Port of Baltimore · Getting There & Parking
Getting There & Parking at Port of Baltimore
Park at the Cruise Maryland Terminal's own lot, 2001 East McComas Street. It is fenced, lit, on the terminal site and within walking distance of the doors, at $25 a night for a car or SUV since April 1, 2026. Nothing to reserve: pay by card on arrival, because the lot takes no cash.
The port's own FAQ page still shows the old $20 figure, so budget $25. An RV is $40 a night under 30 feet and $50 over.
Provenance: 9 dated sources · updated September 22, 2026
Published by CruiseDayGuide · Rates checked September 21, 2026 · guide updated September 22, 2026
You're paying $5 more than the port's old $20 rate, which changed on April 1, 2026.
Baltimore cruise parking options compared
| Option | Published rate | Getting to the terminal | Reservation and payment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal lot, passenger vehicles and SUVs | Published rate$25.00 per night from April 1, 2026, raised from $20.00 | Getting to the terminalWalk. The port describes the lot as within walking distance of the terminal | Reservation and paymentNo advance reservation required. Payable on arrival by credit card | NotesDescribed by the port as onsite fenced-in, well-lit secured parking |
| Terminal lot, RVs under 30 feet | Published rate$40.00 per night | Getting to the terminalSame onsite lot, walking distance to the terminal doors | Reservation and paymentNo advance reservation required. Credit card on arrival | NotesListed as a flat tier rather than a multiple of car spaces, unlike several rival ports |
| Terminal lot, RVs over 30 feet | Published rate$50.00 per night | Getting to the terminalSame onsite lot, walking distance to the terminal doors | Reservation and paymentNo advance reservation required. Credit card on arrival | NotesDouble the car rate. Price it against a week of storage plus a taxi before assuming it is the cheap option |
| Accessible parking at the terminal | Published rateNo separate rate published; the vehicle class rates apply | Getting to the terminalOn site, within the same walking distance as general parking | Reservation and paymentNo reservation process published. Credit card on arrival | NotesThe port states that special needs accessible parking is available on site |
| Clarion Inn and Suites lot, sold through Book2Park | Published rate$5.99 per day, uncovered self-park | Getting to the terminalShuttle, and it is not complimentary. Listed at $25 per trip per vehicle, four passengers per vehicle | Reservation and paymentBooked online in advance. Shuttle must be arranged at least a day ahead by phone | NotesListed 10 miles from the port. Shuttle runs 10am to 2pm on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday only |
| Best Western Plus Park n' Cruise package | Published rateQuoted at booking; the hotel does not publish a package price | Getting to the terminalComplimentary shuttle to and from the cruise terminal | Reservation and paymentBooked with the hotel. Shuttle reserved by phone using your ship details | NotesIncludes an overnight stay, hot breakfast buffet and free parking while you cruise. Three miles from the terminal |
| Drop-off without parking at all | Published rateNo parking charge | Getting to the terminalTaxi, shuttle bus or limousine to the terminal drop-off points | Reservation and paymentNothing to book with the port | NotesThe port quotes a $30 flat taxi rate from the terminal to BWI, stated as the same regardless of passenger count |
Book2Park's shuttle fee is per trip, so a round trip is two; reconfirm any hotel package by phone.
Parking for your cruise
Driving & Port ParkingCruisers driving from the mid-Atlantic, Northeast, or SoutheastCosts & travel details
Cost$25.00 per night for passenger vehicles and SUVs
Baltimore is a major drive-to cruise port for East Coasters. The terminal at South Locust Point is easy to reach from I-95 (Exit 55, Key Highway). Secured outdoor parking is on site and within walking distance of the terminal — there is no shuttle to wait for.
Pro tip: The port's own FAQ page still shows the old $20 figure, so budget $25 and treat any lower quote as out of date. Drop your luggage in the screening boxes at the terminal first, then park and walk back without your bags — the lot is within walking distance and there is no shuttle. Credit card only, no cash, and the passenger page lists a narrower set of cards than the FAQ does, so carry a backup if Amex is all you have.
Verified Sep 21, 2026 · Cruise Maryland — Passenger Information · See something outdated? Tell us
Other ways to reach the ship
From Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)Most cruisers flying inCosts & travel details
CostNot published. Neither BWI nor the Cruise Maryland Terminal publishes a taxi, rideshare or shuttle fare on any page checked, so none is quoted here.
BWI is about 10 miles from the cruise terminal — roughly 15-20 minutes by car, depending on traffic. This is the closest major airport and the easiest option for fly-in cruisers.
Pro tip: Royal Caribbean sometimes offers a shuttle from BWI — check your sailing's details on their website. Carnival does not run an airport shuttle. If you're renting a car, return it at BWI and rideshare to the port — it's cheaper than cruise parking for shorter trips.
From Washington Dulles (IAD) or Reagan National (DCA)Cruisers combining a Washington D.C. tripCosts & travel details
CostNot published. No airport or terminal page carries a fare from either Washington airport, and Amtrak prices its Washington-Baltimore trains dynamically.
Dulles is about 70 miles away (75-90 min drive), and Reagan National is about 45 miles (60-75 min). Both are options if you're combining a D.C. visit with your cruise, but BWI is much more convenient.
Pro tip: If flying into D.C., take Amtrak or MARC train from Union Station to Baltimore Penn Station (35-60 min, very comfortable), then a short Uber to the port. Much cheaper and more scenic than a rideshare all the way.
Hotel Shuttle ServicesCruisers who want to explore Baltimore the night beforeCosts & travel details
CostQuoted at booking — the hotels running these packages do not publish a package price.
Several Inner Harbor and BWI-area hotels offer park-stay-cruise packages that include a night's stay, parking for the duration of your cruise, and a shuttle to the terminal.
Pro tip: The Best Western Plus Park n' Cruise, three miles out, publishes the clearest inclusions of the packages checked: an overnight stay, hot breakfast, free parking while you cruise and a complimentary shuttle both ways, reserved by phone using your ship details. Book directly with the hotel, and price the package against $25 a night in the terminal lot plus the room you would have booked anyway.
Uber/Lyft from AnywhereFlexibility and door-to-door service from any locationCosts & travel details
CostNot published. Rideshare pricing is dynamic and no first party publishes a Baltimore cruise terminal fare, so none is quoted here.
Rideshare is available throughout Baltimore. The port has a designated drop-off area at the terminal entrance.
Pro tip: Embarkation day mornings are usually calm for pricing in Baltimore — not as much surge as busier ports. The terminal area is straightforward for drivers.
TaxiCruisers who prefer fixed pricingCosts & travel details
CostNot published on any airport or terminal page checked. Confirm the fare or the meter before you set off.
Traditional taxis are available at BWI Airport and throughout downtown Baltimore. Flat rate from BWI to the cruise port is common.
Pro tip: Taxis line up at the BWI ground transportation area. Confirm the flat rate before getting in. On embarkation days, taxis are generally the same price or cheaper than surging rideshares.
What Baltimore cruise parking costs, and why the port's own pages disagree
There is no dynamic pricing, no online reservation system and no booking fees. What you pay is the published rate times your number of nights — and which rate you find depends on which of the port's own pages you land on.
- Seven nights is $175, not $140, and fourteen nights on the Pride is $350, not $280.
Where this comes from
The $25 rate and the $5 increase are quoted from the Maryland Port Administration's own rate increase notice, and the conflicting $20 figure was read on the Cruise Maryland FAQ page, both on the date in the sources below.
How you actually pay, and why there is nothing to reserve
The passenger information page lists VISA, MasterCard and Discover; the FAQ adds American Express, so carry a backup card if Amex is your only option. No cash, no garage, no covered spaces.
- Single-terminal port with Carnival Pride and Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas, so capacity pressure is far lower than at multi-ship ports.
Where this comes from
Payment methods, the absence of a reservation requirement, and the description of the lot as onsite fenced-in and well-lit are quoted from Cruise Maryland's passenger information, terminal and FAQ pages as read on the date below.
RVs, oversized vehicles and the tier that catches people out
A fourteen-night cruise in a large motorhome is $700 in parking alone. The surface lot has no height clearance limit, so roof boxes and lifted vehicles are fine.
- Both RV tiers read identically on the passenger information page and the FAQ page.
- The February 2026 rate notice covers the $5 per-vehicle increase and does not list the RV tiers, so confirm at the booth.
- A vehicle measuring exactly 30 feet falls in neither published row.
Where this comes from
The $40 and $50 RV tiers are quoted from Cruise Maryland's passenger information and FAQ pages, read on the date in the sources below.
Is off-site parking worth it in Baltimore? Usually not
Park at the terminal. Book2Park lists one Baltimore facility, the Clarion Inn and Suites lot, and its shuttle is what undoes the advertised daily rate.
- Book2Park gives that lot's address as 6921 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard.
- Seven nights off-site is roughly $42 in parking before checkout taxes and fees (Book2Park's one-day example turns $5.99 into $13.89) plus $50 in shuttle fees for up to four passengers, about $92 before fees: a saving of up to about $80, less for a larger party, with real schedule risk attached.
- Baltimore has no continuously running independent cruise shuttle of the kind Galveston and Florida ports support.
Where this comes from
The facility name, address, $5.99 daily rate, the checkout total that adds taxes and fees, the $25 per trip, per vehicle shuttle charge with its four-passenger limit, and the shuttle's operating days were all read on Book2Park's Port of Baltimore cruise parking page on the date below.
Hotel park-and-cruise packages, where the real saving lives
The Best Western Plus quotes its Park n' Cruise package only at booking, which is the part that makes it hard to weigh. Longer cruises favor packages; on short sailings the terminal lot usually wins.
- Booking the room does not book the ride; the shuttle needs its own phone call.
- Compare the package against the nightly rate times your cruise length, minus the hotel night you would have booked anyway.
- On a three-night sailing, port parking is $75, and driving in and parking at the terminal usually wins.
Where this comes from
Package inclusions, the three-mile distance and the shuttle reservation requirement are quoted from the Best Western Plus Hotel and Conference Center's own specials and packages page, read on the date below.
Embarkation morning: the drive, the luggage drop and the clock
The Cruise Maryland Terminal is at 2001 East McComas Street, off I-95. The entrance opens at 8:00 a.m. or two hours after the ship arrives, and check-in wants you at the pier 90 minutes to two hours before departure. Drop your bags in the luggage boxes first, then park and walk back.
- The Cruise Luggage Tags tent is on the left as you enter.
- Photo ID required for everyone age 16 and over (a school ID counts on Carnival), and all bags and camera equipment are x-rayed. Bring proof of citizenship too — a passport, or a birth certificate alongside that photo ID.
- Guests under 16 need proof of citizenship only.
- Firearms, ammunition, weapons, explosives, fireworks, knives, tasers, pepper spray and batons are prohibited.
- BWI is served by more than 700 flights daily on 30 airlines, and Penn Station is 5.5 miles from the terminal with Amtrak and MARC service.
Where this comes from
Terminal address, opening and check-in times, luggage handling, ID and screening rules, and the $30 BWI taxi rate are quoted from Cruise Maryland's passenger information, terminal and FAQ pages, read on the date below. The port's FAQ sets its own photo-ID age at over 18; the age-16 rule is Carnival's and Royal Caribbean's, from their travel-document pages read 2026-09-22.
Plan the rest of your cruise day
Terminal parking vs off-site lots
The head-to-head: what a $25-per-trip shuttle does to a $5.99 headline rate.
Hotels near the Baltimore cruise terminal
Park-and-cruise packages, and which ones actually include the shuttle.
Cruise Maryland Terminal guide
Drop-off, luggage boxes and check-in at Baltimore's single terminal.
Baltimore sailing schedule
Carnival Pride and Vision of the Seas departure dates.
BWI to the Baltimore cruise terminal
Ten miles, and the port's $30 flat taxi rate on the way back.
Cruise travel insurance, explained honestly
What line protection plans and third-party policies actually cover, before you assume you need either.
Where these facts come from
- cruise.maryland.gov — Cruise Maryland Rate Increase 2026 notice (PDF) — checked 2026-08-08
- cruise.maryland.gov — Passenger Information — checked 2026-08-08
- cruise.maryland.gov — FAQs — checked 2026-08-08
- cruise.maryland.gov — Our Terminal — checked 2026-08-08
- cruise.maryland.gov — Cruise Maryland home — checked 2026-08-08
- book2park.com — Port of Baltimore Cruise Parking — checked 2026-09-22
- bwhotelbaltimore.com — Specials & Packages, Park n' Cruise — checked 2026-08-08
- carnival.com — Travel Documentation: U.S. Citizens — checked 2026-09-22
- royalcaribbean.com — Can I cruise with a birth certificate as my identification? — checked 2026-09-22
Published parking rates, shuttle hours, and hotel package terms change without notice. Every fact here carries the date it was read from an operator, so you can tell how fresh it is. A figure that could not be read at the source is left out rather than repeated. Reconfirm anything time-sensitive before you travel.
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