4 East Coast Ports for Convenient Cruising

Travelers are discovering the convenience and cost savings of cruising from a close-to-home port. We have the lowdown on the ports, cruises and attractions that will make you want to drive to your next cruise.

The swan boats at Boston Public Garden; Photo by Kyle Klein

FLYNN CRUISEPORT | BOSTON
Hundreds of thousands of cruise-goers pass through Flynn Cruiseport Boston as a port of call or the embarkation point for a cruise to Canada or beyond.

Located in South Boston’s Seaport District, the cruise port is accessed conveniently from Routes I-90 and I-93 and by public transit from South Station. Cruise parking is available at the Massport Fargo Lot at 93 Fargo Street, a five-minute walk to the cruise port; free shuttles are available. Parking arrangements must be made in advance at Promo.

The dual Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton Boston Seaport District is a five-minute walk to the terminal. AAA Four Diamond Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport and the Westin Boston Seaport District are both less than a mile away. Many other hotels at various price points can be found throughout the city.

For more information click here.

SAMPLING OF CRUISE LINES AND CRUISES*
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

11-night roundtrip Maine and Canada
10-night one way to the Caribbean and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

7-day one way to Québec City or Montréal
11-day one way to Montréal
7-day roundtrip Canada
24-day roundtrip Canada, New England and Iceland
21-day roundtrip Caribbean
14-, 25- and 35-day one way Caribbean to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

PRINCESS CRUISES

7-day roundtrip Canada
10-day one way to Québec City
17-day roundtrip Greenland and Canada

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

7-night roundtrip Canada
15-night roundtrip Greenland

WHAT TO DO

For art immersion, visit the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Walk the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile red-brick trail through historic neighborhoods that tells the story of Boston’s role in the American Revolution.
Dine and shop at historic Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
Visit Boston’s historic public greenspaces: Boston Common and Boston Public Garden; at the latter, ride the Swan Boats.
If you have kids in tow, they’ll love the New England Aquarium and the Boston Children’s Museum.

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor dazzles day and night; Photo courtesy of National Aquarium

CRUISE MARYLAND | THE PORT OF BALTIMORE
The folks at Cruise Maryland sum it up best with their slogan: “You can go from baggage to margarita in about 15 minutes.”

Indeed, it’s easy-breezy to drive up to the Cruise Maryland Terminal located just off I-95 in Baltimore; drop off your luggage with assistance from porters; park your car in the lots located on-site at the terminal ($15 per day, at press time); walk over to the passenger building to check in, and then board your ship—upon which your vacation instantly begins.

Cruise Maryland operates year-round, with Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Legend and Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas calling the port home. The port’s location just 2.5 miles from the Inner Harbor, bustling with attractions, restaurants and hotels—from familiar brands to luxury properties—makes pre- and post-cruise stays a breeze, too.

For more information click here.

SAMPLING OF CRUISE LINES AND CRUISES*
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

7-day Bahamas
7-day Bermuda
12-day Transatlantic (the Azores and Spain)
7- to 8-day Eastern Caribbean
14-day Southern Caribbean
14-day Panama Canal
14-day Greenland and Canada

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

5-night Bermuda
8-night Southeast Coast & Bahamas
9-night Bermuda and Bahamas
8-night Bahamas
12-night Southern Caribbean
9-night Canada and New England

WHAT TO DO

Visit the National Aquarium and its 20,000 animals.
Sample the city on a Fell’s Point food tour.
Explore hands-on exhibits at the Maryland Science Center.
Let the kids play at the Port Discovery Children’s Museum.
Catch an Orioles baseball game or Ravens football game in season.
Kick back at Power Plant Live!, a restaurant, bar and entertainment hub.

The 9/11 Teardrop Memorial; Courtesy of Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs | Tourism Development

CAPE LIBERTY CRUISE PORT | BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY
Every year, more than 1.5 million passengers say bon voyage from the Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, New Jersey, located off the New Jersey Turnpike just south of Manhattan. The country’s fifth-busiest cruise port, which marks its 20th anniversary this May, is home base for Royal Caribbean.

Operating year-round and capable of accommodating multiple ships at once, Cape Liberty hosts upcoming departures on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas as well as on Royal’s sister line Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Eclipse. On-site parking ($30 a day, at press time) is guaranteed (no reservation necessary), with free shuttles from overflow lots; garage and open-lot parking are available.

Sailing from Lady Liberty’s front door invites plentiful pre- and post-cruise opportunities, particularly in nearby Manhattan. On the Jersey side, several familiar hotel brands are concentrated around Newark Liberty International Airport, about 10 miles away.

For more information click here.

SAMPLING OF CRUISE LINES AND CRUISES*
ROYAL CARIBBEAN

4-, 5- and 6-night Bermuda
4-night Canada
9-night Canada and New England
8- and 9-night Eastern Caribbean
9-night Bermuda and Eastern Caribbean
7- and 8-night Bahamas
11-night Eastern Caribbean
11- and 12-night Southern Caribbean
12-night Transatlantic (to Southampton, England)

CELEBRITY CRUISES

7-night Bermuda
8-night Bermuda and Martha’s Vineyard

WHAT TO DO

Take a short walk to the 9/11 Teardrop Memorial.
Hop a ferry from Liberty State Park to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Explore the massive planetarium at the Liberty Science Center.
Visit nearby Hoboken, New Jersey, with restaurants, bars and shops packed into 1 square mile.
Shop, dine and see world-renowned sights in Manhattan.

Nauticus museum and Battleship Wisconsin; Courtesy of Visit Norfolk

NORFOLK CRUISE TERMINAL | VIRGINIA
Norfolk, Virginia’s cruise port, formally called the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, will be closed throughout 2024 for enhancements to the terminal that will allow the Carnival Sunshine to sail year-round from the city beginning in February 2025. Upgrades include a larger enclosed seating area for embarking passengers, a ramp for quicker debarkation and enlargement of the ground transportation drop-off point.

Half Moone can be reached via I-64 and I-264. Secure parking ($15 per day, at press time) is available at the recently upgraded Cedar Grove parking lot at 1000 Monticello Avenue, with shuttles to the cruise terminal. The cruise port is located right downtown, providing easy access to attractions as well as a thriving culinary scene that boasts 600 independently owned restaurants, many of them in center city.

Several Norfolk hotels are located within a half-mile of the cruise terminal. Among them are Hilton Norfolk the Main, Marriott Norfolk Waterside Hotel and Sheraton Norfolk Waterside. For an art-focused stay near the terminal, check into the AAA Four Diamond Glass Light Hotel & Gallery, Autograph Collection, with unique décor that takes its cue from the city’s art museum
with its large collection of art glass.

For more information click here.

SAMPLING OF CRUISE LINES AND CRUISES*
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

6-day Bahamas
8-day Eastern Caribbean

WHAT TO DO

Explore the interactive science and maritime-themed museum Nauticus, home to the Battleship Wisconsin.
Tour the Chrysler Museum of Art and its Perry Glass Studio, which offers free glassmaking demonstrations.
Take a two-hour cruise of the harbor on the Victory Rover to learn about the world’s largest naval base: Naval Station Norfolk.
Stroll through the Norfolk Botanical Garden.
Cheer on the Norfolk Admirals professional hockey team.
Enjoy a performance at Attucks Theatre, Chrysler Hall, Harrison Opera House or Wells Theatre.

* Cruise listings accurate at press time. Check with your travel advisor for up-to-date schedules.