MEET THE CEREMONY. We kick off a new ship’s career with a naming ceremony and ours are one part tradition and a lotta parts fun! On the tradition end, we get dignitaries like Mardi Gras' godmother, Miss Dominican Republic Kimberly Jiménez, and our own Chief Fun Officer Shaq to help make sure the champagne bottle gets broken just right for good luck. Join us in New Orleans for a Mardi Gras celebration unlike any other. Let the good times roll with two incredible options designed to elevate your experience. Enjoy the electrifying parade and unlimited cocktails from reserved stadium seating on the street, or upgrade to balcony access featuring a buffet and open bar. Whether you’re whooping it up on Bourbon Street, listening to the Jackson Square trumpeters, or hearing the ghosts whisper at eerie St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, spending extra time in the Big Easy is a must when cruising from New Orleans. Time your NOLA cruise right, and you can step out with the parades of Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras. Cruises. New Orleans Mardi Gras: March 2025; MayDaze: May 2025; Danube Delights River Cruise: July 2025; Best of Holland & Belgium + Amsterdam Gay Pride: July 2025; New England & Canada: Sept 2025; VACAYA CARIBBEAN CRUISE: FEB 2026; Hollywood Sunsets & Mexican Horizons: April 2026; Links. Follow us on Facebook! Join “BearCruise Sailors At the end of the cruise, VACAYA has an incredible 4-night post-cruise stay in New Orleans available for purchase, as well. Those 4 nights are packed with nearly everything you could ever want from a Mardi Gras experience – grandstand seating for the best parades (Endymion, Bacchus, Zulu, and Rex), delicious food, bayou fun, transfers All-Inclusive Caribbean and Mardi Gras in New Orleans 19 NIGHTS. 31 Jan 2026. CRUISE ID: T009484. Cruise Ship Rating 1-night New Orleans pre-cruise stay MEET THE CEREMONY. We kick off a new ship’s career with a naming ceremony and ours are one part tradition and a lotta parts fun! On the tradition end, we get dignitaries like Mardi Gras' godmother, Miss Dominican Republic Kimberly Jiménez, and our own Chief Fun Officer Shaq to help make sure the champagne bottle gets broken just right for good luck. The biggest party in New Orleans every year is Mardi Gras and it’s also one of the best times to cruise! New Orleans is one of the most unique cities in the country and it is home to some of the best Mardi Gras celebrations year after year. From the parades to the carnival balls, there’s so much to see and do in the city during Mardi Gras. VACAYA sails for 7 adventure-filled nights from New Orleans February 22-March 1, 2025 and returns to The Big Easy just in time for Mardi Gras Weekend! This all-LGBT+ cruise marks the first big-ship gay cruise from New Orleans in over 20 years and will provide VACAYA guests with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Also visit Cozumel, Mexico, George Town, Grand Cayman, and Yucatan (Progresso), Mexico. New Orleans has been famed for this celebration since 1835 - there is a truly incredible history here. Eating and drinking If there's one type of food that you have to try during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, it's king cake. This iced Danish-type doughnut is outrageously sweet, very much in keeping with the spirit of the festival itself. Nashville, Memphis, Mardi Gras in New Orleans & Western Caribbean 16 NIGHTS. 15 Feb 2022. CRUISE ID: T00203. Cruise Ship Rating 1 Night Pre-Cruise Stay Find and plan your next cruise from Tampa to New Orleans on Cruise Critic. We offer a wide selection of departure dates for cruises from Tampa to New Orleans with popular cruise lines. Find a Cruise
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