat. So excited to hear that it will be about eight hours to get to the Gulf! Cannot wait for the different feeling of being on a river vs. an ocean. That was something that really stood out on our first PC cruise - just the realization of being on a ship on a lake. So cool.

 

[DisneYE]

I'm happy to answer any other questions.

Hi there...how was the adult entertainment? who was the club host? was he/she good?
what about cruise director?
We'll be sailing out of NOLA in 3 weeks as well so I'm guessing we'll have the same as you did.

Thanks for chiming in and sharing your experience..

 

[TestingH2O]

Hi there...how was the adult entertainment? who was the club host? was he/she good?
what about cruise director?
We'll be sailing out of NOLA in 3 weeks as well so I'm guessing we'll have the same as you did.

Thanks for chiming in and sharing your experience..

Not OP

Ashley is the current CD and is scheduled to be through the PC.

Current host is Darrell but rumor has it that it will be Deano for the PC.

 

[DisneYE]

Not OP

Ashley is the current CD and is scheduled to be through the PC.

Current host is Darrell but rumor has it that it will be Deano for the PC.

Thank you.
We've sailed with Ashley and I think she's really good.
Don't think we ever had Deano or Darrell, any comments about them? Any good?

 

[TestingH2O]

Thank you.
We've sailed with Ashley and I think she's really good.
Don't think we ever had Deano or Darrell, any comments about them? Any good?

I've never had either. Sorry.

 

[Minnie352]

Hi there...how was the adult entertainment? who was the club host? was he/she good?
what about cruise director?
We'll be sailing out of NOLA in 3 weeks as well so I'm guessing we'll have the same as you did.

Thanks for chiming in and sharing your experience..

Happy to help! Adult entertainment was great! Deano from Ireland was the Club Host. We'd never had him before but he had a very good sense of humor. Cruise Director was Ashley. She was good, and enthusiastic! (Do they go to a school to learn all those surperlatives?!)
We had the 3 usual shows in the theatre (Golden Mickeys, Frozen, and Dreams) and the other entertainers were Kyle and Mistie Knight (Magic), Taylor Mason (comedy and ventriloquism), David Aiken ("Checkerboard Guy" juggles, comedy).

 

[Minnie352]

None of the above. We are going to grab an Uber.

Gotcha. I guess my only other suggestion would be to call DCL and ask them, OR since the garage is so close you could take your luggage to the 3rd floor and give it to them there (last resort? Lol) They should have porters out front and perhaps they're working out the new port kinks.

 

[plygph]

For those of you using a ride share service while I cannot speak to a DCL cruise I have done the same on a CCL cruise. Your ride can drop you at the terminal doors and the luggage service is there to take your luggage and send you merrily on your way to their version of TSA. Then to the check in area where you will pick up your credentials. Then to the ship and in Mickey’s words on with the show.

Have a great time. For we too will be escaping the madness of Mardi Gras in our fair metropolis as we will be at Aulani.

My 2 cents

 

[squirk]

Have a great time. For we too will be escaping the madness of Mardi Gras in our fair metropolis as we will be at Aulani.

We discovered long ago that Mardi Gras is the best week to vacation, because nobody else is out of school, so it's "off-season" for the cruise lines and the parks.

Aulani = Thxgiving

 

[shoes99]

None of the above. We are going to grab an Uber.

We also just returned. We took a flat rate taxi from the airport to the Omni Riverfront. Flat rate for two $36, I gave him $50 since we had four pieces of luggage. Addl persons are $15 . Huber XL was $80+ so research both for your party.