The official lot, and the numbers you’ll see elsewhere
One operator, one price. The only real question is which number to believe — and the answer is Cruise Maryland’s current one, not the older figures still floating around.
Cruise Maryland lots
- Since April 1, 2026, per Cruise Maryland’s rate notice — the passenger page says “Per Night”
- Pay by credit card on arrival; no reservation
- Fenced, lit and secured, within walking distance of the terminal
Same lots, two length bands
- $40.00 a night under 30 feet, $50.00 over, per Cruise Maryland
- No height limit stated
- The Points Guy’s 2024 figure of $30 for small RVs is out of date
A hotel that holds the car
- No published off-site cruise lot we could stand behind
- Cruise Maryland’s hotel list carries no park-and-cruise offers
- We checked the hotels one by one — see the ranking
The rates you’ll see quoted
| Where you read it | What it says | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise Maryland rate notice and site banner | $25 per day, per vehicle, from April 1, 2026 | Current |
| Cruise Maryland passenger information page | $25.00 per night (cars and SUVs); RVs $40.00 and $50.00 per night | Current — same price, different unit |
| Cruise Maryland FAQ | $20.00 per night | Stale — the pre-April 2026 rate |
| Royal Caribbean driving-directions FAQ | About $15.00 per day, “subject to change” | Stale |
| The Points Guy, September 2024 | $15 cars and SUVs, $30 RVs under 30 feet | Stale |
Parking at the Cruise Maryland Terminal
- Rate: $25 per day, per vehicle, effective April 1, 2026 — “an increase of $5 per day, per vehicle,” per Cruise Maryland’s rate notice, which cites “rising operational costs” and says the rate “remains well below other competing cruise ports.” Its pages don’t mention tax. Review periodically
- Per day or per night: the notice and site banner say “per day”; the passenger page’s table says “$25.00 Per Night.” Same $25 either way.
- RVs: under 30 feet $40.00 per night, over 30 feet $50.00 per night. No height limit stated.
- Payment: “payable upon arrival by credit card.” The passenger page lists Visa, MasterCard and Discover; the FAQ adds American Express. Royal Caribbean’s older page mentions cash and travelers checks as well. Visa, MasterCard or Discover works by both of Cruise Maryland’s lists.
- Reservations: “no advanced reservations are required to park in our secured, long-term lots which are located within walking distance of the Cruise Maryland Terminal.”
- Security and access: “Onsite fenced-in, well-lit secured parking,” and “special needs accessible parking is available on site.”
- Getting to the door: you walk. Cruise Maryland mentions no shuttle and gives no walking time. MPA counts “more than 1,538 parking spaces” at South Locust Point.
Sources: Cruise Maryland’s rate-increase notice, passenger information page, terminal page and FAQ; MPA’s South Locust Point page; Royal Caribbean’s Baltimore driving-directions FAQ — rechecked September 27, 2026.
Drop-off, in order
Bags go first. Cruise Maryland says “passengers will be directed to drop off their luggage in the appropriate luggage boxes” — then you take the car to the long-term lot and walk back. Tags go on before you arrive; if you don’t have them, there’s a tent marked “Cruise Luggage Tags.”
The entrance opens at 8:00 a.m. or two hours after the ship arrives, and Cruise Maryland asks you not to come earlier than the embarkation time on your ticket. The cutoff: at the pier “at least 90 minutes to 2 hours, prior to the ship’s scheduled departure time.”
When the ship before yours runs late, the lot waits too. On September 24, 2026, with Vision of the Seas held up by a weather reroute, Cruise Maryland warned that “the parking lot will be closed and incoming guests will not be able to park until our current guests have departed.” Check the Cruise Maryland homepage before you leave home.
For pick-ups, the gates open at 8:30 a.m., and friends and family are sent to the “Pick Up” Lot, per Cruise Maryland.
Off-site alternatives
We didn’t find a published off-site cruise lot near the terminal that we could stand behind. Cruise Maryland’s own hotel page lists area hotels with phone numbers — Inner Harbor, BWI, Annapolis — but no park-and-cruise offers.
At $25 a day, the official lot is the number to beat anyway. Cruise Maryland says the rate “remains well below other competing cruise ports” — its claim, not ours, but the lot is within walking distance of the ship and needs no booking.
Hotels that hold the car
We checked the Baltimore hotels one by one, on their own sites, for a rate to leave the car while you sail — park-and-fly hotels by BWI included. The 20 best hotels for the night before scores every one, parking and the ride to the ship included.
The top six, by our ranking
Distance, a ride to the ship, cruise parking and free breakfast decide the order. Tap one for the full review, or hold a room for the night before.
Who should pick what
| Traveler | Likely best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Driving in on sail day | Cruise Maryland’s official lot | $25 a day, no reservation, a walk to the terminal. Drop the bags at the luggage boxes before you park. |
| Flying into BWI | No car — taxi, rideshare or Light RailLink | A rental would cost you $25 a day to sit in the lot. The ride back to BWI is a $30 flat taxi fare per cab, per the Maryland PSC. |
| Driving an RV | The official lot, at the RV rate | $40 a night under 30 feet, $50 over, per Cruise Maryland. No height limit stated. |
| Staying the night before | A hotel from our ranking | We checked which hotels hold the car while you sail. See the twenty. |
| Paying with American Express | The official lot, with a backup card | Of Cruise Maryland’s pages, only the FAQ lists Amex; its passenger page lists Visa, MasterCard and Discover. |
| Needs accessible parking | The official lot | “Special needs accessible parking is available on site,” per Cruise Maryland. |
Still deciding how to get to the ship?
Tell us how you're arriving and what matters most.
Driving in the same day or flying into BWI, bringing the RV, trying to keep the parking bill down — tell us the actual situation and we'll tell you straight which option fits.
Answers checked against current pricing and itineraries before you book.
Parking FAQ
How much does parking cost at the Cruise Maryland Terminal?
$25 a day per vehicle, effective April 1, 2026, per Cruise Maryland's rate notice — an increase of $5 from $20. RVs under 30 feet pay $40 a night and RVs over 30 feet $50. Cruise Maryland's own FAQ still shows $20.00 per night, Royal Caribbean's page says about $15 a day, and The Points Guy's 2024 guide says $15 — all older than the April 2026 increase.
Is Baltimore cruise parking charged per day or per night?
Cruise Maryland uses both words. Its rate notice and site banner say $25 per day, per vehicle; its passenger information page lists passenger vehicles and SUVs at $25.00 per night. The price is the same $25 — the pages differ only in the unit.
Which credit cards does Baltimore cruise parking accept?
Cruise Maryland's own pages disagree. The passenger information page says parking is payable upon arrival by credit card and lists Visa, MasterCard and Discover; the FAQ lists Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Royal Caribbean's older page also mentions cash and travelers checks. Bring Visa, MasterCard or Discover and you're covered by both Cruise Maryland lists.
Do I need to reserve cruise parking in Baltimore?
No. Cruise Maryland says no advanced reservations are required to park in its secured, long-term lots, which are within walking distance of the terminal. You pay when you arrive. Drop your luggage at the luggage boxes first, then park.
Is there off-site cruise parking near the Baltimore terminal?
We didn't find a published off-site cruise lot near the terminal that we could stand behind, and Cruise Maryland's hotel list carries no park-and-cruise offers. If you want the car held while you sail, our ranking of the 20 best hotels for the night before covers the hotels that do it, park-and-fly hotels by BWI included.
Can I park an RV at the Baltimore cruise terminal?
Yes. Cruise Maryland lists recreational vehicles under 30 feet at $40.00 per night and over 30 feet at $50.00 per night, paid by credit card on arrival like any other vehicle. It states no height limit.