Pride: Pre-Cruise Baltimore Hotel Needed

[Chesterpeake]

WE JUST BOOKED THE COMFORT INN BWI FOR OUR NOV. CRUISE. IT WAS ABOUT $95.00 PER NIGHT AND FREE PARKING FOR UP TO 14 DAYS IF YOU BOOK ONLINE. YOU PAY EXTRA IF YOU BOOK THROUGH THE HOTEL. IT COMES WITH A FREE HOT BREAKFAST AND A FREE SHUTTLE TO AND FROM THE DOCKS. WE :rolleyes::confused:HAVE NEVER STAYED THERE BEFORE SO I DON'T KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT IT. I HOPE IT IS DECENT!!!

 

I think you will be satisfied with adequate accomodations. Room, breakfast, parking and shuttle at that price is a real find.

[Chesterpeake]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but I have a question for those of you that might have an answer. I asked in a thread and got the same ole "go to this site" answers which didn't net any results after hours of searching.

I've been watching this thread hoping that I might get a tip but to no avail.

 

I'm cruising in the beginning of May with 2 children (4 and 7 at time of debark). I'm looking for a hotel for 1 or 2 nights that has a pool indoors (since god only know which weather will show up), parking (preferrably free) and a shuttle to/from the pier. There are other ameneties that are nice but these are the only 3 I really worry about having. I don't need to stay right in the harbor area and haven't found much to choose from that will fit into our budget. I'm looking for 2 nights and trying to keep the pricing in the 200-250 range. I've found a ton of hotels that would fall into that range but the hang up is usually the pool not being there or being seasonal outside. If anyone could give opinions I'd apreciate it.

 

The hotels that I have been considering are the country inn and suites BWI and the country inn and suites in baltimore north. I've also given consideration to the best western that's just east of the port off of 95(?). All 3 look like decent hotels.

 

Also if anyone could tell me about any navy ships we could tour while there pre-cruise I'd appreciate it. I'd really like my little ones to see what they are like.

 

Thanks

 

Brian,

There is no active naval base in Baltimore. However, there are three historic ships docked in the Inner Harbor which you and your children might enjoy. Two are associated with the Baltimore Maritime Museum. USCGC Taney; this Coast Guard cutter is one of the last, if not the last, naval ships present at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Next to the National Aquarium is the USS Torsk, diesel submarine and the last sub to sink a Japanese ship at the end of WWII. Docked forward of the Torsk is the Chesapeake (A light ship); these three are entered on the same ticket. Docked nearby is the Sloop of War Constellation which served in battle beginning with the Civil War and was Flagship of the Atlantic Fleet in WWII. In Canton you could board the SS John Brown, a World War II Liberty Ship built in Baltimore in 1942 I believe.

The US Navy has a number of large pre-positioned ships ready to transport tanks, munitions, etc. on short notice, but they are not open to the public.

It was difficult for me at least to give you a specific recommendation for a place to stay. As a local I have never had to stay in one. I can tell you that I have stayed in Comfort Inns and Suites in Illinois and I loved them. The indoor pool and the fitness center should meet your needs. The suite will give you a king or double and the sofa bed should work for the children. Not certain about their regular rooms. The breakfasts in Romeoville/Bolingbrook were very extensive and very good. By the way, the one at BWI is brand new. I don't recall ever seeing the other one you mentioned.

Enjoy your stay in Baltimore and your cruise.

[Chesterpeake]

Brian,

This is a follow-up to my last posting.

Also worth getting a look and a photo, but again no visitors on a regular basis, is a hospital ship, USNS Comfort which is homeported in Baltimore, but sails whenever and wherever it is needed on short notice. It was sent to the Persian Gulf, but also to New York after 9/11 and to New Orleans after Hurricaine Katrina.

It is docked in Canton quite near the John Brown and two or three of those large ships, like the Fisher from the Military Sealift Command.

When you arrive or before departure check to see if there are any modern combat ships in port. This happens with some frequency and generally would consists of US Navy frigates or destroyers or those of our NATO allies. These would be docked at the Inner Harbor or Fells Point (lower Broadway), and would be open to visitors. There are also periodic visits of tail ship training vessels from various navies and the Coast Guard Academy. One strange visitor to the Inner Harbor a year or two ago was the HVS Swift from the US Navy.

If I find any schedules for next May, I'll post them; it is a bit early though.

 

PS I also meant Country Inns and Suites in my last post, not Comfort Inns and Suites which I mistakenly stated.

[DanJ]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but I have a question for those of you that might have an answer. I asked in a thread and got the same ole "go to this site" answers which didn't net any results after hours of searching.

I've been watching this thread hoping that I might get a tip but to no avail.

 

I'm cruising in the beginning of May with 2 children (4 and 7 at time of debark). I'm looking for a hotel for 1 or 2 nights that has a pool indoors (since god only know which weather will show up), parking (preferrably free) and a shuttle to/from the pier. There are other ameneties that are nice but these are the only 3 I really worry about having. I don't need to stay right in the harbor area and haven't found much to choose from that will fit into our budget. I'm looking for 2 nights and trying to keep the pricing in the 200-250 range. I've found a ton of hotels that would fall into that range but the hang up is usually the pool not being there or being seasonal outside. If anyone could give opinions I'd apreciate it.

 

The hotels that I have been considering are the country inn and suites BWI and the country inn and suites in baltimore north. I've also given consideration to the best western that's just east of the port off of 95(?). All 3 look like decent hotels.

 

Also if anyone could tell me about any navy ships we could tour while there pre-cruise I'd appreciate it. I'd really like my little ones to see what they are like.

 

Thanks

 

The Homewood Suites BWI has an indoor pool that our kids made plenty of use of in our 2 night pre-cruise stay. You can park here but they don't have the shuttle to the port, at least not yet, but more hotels are jumping on the bandwagon now that they are getting year round ships there. You could take a shuttle through bwitransportation.com but it's probably not a large enough savings over parking at the port to justify having to come back to get your car. They also have free breakfast buffet, and if you are there during the week, they have a small dinner buffet as well. Probably a little more than you want to spend, but they might have better prices in May than they did in August, plus we had a 2 bedroom suite for 6 people.

[PSCruiser]

WE JUST BOOKED THE COMFORT INN BWI FOR OUR NOV. CRUISE. IT WAS ABOUT $95.00 PER NIGHT AND FREE PARKING FOR UP TO 14 DAYS IF YOU BOOK ONLINE. YOU PAY EXTRA IF YOU BOOK THROUGH THE HOTEL. IT COMES WITH A FREE HOT BREAKFAST AND A FREE SHUTTLE TO AND FROM THE DOCKS. WE :rolleyes::confused:HAVE NEVER STAYED THERE BEFORE SO I DON'T KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT IT. I HOPE IT IS DECENT!!!

I'm also looking at this one on ParkSleepFly since it will do both cruiseport and airport (I'm on a one-way repo). Anyone know if the cruise shuttle is free from this hotel?

[megr1125]

I'm also looking at this one on ParkSleepFly since it will do both cruiseport and airport (I'm on a one-way repo). Anyone know if the cruise shuttle is free from this hotel?

 

IIRC the price os the shuttle is rolled into the package price.....