By Marissa Prejean
Oct 15, 2026 ·
Louisiana families have 3 easy ways to take a cruise: sail right from the Port of New Orleans, drive about 6 hours to Galveston, or fly about 2 hours to Florida. Each one comes with a different mix of ships, travel time, and cost, and the best fit depends on your family.
I'm a New Orleans girl at heart, and I've sailed every Disney Cruise Line ship that has home-ported in the US, including the Disney Magic out of Galveston, and several of Royal Caribbean's biggest ships. Here's how I help Louisiana families choose.
Ready to plan? Call me or a member of my team at (337) 257-7294.
Your 3 options at a glance
Compare | Option 1: No travel | Option 2: Drive to Galveston | Option 3: Fly to Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
Sails from | Port of New Orleans | Port of Galveston | Port Canaveral or Fort Lauderdale |
Getting there | Across town | About 360 miles, 5½ to 6 hours | About 2 hours nonstop on Southwest |
Hotel night before? | No | No, if you leave by about 5 a.m. | Yes, fly in the night before |
Ships this season (2026–27) | Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas | Disney Magic, Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas | Disney Wish, Royal Caribbean's Utopia, Star, and Legend of the Seas |
Best for | The simplest trip possible | First Disney cruise, younger kids, skipping the flight | Kids 10 and up, the newest and biggest ships |
Ships change homeports from season to season. I update this page as new lineups are announced.
Option 1: Sail from New Orleans
Getting there: across town. You skip the flight, the hotel night, and the 5 a.m. alarm.
This season's ship: Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas, sailing 7-night Western Caribbean cruises every Saturday in winter 2026–27, with stops like Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica.
Best for: families who want the simplest trip possible and would rather put the budget into the cruise than into getting to it.
Good to know: Mariner is a Voyager-class ship, smaller than Royal Caribbean's newest ships. If your kids have their hearts set on the giant ones, look at Option 3.
Option 2: Drive to Galveston
Getting there: about 360 miles on I-10 through Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Houston, roughly 5½ to 6 hours without traffic. Houston is the wildcard, so build in a cushion.
Hotel night before? Not needed. Leave super early, around 5:00 a.m., and you'll be in Galveston by late morning, well before afternoon sail-away.
My bonus tip: reserve your Galveston cruise parking online well in advance. The good spots DO sell out, and you don't want to spend embarkation morning circling the port looking for a space.
Disney Magic: best for first-time Disney cruisers and younger kids
The Disney Magic sails from Galveston each winter, roughly November through April. I've sailed it out of Galveston, and I still love its classic charm. It's great for first-time Disney Cruise families, especially with younger children. Super charming, high-touch service, and a true Disney classic. I would not overlook it.
Royal Caribbean: short getaways now, Icon of the Seas in 2027
This winter, Liberty of the Seas sails 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston, with stops like Cozumel and Costa Maya. Starting in August 2027, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas moves to Galveston with 6- to 8-night Caribbean cruises. That's an Icon-class ship within driving distance of Louisiana for the first time.
Option 3: Fly to Florida
Getting there: Southwest flies nonstop from New Orleans to Orlando (for Port Canaveral) and to Fort Lauderdale, about 2 hours in the air either way.
Hotel night before? Yes, always. A delayed flight should never be the reason you miss the boat. That adds a hotel night and a day of your trip, so count it when you compare flying with the drive to Galveston.
Disney Wish: my pick for kids 10 and up
If it fits your budget, this is my pick for a Louisiana family: fly from New Orleans to Orlando and sail the Wish from Port Canaveral. It's larger than the Magic with more to do. I love the Hero Zone for older kids, and boys in particular. They can play basketball, ping pong, and other games, and do the inflatable Hero Zone activities that come up from time to time.
The Wish sails 3- and 4-night Bahamas cruises from Port Canaveral through April 2027, then heads to Europe for summer 2027.
Utopia and Star of the Seas: the big Royal Caribbean ships
Both sail from Port Canaveral. I've sailed both, and families have fun on both. Utopia (Oasis class) sails 3- and 4-night cruises. Star (Icon class) sails 7-night cruises.
Legend of the Seas: the newest Icon-class ship
Legend is a sister to Icon and Star and starts sailing from Fort Lauderdale in November 2026, with 6- and 8-night Caribbean cruises.
Why I love the Perfect Day at CocoCay stop
Utopia, Star, and Legend all stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. I've visited Royal Caribbean's beautiful private island multiple times, and it's always a wonderful day. It's the perfect family beach day, with water slides, zip lining, and an adults-only section when the grown-ups need a break.
How do I choose?
Start with your travel style, then the calendar. These are the 3 questions I hear most from Louisiana families.
Choosing between | Pick this one if... | Pick this one if... |
|---|---|---|
Disney Wish or Disney Magic | Wish: your kids are 10 and up, and you want the bigger ship with more to do | Magic: it's your first Disney cruise or your kids are younger, and you'd rather drive |
Drive to Galveston or fly to Florida | Drive: you'd rather set an early alarm than pay for an extra hotel night | Fly: you want the Wish or an Icon-class ship and don't mind adding a night |
Star or Utopia | Star: you want a full 7 nights | Utopia: you want a 3- or 4-night getaway |
On Star versus Utopia, families have fun on both, so I'd go with whichever lines up with your budget, availability, and dates.
Planning around school breaks
Louisiana school breaks don't always line up with the cruise calendar, so I put together a guide for each one with every sailing that fits:
Mardi Gras break 2027: Mardi Gras Break 2027 Cruises from New Orleans
Easter break 2027: coming soon
School-break sailings fill first, so the earlier you reach out, the more choices you'll have.
Our exclusive perks
When you plan your cruise with Castles and Cruises Travel Company, you get extras you won't get reserving on your own.
Cruise line | Your perk | Which sailings |
|---|---|---|
Disney Cruise Line | Our exclusive Magical Bonus Bucks, a booking gift to spend on your Disney cruise | Every Disney Cruise Line sailing |
Royal Caribbean | Onboard credit through our agency perks | Most sailings. Ask us about yours |
Please call us for the details on your sailing. Either way, you'll have someone in your corner from your first question to the day you're home.
How to plan with us
Talk with me or any advisor on my team:
Call: (337) 257-7294
Website: Visit castlesandcruisestravel.com to request a free quote.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Weekends by appointment.
Here's how it works:
Discovery call. Tell us who's traveling, your dates, and what your family loves.
Custom proposal. We send your options with quotes, side by side.
Confirm the plan. We reserve your cruise and add your perks.
Trip planning. Dining, excursions, parking, flights, and hotels, all lined up.
Travel support. We're a phone call away while you're gone.
Two heads are better than one. Not to worry, we'll be here every step of the way.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take a cruise from New Orleans? Yes. Royal Caribbean sails from the Port of New Orleans. This winter it's Mariner of the Seas, with 7-night Western Caribbean cruises every Saturday.
How far is Galveston from New Orleans? About 360 miles on I-10, roughly 5½ to 6 hours without traffic. Leave early and you can drive in the same day you sail.
Is it better to drive to Galveston or fly to Florida? Drive if you want to skip the extra hotel night. Fly if you want the Disney Wish or an Icon-class ship, and arrive the night before.
Which Disney cruise is best for older kids? The Disney Wish. The Hero Zone gives kids 10 and up basketball, ping pong, games, and inflatable activities.
Is the Disney Magic still worth it? Absolutely. It's a true Disney classic with high-touch service, and it's a great fit for first-time Disney Cruise families with younger children.
Do you offer perks on Disney and Royal Caribbean cruises? Yes. Every Disney Cruise Line sailing planned with us includes our exclusive Magical Bonus Bucks, and most Royal Caribbean sailings include an onboard credit through our agency perks.
About the author: Marissa Prejean is the owner of Castles and Cruises Travel Company and C&C World Travel, based in Louisiana (New Orleans and Lafayette) and serving families nationwide. She has sailed every Disney Cruise Line ship that has home-ported in the US, plus Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas. Castles and Cruises Travel Company is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner agency, Earmarked Gold, and Universal Preferred Gold, with a 5.0 rating across 175+ Google reviews. Marissa completed Disney's College of Disney Knowledge for 2026. C&C World Travel is a member of Virtuoso.
