Baltimore - Walking to Port

[Rubyfisch]

I am on Enchantment of the Seas in December, and am staying at the Courtyard in McHenry Row. The website suggests you can walk to the cruiseport from there, but Google Street view makes that look - questionable. It seems like there are sidewalks, but is there a pedestrian entrance? I'm from Boston, so I'm aware that the weather may make walking undesirable, but assuming it's a clear day and there isn't snow and ice on the ground, is walking feasible, or should I just plan on taking a Lyft?

[meadowlander]

6 hours ago, Rubyfisch said:

I am on Enchantment of the Seas in December, and am staying at the Courtyard in McHenry Row. The website suggests you can walk to the cruiseport from there, but Google Street view makes that look - questionable. It seems like there are sidewalks, but is there a pedestrian entrance? 

Disembarking from Enchantment in April, I was waiting in the parking lot for the hotel shuttle. I saw one of the crew members walk across the lot, said he was going to Harris Teeter. He was able to get there but he had no luggage as you will have.

[megr1125]

Um. NO.  It's NOT an easy walk if you've got luggage.  Crew does it because it's easier for them and they're used to walking all over the place.

 

I've stayed in that hotel and heard the desk clerk tell seasoned citizens it's walkable.  I told them they're crazy to walk and to go LOOK at what they're walking under and across.

Get a cab or an Uber. It's NOT a good way to start your cruise.  And in December?  Hellllll to the no.  Weather can be a hot  mess.  

Edited June 12, 2022 by megr1125

[Rubyfisch]

2 hours ago, megr1125 said:

Um. NO.  It's NOT an easy walk if you've got luggage.  Crew does it because it's easier for them and they're used to walking all over the place.

 

I've stayed in that hotel and heard the desk clerk tell seasoned citizens it's walkable.  I told them they're crazy to walk and to go LOOK at what they're walking under and across.

Get a cab or an Uber. It's NOT a good way to start your cruise.  And in December?  Hellllll to the no.  Weather can be a hot  mess.  

Thanks - I live in Boston and don't have a car, so I am very used to trekking with my luggage in bad weather. My concern was more about sidewalks, which sound questionable at best. I'll probably just take a Lyft.

[GTJ]

On 6/10/2022 at 3:31 PM, Rubyfisch said:

I . . . am staying at the Courtyard in McHenry Row. The website suggests you can walk to the cruiseport from there, but Google Street view makes that look - questionable. It seems like there are sidewalks, but is there a pedestrian entrance?

I must say that you've chosen a fabulous place at which to stay: it is just over one-quarter mile distant from the Maryland Cruise Terminal in Baltimore, and the hotel rates look to be reasonable. It is as like you've hit a home run on all counts.

 

I also do not have an automobile. I regularly walk most places (or public transportation when too far) and have a good sense of where walking is practicable. And with the destination here being less than ten minutes away on foot, there would have to be something monumental to discourage me from making such a short--a trivial--walk. I wish I could give first-hand advice, but not living in Baltimore and not having sailed from this passenger terminal before, I can only evaluate what I, too, have viewed using Google street and aerial views. And so with all due respect, I just don't see anything monumental here: in my judgment it is an easy walk.

 

Look carefully at the aerial and street views and you will see a short staircase from the southwest corner of Porter Street (the street upon which your hotel is located) to Key Highway. At the bottom of the staircase there is a pedestrian sign (you can see it from Google street views) that reads: "McHenry Row - Welcome Cruise Ship Passengers & Crew." This is the most persuasive evidence that cruise ship passengers and crew routinely and safely walk between the Maryland Cruise Terminal and your hotel. From the bottom of the stair walk southbound along the sidewalk on the east side of Key Highway. After you cross under the interstate highway, the sidewalk becomes a bit removed from the curb. At the end of Key Highway, cross to the south side of McComas Street (here I would exercise due caution, but all crossing traffic goes in only one direction). Turn left on eastbound McComas Street, on the south side of the street, and you will find an adequate sidewalk. Cross the first driveway ("Subcom"), and the next driveway is the Maryland Cruise Terminal. The first terminal driveway is the exit gate, which you should go through. Not a "pedestrian entrance" per se, but many other businesses also have their main entrance ways shared by all users, vehicles and not. And while there is a sidewalk running along the exit driveway, the brilliant minds designing the fence decided to block the sidewalk with their fence, so you will need to momentarily step into the driveway to go around the fence post. You're now in the midst of the parking lot and it should be easy walking to the passenger terminal.

 

Do take the advice given on these boards with a grain of salt. A large number of people here, and many cruise passengers, are old, disabled, or auto-dependent, do not routinely walk (and may think it to be a long walk from the shopping mall to their automobile in the parking lot), and may not ever use (or even eschew) public transportation. Living in Boston without automobile, walking a lot, probably being a regular MBTA user with CharlieCard in hand, knowing that you're able to handle your own baggage, likely sets you apart from that cohort. Absent anything unforeseen, I see no reason for you not to walk.

Edited June 13, 2022 by GTJ

[GottaGetAway42]

I was on a B2B out of Baltimore back in January 2020, and used turnaround day to walk to the Baltimore Museum of Industry on Key Highway.  At that time, the walk was very easy and (IIRC) there were sidewalks all the way.  On the return, a guard directed us to the car exit gate (straight up from the west side of the terminal building) - just walk in front of the terminal to the luggage drop-off point before entering.  If the weather is reasonable, it should be an easy walk.

[Rubyfisch]

2 hours ago, GottaGetAway42 said:

I was on a B2B out of Baltimore back in January 2020, and used turnaround day to walk to the Baltimore Museum of Industry on Key Highway.  At that time, the walk was very easy and (IIRC) there were sidewalks all the way.  On the return, a guard directed us to the car exit gate (straight up from the west side of the terminal building) - just walk in front of the terminal to the luggage drop-off point before entering.  If the weather is reasonable, it should be an easy walk.

Thanks! 

[mcmarya]

It's a lot shorter distance than you are talking about, but we have often taken the bus between the San Diego Port and the airport, walking to/from the bus stop.  We also once walked from a bus stop to the Pan American Pier in San Juan, PR, more on the order of your journey.  We did it just to see if it could be done.  We travel light!

[vadersprincess12]

While the cruise port is close distance-wise to the hotel you are talking about, you should get transportation.  Once you get to McComas street the sidewalk will no longer be an option.  You will have to cross several lanes of traffic and it's a very odd "intersection" at the light which is just under Interstate 95.  There can also be heavy truck traffic in this area because it's a working cargo terminal, AND there is now a lot of construction going on in that immediate area.  You'll be much safer grabbing a taxi or an Uber.  You can trust my information as I used to work for the Port of Baltimore so I know the area very well.

[GTJ]

2 hours ago, vadersprincess12 said:

Once you get to McComas street the sidewalk will no longer be an option. * * * There can also be heavy truck traffic in this area because it's a working cargo terminal, AND there is now a lot of construction going on in that immediate area. * * * I used to work for the Port of Baltimore so I know the area very well.

Have the sidewalks that had existed been removed since Google last took street level photographs in 2020? If so, why would the sidewalks been removed? Especially the fact that there were curb cuts for the sidewalk in 2020, allowing wheelchair users to safely cross McComas Street, it would seem to be unusual for a city to remove both the sidewalk and effective access for people with disabilities along the south curb of McComas Street. (I do note, however, that it appears as though the Port of Baltimore has done a poor job in providing wheelchair access where the McComas Street sidewalk had crossed the exit driveway from the passenger terminal, as the Google street view shows both the absence of a curb cut and a fence barricading the sidewalk alongside the driveway . . . shame on the agency for the apparent indifference to the ADA and people with disabilities.)

 

Of course, there is a problem with so many motor vehicle operators being bad drivers and creating hazards for pedestrians. Trucks can be an issue because of their mass, but at least their drivers are professionals. I believe the larger problem is with automobile drivers . . . so many don't pay full attention to driving safely and will do such distracting things as using cellular telephones while driving! (No, a hands-free cellular telephone is not any safer than a hand-held telephone.) More traffic citations should be issued, more driving licenses should be suspended, and probably one-half the number of people now driving should never drive. Alas, that's not going to happen anytime soon, and so pedestrians need to be able to co-exist with these menaces. Learning how to walk assertively but safely is something parents should teach their children so that they do not become scared as adults and feel compelled to utilize motor vehicles (and possibly exacerbating the problem). Here, the intersection of Key Highway and McComas Street is controlled by a traffic signal, so with some patience for the traffic signal to change one should be able to cross the street safely.

 

When you worked with the Port of Baltimore, were you not able to get the agency to increase pedestrian safety? I would think that the agency carries a lot of weight and influence with the traffic authorities, and that its concerns over pedestrian safety, to and from the passenger terminal.

 

 

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

On 6/12/2022 at 9:08 PM, GTJ said:

I must say that you've chosen a fabulous place at which to stay: it is just over one-quarter mile distant from the Maryland Cruise Terminal in Baltimore, and the hotel rates look to be reasonable. It is as like you've hit a home run on all counts.

 

I also do not have an automobile. I regularly walk most places (or public transportation when too far) and have a good sense of where walking is practicable. And with the destination here being less than ten minutes away on foot, there would have to be something monumental to discourage me from making such a short--a trivial--walk. I wish I could give first-hand advice, but not living in Baltimore and not having sailed from this passenger terminal before, I can only evaluate what I, too, have viewed using Google street and aerial views. And so with all due respect, I just don't see anything monumental here: in my judgment it is an easy walk.

 

Look carefully at the aerial and street views and you will see a short staircase from the southwest corner of Porter Street (the street upon which your hotel is located) to Key Highway. At the bottom of the staircase there is a pedestrian sign (you can see it from Google street views) that reads: "McHenry Row - Welcome Cruise Ship Passengers & Crew." This is the most persuasive evidence that cruise ship passengers and crew routinely and safely walk between the Maryland Cruise Terminal and your hotel. From the bottom of the stair walk southbound along the sidewalk on the east side of Key Highway. After you cross under the interstate highway, the sidewalk becomes a bit removed from the curb. At the end of Key Highway, cross to the south side of McComas Street (here I would exercise due caution, but all crossing traffic goes in only one direction). Turn left on eastbound McComas Street, on the south side of the street, and you will find an adequate sidewalk. Cross the first driveway ("Subcom"), and the next driveway is the Maryland Cruise Terminal. The first terminal driveway is the exit gate, which you should go through. Not a "pedestrian entrance" per se, but many other businesses also have their main entrance ways shared by all users, vehicles and not. And while there is a sidewalk running along the exit driveway, the brilliant minds designing the fence decided to block the sidewalk with their fence, so you will need to momentarily step into the driveway to go around the fence post. You're now in the midst of the parking lot and it should be easy walking to the passenger terminal.

 

Do take the advice given on these boards with a grain of salt. A large number of people here, and many cruise passengers, are old, disabled, or auto-dependent, do not routinely walk (and may think it to be a long walk from the shopping mall to their automobile in the parking lot), and may not ever use (or even eschew) public transportation. Living in Boston without automobile, walking a lot, probably being a regular MBTA user with CharlieCard in hand, knowing that you're able to handle your own baggage, likely sets you apart from that cohort. Absent anything unforeseen, I see no reason for you not to walk.

I came to this particular forum to ask the question that you already answered so well here. I did notice that little stairway to Key Highway. For some reason, Google Maps doesn't know about it, and it sends you way out of the way.

We're going in January, so I guess our decision about walking vs Uber will be based on the weather that morning.

Thank you so much for your detailed answer.

Edited August 16, 2022 by VTSKIandCRUISEGUY

[GTJ]

7 hours ago, VTSKIandCRUISEGUY said:

I did notice that little stairway to Key Highway. For some reason, Google Maps doesn't know about it, and it sends you way out of the way. We're going in January, so I guess our decision about walking vs Uber will be based on the weather that morning.

Sometimes Google is good in knowing the walking paths, and gives very helpful information. But I've also learned that Google is not perfect, and so sometimes I do turn to satellite views and street views to figure out the more complete context. Baltimore is certainly not unique. More broadly, and like with many things in life, don't always rely on the first thing that comes along, or on a single piece of information or perspective.

 

Come January, it is quite possible all will be covered in snow. And in that weather even luggage with wheels can be a challenge to maneuver. We traveled more recently on a cruise from Bayonne, New Jersey, in January, and there still snow on the ground when leaving from home enroute to the subway station. Not a lot of snow, but it did take longer and bit more effort compared to entirely clear sidewalks.

[0106]

On 6/12/2022 at 9:08 PM, GTJ said:

I wish I could give first-hand advice, but not living in Baltimore and not having sailed from this passenger terminal before, I can only evaluate what I, too, have viewed using Google street and aerial views.

@VTSKIandCRUISEGUYI live in Baltimore; I am not old; I usually walk about 3 miles a day.  I would take @vadersprincess12 advice.  Take an Uber.  There is currently construction in the area.  You need to remember that the Google Street view you see may be more than a year old.

[GTJ]

Here, in New York City, persons who do construction work are generally required to protect and maintain traffic--including pedestrian traffic--during the pendency of the construction work. As a member of one of the community boards in Queens (a unit of city government), with jurisdiction over the Van Wyck Expressway construction work about to commence in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, I have been especially attentive to continuing safe pedestrian access during the construction work. Indeed, I was particularly pleased that such measures were planned even in the absence of community board involvement. The post above, however, is a bit disturbing, at least to the extent that the City of Baltimore does not give due regard to the safety of its citizens during construction work. Why would the city purposefully put pedestrians at risk, simply for the sake of expediting some construction work? Are there not nuisance laws that could be used to stop the construction work if it is causing dangerous conditions? It seems bewildering to me. Perhaps people should just avoid going to Baltimore completely, and instead use the ports in New York City's harbor. The follow-up questions: (1) are motorists being similarly imperiled by this construction work, and if not, then why the disparity for pedestrian safety? (2) How long this hazardous construction work last?

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

12 hours ago, 0106 said:

@VTSKIandCRUISEGUYI live in Baltimore; I am not old; I usually walk about 3 miles a day.  I would take @vadersprincess12 advice.  Take an Uber.  There is currently construction in the area.  You need to remember that the Google Street view you see may be more than a year old.

I will need to drive past the intersection on the way to the hotel the day before anyway, so I'll be able to get the lay of the land before walking into a (possible) danger zone.

As a born and bred New Yorker for the first half of my life, I am pretty good at hopping around construction zones, with a nod to GTJ in Queens.

[0106]

@VTSKIandCRUISEGUYPlease let us know how it works out for you.

 

BTW, the Iron Rooster very close to your hotel makes an excellent breakfast and lunch.

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

19 hours ago, 0106 said:

@VTSKIandCRUISEGUYPlease let us know how it works out for you.

 

BTW, the Iron Rooster very close to your hotel makes an excellent breakfast and lunch.

Will do, and thanks for the recommendation.

[ahl]

Theoretically one could walk to Cruise Maryland from that hotel, but the route is not at all pedestrian friendly. Sidewalks that are available are narrow and may make handling luggage difficult.  You would need to be especially careful crossing McComas Street under the I-95 overpass. Drivers are not expecting pedestrians (though I have seen joggers there). Too, traffic at that time will be cruise passengers looking for the terminal and unfamiliar with the area. There is no dedicated pedestrian walkway from the street to the terminal. You will have to follow the vehicular entrance and cross the parking and drop off area. It can be done by walking, but it is not designed for it. I'll attach a photo of the terminal as seen from the ship. The entrance is on the side facing I-95.

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

11 hours ago, ahl said:

Theoretically one could walk to Cruise Maryland from that hotel, but the route is not at all pedestrian friendly. Sidewalks that are available are narrow and may make handling luggage difficult.  You would need to be especially careful crossing McComas Street under the I-95 overpass. Drivers are not expecting pedestrians (though I have seen joggers there). Too, traffic at that time will be cruise passengers looking for the terminal and unfamiliar with the area. There is no dedicated pedestrian walkway from the street to the terminal. You will have to follow the vehicular entrance and cross the parking and drop off area. It can be done by walking, but it is not designed for it. I'll attach a photo of the terminal as seen from the ship. The entrance is on the side facing I-95.

 

Thanks. We've actually sailed out of Baltimore many times, including this past January, so we're quite familiar with the walk across McComas Street. I think it's very doable unless the weather is really bad.

[GTJ]

4 hours ago, VTSKIandCRUISEGUY said:

We've actually sailed out of Baltimore many times, including this past January, so we're quite familiar with the walk across McComas Street. I think it's very doable unless the weather is really bad.

The two general issues I see are: (1) people knowing how to cross streets safely generally (too many Americans live in their cars, never walk anywhere, and don't know how to cross a street safely), and (2) too many careless motorists not knowing how to drive safely (e.g., "cruise passengers looking for the terminal and unfamiliar with the area") and routinely putting others at risk. I don't think that there is anything specific at the Maryland Cruise Terminal that is especially exacerbating of these general issues. There are many worse situations than are present here (I have in mind many of the highways in New Jersey that are very challenging for pedestrians to navigate safely). On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being best), I would rate the ease of walking here at 6 or 7: "very doable." Both the Maryland Cruise Terminal and the City of Baltimore can be properly criticized for not earning a higher walking score for travel to and from this important transportation terminal, and both should strive to do a better job by improving the physical conditions of the walkways.

[Langley Cruisers]

On 6/10/2022 at 12:31 PM, Rubyfisch said:

I am on Enchantment of the Seas in December, and am staying at the Courtyard in McHenry Row. The website suggests you can walk to the cruiseport from there, but Google Street view makes that look - questionable. It seems like there are sidewalks, but is there a pedestrian entrance? I'm from Boston, so I'm aware that the weather may make walking undesirable, but assuming it's a clear day and there isn't snow and ice on the ground, is walking feasible, or should I just plan on taking a Lyft?

 

I'm doing the exact same in February, can I ask if you ended up walking to the port?

Edited January 9, 2023 by Langley Cruisers

[Rubyfisch]

18 hours ago, Langley Cruisers said:

 

I'm doing the exact same in February, can I ask if you ended up walking to the port?

I did not - the weather was awful the day I left.

 

My gut would be it is probably doable, but I probably wouldn't. There are sidewalks, but it didn't look like there were crosswalks. It was a cheap Lyft that came right away. And embarking in Baltimore is super easy and fast (at least for Royal).

[Langley Cruisers]

1 hour ago, Rubyfisch said:

I did not - the weather was awful the day I left.

 

My gut would be it is probably doable, but I probably wouldn't. There are sidewalks, but it didn't look like there were crosswalks. It was a cheap Lyft that came right away. And embarking in Baltimore is super easy and fast (at least for Royal).

 

Okay, thanks for the reply. I think it will be a game day decision for me.

[Rubyfisch]

21 minutes ago, Langley Cruisers said:

 

Okay, thanks for the reply. I think it will be a game day decision for me.

Assuming you are flying in, there is a good chance you'll effectively drive past where you would walk on the way from the airport to the hotel, so you should have a sense of it.

[Langley Cruisers]

2 hours ago, Rubyfisch said:

Assuming you are flying in, there is a good chance you'll effectively drive past where you would walk on the way from the airport to the hotel, so you should have a sense of it.

 

Oh great, I also thought that I'd have a look the day before as I'm staying at the Courtyard next to it. I see there are stairs to the road with a path. If I don't feel it's for me then I'll arrange a ride. I hear people saying that it is not safe to walk anywhere in Baltimore which is too bad as I was also hoping to walk over to the Fort McHenry National Monument, I enjoy walking.  Thanks again for your help.