NCL in Baltimore

[shipgeeks]

A poster on a RC roll call stated that NCL is hoping to schedule cruises from Baltimore, possibly beginning in 2024.

This raises a number of questions for me.

Can the Port accommodate three cruise lines, including parking?

Do both Carnival and RC almost always sail full?  (I'm pretty sure RC does, apart from  covid exceptions.)

Might either of those lines leave Baltimore?

Would you sail NCL from Baltimore?  (We would not.)

Is there a different line you would prefer, if another one could be accommodated?  (Our preference would be MSC.)

Any other thoughts?

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

..

Would you sail NCL from Baltimore?  (We would not.)

Is there a different line you would prefer, if another one could be accommodated?  (Our preference would be MSC.)

Any other thoughts?

I do not think I would sail NCL from New Haven or Stamford, let alone Baltimore.  It is bad enough that they come close to dominating the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
 

I did sail RC from Baltimore once - and might think about Celebrity or HAL in future, but not likely Carnival.

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

A poster on a RC roll call stated that NCL is hoping to schedule cruises from Baltimore, possibly beginning in 2024.

This raises a number of questions for me.

Can the Port accommodate three cruise lines, including parking?

Do both Carnival and RC almost always sail full?  (I'm pretty sure RC does, apart from  covid exceptions.)

Might either of those lines leave Baltimore?

Would you sail NCL from Baltimore?  (We would not.)

Is there a different line you would prefer, if another one could be accommodated?  (Our preference would be MSC.)

Any other thoughts?

 

Good questions, particularly with regard to the parking situation.  The lot handles the cars of the guests of two cruise lines very well.  But, three?  

 

No interest of mine on any NCL sailings from Baltimore.  MSC?  Yes.  Having sailed on Carnival Pride, I wouldn't mind doing that again.  Sailing on RCCL?  Yes, I would consider them as well as HAL or Celebrity or Princess.  The main issue, from what little I know, is a "bridge" issue for ships to sail under to reach the Port of Baltimore.  There are fewer and fewer vessels that can manage to do that.

 

And, then, there sits Norfolk:  no bridge, quicker access to/from the Atlantic than Baltimore, and underused as a homeport.  

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Good questions, particularly with regard to the parking situation.  The lot handles the cars of the guests of two cruise lines very well.  But, three?  

 

...

 

And, then, there sits Norfolk:  no bridge, quicker access to/from the Atlantic than Baltimore, and underused as a homeport.  

Yes - I have wondered why Norfolk is so little used.  Easy to get to from anywhere on the East Coast - and a quick trip through the Thimble Shoals Channel to the open Atlantic  - I sailed Maasdam from there to the Caribbean in 2005 -- I loved departing Norfolk on a ship that wasn't gray.

[splintz]

I live in the Baltimore area and have cruises on the Carnival Pride 6 or 7 times. I would definitely go on NCL if they come to Baltimore. With Baltimore cruises the ships have to be smaller in size to fit under the Bay Bridge. How they handle parking now is Carnival cruises park in the lot to the left of the terminal.  The RCCL lot is to the right of the terminal. They only will have one ship in port on a certain day. Usually Carnival 7 day cruises would leave and return on a sunday. When the Baltimore cruise port first opened Celebrity Mercury also cruised from Baltimore, so maybe it had accommodations for 3 ships to home port with parking from the start. 

[mskaufman]

I have cruised from Baltimore about a half dozen times and would be happy to see NCL there.  I remember when Celebrity Galaxy sailed from there.  Saw Carnival Legend in the port this morning.

[njhorseman]

NCL now has a 11 day Canada/New England cruise on the Norwegian Sky departing Baltimore on September 7, 2024 and ending in Quebec City . The return voyage from Quebec City ends in New York, but in October the ship eventually returns to Baltimore and at that point there are no further cruises listed. I suspect once the schedule for the Sky is extended beyond mid October, 2024 there will be more cruises on that ship from Baltimore.

[herbanrenewal]

When i saw this I booked right away. I sincerely hope more NCL cruises will be departing from Baltimore. When i sail on Prima this fall I may book the b2b2b returns. Or if future cruises from Bmore are offered, I'm a likely candidate to give in to temptation for more cruising.

[dbrown84]

As a DMV resident, I'd love the convenience of Baltimore NCL cruises.  I have no interest in the currently listed cruise, but hopefully this is the start of more to come