Sailing Out of Baltimore

[teacher2cruiser]

We will be on the Grandeur in June. Cruise #12 and our first that isn't Caribbean. What should we put on the "Don't Miss List"?

We will be stopping in Boston, Portland, Bar Harbor, Halifax, and St. John.

How is it to sail down the Chesapeake Bay?

Excited and wanting to hear anything anyone might share!

[Pumbaamd]

Sailing down the Bay is fun. Get some pics of sailing under the two bridges. Have a GPS with you so you can identify landmarks. Immediately after you leave the pier in Baltimore, on your left you will sea Fort McHenry, which inspired Francis Scott Key's writing of our National Anthem. The entire Bay sailing takes about eight hours. Crossing over the bay bridge tunnel is not to be missed and is the end of the Bay voyage.

Enjoy Grandeur!!!

Rick and Deirdra

[Pumbaamd]

Here's a pic from Grandeur as we crossed under the US Route 50/301 Bay Bridge near Annapolis, 2 hours from Baltimore.

R&D

[Traveling Library]

Boston. The HoHo stops right at the port. Or you can take the SilverLine (a bus) that stops at the port and get off at South Station. From there you can either walk up Atlantic Avenue along the Rose Kennedy Greenway to see the Aquarium, pick up a Harbor Islands Tour, see Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, and the North End where the Paul Revere House, Old North Church, and Copps Burial Ground....all part of the Freedom Trail. Or you can change at South Station to the Red Line to Park Street Station. Just outside the subway (known as the "T") you'll be at the start of the Freedom Trail and the State House. On the back side of hill from the State House is the African Meeting House. Or from Park Street walk through the Boston Common to the Public Garden and ride the Swan Boats (best $3 you'll spend http://www.swanboats.com), visit the Make Way for Ducklings Statue and on your way to see the Charles River stop for a photo (not food) at Cheers. If you are a baseball fan you can take the Greenline from Park Street to Kenmore Station and and if the team is not in-town take a tour of Fenway Park. Boston is easy to get around and the T is very safe. The MBTA has a great website which will help with planning http://www.mbta.com.

[Traveling Library]

Halifax has an amazing immigration museum. It is at Pier 21 and your ship will dock nearby. Also the maritime museum, an easy walk along the coast line from the pier, has an exhibit about the Titanic and the Halifax Explosion. We wanted to visit the Citadel but it was too foggy for us to even see where it was! We'll just have to go back someday.

 

Oh I forgot, within walking distance of the Black Falcon terminal where you will dock in Boston is the Harpoon brewery. Just in case you want to do a brewery tour.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Biker19]

Crossing over the bay bridge tunnel is not to be missed .....

 

.....if you don't staying up past midnight.

[TravelerThom]

]...What should we put on the "Don't Miss List"?

We will be stopping in Boston' date=' Portland, Bar Harbor, Halifax, and St. John.

How is it to sail down the Chesapeake Bay?...[/b']

In Boston the Freedom Trail from Boston Common to the USS Constitution is a nice walk. With a little research it can be reach by public transport from the cruise pier.

In Bar Harbor admission to Arcadia National Park includes bus transport through much of the Park.

In Halifax a walk through town to Citadel Hill is nice, or an out-of-town drive to Peggy's Cove is great on a nice day.

In Saint John a visit to Reversing Falls is interesting. Bay of Fundy National Park is not far, but you will not be in port long enough to get the full effect of some of the highest tides in the world. As an aside, it is always Saint John, New Brunswick (and St. John's, Newfoundland - I have been trying to figure out for years why one Saint is always spelled out, and the other is always abbreviated).

[Pumbaamd]

.....if you don't staying up past midnight.

OK, try it on the way back. It's a bit earlier. Have your last night's dinner in the WJ. GR's WJ is not bad, and you can have a front seat view of the Bay Bridge Tunnel passing.

R&D

[breezy_carol]

We are sailing out of Baltimore in July. I am glad to get the information on the timing of the bridges and Bay Bridge Tunnel because these are things that I really want to see.

[cruzinlady1947]

Just a FYI....the shops and casino are not open until you are out of the Chesapeake Bay and into the Atlantic. This is new. Also, the casino and shops will close before going into the Chesapeake Bay on your way back. You will be in the bay for about 8 hrs leaving Baltimore. The casino and shops will not be open until the next day. They will close around 5 pm the last full day of the cruise. There is also tax added to the specialty restaurants while in the bay. Probably the drink packages too if you buy them while in the bay. Better to get them before the cruise or the next day.

 

 

Gwen [emoji3]

 

 

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[Biker19]

OK, try it on the way back. It's a bit earlier. Have your last night's dinner in the WJ. GR's WJ is not bad, and you can have a front seat view of the Bay Bridge Tunnel passing.

 

Unless the ship is really early, the crossing will be past the time the WJ closes for the night (after 10PM). The view from the VCL is pretty good though.

[Giantfan13]

We just sailed the Grandeur out of Baltimore a couple of weeks ago, but because this is December, EVERYTING was dark.

 

As for a Canadian cruise, you need to visit the Canadian ports of call section here. We have done 2 Canadian cruises and loved them both. The last one, on Carnival, late August, it was so foggy most of the cruise, if I close my eyes, I can still hear the fog horn going off every 5 minutes. Halifax is known for that fog.

 

We did rent a car there and drive out to Peggy's Cove, a terrific little village, lighthouse and a wonderful scenic drive. We also visited the Citadel and the Titanic cemetery. Loved them all.

 

Ourselves, we just love Bar Harbor, as we have been there several times on our own. If you don't want to do a ships tour, you cannot rent a car there, so many people do a tour with Ollie's Tours, which will get you into Acadia National park and up Cadillac Mountain. Bar harbor itself, is a small town with many, many great lobster restaurants.

 

Portland you have several options, rent a car and drive around the countryside (the Portland Head Light is a great stop), stay in town and visit the many museums, take a side trip to say Kennebunkport. You have to do a bit of homework here.

St Johns--people recommend the reversing rapids. fir us, a complete waste of time.

 

Again, check out the Canadian Ports of Call boards.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[Pumbaamd]

Unless the ship is really early, the crossing will be past the time the WJ closes for the night (after 10PM). The view from the VCL is pretty good though.

 

We were running right on time coming back and enjoyed dinner in the WJ while crossing the tunnel. Who knows where or when GR lost and/or gained time in the bay area that night. Whether the WJ or VCL, you'll enjoy!

Enjoy your cruise!

R&D

[John Reid]

A great deal of good advice has been given already.

 

In Bar Harbor, besides Ollie's Trolley, there is a free bus system, the Islander, that operates out of the town square. You can research stops online. I take the bus that goes to Sand Beach (3?). Walk down to the beach. You can walk back up to the shore path. It's a great walk along the cliffs to the next vantage point bus stop. You can catch the bus there for a scenic drive back to town. Great village to walk around; get a black raspberry demolition cone at C.J.'s Big Dipper!

 

In Saint John, I highly recommend a car rental and drive to Fundy Trail Parkway. Admission was about $8.00 CDN. The views were spectacular. You will not have as much time as you wish, but it was special. No more than a 55 minute drive. I rented from Budget and picked up the car minutes after they opened. It's just down the street from the ship. Inexpensive; they don't have the crazy US taxes and fees.

 

If you want to see Peggy's Cove, I recommend car rental again. I've seen excursion prices from $79.00 per person up. I rented a car for $42 CDN from Thrifty. One block from the dock. You can use it to go to the Citadel, also.

 

In Boston, the Silver bus is just down the street from the pier. You take that to South Station for a free transfer onto a subway to the tourist areas. Check MTBA online.

 

In Portland, I took a $27 tour of the city and trip to the lighthouse on the former military base. The tour part, for me, was the definition of boredom. I wanted to see things, not park by a dull looking house and hear about its uninteresting history. I did like the lighthouse area.

 

Enjoy the cruise; it's a good one.

[KeywestK]

.....if you don't staying up past midnight.

 

The ship will pass under the Key Bridge approx. 45 minutes after leaving the port, and the twin Bay Bridges 2 hours out. It's a sight not to be missed! And in June, it'll still be daylight.

[do_not_spindle]

Boston - if you are into colonial era history, Freedom Trail and USS Constitution. Faneuil Hall has a good Park Service docent lecture. Grab lunch @ Quincy Market (think of it as a big food court), many good Italian and seafood joints in N End and waterfront (my favs are Daily Catch and No Name from when I lived in the area). Self-guided thrill ride - take a taxi to Public Garden, then visit the garden and check out the Swan Boats.

 

Bar Harbor - best stop for Maine lobster IMO. If time - Pop-overs at the Jordan Pond House. A loop tour around Acadia NP will show a lot of great coastal scenery. Forget about swimming unless you like BRISK! water temps.

[Biker19]

The ship will pass under the Key Bridge approx. 45 minutes after leaving the port, and the twin Bay Bridges 2 hours out. It's a sight not to be missed! And in June, it'll still be daylight.

 

We were talking about the Tunnel by Norfolk, which typically is passed right after midnight.. ;)

[sellwingri]

Just a FYI....the shops and casino are not open until you are out of the Chesapeake Bay and into the Atlantic. This is new. Also, the casino and shops will close before going into the Chesapeake Bay on your way back. You will be in the bay for about 8 hrs leaving Baltimore. The casino and shops will not be open until the next day. They will close around 5 pm the last full day of the cruise. There is also tax added to the specialty restaurants while in the bay. Probably the drink packages too if you buy them while in the bay. Better to get them before the cruise or the next day.

 

 

Gwen [emoji3]

 

 

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This is interesting news. When did this start?

 

As a card player, this basically eliminates 2 days of gaming. This wasn't the case when I sailed on Grandeur in August. I'm booked on her again in May but may have to cancel.

[Merion_Mom]

This is interesting news. When did this start?

 

As a card player, this basically eliminates 2 days of gaming. This wasn't the case when I sailed on Grandeur in August. I'm booked on her again in May but may have to cancel.

 

VERY recently. December? January 1?

[Merion_Mom]

In Boston, there are "free" walking tours. You pay the guide what you think the tour was worth to you. They are VERY good.

 

Lots of walking food tours in Boston, combining history and eating. :D

 

Bar Harbor: You MUST go to Acadia National Park. Lots of ways to do that, based on your level of "active".

 

Portland - another place with great local guides, great walking tours, great food tours and brewery walking tours.

 

Halifax - Titanic, Titanic, Titanic :)

 

And Citadel

 

If you are not Canadian, check out Timmy's in Halifax. (Tim Horton's)

[KeywestK]

We were talking about the Tunnel by Norfolk, which typically is passed right after midnight.. ;)

 

Oops. Thanks:o:cool:

[Ken Greco]

If you plan to be in Baltimore before or after the cruise for one or two days; I work as a tourist ambassador for the city. We help visitors with hotels, restaurants, attractions, historical sites like Fort McHenry. If you are a baseball fan; Camden Yards home of the Orioles offers tours of the park or if the Orioles in town we can help with special tickets. Enjoy your cruise.

[cruzinlady1947]

VERY recently. December? January 1?

 

 

I think it started on the November 28th cruise. We had friends on that doing a B2B and told us it happened on their cruise. It was on our cruise too, Dec. 9. I often wondered why they open up so soon after sailing. I always thought you had to be so many miles off the coast of the US, maybe 3 miles, before opening the shops and casino.

 

 

Gwen [emoji3]

 

 

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[Pumbaamd]

A bit more over here . . .

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=51906817#post51906817

Rick

[cruzinlady1947]

A bit more over here . . .

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=51906817#post51906817

 

Rick

 

 

Yes, I thought about MGM being a problem, but, didn't see how it would matter. How could they expect someone to cancel a cruise so that they could go to a land based casino and spend their money.....you also have Maryland Live which isn't that far away either.

 

I would believe it has more to do with the taxes they can charge while the ship is in the bay. That is also new. We had taxes on our specialty restaurant charge the first night. Wasn't much, but just surprised it was there. I remember years ago, on the Explorer, out of Bayonne, I bought the soda package before the ship set sail and I was also charged tax. That was when the soda packages were fairly new.

 

If the stores were open, they would have to charge tax too. That wouldn't sit right with advertising duty free on the ship.

 

 

Gwen [emoji3]

 

 

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