Cruises from Baltimore: terminal, parking and the lines that sail

The Baltimore cruise port

Baltimore has one cruise terminal, run by the Maryland Port Administration. It’s in an industrial part of South Locust Point, not in the Inner Harbor, so you’ll need a car, taxi or shuttle to get there.

Terminal

Cruise Maryland Terminal at South Locust Point, 2001 E McComas St, Baltimore, MD 21230

Location

South Locust Point, just off I-95

From BWI Airport

A short drive north on I-95 or I-295; taxi or rideshare

Parking

About $25 a day (2026 rate), card only, no reservation needed

Season

Year round with Carnival; Royal Caribbean from spring to fall

Baltimore cruise port parking

• Parking: the port runs secured long-term lots within walking distance of the terminal. The rate for cars and SUVs is about $25 a day as of 2026, paid by credit card when you arrive, and you don’t need to reserve. RVs pay a higher nightly rate.
• Hotel park-and-cruise deals: some hotels near BWI and the Inner Harbor bundle a night’s stay with parking and a shuttle. Check what the shuttle schedule is before booking.

Getting there

• By car: the terminal is just off I-95, which makes it an easy drive from Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and much of Pennsylvania and Virginia.
• From BWI: take a taxi, a rideshare or a line transfer. The airport is just south of the city, so it’s a short ride.
• By train: Amtrak and MARC trains stop at Baltimore Penn Station and BWI’s rail station. From either, it’s a taxi ride to the terminal.

Staying the night before

If you’re driving from the Mid-Atlantic, you can usually reach the terminal on the morning of the cruise. If you’re flying in, stay the night before, near BWI or around the Inner Harbor. The Inner Harbor puts you closer to restaurants and sights, while BWI hotels are usually cheaper and closer to the airport for the trip home. Either way, the ride to the terminal on embarkation day is short.

Lines sailing from Baltimore

Two lines run regular sailings from Baltimore: Carnival year round with Carnival Pride, joined by Carnival Miracle from November 2027, and Royal Caribbean from spring to fall with Vision of the Seas. The table below shows sample sailings from our monthly snapshot.

• Royal CaribbeanVision of the Seas runs Bermuda, Bahamas and Canada and New England trips from spring to fall, then repositions to San Juan for the winter. The better pick for families.
  From $626 per personChecked September 2026
• Carnival Cruise LineCarnival Pride year round, with Carnival Miracle joining in November 2027 for the first two-ship season, and the widest spread of trip lengths and destinations, from week-long Bahamas and Bermuda trips to two-week Southern Caribbean sailings. Usually the cheaper of the two.
  From $519 per personChecked September 2026

Sample sailings from Baltimore, 2026–2027. From-prices per person, checked September 2026.

Departs	Line and ship	Nights	Itinerary	From	Link
Jan 3, 2027	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Pride	7	7 Day Bahamas (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$519	Check price
May 21, 2027	Royal Caribbean, Vision of the Seas	8	8 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$626	Check price
Jun 3, 2027	Royal Caribbean, Vision of the Seas	9	9 Night Bermuda & Bahamas Cruise (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$646	Check price
Aug 26, 2027	Royal Caribbean, Vision of the Seas	9	9 Night Canada & New England Cruise (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$2,248	Check price
Sep 18, 2027	Royal Caribbean, Vision of the Seas	5	5 Night Bermuda Getaway Cruise (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$1,297	Check price
Sep 19, 2027	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Pride	7	7 Day Bermuda (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$739	Check price
Oct 3, 2027	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Pride	7	7 Day Bermuda (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$739	Check price
Dec 10, 2027	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Pride	9	Journeys - 9 Day Eastern Caribbean (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$759	Check price
Dec 29, 2027	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Miracle	8	8 Day Bahamas Cruise From Baltimore (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$1,039	Check price
Jan 27, 2028	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Miracle	9	9 Day Eastern Caribbean (from Baltimore, Maryland)	$739	Check price

Best cruises from Baltimore by season

• Year round: the Bahamas. Usually about a week, calling at ports such as Nassau, Grand Bahama or Bimini. The simplest trip from Baltimore.
• Spring to fall: Bermuda. Royal Caribbean runs 5-night round trips to Royal Naval Dockyard, and Carnival has week-long Bermuda sailings. It’s a good match for a first cruise.
• Winter: the Caribbean. Longer Carnival sailings, from about 9 days to the eastern Caribbean up to 12 to 14 days to the southern Caribbean. More sea days, but warmer weather at the end.
• Late summer and early fall: Canada and New England. Royal Caribbean runs 9-night round trips calling at Boston, Portland, Saint John and Halifax in August and September.

Three insider picks

1. Budget for the bay. Ships spend the first several hours sailing down the Chesapeake Bay before reaching the Atlantic, and the same on the way back. It’s calm, scenic sailing, but it’s time you won’t spend in port. Longer sailings make better use of it than short ones.

2. Pick the line first, the trip second. With only two main lines, the choice is really Carnival or Royal Caribbean. Carnival is usually cheaper and sails year round; Royal Caribbean has more to do on board but only sails here from spring to fall. Our best cruise lines ranking compares them.

3. Late-deal hunting works here. Baltimore is mostly a drive-to market, so if you can leave on short notice, you can take a cheap late sailing without the risk of a last-minute flight. See our last-minute cruise deals guide.

Baltimore cruise FAQ

Which cruise lines sail out of Baltimore?

Carnival (year round) and Royal Caribbean (spring to fall) run the regular sailings. Carnival adds a second ship, Carnival Miracle, from November 2027, with Bahamas, eastern Caribbean and 12- and 14-day southern Caribbean trips.

Are there Royal Caribbean cruises out of Baltimore?

Yes. Royal Caribbean bases Vision of the Seas in Baltimore from spring to fall for Bermuda, Bahamas and Canada and New England sailings, and it ends the season with one-way trips to San Juan. It’s the better pick of the two main lines if you’re cruising with children. See our Royal Caribbean guide and our family cruises ranking.

How much does parking cost at the Baltimore cruise port?

About $25 a day for a car or SUV as of 2026, so roughly $175 for a week-long cruise. You pay by credit card on arrival at the port’s secured lots, which are a short walk from the terminal, and no reservation is needed. RVs pay more. Rates change, so check cruise.maryland.gov before you go.

Are there all-inclusive cruises from Baltimore?

Neither Carnival nor Royal Caribbean includes drinks or specialty dining in the base fare, but both sell drink packages. For fares that include more, see our all-inclusive cruises guide.

Do I need a passport for a cruise from Baltimore?

On a round trip that starts and ends in Baltimore, U.S. citizens can usually sail with an original birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID. A passport is the safer choice if you might have to fly home from a foreign port. More in our no-passport cruises guide.

Are there 3-day cruises from Baltimore?

Rarely. Because of the time it takes to reach open sea, most sailings from Baltimore are 5 nights or longer. Our short cruises guide lists better ports for a weekend trip.