BYPASS BALTIMORE

[JUDGE2]

WE HAVE BEEN ON 3 CRUISES ON GALAXY FROM BALTIMORE AND EACH YEAR THE PORT OPERATION SEEMS WORSE. THIS YEAR THE PARKING WENT FROM $7 PER DAY TO $10 PER DAY - THAT IS A 42% INCREASE. WE NEED A HANDICAP VAN FOR MY WIFE AND HER WHEELCHAIR. IN 2002 WE WAITED ABOUT 10 MINUTES IN THE PARKING LOT. IN 2003 ABOUT THE SAME. IN 2004 WE WAITED 2 AND 1/2 HOURS - THAT IS 150 MINUTES IN THE COLD - NOT ONE HANDICAP VAN CAME BY. AFTER WE GOT BACK TO PORT - ARRIVED AT 10:30AM GOT OFF SHIP AT 2:15PM. AT DISNEY WE ATE BREAKFAST - WALKED OFF SHIP 15 MINUTES LATER WITH ALL OUR LUGGAGE. I KNOW GALAXY IS MOVING OUT OF BALTIMORE AND SO AM I UNTIL THEY GET THINGS BETTER ORGANIZED.

[garykool81]

I must say that I agree entirely with you. I sailed for the first time into Baltimore (I live in the DC metro area) during a repositioning cruise aboard Galaxy from SJU, and found port operations in Baltimore to be a complete joke.

 

Our ship arrived at 8:30AM and the customs officials insisted on clearing EVERY ONE of the 2,000 passengers before ANYONE was allowed to disembark, making it so that the first passengers lucky enough to get off left the ship no earlier than 1:00PM. That is flat out ridiculous. I've *never* had a disembarkation last that long.

 

It was a real downer to the end of an otherwise wonderful vacation.

 

Gary Kulash

www.badelephant.com

 

Carnival Holiday 8/02

NCL Majesty 1/03

NCL Norway 5/25/03

NCL Sea 7/03

Celebrity Galaxy 3/04

Celebrity Mercury 10/04

HAL Zuiderdam 12/04