Cruising out of Baltimore/Norfolk

[teacher_md]

Hi everyone!

 

Just wanted to see who here has cruised out of the Baltimore or Norfolk ports? How was your experience? Were the fellow passengers relatively gay friendly, or at the least tolerant?

 

I live in Baltimore with my boyfriend so either of these ports would be convenient and cost-effective (no skyrocketing airfare!).

 

Just took a cruise on the Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan and now have a cruise booked with NCL next April. It's always fun shopping for new cruises :)

 

Thanks and looking forward to meeting fellow area cruises, AJ

[d&a Delaware]

AJ,

Can't really answer your first questions as we have never sailed out of those ports (though they are very convenient to us and I am seriously looking at future cruises there), but I can't imagine that Allen and I would be treated any differently in those ports than in any other US departure ports. In our limited cruising experience, we have found departure ports and procedures to be uniformally frustrating and irritating, regardles of age, gender or orientation of the cruise passenger. We dont get any special treatment, positive or negative. We just put up with it in order to cruise.

 

In November we will be driving to Bayonne/Port Liberty for a cruise on RCI's Explorer of the Seas. Should be an easy drive from the Delaware coast, no overnights, no airfares. That's what I think we'll do more of, so Baltimore and Norfolk are definite possibilities, as are departures from NYC as well.

 

How did you enjoy Adventure? We will be flying to San Juan next April (school spring break time) for a cruise on Adventure. We have non-stop flights RT PHL to SJU -- and it might be the last time for a while that we fly to take a cruise.

 

David

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

I have sailed out of Norfolk/Newport News once. The ship was mostly locals.

 

I don't have any issues living here so I don't think you would have any issues sailing from here.

[teacher_md]

David,

 

I totally agree with you. With the prices of flights these days it's getting harder and harder to put together an affordable cruise vacation. Leaving from local ports makes it much more cost efficient. We have much fewer choices in ships/cruise lines/itineraries.

 

Our trip on the Adventure of the Seas was excellent. The ship is impressive. Food was good, service was good. Our fellow cruisers on board were one of the best qualities of the cruise experience - so NICE, welcoming and friendly. We got to meet so many nice people. Entertainment was good as well. I wrote a review and it's available on the member review page. If you can't find it, I'll get it for you. We got a cheap round trip ticket from Dulles Airport to San Juan. Now I can't find anything reasonable to Miami for our April cruise.

 

I am interested to hard how your November trip will be. Jeremy, my boyfriend, and I will probably do our next cruise sailing out of Norfolk, Baltimore, Philly or maybe even Bayonne.

 

Why are you sailing during Spring Break? Are either of you a teacher like me?

 

happy cruising, AJ

[d&a Delaware]

AJ,

 

Allen is a middle school administrator/teacher, so the academic calendar limits our cruising opportunities. Because of the administrator part of his job Allen works July, so our windows are Christmas/New Years, Spring Break, end of June, and beginning of August. All pretty much high price times for cruises. We are taking the first week in November this year (what I call the absentee voters cruise) because Allen can leverage several days off that week due to election related events.

 

I'll look up your review of Adventure. As for ports, Bayonne and NYC are probably no longer a drive from Baltimore than is Norfolk. I'm really very hopeful about the Bayonne/Port Liberty option -- just wish there were more ships to choose from.

 

David

[teacher_md]

I am in the same boat. I can only travel during Spring Break and over a few select weeks during the summer (I work summer school to supplement the income).

 

We have a lot of Bermuda cruises that leave from the East Coast. I went on one years ago and remember it to be pretty boring! I did go with my parents - maybe that is why?

 

Anyway, I'd like to try the New England/Canadian cruise or even a Caribbean cruise from the East Coast ports. Only problem is that we have slim pickings - especially with our restricted schedules.

 

Have you seen some of those deals in September and October? They are so low! Oh well.

 

- AJ

[MarylandBob]

Hi AJ,

 

We are Bob and Jerry from central MD (Carroll County). While we've never cruised from Baltimore or Norfolk, we did drive to New York and cruised from Manhattan. Parking was easy, right on the pier. In 2006 it was $18 per day, not bad for NYC. The cruise was on HAL's Noordam and we sailed 10 days to the Caribbean. One of the best things about local ports is that if you want to buy liquor in the Caribbean, there is no problem transporting it home since you won't board a plane.

 

We are leaving for a transatlantic in about a week and a half--Copenhagen to NY. We are also booked on a Caribbean cruise in Feb 09 and another transatlantic in October 09. If you can work a crossing into your schedule, I definitely recommend it. Very relaxing!

 

Cheers,

MarylandBob

[d&a Delaware]

I wish we could work a TA into our schedule, because they are often great deals and I don't object to sea days at all. But a lot of them are repositioning cruises on a "shoulder" season, which doesn't fit most public school schedules. Many of them are examples of those great September/October deals, or even great deals at the end of November or early December. So for the immediate future we wish we could take advantage of those, and right now we'll be looking for the best deals we can from East Coast ports when we can sail. AJ, there is a great NE/Canada itinerary on Grandeur out of Norfolk in late June. Expensive, but no airfare involved. And the new Carnival ship home porting in Baltimore year round, terrible itineraries but maybe I don't care. A cruise, after all, is a cruise:) .

 

David

[WDCcouple]

My partner and I cruised from Baltimore on Serenade of the Seas. There were a lot of Baltimore/DC area locals. It was definitely easy to get to the Port, no flights, no layovers, no added expense. Parking was easy too. We met some nice Gay men here on Cruise Critic, who were also on the cruise that week, and we arranged to be seated together for dinners. On board, there were other Gay men and women, all friendly, and easygoing. (Hurricaine Katrina made the seas rough on the day before we were scheduled to return to Baltimore, si we lucked out, and we got an added free day on the cruise, until the coast Guard allowed us back to Baltimore. It was an adventure.) On every other cruise we've been on, we've met friendly Gay men and women even on the cruises that didnt have FOD get-togethers. Thanksgiving week we're heading to Chile for a cruise on Radiance of the Seas, ending up in Buenos Aires. Anybody else going? Larry and Joe

ClickingStones@aol.com

[RoninBear]

Hi Guys:

 

My partner (Tom) and I have sailed out of Baltimore on the Carnival Pride a few months ago. We are going again this Saturday, August 22, 09 on the Grandeur of the Seas to Bermuda and return. Have sailed out of NYC, Bayonne, NJ as well and a number of other ports.

 

Parking is $15.00 per day, cash or credit. The Baltimore terminal was such a snap to use. Very, Very user friendly.

 

This home porting thing is new to us and we enjoy it very much, just 1 h 15 min drive from our home in Delaware to the port. Unless there is a problem on I-95.

 

Just finished checking the weather, looks like HURICANE BILL will either beat us to Bermuda or join us in Bermuda. Should be a very interesting twist of events/cruise.

 

If you need more info please, just ask.

 

Ron "RoninBear"