Baltimore MD in January

[Miss Dot]

We have booked a cruise for mid January out of Baltimore, MD...now everyone is having second thoughts about traveling to Baltimore in January! Any thoughts on sailing out of Baltimore in January?

[StorkRN]

You do take a risk of being snowed in. Last year was a very hard winter with 2 separate storms dumping several feet on the area. You would have never sailed out - especially if you needed to fly in first! We debated leaving out of Baltimore for our March cruise. We chose not to because it takes so long to get out of the Chesapeake Bay - and you are doing this in 20 degree weather! So you can't really be outside on deck...takes too long to get somewhere warm. Our goal for cruising during March is to get away from the cold...therefore, worth the money to fly to Florida and get away quickly, rather than spend 2 days on a ship while it is making it's way into a warmer climate...

[Keith1010]

The risk is the weather leaving and arriving back to Baltimore. Be sure to plan to arrive at least one or more days before the cruise.

 

Keith

[cb at sea]

It's cold here in January....I sure wouldn't want to waste a day or two of my cruise in cold weather....

That's why we go out of Miami...it's almost always warmer from the get-go out of that southern city.

So the choice is no airfare and 2 unusable days, or pay to fly to Miami and get the entire cruises!

[Betsy's Mom]

Actually we sailed out of Baltimore last Feb 1st and sailed into warm weather the second day of the cruise.:) It is really the luck of the draw! We also had warm weather on the way back longer than expected, but returned to mounds and mounds of snow! For us the ease of sailing from home trumps all.:)

B.

[read52]

This past winter's snow was unusual. 19 inches of snow in Dec. on one day and Feb. we got hit with two snowstorms days apart. But more often than not we get little snow. By March or April we can have flowers. So there is the possiblity of snow and cold but you can have warm weather. We went out of Baltimore this past Easter (Beginning of April) and it was great weather and calm seas. Our first cruise we went out of New Orleans at Easter and we had to buy sweatshirts to put under our spring coats because it was so cold.

[dolittle]

We sailed out of Balt. in 2009 very easy the ship is right under highway 95 we drove from Phila. The people who work at the port are very nice and helpfull Unlike miami and New york. You can park right in front of the ship get of your car and walk on board. You have to pay of course, it is worth it.

[Miss Dot]

Thanks all.....much to think about!

[navybankerteacher]

From the northeast you could sail from New York - yes, it's further north, but because you are in the open sea so quickly, you wll be in the Gulf Stream (about 70 degree water) by early afternoon the first full day. Besides, sailing out of NY, past the Statue of Liberty and under the Verazzano Bridge, just as the sun is going down, is a trip in itself. I've done it a cupole of times, and expect to again.

[Keith1010]

Thanks all.....much to think about!

 

Good luck with your decision. One just never knows that time of the year so if you take the cruise just give yourself more time to get up to Baltimore for the cruise.

 

Keith

[infoprof56]

From the northeast you could sail from New York - yes, it's further north, but because you are in the open sea so quickly, you wll be in the Gulf Stream (about 70 degree water) by early afternoon the first full day. Besides, sailing out of NY, past the Statue of Liberty and under the Verazzano Bridge, just as the sun is going down, is a trip in itself. I've done it a cupole of times, and expect to again.

 

 

Sailing past Fort McHenry (you see the fort from the spot where Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner) and under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is also impressive. Not sure I would want to do it in January. It is cold out on the bay and as others said a long sail to get to the ocean.

[navybankerteacher]

Sailing past Fort McHenry (you see the fort from the spot where Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner) and under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is also impressive. Not sure I would want to do it in January. It is cold out on the bay and as others said a long sail to get to the ocean.

 

I forgot about Fort McHenry - got to do that some day. But even in January, a day aboard ship is a good day.

[trivia nut]

Don't ever be afraid to sail out of Baltimore in January or the rest of the winter. The terminal does an unbelievable job of keeping up with bad weather. And the Fort and Bay Bridge are not to be missed while cruising down the Chesapeake. BWI does a great job of keeping up with storms also. The Port of Baltimore has never had to cancel a cruise.

 

That said, our families sailed the weekend after a total of 40 inches fell (from previous snowfall also). Other family members from the south were on the Pride the week of the storms. They all are still praising Baltimore for the great job done in getting them to their cars and airport safely. Plus they said it made the trip more beautiful.

 

Give it a try, and Baltimore has the lowest parking fees. You'll save a bundle.

[Miss Dot]

Don't ever be afraid to sail out of Baltimore in January or the rest of the winter. The terminal does an unbelievable job of keeping up with bad weather. And the Fort and Bay Bridge are not to be missed while cruising down the Chesapeake. BWI does a great job of keeping up with storms also. The Port of Baltimore has never had to cancel a cruise.

 

That said, our families sailed the weekend after a total of 40 inches fell (from previous snowfall also). Other family members from the south were on the Pride the week of the storms. They all are still praising Baltimore for the great job done in getting them to their cars and airport safely. Plus they said it made the trip more beautiful.

 

Give it a try, and Baltimore has the lowest parking fees. You'll save a bundle.

 

Thanks so much, we are still deciding...have until November!

We are staying at a hotel that allows us to park there...yeah.

However, someone said they did that last year (hope we don't have another one like that) and came back to a vehicle buried in by snow!

[Betsy's Mom]

All the cars at the port were cleaned off after the BIG snow storm. They did a fantastic job!:)

B.