Cruises from Baltimore

The city of Baltimore is often overlooked by travelers on the Eastern Seaboard. But as a city that Lonely Planet readers declared as one of ten underrated U.S. cities, Baltimore has its own inexplicable charm, with desires to outgrow its old industrial roots. This includes an increasing number of cruises from Baltimore as cruise lines continue to invest in the area.

While the Port of Baltimore hasn't traditionally been a busy cruise port, it's beginning to become one. The number of cruises sailing from the port - as well as the number of cruise passengers - has been steadily increasing. The port set new records in 2009 and 2010 for both categories, with 169,490 passengers on 91 cruises from Baltimore. According to the Baltimore Sun, the port authority expects those numbers to set new records again in 2011.

There are currently three cruise lines offering cruises from Baltimore: Carnival, Celebrity Cruises, and Royal Caribbean. These three cruise lines all offer cruises to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Florida. It's interesting to note that there are year-round cruises from Baltimore, making them even more appealing for people with busy schedules. However, prices do fluctuate throughout the year. Using CruiseDirect.com's search tool, you'll notice that the prices of Baltimore cruises is highest between June and August. The best bargains can be found between November and January, excluding Christmas and New Year's.

Getting to Baltimore for your cruise is easy with Baltimore Washington International Airport being only a few miles from the city proper. Finding cheap flights to Baltimore is easiest during the fall, tying in well with already cheap prices on Baltimore cruises. And before or after your cruise, you can relax for a day and enjoy the numerous things to do in Baltimore. If you're really feeling adventurous, Washington, DC is only about 40 miles away, making it easy to extend your cruise vacation a bit longer.

Photo by Cathy T. from Flickr