Port of Norfolk

[mrsfitz28]

We just booked a last minute cruise on the Maasdam out of Norfolk. Can anyone give me any information on the port, where it's located and what the parking situation is like? Also, as far as parking is concerned, what is the rate per day and do they take credit cards?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Donna

[CaptData]

Norfolk Sailor should jump in here anytime.

[CaptData]

Norfolk Sailor should jump in here anytime.

Or you can go to the 30 Oct roll call for last year or 30 Nov roll call last year. Tons of info there.

Sorry i can't answer at the moment.

[h2so4]

There is no cruise ship terminal per se. Maadsam docks by Nauticus in the heart of the downtown waterside area. Pax check-in at a tent like facility. It worked out really well for us since the ship was in on time the day of our cruise. I imagine it didn't work out quite as well for those pax leaving on Dec 22 - Maasdam did not get in until 4:30p (scheduled for 8:00a that morning). Not sure what HAL does to accommodate pax when the ship is late.

As for parking - many options exist - official (check cruisenorfolk.org) and unofficial, including some with hotels that have cruise and park pkgs (i.e. Radisson).

We stayed overnight at Sheraton even though they did not have a cruise and park pkg per se. They validated our parking ticket, good for the nearby facility, which was $11/day. It worked out really, really well as this parking is walking distance to Nauticus and we did not have to worry about a shuttle or cab to take us back to the parking facility. (I waited with luggage when we disembarked while hubby went to get the car - we were off the ship around 5:00p, and on the road to DC by 5:30p.)

Suggest you search this forum for "Norfolk Parking" - you will get a lot of information. You might also try the HAL roll call threads and search that forum as well.

[mrsfitz28]

thanks for the info it's been very helpful.
Donna

[iluvcruzin]

Donna.. Are you going to be driving to Norfolk and doing an overnight? We stayed at the Holiday Inn Select the night before. We left our car there for the 10 night cruise on the Maasdam. They provided free shuttle to and from the pier. Some who haven't done this think downtown is a better option. However, I found this 3 year old hotel near the airport to be perfect for us. I paid $123 for park & stay. It was only a 15 min. shuttle to the pier. The cruise parking is $10 per day I think. They shuttle you to the pier from the parking lot. Some of the downtown hotels are near public parking but I think the price per day is a little more than $10. Do a search on "Norfolk" on all the boards. You will find lots of information.

[Charlie2na]

What sail date did you book ? We sail on the 01/16/05 date. YIPPIE!!!!!!!!

[Linda&Vern]

[QUOTE=h2so4] Maadsam docks by Nauticus in the heart of the downtown waterside area. Pax check-in at a tent like facility. It worked out really well for us since the ship was in on time the day of our cruise. I imagine it didn't work out quite as well for those pax leaving on Dec 22 - Maasdam did not get in until 4:30p (scheduled for 8:00a that morning). Not sure what HAL does to accommodate pax when the ship is late.

On Dec. 22 we arrived via personal auto at the Norfolk Pier at 3:40pm and the ship was already there. We had been told it wouldn't arrive until 4:30pm. We were immediately greeted by a HAL Rep who said we should drop our luggage with a Porter and then drive to Cedar Grove Parking (which we had planned to do originally anyway). She said a bus would bring us back to the Pier and then we could go "hang out" at the Marriott Hotel (less than 5 minute walk from the Pier). HAL had arranged for a hospitality room with lunch and dinner served. Early arriving passengers were treated to several Norfolk tours throughout the day with free shuttle service. We arrived later than we had planned because HAL kept calling us keeping us informed of new embarkation plans. Embarkation began at approx. 6:30pm and we sailed a few minutes after midnight. Considering that everyone who was disembarking so late that their travel plans were probably very interrupted I thought HAL did as good a job as they could of organizing the afternoon/evening for the those of us waiting for "our turn!" The www.cruisenorfolk.org (http://www.cruisenorfolk.org) site is where I got most of my parking information - although it was also included from HAL in my cruise documents.

[mrsfitz28]

Thanks for all the help. We cruise on the 27th of this month. We're driving from Syracuse, NY but will spend the 26th in DC area before proceeding to Norfolk on the 27th. With a little luck boarding will go on schedule and not like the 22nd of Dec.

Donna

[luvs2beachit]

Thanks for all the information on the port. Sometimes it's difficult to find specifics about port location. The discription of the location frequently leaves a lot to the imagination. Often the blurb seems to assume that one knows the area so one should understand the directions. Findiing a hotel near the port is a snap...........if you know exactly where the port is located!!!! If it wasn't for this board I would still be trying to determine where we should book a room!! MrsFitz you are a brave soul driving down from upstate. We are also on the 27th cruise and initially we were also going to drive (from Long Island) but chickened out and decided to fly because we figured that "Murphy's Law" would prevail and we would get a suprise snowstorm! I would have preferred the drive because we would have been able to stop along the way for some sightseeing but fear overruled and we booked on Independence Air. Anybody ever hear of Independence Air?? Perhaps that where the REAL fear should be!!!
Judie

[JimN]

Independence Air is the former Atlantic Coast Airlines that previously operated as United Express. After its agreement with United was terminated, ACA began operating as a independent discount airline. They have not done well, and are widely considered likely to file bankruptcy this winter.

[luvs2beachit]

Thanks Jim for the Independence Air history. It was either them or US Airways. We decided to not go with US Air because we were afraid that they would stop flying before the cruise and we would be stranded. Pretty funny..........Independence might make that nightmare come true anyway!!!
Oh well, I did say I would have liked to have driven!
Judie