Pre Cruise Hotel

[cantgetaname]

I've got a  new years cruise booked on Enchantment of the Seas (RC)  and am wondering about where to stay pre cruise.  The Courtyard By Marriott looks nice and close and seems like a nice hotel with places nearby to eat etc.    However, I've been looking and Fells Point and it looks like a neat area.   What would it be like getting to the port from there?   Relatively easy, or a headache?   I've never been to Baltimore so I don't know what each area is like aside from photos online.  

[princeton123211]

2 hours ago, cantgetaname said:

What would it be like getting to the port from there?   Relatively easy, or a headache?   I've never been to Baltimore so I don't know what each area is like aside from photos online.  

Baltimore is a relatively small city and everything is fairly close by. Fells Point is a lot of fun and there are (or were-- I haven't been back since the lockdown) tons of restaurants and places to grab drinks etc. It's slightly less touristy than the Inner Harbor although it has been getting built up over the past few years. As with anything in Baltimore you have to be a little careful where you walk-- it can get rough quickly but Fells Point is very safe and nice to be in. 

 

Getting to the pier is easy-- its about a $15-20 Uber ride from Fells Point-- about 15 minutes total. 

[cantgetaname]

Thanks.   I looked at the Sagamore  Pendry, but at the moment it's a little bit outside of my budget.   The Canopy by Hilton & the Admiral Fell Inn are a bit more reasonable according to the little bit of research I've done so far.   And they look close to walk to some neat looking restaurants/bars.   

[princeton123211]

46 minutes ago, cantgetaname said:

I looked at the Sagamore  Pendry, but at the moment it's a little bit outside of my budget.

The Sagamore Pendry is basically the top place in town depending on who you talk to. Its very well done. The Four Seasons is also quite nice and can be a tiny bit more reasonable per night compared to the SP. There is another luxury option called The Ivy which is really quite nice but I hate the location up near the train station. 

 

If you can swing the Sagamore Pendry and stretch the budget a little-- it's worth it. You'll enjoy it and it'll be a great kickoff to your vacation. 

 

51 minutes ago, cantgetaname said:

The Canopy by Hilton & the Admiral Fell Inn are a bit more reasonable according to the little bit of research I've done so far.   And they look close to walk to some neat looking restaurants/bars.   

Admiral Fell would be my choice of the two. Better location. 

[markeb]

I think you're good anywhere from Harbor East into Fells Point, but I also haven't been to Baltimore since the various closures. And it's more than a little unpredictable what things will look like at the end of the year. The area around the Courtyard, including the Four Seasons and the Marriott Waterfront, is somewhat newer, and it's really close to Little Italy. Most of those places have been there for a long time, and will probably be there in December. The area around Fells Point has a lot more smaller restaurants and bars, and I don't know how they've done. Some of what I'd consider newer places along the way between the two areas aren't showing up on Google maps, or I'm not seeing them.

 

So if you're picking based on what's in the neighborhood, hopefully someone from Baltimore who's been in the neighborhoods can speak up.

[cantgetaname]

I'm assuming that there is no airport shuttle at all with Sagamore Pendry & Admiral Fell,  and that taxi's or Uber aren't too difficult to get at the airport?

[markeb]

Taxis and Uber should both be easy. Same from the hotel to the port. Can't find a rate today; the web page I normally use either isn't working, or has decided to steadfastly continue using Flash in a a Flash-free world...

 

 

[princeton123211]

2 hours ago, cantgetaname said:

taxi's or Uber aren't too difficult to get at the airport?

Ubers are super easy to get from the airport and will be your best bet. BWI isn't as close as a lot of airports are to the city and will be about a half hour ride. I remember it usually cost me about $28-30. 

 

You can also take the train from BWI to Penn Station in Baltimore and then a taxi from there. It might save you a tiny bit of money but take much longer than an Uber as there is a shuttle involved plus waiting for the train plus the taxi to the hotel. Not really worth it.