Sailing out of Baltimore

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi guys, correct me if I'm wrong, but is there an ocean near Baltimore Maryland? I've seen a cruise for Nov 9th, of next yr on the Grandeur Ots, its a 11 day cruise round trip out of Baltimore. Been scratchin my head after I saw that sailing. Anybody got any answers? Inquiring minds would like to know.

 

Virginia

[voyager70]

8 minutes ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Hi guys, correct me if I'm wrong, but is there an ocean near Baltimore Maryland? I've seen a cruise for Nov 9th, of next yr on the Grandeur Ots, its a 11 day cruise round trip out of Baltimore. Been scratchin my head after I saw that sailing. Anybody got any answers? Inquiring minds would like to know.

 

Virginia

 

Once you sail through the Chesapeake Bay you're in the open Atlantic.

 

[rbell]

you are kidding right?

 

 

[h20skibum]

It takes about 7-9 hours to get out of the bay to the Atlantic.  

 

Kind of like sailing from New Orleans. It takes about 9 hours to reach the gulf 

[time4u2go]

Yes.  It's called the Atlantic.

[twangster]

Royal is very cash rich at the moment so a marine railway project commenced in 2014 to carry ships up to 86,000 GT inland to cities like Baltimore to avoid port fees.  I have hopes it may extend through to Colorado by 2050 but I understand funding has been diverted to build another Oasis class ship so that may extend out towards 2050.  California was on schedule for 2087 as a means to be an alternate to the Panama Canal for ships near to Panamax standards but they haven't determined how to engineer the marine railway over the Rocky Mountains yet.

[gottagoacruzn]

Ok Voyager, how far is Baltimore from the Chesapeake Bay, an does Rcl meet you at the airport? So many questions.

[voyager70]

1 minute ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Ok Voyager, how far is Baltimore from the Chesapeake Bay, an does Rcl meet you at the airport? So many questions.

 

Baltimore is right on the Chesapeake Bay.  Of course an RC rep will be available at the airport if you fly in the day of departure.

 

[Artemus]

Fwiw, the casino is closed the first and last night on RCCL ships sailing from Baltimore  but not Carnival 

[gottagoacruzn]

30 minutes ago, twangster said:

Royal is very cash rich at the moment so a marine railway project commenced in 2014 to carry ships up to 86,000 GT inland to cities like Baltimore to avoid port fees.  I have hopes it may extend through to Colorado by 2050 but I understand funding has been diverted to build another Oasis class ship so that may extend out towards 2050.  California was on schedule for 2087 as a means to be an alternate to the Panama Canal for ships near to Panamax standards but they haven't determined how to engineer the marine railway over the Rocky Mountains yet.

Hey twangster, I don't think I'll be alive in 2050!!

[twangster]

2 minutes ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Hey twangster, I don't think I'll be alive in 2050!!

 

Me neither, but my unborn grandchildren might enjoy it! 

[Wildcatfish]

The port in Baltimore, "Cruise Maryland" is friendly and very efficient.  Easy embarkation/debarkation.  Sailing through the Chesapeake is very nice.  Grandeur sails under several bridges... and over the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel.  It's quite a sight, especially at night, seeing cars on a bridge that suddenly go down into the tunnel under the bay.

[gottagoacruzn]

Yup, sure catfish!!

[Jarmo]

Got map?

[broberts]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay

[Merion_Mom]

26 minutes ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Yup, sure catfish!!

 

The Bay Bridge Tunnel is just that.  The cars drive over a bridge which leads directly into the tunnel.  So the cars first go OVER the water then UNDER the water.  As he said, at night the headlights are the only thing visible as the cars cross the bridge, but disappear when the cars enter the tunnel.

[wheezedr]

5 hours ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Ok Voyager, how far is Baltimore from the Chesapeake Bay, an does Rcl meet you at the airport? So many questions.

You really might consider looking at a map

[shippmates]

Baltimore is our home port.  We love to sail down the bay as you go past Fort McHenry where the Star Spangle Banner was written by Francis Scott Key, sailing under the bridges that you do not think the ship will fit under.  The crew on the Grandeur is one of the friendliest crews we have sailed with.  When we board that ship it is like coming home as many of the crew will remember you.  You would enjoy that cruise.  Fly in to Baltimore early as there is plenty to see in this area.

[suesnake2002]

Did the 11 day southern caribbean this past april on Granduer. It was GREAT. Your gonna love it. 

The ship is located right off of I95. Literally exit the interstate and your there. Great crew!!!

[SRF]

About 1 hour or so from the cruise ship dock to the Chesapeake Bay.

 

About 9 - 10 hours to the mouth of the Bay into the Atlantic Ocean.

 

RCI will not pay the states' casino fees, so casino is closed until into the Atlantic.  Carnival (Pride sails out of Baltimore), does pay the fees.

 

The airport is maybe 20 minutes from the cruise port.

[birdylady]

11 hours ago, Wildcatfish said:

The port in Baltimore, "Cruise Maryland" is friendly and very efficient.  Easy embarkation/debarkation.  Sailing through the Chesapeake is very nice.  Grandeur sails under several bridges... and over the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel.  It's quite a sight, especially at night, seeing cars on a bridge that suddenly go down into the tunnel under the bay.

We just got off Grandeur earlier this month. The ship was amazing as was the crew.  We made a point of watching as we sailed over the tunnel (both ways).  There were no headlights going into the tunnel as there were police cars on each side stopping traffic as we went over the tunnel. Thought that was very interesting.  We wondered if they do this for ALL ships or certain ones. We assumed it was for safety sake.

Erika

[island lady]

Wow...did not know that about the port in Baltimore...so cool!!  I love those long transfers before you hit the open ocean.  Tampa is another example, and love to see the Sunshine Skyway bridge all lit up when we pass underneath.  So much to see versus just open ocean.  

 

Looking forward to our first visit to Baltimore, and our first time aboard the Grandeur on our B2B next September!  🙂 

Edited May 30, 2019 by island lady

[boscobeans]

40 minutes ago, island lady said:

Wow...did not know that about the port in Baltimore...so cool!!  I love those long transfers before you hit the open ocean.  Tampa is another example, and love to see the Sunshine Skyway bridge all lit up when we pass underneath.  So much to see versus just open ocean.  

 

Looking forward to our first visit to Baltimore, and our first time aboard the Grandeur on our B2B next September!  🙂 

Baltimore is a great port. There are plenty of things to do and see near it as well as lots of hotels. Nothing right at the port but lots nearby.

 

The Grandeur is one of our favorite ships which like a well broken in pair of shoes is just so comfortable with a great crew.

[5xGrandma]

57 minutes ago, birdylady said:

We just got off Grandeur earlier this month. The ship was amazing as was the crew.  We made a point of watching as we sailed over the tunnel (both ways).  There were no headlights going into the tunnel as there were police cars on each side stopping traffic as we went over the tunnel. Thought that was very interesting.  We wondered if they do this for ALL ships or certain ones. We assumed it was for safety sake.

Erika

On that day there was a tractor trailer that spilled his load in the tunnel and they had to close it for about 12 hours.  Sailing over the tunnel has no effect on the cars going thru the tunnel.

[birdylady]

5 minutes ago, 5xGrandma said:

On that day there was a tractor trailer that spilled his load in the tunnel and they had to close it for about 12 hours.  Sailing over the tunnel has no effect on the cars going thru the tunnel.

But it was shut both outbound on April 25th (about midnight) and inbound on May 1st about 9pm. 

Erika