Final port - Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise

[BaumD]

Taking the Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise in a few months from Charleston to Jacksonville. I called a few months ago ans ACL assured me the cruise ends in Jacksonville. Now the website say:

Day 8
Jacksonville, FL Area (Amelia Island)

Where do you get off the ship on the last morning, Amelia Island or Jacksonville? I know they are close (maybe a 45 minute drive)

[RRFPresident]

1 hour ago, BaumD said:

Taking the Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise in a few months from Charleston to Jacksonville. I called a few months ago ans ACL assured me the cruise ends in Jacksonville. Now the website say:

Day 8
Jacksonville, FL Area (Amelia Island)

Where do you get off the ship on the last morning, Amelia Island or Jacksonville? I know they are close (maybe a 45 minute drive)

 

Amelia Island (also sometimes written as Fernandina Beach, FL) is the last regular port visit. Then you sail over to Jacksonville and disembark there. Here's how our itinerary from a few weeks ago reads: Arrive: Fernandina Beach, FL 8AM, depart same day at 9:30PM. Arrive in Jacksonville 3:00AM the next day and disembark in Jacksonville 5 hours later at 8AM. If you're looking to fly out right after your cruise, you'll be docking in Jacksonville, a 30 minute drive from the airport. Put more stock in the paperwork you get from ACL than what the website reads. Our cruise started in Baltimore and the website still says our first port was St. Michaels MD. Instead we went to where our paperwork listed, Yorktown VA.

[BaumD]

Trying to decide where to stay after the cruise, at Amelia Island or Downtown Jax. Don't want to make reservations in Amelia and find out we get off in Jax (vis-a-versa also).

[RRFPresident]

2 hours ago, BaumD said:

Trying to decide where to stay after the cruise, at Amelia Island or Downtown Jax. Don't want to make reservations in Amelia and find out we get off in Jax (vis-a-versa also).

You should be okay to make the reservation in Jacksonville. That's where we disembarked from on the last day.

[DaveinCharlotte]

RRF - Regarding your departure from Baltimore:  Where exactly was your embarkation point?

 

We will be leaving Baltimore on holiday Chesapeake Bay cruise Dec 23.  Got paperwork from ACL saying "Pier 5" -- then came a letter saying "disregard previous instructions, ship will now be leaving from...Pier 5" (?!). OK, guess it's Pier 5.  But we will be trudging on foot over a mile from the rail station with carry-on luggage (maybe through the snow!) and Pier 5 looks to be pretty big on google maps.

 

BaumD - Have been thinking about Jacksonville-based cruise for several years.  It was only earlier this year that ACL web site changed to that ambiguous "Amelia Island/Jacksonville" phrasing.  Glad to find out debarkation is still Jacksonville.    

[RRFPresident]

2 hours ago, DaveinCharlotte said:

RRF - Regarding your departure from Baltimore:  Where exactly was your embarkation point?

 

We will be leaving Baltimore on holiday Chesapeake Bay cruise Dec 23.  Got paperwork from ACL saying "Pier 5" -- then came a letter saying "disregard previous instructions, ship will now be leaving from...Pier 5" (?!). OK, guess it's Pier 5.  But we will be trudging on foot over a mile from the rail station with carry-on luggage (maybe through the snow!) and Pier 5 looks to be pretty big on google maps.

Pier 5 is the name of the hotel downtown. Here's the address for the hotel we were given and the one we gave to our hired car company: Pier 5 Hotel 711 Eastern Avenue Baltimore MD 21202. The ship is docked behind the hotel so you will have to walk around the outside of the hotel to reach the ship. 

 

Can I ask why you plan to make the trek from Penn Station to Pier 5 Hotel on foot? I would advise you to take a taxi or uber/hired car despite the short distance not only for the weather and distance but also for safety.

[DaveinCharlotte]

6 hours ago, RRFPresident said:

Can I ask why you plan to make the trek from Penn Station to Pier 5 Hotel on foot?

 

Just said "rail station," not Penn Station -- sorry for not being clear.  We are planning on taking the MTA Light Raillink from BWI to the Convention Center station on Pratt St, which is just 0.9 miles from Pier 5, a lot closer than Penn Station.  This will be at mid-day, so don't see a safety issue.  But I see your point.  Thanks for the input.

[OCruisers]

Hoping to hear back on if you enjoyed and if it was "worth it" to you.  ????