Good to Know
BYOB, done right
The boats bring the captain, the sound system, and the bayou. You bring the cooler. Here's how to pack it like you've done this before.
Good to Know
The boats bring the captain, the sound system, and the bayou. You bring the cooler. Here's how to pack it like you've done this before.
The Checklist
Drinks + a cooler with ice. The whole point. Cans and pouches beat glass on a moving deck; a good rule is a drink per person per hour plus a water each. Sunscreen and sunglasses, because bayou glare comes off the water at you twice. A hat that won't fly, since the breeze on open water has opinions. Phone lanyard or dry pouch: the bayou keeps what it catches. A light layer for sunset cruises, when the water cools things faster than you'd expect.
Leave at the dock: glass, glitter and confetti (the herons don't want it), your own speaker, and pets. And wear the life jacket when the captain says so; the U.S. Coast Guard's recreational boating stats make the case better than any lecture.
Food
Finger food travels well: chips, a sandwich ring, king cake if it's carnival season. If you'd rather the food be handled for you, the sunset cruise with a seafood boil exists precisely so nobody has to pack a cooler of crawfish themselves.
Weather calls: cruises run rain or shine unless conditions are genuinely unsafe, and the captain makes that call, not the group chat. Peek at the National Weather Service New Orleans forecast the night before and pack the poncho question away.
Good to Know
Yes, the bayou party boats are BYOB. Bring your own drinks and a cooler with ice; the boat provides the captain, sound system, and route. Cans and plastic travel better than glass.
Glass that can shatter on deck, your own giant speaker (the boat's system wins), confetti or glitter that ends up in the bayou, and pets. Leave anything you'd cry about dropping overboard.
The larger boats do, and cruises are short enough that it's rarely an issue. Check the boat's listing when you book.
Pick a boat, pick a date, and the bayou handles the rest.
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