Boston cruise port parking / Boston hop on hop off bus tour

We have booked HAL's Veendam from Boston to Bermuda on July 15.

On our return on July 22 we were looking at the possibility of take the trolley tour which stops by the cruise terminal for a tour of Boston before driving home.

My only concern is about the parking at the cruise port. I don't want to come back later in the afternoon and find that we can't access our car as the parking garage or lot had closed.

Has anyone any ideas on this ?

The garage is always open, but you might not get the cruise rate if the attendant has already left. Plus, I think the hop on hop off only stops there when there is a ship there for a port of call.

The Boston Cruiseport is now named the Flynn Cruiseport. Parking has changed. Please read these links.

https://www.massport.com/port-of-boston/cruiseport-boston/

https://www.massport.com/port-of-boston/cruiseport-boston/parking-passenger-drop-off/

I can't answer your question about picking your car up later. My impression is that you can, but might be charged more money for the extra time.

There is still a parking garage across from the terminal (closer than the massport open lot), and from what I see of current rates ($20/day) it is no more expensive than the "discounted" cruise rate at the lot, and cheaper than the normal lot rate (the garage's $20/day is always). It can get congested getting out of the garage at peak times like when a ship is in, but it is more convenient.

It appears that something has changed with the parking, but I don't know exactly what because the 2017 cruise season is not really underway yet. The cruiseport website has been updated to indicate that the offered parking at $20/day is now in an open lot instead of the garage. I can't find any current info that the $20/day rate is still available for the garage.

I did find a phone number for the garage, so you might want to give them a call to find out if the $20/day rate is still being offered for cruisers - tel:(617)482-2487.

At worst you will have to park in the outside lot and move your car. Moving your car closer to the Faneuil Hall area could work in your favor. The Hoho trolley may not pick up right at the cruise terminal - you would have to get yourselves to the Westin or Seaport hotels to connect with the trolley and then you're only on a connector trolley that takes you to Faneuil Hall for a transfer to the main trolley loop. You'd have to go through the same process to get back to your car. IMO this would be a real PITA as well as a time trasher. Call the trolley folks to see what they say - tel:(855)396-7433

Where are you driving to when you leave? Another strategy would be to park your car at one of the other trolley stops in the direction you will be going and ride round trip from there.

Worst case scenario, there are other lots in the Seaport district from $10-$15/day on weekends that you could move your car to.

Looks like with more people cruising from Boston, they needed more space than the EDIC garage provided. Plus, as that area is building up, I guess the garage was filling up.

I'm not necessarily opposed to this. But, with the change, its hard to answer the question about coming back later.

Has anyone taken the free shuttle from the parking lot to the cruise terminal? Can you bring your luggage on the shuttle or do you have to drop it off at the ship before parking? Being able to reserve a spot and get shuttled back to the boat seems like a good deal.

Is the EDIC lot the one closer that is mentioned earlier in the thread? Do you know if you can reserve a spot there?

At this point, its hard to say. Seems like there's a new cruise parking lot this year. We really won't know until the first cruises this season.

The EDIC Garage is around the corner from the terminal. Cruise parking used to be there on the roof.

Is the EDIC lot the one closer that is mentioned earlier in the thread? Do you know if you can reserve a spot there?

EDIC is closer, but ......

The cruiseport web site says the significantly discounted $20 parking rate is offered at the new outdoor lot. I'm seeing the parking rate at the Edic garage as $27/ day.

we're cruising in Mid-May and will be brave and drive in, see how the parking goes, and hope for the best! I will be sure to post about our experience after we get back.

thanks to all!

we're cruising in Mid-May and will be brave and drive in, see how the parking goes, and hope for the best! I will be sure to post about our experience after we get back.

thanks to all!

That would be great. Thank you.

We have booked HAL's Veendam from Boston to Bermuda on July 15.

On our return on July 22 we were looking at the possibility of take the trolley tour which stops by the cruise terminal for a tour of Boston before driving home.

 

My only concern is about the parking at the cruise port. I don't want to come back later in the afternoon and find that we can't access our car as the parking garage or lot had closed.

 

Has anyone any ideas on this ?

Just found this post. We are also on the same cruise and looking for a good parking garage.

I was also looking at parking at the cruise port and went to the link provided at the Massport website and noticed that the weekly rate charge for cruise parking is for 8 days.

If the car enters the lot on July 8 at 11am and exit by 9am on July 15th, it works on the 166hours parked or 6 days and 22 hours. Therefore, should the weekly rate be $133 instead of $152 as per the set rate determined by the website?

If what's on their website is correct, I suppose because they have already charge for 8 days, so they should allow people to park their car there on the last day for the entire day.

Just back from Bermuda on the Dawn. We reserved parking at the lot on 21 FID Kennedy, the rate was $152 for the week. We got to port about 10:15, dropped our bags, and circled back around (the traffic was slow going with folks still leaving from cruise that got in that morning and folks checking in for our trip) to the parking lot, and walked back to check in. Walk was less than 1/2 mile and very easy. The lot had plenty of spaces, it is an outdoor lot but in a gated area. I assume it is locked at night but do not know for sure. On return, even though the weather was spitting rain, we dragged our bags from the hip to the lot - good move - we were off the ship and in out car on our way home by 9am - super easy. There is a parking garage a block or 2 closer but I am not sure you can reserve there. We were happy with our experience and if we did it gain, we'd just park, and drag our bags in as that keeps you out of the loop before the terminal, and out of the traffic.

Just wanted to key everyone knows that the lot next to the terminal is still available for parking @ $20/day. Much closer than the port/terminal and save the shuttle ride than the parking lot linked at the cruise port website.

We posted the original inquiry on this - we ended up parking at the parking garage at 12 Drydock Ave a short walk from the cruise port. We pulled our luggage over but is also very easy to drop people/luggage off and then park here. Parking was $20 a day and you have to park on the top level (which is not covered) of the parking garage if you are parking for a cruise. There were probably only around 30 cars parked there and quite convenient. We ended up driving straight back home and skipping a HOHO tour having already experienced Boston traffic the day before!

For the parking garage, is there any way to book in advance online or you guys just showed up and got in and it's 20$ a day regardless?

For the parking garage, is there any way to book in advance online or you guys just showed up and got in and it's 20$ a day regardless?

Massport is trying to get its act together this year with the parking, but they haven't been 100% successful yet. The rate seems to be $20 regardless, but for the Dawn and Serenade sailings only you can book online and prepay for $134 which is $6 less for the week. https://bostonparking.spplus.com/Cape/eventsvenues/18463

The Massport web site has been unclear and confusing and many folks have been concerned about parking options this year. However the folks who had concerns about parking (mostly folks sailing on HAL) have reported back that there were no issues at all.

Massport is discouraging the EDIC garage parking as an option and directing folks to open lots by the port. However some folks have been successful in parking at EDIC.

Thanks a lot 138east. What you just wrote is a very good summary of what I have read online. I guess now it's just a matter of if we really prefer the to try the parking garage or want to save a lil to book online in advance. Safety wise, are they both pretty similar? We plan on driving to Boston with a fairly recent car.

Thanks a lot 138east. What you just wrote is a very good summary of what I have read online. I guess now it's just a matter of if we really prefer the to try the parking garage or want to save a lil to book online in advance. Safety wise, are they both pretty similar? We plan on driving to Boston with a fairly recent car.

There have been no complaints about car safety issues in this area. The outdoor parking is adjacent to the pier, which means that it is in an area that has a heightened security presence because it is a port.

Folks have reported being required to park in the outdoor lot and not being able to access the garage while others have reported being able to park in the garage.