mikedw

I had flu like symptoms last week and I went to the urgent care center near me to be tested.  They said that they stopped doing the rapid test because they were all coming back false negative, so they did the regular test and it took four days to get the results.  They called me and said that test was negative, but they have a 30% false negative reading on the regular test and was told if I still felt bad to go to the emergency room to be retested.  I was feeling much better by then, but really don't have any faith in the test.

Use to work as a travel agent many years ago and my experience with groups, especially weddings and families is that everyone wants to go until it's time to put up money. I remember I had this one wedding group and the family swore they would need a hundred cabins. In the end it was less then ten.

Do an internet search for disabled cruise tours and you will find several companies that offer tours in most European Cities that our completely handicapped accessible. I will warn you though, they aren't cheap.

Here's something new to do literally a block or two away from the Baltimore Cruise Terminal. It's the newest business venture from the owner of Under Armour. Very nice facility, I've only driven by it so far, it opened a couple of weeks ago and a restaurant will be opening there soon.

www.sagamorespirit.com

Salt is the enemy of steel ships. Just about every time a cruise ship is in port, they'll have people over the side hosing the ship off with fresh water.

Seems odd they would stop at Baltimore since it takes half a day to go up the Chesapeake and another half a day back to the ocean.

Actually several ships a year stop into Baltimore as a port call. Most of them are cruises originating in Europe catering to European passengers who get a lot more vacation then we do. They can do day trips to DC from Baltimore.

Hi please do email the access desk and tell them exactly what you want to bring. How much of and for whom. My toddler only drinks strawberry milk so they were able to add a exemption for liquid on my edoc

Dental assistant here. Be careful with that strawberry milk. Most of them have as much sugar as a soda.

Most bottled water is merely tap water in a bottle. There is no differnce at all, especially not in taste.

So true. I know the Baltimore City Water Dept. sells it by the tanker truck load to bottling companies who do nothing but put it in a bottle.

Do not bother trying to get $2 bills. No one outside of the US accepts them and 90% of the US has no idea they are legal tender.

About a month or so ago, I've started to get about $10-20 worth of $2 bills a week and use them for tipping in restaurants and general transactions. Never had any trouble. From what I've read they love them in Mexico.

To the OP,

Most banks in the US have them, sometimes they have to go to the vault since they don't keep them in the drawer, but if want a large quantity, they have to order them from the Federal Reserve which they are more then happy to do. They come in straps of 100 bills. Not sure where you're at but the larger banks might be able to order them for you. My experience is most people love getting them.

Carnival tried that with 1 ship....didn't work.

That was over a decade ago and smoking laws have become much more strict here in a lot of states. Here in Maryland, no smoking in any restaurant, bar, or private club. In the county I live in, smoking is prohibited in all public parks, so it's a lot harder to find a place to smoke now.

Actually Carnival Corporation is not an American company, it's corporate offices for tax purposes is in Panama. That's how they pay next to nothing in US taxes. Royal Caribbean is also a foreign corporation.

Yes it is. I really hope this does not get out of hand like it has in other places.

Would be nice if it stays peaceful with no damage.

Scary times.

I wouldn't worry to much. If it gets to out of hand, they might send in the Maryland State Police for backup and they don't play. A couple years ago when the Baltimore City Police Department was having trouble, their was talk of the State Police coming in to help out and things settled down very quickly. Having lived in Baltimore for 30 years, there's a lot of corruption with the police and politicians, but most of the Maryland State Police have very few ties to the city and are not part of the good ole boys network so they don't worry about the local politics and they get the job done.

A couple of years ago we were in the medical equipment store looking for something else and we noticed how inexpensive and light the new travel wheelchairs were compared to the one we bought for our honeymoon back in 2001. I believe it was on sale for under $200.00. Look around because as the previous poster has said, it's cheaper to buy one then to rent and that way, you'll always have it.

Forget the lobsters. Only frozen would be available. Maryland is only for crabs, and in February blue crab meat comes from Texas, or SE Asia (GandMcrabcakes.com). But contact LP Steamers. They are a block from the cruise pier. The Harris Teeter grocery just across the street sells dry ice.

During the winter, you can buy frozen Maryland crabmeat, but it will probably be a bit more expensive. Look for a label on it that says "True Blue" which means it comes from Maryland. I believe Harris Teeter sells Maryland seafood. Do a search online for True Blue Maryland Seafood and a list will pull up of stores and restaurants that only sell Maryland Seafood.

American Cruise Lines and Blount Small Ship Adventures have offered coastal trips for years and even with their high price point, they seem to be popular.

We've never had to pick up bags from one flight to the other...the airlines shift the luggage to the next flight......maybe it's different in Canada????

On international flights when you go through passport control and customs you have to claim your luggage before going through customs. They do this just in case they decide to search your luggage. At BWI airport in Baltimore, as soon as you clear customs, they have a Southwest Counter so you can check you baggage on to your connecting flights.

I'm originally from Baltimore and I will say that all the Marriott Properties around the Inner Harbor are very nice, but I honestly thing that they're way overpriced. The hotels around the harbor charge $20.00 to $30.00 or more depending on the property a day to park. They don't offer any stay and cruise packages, so they will be more then happy for you to park but, you'll pay for it.

Being told no because it's against company policy is not bad customer service. You're just upset because you did not get your way.

Wonder if it was one of Baltimore's finest or a cruise port security guard. Either way my guess is that Mayor R-Blake would like visitors to the city treated with a friendly and helpful approach.

I believe it's the Maryland Transportation Authority Police who are there at the terminal. They're also at BWI and all toll facilities. Have read several stories about their stellar performance in dealing with the public.

Here's something you might enjoy and find interesting. This is a state website that list restaurants that only use Maryland harvested seafood.

http://seafood.maryland.gov/true-blue-maryland-crab-meat/

I believe that CDC does not inspect US Flagged Ships like those doing some of the small ship cruises. US Public Health Service does those inspections.

Hi. We just booked the Sleep Inn and Suites on Belle Grove Road. We booked there because of the park and cruise package. Is that in a good area??? And are there restaurants close by??

Stayed there several times and had no complaints. Their was a Comfort Inn right next store, but that's been closed for renovations and attached to that was a restaurant call the Rose, which I believe is till closed for renovations, but you're within a short drive of many restaurants and the area is pretty good.

Over ten years ago when I worked for an agency doing nothing but government travel, airlines stopped paying commission and we went to a fee based system. Just about every travel agent in the US charges a fee to book airline tickets, some of the international airlines still pay commission for first class and business tickets I believe but that's it. I worked for another travel agency for awhile up here in Western Maryland and it didn't matter if you bought a $10,000.00 trip, we still charged for airline tickets if you wanted us to do them. They took up to much time fare shopping and even charging a fee, you don't make anything off them.

I was in the Coast Guard for 30 years and <unusual for a CG officer> was a 'deep water' sailor with Command of ships as a Commander and a Captain (only a small percentage of senior CG go to sea, CG does not have that many ships as compared to land positions for senior ranks and requirements to maintain sea qualification means the pools of the qualified get thin...)

 

I frequently came back from a patrol and got on a cruise ship for R&R. The experience of a cruise ain't like a deployment .... even if I was Captain!

 

maybe the difference is I LIKED my time at sea . . . . . . . . I'm happy to go back and just watch the water go by . . .

 

one of our last while I was active duty, and at the time Captain of a ship working the Bering Sea

 

one of our first, mid 80's, I was dept head on a ship out of Florida doing drug and migrant interdiction

[this is CARIBE in Cap Haitian]

I was in the US Navy Submarine service for just under four years and I love cruises. When you were wearing your mess dress uniform, how many times did people stop and ask you questions thinking you were the captain?

Having grown up in New England and eating real Maine lobster and then seeing what's served on board mass market cruise lines I don't understand the hype/upset about lobster.....

I'm from Maryland and I agree completely. I can't remember the last time I ordered seafood on a cruise. I get it on a weekly basis and sometimes I get sick of it.