Cruises from Baltimore

[Charles4515]

5 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I lived near Baltimore for 14 years and never even thought about cruising out of Baltimore.

Now, living 1600 miles from Baltimore, we booked a Baltimore cruise.

I am living 1200 miles away now and likely won't ever but Bayonne is likely. 

Edited March 27 by Charles4515

[teddie]

6 minutes ago, Mangrove Snapper said:

 

Now that's a fair point.  We always go early to try to avoid this.  I'd rather sit at the port and wait than sit in traffic and wait. 

 

Best to get an early check in time (before 11:00 AM) in Bayonne to beat a long wait to drive up to the luggage drop off.

 

Teddie

[LB_NJ]

6 minutes ago, BND said:

That's why you buy insurance.

I do not think most travel insurance would cover this.  Travel insurance tends to be "named peril" and changing departure ports usually isn't listed as covered in the policies I've seen.

[LB_NJ]

FYI, Royal is still selling June departures out of Baltimore.

[smokeybandit]

3 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

FYI, Royal is still selling June departures out of Baltimore.

No reason not to.

[LB_NJ]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

No reason not to.

If they are sure they will be able to sail out of Baltimore fine, but if they can't then this is false advertising.

[BND]

10 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

I do not think most travel insurance would cover this.  Travel insurance tends to be "named peril" and changing departure ports usually isn't listed as covered in the policies I've seen.

Cancel for any reason covers it. There are a lot of things that are covered.  A lot cover change in port.  

[Cruizin999]

1 hour ago, BDevilCruiser said:

Maryland already has approval to start design on a new Bay Bridge crossing.  One article from 2022 indicated that they would raise the clearance 50 feet.  So I would expect design of the new Key Bridge to consider what height is optimal.  I doubt that they’ll be able to use all of the approach spans so a steeper approach is possible (they are ~50 years old and a reasonable decision would be to replace them as well; one to accommodate a new design and two to accommodate 50 years of design/safety improvements.). This bridge is going to cost ~$3-5 billion (or more) it would be foolish to build it “as it was” and not make improvements.

’ 

the new Key Bridge no doubt will be completed first, so a higher bridge won’t be of help immediately, but will be eventually.

The "new" Chesapeake Bay Bridge is merely a new span, not a replacement for the two older spans. It is meant to ease congestion on the roads.

[LB_NJ]

11 minutes ago, BND said:

Cancel for any reason covers it. There are a lot of things that are covered.  A lot cover change in port.  

I never buy cancel for any reason because it is significantly more expensive so I forget about that version.  I was thinking of the standard variety travel insurance.

[shipgeeks]

54 minutes ago, TwoMisfits said:

 

But you're rare...I'm betting Carnival looked at their passenger location stats, and that's why they made such a quick call, while Royal is still deciding...

Carnival had to decide more quickly because their next cruise is Sunday.  RC's is not until next Thursday.  A lot can happen in eight days.

[lovesthebeach2]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

All these people calling seems like just tying up the lines. The phone people dont know and if they did cant tell you the plans for this. 

 

People are calling before there is a plan announced. Waste of time imo.

Yes but I wouldn’t expect that question to be answered here either 

[hsweiss]

38 minutes ago, Cruizin999 said:

The "new" Chesapeake Bay Bridge is merely a new span, not a replacement for the two older spans. It is meant to ease congestion on the roads.

Not necessarily so.  Why would we spend $8B (or more) to build a new bridge and not build enough lane capacity that would require keeping the old bridges?  The 'newer' west-bound bridge is 51 years old (build in 1973). The 'older' east-bound span opened in 1952 making it 72 years old!  The media was calling the Key Bridge 'old' at 47 years. Between the 2 spans there is a total of 5 lanes.  I would assume that a new bridge would be at least 4 lanes in each direction (and maybe even dual-stacked like the Verrazano Bridge). Why wouldn't the plan be that the new bridge remove the operations and maintenance costs required for the ancient bridges?  Also a new bridge could be built higher to accommodate taller ships and other items such as the Panamax cranes - they needed to shut down the Bay Bridge to deliver the  cranes into the Port of Baltimore because they barely fit under the bridges.

[hsweiss]

1 hour ago, BND said:

NJ port is just as secure as any other port.  I know lots of people who have parked there. The only issue we've seen/heard was when TS Sandy slammed NY/NJ.  We were on the next cruise after and a lot of cars had been flooded with salty water. A lot wouldn't start. We use Amtrak to Newark and stay in a hotel the night before and get a car service to the port.

We just drove and parked in Bayonne in December and it was fine.  We were in the garage and other than the longer walk as compared to Baltimore, it was fine.  Of course the cost was much higher since Bayonne charges $30/day vs. Baltimore's $15/day.

[hsweiss]

2 hours ago, BDevilCruiser said:

Maryland already has approval to start design on a new Bay Bridge crossing.  One article from 2022 indicated that they would raise the clearance 50 feet.  So I would expect design of the new Key Bridge to consider what height is optimal.  I doubt that they’ll be able to use all of the approach spans so a steeper approach is possible (they are ~50 years old and a reasonable decision would be to replace them as well; one to accommodate a new design and two to accommodate 50 years of design/safety improvements.). This bridge is going to cost ~$3-5 billion (or more) it would be foolish to build it “as it was” and not make improvements.

’ 

the new Key Bridge no doubt will be completed first, so a higher bridge won’t be of help immediately, but will be eventually.

Exactly - one step at a time. In recent history, it seemed like the Bay Bridge would be replaced first which would allow taller ships but would require a new terminal in Baltimore prior to reaching the Key Bridge. But now it looks like the reverse might occur with the rebuilding of the Key Bridge. However, the old Key Bridge was very steep at its 185' above the water so the onramps would have to be re-engineered to allow a lower grade if the height were to be increased (e.g., the NYC Verrazano Bridge is 225' - a full 40' higher than the Key or Bay Bridge.

 

[Nadey]

We have the cruise booked for April 12. We booked that one because the one that we had scheduled for September 23 was canceled because of the hurricane. I don't know whether this means it's an omen that we're not supposed to go on a cruise. We specifically picked Baltimore because we could drive there and we got a really good deal when they canceled the cruise in September just have to wait and see would hate to have to drive to New Jersey. It would be almost 8 hours and then have to go in the day before and get a hotel.

[mil76]

I'm not a bridge-phobic person, but those Cheasapeake Bay bridges are pretty scary to cross, especially in the summer when everyone is going "downeyoshin" and they switch all the lanes around.  It would be nice if the silver lining of all of this is they bring both crossings up to modern standards.

[SRF]

21 minutes ago, hsweiss said:

Not necessarily so.  Why would we spend $8B (or more) to build a new bridge and not build enough lane capacity that would require keeping the old bridges?  The 'newer' west-bound bridge is 51 years old (build in 1973). The 'older' east-bound span opened in 1952 making it 72 years old!  The media was calling the Key Bridge 'old' at 47 years. Between the 2 spans there is a total of 5 lanes.  I would assume that a new bridge would be at least 4 lanes in each direction (and maybe even dual-stacked like the Verrazano Bridge). Why wouldn't the plan be that the new bridge remove the operations and maintenance costs required for the ancient bridges?  Also a new bridge could be built higher to accommodate taller ships and other items such as the Panamax cranes - they needed to shut down the Bay Bridge to deliver the  cranes into the Port of Baltimore because they barely fit under the bridges.

1)  Money

2)  Do you really think that they think that far ahead?

 

It is the government. 

 

[hsweiss]

41 minutes ago, SRF said:

1)  Money

2)  Do you really think that they think that far ahead?

 

It is the government. 

 

Oh, I didn't say the bridge replacement would be built.  Its an astounding amount of money - not to mention the cost and schedule overruns that will inevitably occur. Its just that if a new bridge would be built, why would the old bridges stay in place with the immense costs involved in maintaining them? 

[BND]

47 minutes ago, mil76 said:

I'm not a bridge-phobic person, but those Cheasapeake Bay bridges are pretty scary to cross, especially in the summer when everyone is going "downeyoshin" and they switch all the lanes around.  It would be nice if the silver lining of all of this is they bring both crossings up to modern standards.

I've ridden across and driven across those dozens of times. Grew up in MD and have been to Ocean City, MD a lot.  They never scared me.  I avoid the lane facing oncoming traffic when they have it that way.  It is only one bridge though that does that.  They used to offer drivers for free for people who were phobic.  You have to pay for the service now.  I'd much rather drive myself than have a stranger do it.

[Robo1098]

1 hour ago, hsweiss said:

Exactly - one step at a time. In recent history, it seemed like the Bay Bridge would be replaced first which would allow taller ships but would require a new terminal in Baltimore prior to reaching the Key Bridge. But now it looks like the reverse might occur with the rebuilding of the Key Bridge. However, the old Key Bridge was very steep at its 185' above the water so the onramps would have to be re-engineered to allow a lower grade if the height were to be increased (e.g., the NYC Verrazano Bridge is 225' - a full 40' higher than the Key or Bay Bridge.

 

I noticed how steep the approaches were in the photos. I was wondering if it was an illusion.

 

[hsweiss]

28 minutes ago, BND said:

I've ridden across and driven across those dozens of times. Grew up in MD and have been to Ocean City, MD a lot.  They never scared me.  I avoid the lane facing oncoming traffic when they have it that way.  It is only one bridge though that does that.  They used to offer drivers for free for people who were phobic.  You have to pay for the service now.  I'd much rather drive myself than have a stranger do it.

It was scary to drive across when it had the metal grid roadway surface. The car would sway left & right and there isn't much wiggle room on the eastbound bridge. 

[hsweiss]

36 minutes ago, hsweiss said:

Oh, I didn't say the bridge replacement would be built.  Its an astounding amount of money - not to mention the cost and schedule overruns that will inevitably occur. Its just that if a new bridge would be built, why would the old bridges stay in place with the immense costs involved in maintaining them? 

This is from a 2015 study performed for the Maryland Transportation Authority regarding the 4 build options (https://mdta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/Files/Bay_Bridge_LCCA_Report_12-2015.pdf)

 

Edited March 27 by hsweiss

[firefly333]

Biden promised to pay for it, then said he hopes congress will agree .. imo unlikely the congress will agree. 

 

It might take longer to rebuild than people are hoping for. No bills coming up they can add it to. 

[Charles4515]

15 minutes ago, hsweiss said:

It was scary to drive across when it had the metal grid roadway surface. The car would sway left & right and there isn't much wiggle room on the eastbound bridge. 

I hated that. 

[death_star]

23 minutes ago, hsweiss said:

This is from a 2015 study performed for the Maryland Transportation Authority regarding the 4 build options (https://mdta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/Files/Bay_Bridge_LCCA_Report_12-2015.pdf)

 

This project has moved at a glacial pace with so much feedback from the public. It's limited though by the size of rt 50 on the approach in either side and that's why they were floating alternative crossing points. 

 

I'm curious what they will do for the new design of the key bridge and getting it through all of the environmental study and public comment we usually have for our transportation projects. They're not going to throw the same 1970s design back up there.