Baltimore 2022

[BillOh]

I'm currently booked on a cruise on  Enchantment out of Baltimore next year.  I've had several cruises canceled (I know, haven't we all?)  I pushed out my next cruise till May of next year and am mainly putting it out of my mind, but thought I'd start this thread, subscribe to it and check periodically.  

 

We will probably drive the 400 miles from our Ohio home.  What are you hotel near the port and parking recommendations?  All experiences/opinions  welcome- 

[Tony O]

https://www.trinityreservations.com

[shipgeeks]

If you choose to park at the port (not at your hotel), you will find it an excellent experience!  All the steps along the way are staffed and helpful.  As you enter you will be asked "drop off passengers or park?", and then directed to the correct lane.  There is a tent for luggage tags, in case you need some.  Then you go to the luggage dropoff.  They will direct you to parking.  You pay on the way in, with cash or credit card ($15 a day, I believe).  You will be directed to a parking spot.  Just grab your carryons (with your documents!) and walk into the terminal.

I understand some hotels have parking, and shuttles to the port, so that is an option, too.

As you sail out, you will have a nice view of many interesting and historic elements of the Chesapeake, including watching the ship pass under the bridges.  It always feels like we'll never make it.

[kochleffel]

For a cruise from Baltimore next year, I also plan to drive to the port, but from about 250 miles away. Because it's winter, I'll probably drive most of the way the afternoon before, stay outside Baltimore, and drive to the cruise terminal on embarkation day. It's close enough to drive the same day, but I won't take that chance with the weather. Parking at the cruise terminal is relatively inexpensive, at least compared to the Manhattan cruise terminal.

[rkacruiser]

On 9/18/2021 at 3:51 PM, BillOh said:

All experiences/opinions  welcome- 

 

Greetings fellow Buckeye!

 

I have family in Greenbelt, Maryland, close to I-95, and stayed there the day before I sailed on Carnival Pride.  It was a Sunday sailing; traffic was not an issue.  BUT!  Driving off Northbound I-95 on to the exit for the street that leads to the Port of Baltimore, there is a "nook and cranny" right at the end of the exit ramp just the right size for a Baltimore Police Car to waiting for those who ignore the sudden and rapid drop in the speed limit for that area.  The officer would be partially hidden until "it would be too late".  Be careful and be observant of the speed limit signs.  

 

shipgeeks post is what I experienced as well.  The parking situation at the Port has been well thought out and very easy for the guests to manage.  

 

The sailaway through the Port of Baltimore and through the Chesapeake Bay provides a quite different sailaway.  While late at night, trying to see when your ship makes the transition from the Tidewater area into the Atlantic at the Chesapeake Bay/Bridge Tunnel was something that I wanted to do.  (I had driven on the Bay/Bridge Tunnel several times; thought it would be interesting to see the area from a different perspective.)  I succeeded.  

 

On 9/19/2021 at 10:54 AM, shipgeeks said:

If you choose to park at the port (not at your hotel), you will find it an excellent experience!  All the steps along the way are staffed and helpful.  As you enter you will be asked "drop off passengers or park?", and then directed to the correct lane.  There is a tent for luggage tags, in case you need some.  Then you go to the luggage dropoff.  They will direct you to parking.  You pay on the way in, with cash or credit card ($15 a day, I believe).  You will be directed to a parking spot.  Just grab your carryons (with your documents!) and walk into the terminal.

I understand some hotels have parking, and shuttles to the port, so that is an option, too.

As you sail out, you will have a nice view of many interesting and historic elements of the Chesapeake, including watching the ship pass under the bridges.  It always feels like we'll never make it.

 

[leen50]

On 9/18/2021 at 3:51 PM, BillOh said:

We will probably drive the 400 miles from our Ohio home.  What are you hotel near the port and parking recommendations?  All experiences/opinions  welcome- 

We are leaving on Sunday 10/10/2021. Staying at the hampton inn baltimore bayview campus. Driving on Saturday from Ann Arbor, MI. Parking at the port-10 minutes away. I will review when we return.

[BillOh]

1 hour ago, leen50 said:

We are leaving on Sunday 10/10/2021. Staying at the hampton inn baltimore bayview campus. Driving on Saturday from Ann Arbor, MI. Parking at the port-10 minutes away. I will review when we return.

I'll look forward to reading about it.  

[Laurab23]

On 9/21/2021 at 10:37 AM, leen50 said:

We are leaving on Sunday 10/10/2021. Staying at the hampton inn baltimore bayview campus. Driving on Saturday from Ann Arbor, MI. Parking at the port-10 minutes away. I will review when we return.

I also want to hear about it.

[Janet524]

Baltimore is the easiest port to get in and out of.  The drop off of luggage and parking is quick and efficient and the terminal is easy to walk to after parking.  It's about a 3-1/2 hour drive from Williamsburg.  We like to stay at one of the hotels near the Inner Harbor or "Little Italy."  If there is time, we enjoy the Baltimore Aquarium at the Inner Harbor.  If you haven't been there, it is worth the time to visit.  

[leen50]

On 9/28/2021 at 10:33 PM, Laurab23 said:

I also want to hear about it.

Just back from our cruise. Stayed at Hampton inn Bayview. Absolutely perfect. Clean, quiet, great breakfast & 8 minute drive to dock. Right behind Wawa convenience store.

[edrussell]

My first post (if I am jumping in too late on this thread please do let me know).  Does anyone happen to know the height requirements for the parking garages if any?  I will be driving my beast of a truck, F-350 and it has trouble fitting into some garages.  Thanks so much!

[leen50]

53 minutes ago, edrussell said:

My first post (if I am jumping in too late on this thread please do let me know).  Does anyone happen to know the height requirements for the parking garages if any?  I will be driving my beast of a truck, F-350 and it has trouble fitting into some garages.  Thanks so much!

We docked at the port, don't think there are many indoor lots. We parked so close to the ship, we could have driven onto our balcony!

[edrussell]

Thanks for the info I really appreciate it.

[navybankerteacher]

On 9/19/2021 at 6:59 PM, kochleffel said:

For a cruise from Baltimore next year, I also plan to drive to the port, but from about 250 miles away. Because it's winter, I'll probably drive most of the way the afternoon before, stay outside Baltimore, and drive to the cruise terminal on embarkation day. It's close enough to drive the same day, but I won't take that chance with the weather. Parking at the cruise terminal is relatively inexpensive, at least compared to the Manhattan cruise terminal.

Good thinking - we sailed from Baltimore in February a couple of years ago - taking Amtrak from CT the day before.  Wet snow all over the place would have made driving down on embarkation day a nightmare.  Never worth the hassle  to drive more than a few miles on embarkation day.  Even though a lot of folks say driving the day before "is not an option".  It ALWAYS is an option -  the intelligent option.

[BillOh]

Hello folks, first time I've visited the thread in awhile, been putting cruising out of my mind as we have had so many canceled, but finally a few friends have cruises and as of today, Enchantment is headed to Baltimore for her test cruises this weekend. 

 

We have actually booked our hotel.

 

Courtyard by Marriott Baltimore Downtown/McHenry Row

1803 Porter Street
Baltimore

[Giantfan13]

We are also sailing out of Baltimore this Sunday. We have sailed from here several times already and it is a breeze.

If you are on a longer cruise, say 10 days or more, you might want to look into several places that have a stay and park feature. where you can spend a night, either pre cruise or post cruise, and you can park your car there for free. They usually have a free shuttle that will take you to the ship and pick you up afterwards. We stayed at a Days Inn a couple of times. Not the nicest motel, but it was clean, very nice breakfast and excellent shuttle service.

 

Airport Hotels With Free Parking & Transfers | BuyReservations

 

BTW, if anyone is interested in history, be sure to visit Fort McHenry. 

 

Cheers

Len

[elsie3939]

Sailing on Enchantment Feb 5th, 17th and 25th.  Anyone else on one of these cruises?

 

[njhorseman]

54 minutes ago, elsie3939 said:

Sailing on Enchantment Feb 5th, 17th and 25th.  Anyone else on one of these cruises?

 

There are roll calls for each of those cruises on the Royal Caribbean Roll Call board for the ship:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/172-enchantment-of-the-seas-roll-calls/

[shipgeeks]

We'll see you on the first one, Elsie!

[Janet524]

On 12/26/2021 at 11:59 AM, elsie3939 said:

Sailing on Enchantment Feb 5th, 17th and 25th.  Anyone else on one of these cruises?

 

We are on the February 5 cruise.  I see you are just down I-64 from us.  Are you driving up the night before?

[pxy cda]

On 10/28/2021 at 6:35 PM, edrussell said:

My first post (if I am jumping in too late on this thread please do let me know).  Does anyone happen to know the height requirements for the parking garages if any?  I will be driving my beast of a truck, F-350 and it has trouble fitting into some garages.  Thanks so much!

Hi Ed  I am wondering  if you drove straight through or if you layed up the night

prior.  If so, I'd be interested in where you stayed and the route you took to port and parking experience.  

We would be coming down from oakville via Niagara  so any tips welcome.

 

[edrussell]

On our trip to Baltimore we stopped for the night in Batavia, NY.  If for no other reason than it was our first land crossing during the pandemic.  We had no idea what fresh hell a land crossing would bring.  Turns out it only took less than a minute so stopping so close to the border was not necessary.  In either case we shopped a bit and relaxed.  The next day we went on to Baltimore and stayed the night there.  If I had my time back I'd have not bothered to stay the night across the border and have left the next morning and driven on through to Baltimore in one day.

 

After disembarkation we drove straight back to the border and crossed on that evening.  It was a bit of a drive but years of RV'ing has enabled me to drive for 12 hours in one stretch without issue (our drive time back from Baltimore was about 7 hours give or take).

 

Our route was via the app Waze, but I've driven through that area of NY and PA for years past so it was familiar roads.  I cannot recall the exact route, but it was mostly interstate the entire way.  Past Corning, NY, then into PA and on to MD.

 

Parking was a non-issue at the port as it is an outside parking lot.  Although if it were not for Covid I'd have found a hotel with parking and grabbed a Uber or a hotel with a shuttle.  

 

From Oakville via the Peace Bridge (I personally only cross the border at the Peace Bridge) it is an easy drive.  Watch the weather closely as coming through PA you can hit weather.  You will be fine.  There are tolls along the way but if you have an EZ Pass you won't get dinged nearly as bad as the 407.

 

Hit me up via a PM if you have specific questions beyond that.  Enjoy your sailing!

 

Edited February 5, 2022 by edrussell

[pxy cda]

14 hours ago, edrussell said:

On our trip to Baltimore we stopped for the night in Batavia, NY.  If for no other reason than it was our first land crossing during the pandemic.  We had no idea what fresh hell a land crossing would bring.  Turns out it only took less than a minute so stopping so close to the border was not necessary.  In either case we shopped a bit and relaxed.  The next day we went on to Baltimore and stayed the night there.  If I had my time back I'd have not bothered to stay the night across the border and have left the next morning and driven on through to Baltimore in one day.

 

After disembarkation we drove straight back to the border and crossed on that evening.  It was a bit of a drive but years of RV'ing has enabled me to drive for 12 hours in one stretch without issue (our drive time back from Baltimore was about 7 hours give or take).

 

Our route was via the app Waze, but I've driven through that area of NY and PA for years past so it was familiar roads.  I cannot recall the exact route, but it was mostly interstate the entire way.  Past Corning, NY, then into PA and on to MD.

 

Parking was a non-issue at the port as it is an outside parking lot.  Although if it were not for Covid I'd have found a hotel with parking and grabbed a Uber or a hotel with a shuttle.  

 

From Oakville via the Peace Bridge (I personally only cross the border at the Peace Bridge) it is an easy drive.  Watch the weather closely as coming through PA you can hit weather.  You will be fine.  There are tolls along the way but if you have an EZ Pass you won't get dinged nearly as bad as the 407.

 

Hit me up via a PM if you have specific questions beyond that.  Enjoy your sailing!

 

Thanks Ed that's helpful to have current info.  I've done my share of road trips but I've learned to break up my drive if it's over 7 to 8 hours.  I've drove to indy for F1 races, baltimore many years ago and a few trips to Halifax.  Best drive I ever had was grand Canyon to vegas through Oatman via the old route 66.  What a drive!  We will be September so no weather issues.  Will probably get across the border weds  night and drive to Towson  or Elkridge for a Thurs night stay so we just have a hours drive to port the next day.

 

 

[0106]

You may want to stay at one of the hotels near BWI that would allow you to park for free.  Closer and cheaper Uber than Towson area.

[CM1984]

On 9/18/2021 at 4:39 PM, Tony O said:

https://www.trinityreservations.com

We are going to book a park, sleep, cruise hotel.  How was your experience with this website?