Will Carnival ever come to Baltimore?

[bulldog12]

We here in Baltimore would like to see more cruise ships come to us, right now RCCL is here until May 2008 and then NCL will do the summer.

[BCFD 2357]

from Baltimore here too and we always have to go to Florida to go on the Carnival cruises :(

[RogerandChris]

Someone asked why not a certain port at a talk Carnival gave on the Victory. They said lots of factors entered into it but the port had to do things the "Carnival way" to allow them the 8 hour turnaround necessary. Baltimore might need more piers or conveyors or something they are lacking.

[KenMo]

I'm waiting for them to come to Kansas City.

 

I'd love to just drive to the ship!!

[GOTTA CRUISE NOW]

The Miracle went out of Baltimore it's first year. Wonder what didn't work? They were overbooked because so many people wanted to cruise from there, us included. It's only an hour away...........................

 

Okay, I'm back. I was daydreaming there for a couple of seconds.

I think they would definitely have interest in it. People from VA, WV, PA, MD, DE, OH, DC would all be within EASY driving distance to the port.

[lvtotrvl1]

I heard that it is so long to get out of the Chesapeake Bay that it doesn't make it viable to the cruiselines...Not sure if this is true though.

[vacruizer]

Someone asked this question a while back on John Heald's blog. He posted an answer from someone at Carnival (sorry - don't remember who it was) saying that due to distance they would need a Spirit class ship for Baltimore and that they didn't have one available.

 

I'm still waiting to see what happens to the Pride in 2009 - would be nice if it were Norfolk or Baltimore!!!

[kebhouse]

Add me to the list of people who would love to cruise out of Baltimore!!!

[Wennfred]

The Miracle went out of Baltimore it's first year. Wonder what didn't work?

 

Its usually a Port Authority issue, basically they probably wanted way too much money. There you go, Read below, 50 Million:

 

 

Baltimore's cruise industry generated $50 million for the state last year, Ehrlich said. State officials emphasized their determination to become a national player in the cruise industry -- a niche dominated by Florida ports. Royster, who came from the Port of Miami, said Baltimore's facility is slightly smaller but comparable to Florida operations.

 

Royal Caribbean, the sole cruise provider in Baltimore, scheduled 28 departures from South Locust Point this year. Two cruises will make port calls here. The cruise company plans to add voyages from Baltimore to Canada, New England and the eastern Caribbean in 2007, officials said.

 

 

 

Fred

[Wennfred]

I'm still waiting to see what happens to the Pride in 2009 !!

 

I believe it was already mentioned that the Pride will be heading to Nola or Mobile to replace either the Holiday or Celebration.

 

 

Fred

[GOTTA CRUISE NOW]

Hmph!!! If RCCL can do it, why can't we? (CCL)

 

I know. And yes, I am a spoiled rotten cruiser. :rolleyes:

[Wennfred]

Cruise line abandons Baltimore port for 2005

 

BALTIMORE (AP) — Carnival Cruise Lines says it won't be sailing out of Baltimore's port next year, despite the popularity of the vacations.

The company had always intended to sail the Miracle, a new vessel, for only one year from Baltimore before moving it permanently to Tampa, a spokeswoman said. Carnival overbooked several cruises out of Baltimore this year, disappointing hundreds of customers.

 

"Obviously, our program out of Baltimore has been extraordinarily successful; the sales have been fabulous," said Jennifer de la Cruz, a Carnival spokeswoman. "We'd like to come back to Baltimore at some point. It's just that the program for 2005 is already completed, and we don't have a ship to come up there."

 

Norwegian Cruise Lines, another of the five lines that make up the port's cruise industry, is also eliminating Baltimore as a departure point next year, as well.

 

But Royal Caribbean, one of the most popular cruise lines sailing from the port, plans to increase its number of Baltimore cruises.

 

Port officials said Carnival's decision is typical of cruise lines.

"They make year-to-year commitments," said Deidre McCabe, a port spokeswoman. "Because one line doesn't call a port one year doesn't mean they can't come back the following year."

 

The port expects to handle 240,000 cruise passengers this year, more than double the 115,813 last year and far more than the 5,103 in 1999. Baltimore's cruise business picked up after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, attracting passengers who didn't want to fly to other cruise terminals.

About 30 cruises are confirmed out of Baltimore for 2005 — about half this year's number — but the port is working to bring additional departures, McCabe said.

 

State economic development officials said they are working on a strategy to keep the cruise industry in Baltimore. Some officials would like to build a new terminal for cruise ships, but political support may be lacking.

[MD34]

I'm waiting for them to come to Kansas City.

 

I'd love to just drive to the ship!!

 

LOL!

[Wennfred]

Norwegian Cruise Lines, another of the five lines that make up the port's cruise industry, is also eliminating Baltimore as a departure point next year, as well.

That goes to show you that Baltimore Cruise Terminal has some serious issues. RCCL probably got screwed by signing a 5 year contract.

Fred

[CRUISIN'w/friends]

add me too!!! we'll be flying to Fl on Sunday, sure would be nice just to drive to the port.;) (be about a 25 minute drive for us)

[gatorclaw]

I'll play devil's advocate here. I am 40 minutes from Baltimore and while it's hugely appealing to be able to just hop on the ship an hour after leaving my house- Baltimore is just too far North. I don't want those extra sea days just to get to a port and then extra sea days coming back. And I especially don't want to be cold if I'm cruising in the winter.

 

So I think flying to FL is better. It's close to a wash for me- but the advantages of cruising from FL are just too great.

[NCTribeFan]

I'd be happy with Baltimore. At least it's driving distance. Norfolk would be even better! I really wish I'd done the cheapo 6-day Bermuda on Empress in early June. I believe they're retiring her. I checked prices on Grandeur of the Seas out of Norfolk next year and they're too high for me.

 

$799 for an inside cabin for a 5-night to Bermuda? I guess if you like sea days then $599 for an inside to the Bahamas wouldn't be too bad (6 nights).

 

Why would a 5-day cruise to Bermuda from Norfolk cost more than a 8-day NY to Eastern Carib on Miracle?

 

I could also drive to Charleston, SC. Norwegian has a 6-nights Bermuda from $399 (October 28th only), and 7-night Western Carib. from $459. I've never sailed Norwegian. I'm not sure I'd like her. All Carnival offers is 5-night Bahamas (Freeport & Nassau), also in October.

 

I can't/won't sail in October so that leaves me out.

 

Maybe they'll start sailing out of Wilmington, NC!

[jpg1747]

What makes sense out of Baltimore would be cruises to Bermuda. That's one I'd like to see. Or perhaps New England/Canada. But I agree it's too far north for the caribbean cruises. I can drive to Baltimore, Norfolk, Philadephia and New York, but none have cruises that work for me at this time.

[mdmomof7]

20 mins. from my door to the port. I love going by the terminal and seeing the Grandeur of the Seas. I've found that the cruise prices are still better leaving from FL if it's only the two of us. If we take the entire family, it would likely be cheaper to cruise from Baltimore. I, too, would like to see more Bermuda cruises and maybe some NE cruises from Baltimore, but going to FL is nice too.

[bulldog12]

Thanks all, I would love to go to FL to sail but it's just to far to drive ( I hate to fly) I was thinking of AMTRAC but thats just as long, I am a cruise lover from the heart been on RCCL twice and was in love, just wish Carnival would come in.

[BigDoug]

Someone asked this question a while back on John Heald's blog. He posted an answer from someone at Carnival (sorry - don't remember who it was) saying that due to distance they would need a Spirit class ship for Baltimore and that they didn't have one available.

 

I'm still waiting to see what happens to the Pride in 2009 - would be nice if it were Norfolk or Baltimore!!!

The Pride is staying on the left coast. The Spirit, however, will be returning to the east coast. That opens the possibility of the Spirit coming to Baltimore. This allows the Legend to remain in Tampa, and the Miracle to continue from NY.

[Wennfred]

The Pride is staying on the left coast. The Spirit, however, will be returning to the east coast. That opens the possibility of the Spirit coming to Baltimore. This allows the Legend to remain in Tampa, and the Miracle to continue from NY.

 

That right, the Pride is coming to San Diego.

[sallyb]

20 mins. from my door to the port. I love going by the terminal and seeing the Grandeur of the Seas. I've found that the cruise prices are still better leaving from FL if it's only the two of us. If we take the entire family, it would likely be cheaper to cruise from Baltimore. I, too, would like to see more Bermuda cruises and maybe some NE cruises from Baltimore, but going to FL is nice too.

 

mdmomof7,

What day is she in port? I always look when going by, but have never seen her.

I would love to have a Carnival ship in Baltimore, I would then take a cruise in the summer. Right now, I fly to Florida every winter to get away from the cold. If I didn't have to pay for airfare, I wouldn't mind a little higher cruise price.

[SunnieD]

We took our 3 kids on the Grandeur last year out of Baltimore. It was great driving from Richmond, Va and paid the $100 cash to park. It beats more than $1,000 to fly to Florida. The ship is just older and smaller than I would have liked the kids to experience. So, unless we drive to New York, we will have to drive to Florida for the next one with them. Norfolk is even worse with the Empress of the Seas to Bermuda. Expensive, small, and it is docked for days.

[keishashadow]

Even though we'd have to drive 8 hours to Baltimore & 10 to Norfolk, it'd beat the hassle of driving to NYC (despite being a much shorter trip).

 

Really would like to see it offered, would entice us to take an "extra" trip every year or so based on not having the airfare expense. The other cruiselines sailing from the port's offerings are very pricey IMO.

 

Carnival touts itself on the ability for so many people around the country to drive to a port...they need to get on board!:)