Pride Baltimore departure times question

[2kcruisedude]

Hi,

 

I haven't been able to find this answer specifically. I got the email about Baltimore having new times to board. I have FTTF, but it sounds like you can't board no matter what until 1:30pm now.

 

Has anyone cruised in the last few weeks out of Baltimore that can share the process?

 

We have small kids and we are trying to avoid spending a lot of time in a car! All recommendations are appreciated.

 

Thanks!!

[holmes96]

Hi 2Kcruisedude,

 

We sailed on the Pride the 7/31/16 week and had a great time. We arrived at the pier at 11:50 AM and waited 50 minutes in the car before we finally parked the car in the lot. We definitely got ancy. It was a little before 1:00 PM when we entered the terminal, but once we did, with FTTF, we kept on moving and was able to go right onto the ship. I don't think arriving any earlier will be better. When we disembarked at 9:30 AM there was already a queue of cars waiting to park. I have to imagine that they might have been able to park, but waited several hours in the terminal. Based on reviews that I read before cruising, the Pride were consistently letting passengers on starting around 12:30.

 

Have a great time!

Edited August 11, 2016 by holmes96

[2kcruisedude]

Thanks Holmes96, greatly appreciate the feedback!

[mom2oneXY]

We sailed on the Pride on 7/17 and had fttf. We were at port by 10am. Parked, checked in, and waiting by 11:30. Boarded, stuff dropped off, and eating a burger by 12:45. Our longest wait was waiting to park. Once we got to port it was a little over an hour.

[Welsh Lass]

We got off the Pride on 08/07. We had FTTF & arrived at the port at 10.15. We weren't allowed into the car park until just after 11am as they were waiting for more passengers from the previous week's cruise to leave first. We parked quickly (this seemed to be pure luck as to which line you were told to wait in) and after a short wait in the security queue, we were checked straight in and directed to the priority boarding area. They started biarding just after 12 and had taken our carry on luggage to our cabin and were sitting down for lunch by 12.40. Have a great cruise!

[stanatbil]

Sorry to highjack your post but wanted to know if anyone has been dropped off at the port and what time you arrived. My Dad lives about 20 minutes from the port and he is going to drop us off, because he's older and can be a little impatient sometimes I don't want to him to have to sit in a line long. We have FTTF so getting through security and getting checked in shouldn't be a problem, just wondering if it's better to wait until around 12:30 or 1:00 to actually get dropped off.

[bigdog1958]

Sorry to highjack your post but wanted to know if anyone has been dropped off at the port and what time you arrived. My Dad lives about 20 minutes from the port and he is going to drop us off, because he's older and can be a little impatient sometimes I don't want to him to have to sit in a line long. We have FTTF so getting through security and getting checked in shouldn't be a problem, just wondering if it's better to wait until around 12:30 or 1:00 to actually get dropped off.

 

If you are being dropped off, you can get into the terminal by 10am or so, certainly by 10:30am. If you drive in, they have to wait for cars to leave from the previous cruise before letting you in to park, so that is usually not until 11am or a little later

[2kcruisedude]

Thank you all for the feedback and no worries stanatbil, that was actually my next questions!! Greatly appreciate the community!

[CorrieCJ]

OKay so several of you who answered have FTTF, but what about those who don't? We are sailing out of Baltimore on 8/21. I did not realize you had to pick a check in time, so by the time I did it, the earliest check-in time I could get was 1:30-2:00. I understand this means I can't get into the terminal building until 1:30 so I will plan to arrive then - I am taking a hotel shuttle so no worries about waiting to park, and I do NOT want to be stuck outside in the heat with the kids until my check-in window begins. So -- if check-in window is 1:30-2:00, what time is it reasonable to expect we get on the boat?

[First and Ten]

OKay so several of you who answered have FTTF, but what about those who don't? We are sailing out of Baltimore on 8/21. I did not realize you had to pick a check in time, so by the time I did it, the earliest check-in time I could get was 1:30-2:00. I understand this means I can't get into the terminal building until 1:30 so I will plan to arrive then - I am taking a hotel shuttle so no worries about waiting to park, and I do NOT want to be stuck outside in the heat with the kids until my check-in window begins. So -- if check-in window is 1:30-2:00, what time is it reasonable to expect we get on the boat?

 

I assume sail time is 4 pm? If there was no delay from the previous cruise and boarding started when expected, you will probably be on the ship in under 30 mins. Bonus to getting on after 1:30, your cabin will be ready and you will be able to drop off your carryon luggage in your room. Even at ports without staggered checkin, if I don't have FTTF, I will show up between 1-2. At that time, you may have more security and Carnival employees in the port than passengers, it is great

Edited August 12, 2016 by First and Ten

[NHL Philly Fan]

Hi 2Kcruisedude,

 

We sailed on the Pride the 7/31/16 week and had a great time. We arrived at the pier at 11:50 AM and waited 50 minutes in the car before we finally parked the car in the lot. We definitely got ancy. It was a little before 1:00 PM when we entered the terminal, but once we did, with FTTF, we kept on moving and was able to go right onto the ship. I don't think arriving any earlier will be better. When we disembarked at 9:30 AM there was already a queue of cars waiting to park. I have to imagine that they might have been able to park, but waited several hours in the terminal. Based on reviews that I read before cruising, the Pride were consistently letting passengers on starting around 12:30.

 

Have a great time!

 

 

SO getting to the port about noon or so is good for FTTF? BTW the word is ANTSY... :D

[JMAE]

Been on the Pride five times the sixth will be in April 2017. The times they proved are an estimate and with the Pride sailing north at 22 knots the arrival time is very dependent on the weather conditions. Of our five times the earliest we got on the ship was about 11:15 and we were about the 15th to get on the ship. However, the balance of our Pride cruises we were able to get on the ship around noon with one exception one time the ship was late and we could not get on the ship until 2pmish.

 

For the one post, if you will be only 20 miles from Baltimore, I would monitor the pride on one of the tracking websites and would not leave until 3 hours after the ship is docked, so your father won't have to wait.

[kbd0627]

Got off the pride today. We drove to Baltimore the day before and stayed at The Days Inn Glen Burnie. We had FTTF so wanted to take the 10am shuttle. This time was filled so our options were 9am or 12pm. We selected 9am figuring we would have to wait outside till 11am. We were at the port before 9:30am. Our bags were in the first luggage tram car. There were only a handful of people waiting. We were let in about 10:15. We breezed through security and waiting in the priority boarding room with weddings, diamond and platinum. The weddings boarded about 11:30am. We expected diamond and platinum to go before us, but the called everyone. We were right behind the weddings. Our rooms were ready so we dropped our bags off and headed for the Lido deck.

[mkh103]

Was the parking at the hotel secure or did the area seem safe? We have a reservation at the Best Western on O'Donnell Street and I hear the area is not too good. A little nervous leaving our car in the area for the week.

[fair-winds39]

Was the parking at the hotel secure or did the area seem safe? We have a reservation at the Best Western on O'Donnell Street and I hear the area is not too good. A little nervous leaving our car in the area for the week.

We have done the Park and Cruise at the same hotel 3 times, and we will do the same in early 2017. The first time we sailed on carnival Pride we were a group of 8, and we had a limo/bus take us to the port the day of the cruise. We decided to drive ourselves for the past few cruises on the Pride and leave our car there at the BW. I'm always skeptical about leaving a car whether it's with a valet, or on a hotel lot. But, DH is okay with it. We have insurance, we don't leave anything valuable in the car, and nothing has ever happened while we were gone. In fact, I think in 2014, there was a snowstorm while we were on the cruise, and when the shuttle dropped us off at our car after the cruise, the area around the cars was cleared of snow. In Feb. 2016 they had all of the Park and cruise guests park their cars in a designated area on the lot, which was a change from the other times where we parked anywhere on the lot.

[mkh103]

Thank you, you eased my mind a little.:)