Everything You Need To Know About Cruising Out Of Boston
At least half a million cruise passengers cross through the Boston Cruise Port each year, making it one of the busiest cruise ports in New England.
Weve put together in this guide everything you need to know about cruising out of Boston, including where to park, how to get to the port from the airport, hotels near by the port, and fun things to do in the city before, during, or after your cruise.
If Boston is your home port of choice, we recommend giving yourself a buffer of at least a day or two to allow for any travel or weather delays. This also gives you a chance to take advantage of what Boston has to offer to travelers and tourists.
Included in our guide will be restaurants and attractions that you should take advantage of.
Cruise Lines To Follow Cdc Covid
The COVID-19 protocols by which cruise lines must operate will be around for a bit longer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has extended the agencys Framework for Conditional Sailing Order until Jan. 15, USA Today reported.
The order, which was set to expire on Nov. 1, according to The Washington Post, applies to foreign-flagged ships operating in U.S. waters that carry 250 people that either operate or plan to operate with overnight stays for passengers or crew members.
It also said that at least 95% of people had to be vaccinated or cruise lines could perform test cruises to show their safety procedures, the Post reported.
The pandemic isnt over. Weve seen what the delta variant can do, Capt. Aimee Treffiletti, the head of the CDCs maritime unit, said. Despite, you know, really what have been the best efforts of the cruise industry to provide a safety and healthier environment for crew, passengers and communities, COVID-19 has still been a challenge, particularly with the delta variant.
This is not the first time the protocols have been extended the first time was nearly a year ago when the CDCs No Sail Order was to expire.
With the extension come some changes, including rules with masking and testing procedures. The number of vaccinated passengers can be lowered, the Post reported.
Cruise lines also can do away with CDC travel advisories and warnings about cruising in companies marketing materials, the Post reported.
Cruise Itineraries To And From Boston Ma
Follows a list of destinations visited by cruise ships leaving out of Boston:
- 7-day Boston to Canada cruises are one-way itineraries visiting ports in both Canada and USA’s New England. The list of visited USA and Canadian ports includes Maine , Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , Quebec .
- 7-day Bermuda cruises from Boston visit Kings Wharf exclusively, with 2 overnight stays in port.
- Ships repositioning to Caribbean depart from Boston and dock in turnaround USA ports in Florida or Louisiana .
- Repositioning – Transatlantic crossings between USA and Europe often visit ports in the UK , Iceland, Greenland and Canada New England, or Bermuda combined with ports in southern Europe .
Today, more than 100 cruises start here each year. The most popular destinations are Europe, Bermuda, throughout the USA Easct Coast . Boston port’s cruise terminals welcome more than 250,000 tourists per year.
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Royal Caribbean: Resumed Sailing July 2
Royal Caribbean made its original pause announcements in two different segments. First, the company announced it suspended U.S. sailings starting March 14. Then, starting on March 15, Royal Caribbean suspended its cruises around the world.
Originally the company planned to return to operations in mid-April 2020. After multiple extensions, the first U.S. sailing departed Miami aboard Freedom of the Seas on July 2, 2021.
Other ships currently or planning to sail from the U.S. include:
- Serenade of the Seas from Seattle
- Ovation of the Seas from Seattle
- Independence of the Seas from Galveston
- Odyssey of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale
- Symphony of the Seas from Miami
- Allure of the Seas from Port Canaveral
So far, Royal Caribbean has planned its return with simulated cruises, giving more leeway regarding unvaccinated passengers. While adults on most cruises require the shot, kids ineligible for the vaccine are also allowed to sail.
Boston To Bermuda Cruises: Ideal Voyages In Northeastern America
A very popular journey are Boston to Bermuda cruises. As mentioned earlier, the island lies closer to Massachusetts than to Florida, making Boston arguably the best port for cruises to Bermuda. This alone makes it ideal to hop on a ship in Boston.
Its the favorite holiday destination among New Englanders, who take advantage of the offerings by Norwegian Cruise Line to enjoy Bermudas pink sand beaches, vibrant town life, and wonderful nature.
From the history-lined Freedom Trail in Boston, to the cobblestones of Hamilton, the capital of Bermuda, these cruises are totally recommended if you have a week or so to spare. Besides wonderful nature and beaches, Bermuda has more than its fair share of history. As a former British colony and current Overseas Territory, the island is filled with colonial architecture and historic sites.
A major highlight is St. George, which transports you 400 years back in time, to the early days of British colonization in North America. However, unlike Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, two of the youngest British settlements in America, St. George wasnt reconstructed.
Instead, St. George is pretty much original. You can see many authentic brick buildings and charming streets that date from the 1600s and 1700s. This historic town is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Cruise From Boston Massachusetts
For those close to New England, cruises departing from Boston offer a more convenient option for visiting popular cruise destinations such as Bermuda or Canada. With less traffic but still the maritime focal point of New England, the Boston cruise port continues to bel a popular destination for setting sail aboard a Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, or Holland America cruise ship.
Among the most popular itineraries, both Norwegian Cruise Line and Holland America offer 7-day cruises from Boston to Bermuda. In addition to these two cruise lines, Royal Caribbean provides a handful of Fall foliage Canada / New England cruises from Boston, Mass in September and October.
Direct Line Cruises offers highly competitive fares and FREE onboard credits on a wide selection of cruises from Boston. Plus, travel insurance is INCLUDED with 5-night cruises or longer.
Black Falcon Cruise Terminal
Bostons Black Falcon terminal is located in South Boston Waterfront, 2 mi / 3 km away from Boston downtown. The terminal is named after a 440-ft / 134 m long Norwegian merchant ship Black Falcon which caught fire on Nov 2, 1953. At the time, the terminal was an US Army Base. The building is large, converted to a terminal in 1986. The 2010 refurbishment doubled the terminal’s capacity by simultaneous handling embarking/disembarking passengers.
- address: “1 Black Falcon Ave, Boston, MA 02210, United States”
- location – 10 min drive distance from BOS , and 3 mi / 5 km from Bostons Back Bay shopping areas.
- GPS coordinates – 42°20’35.0″N+71°02’01.1″W
- phone number +1 617-330-1500
- Parking: indoor parking garage with 5 levels, $15.00 per day . There is no need of long-term parking advance reservations.
Statistics show that ~70% of all Canada New England cruise ship passengers leaving from Boston arrive here by air. Approximately 95% of Bermuda cruise passengers or repositioning cruise ship passengers live in or near Boston .
There is a lot of opportunities to reach the Boston cruise port terminal from the airport. You can use subway, taxi, bus or even ferry if you want. If you prefer walking, you will need half an hour via Northern Avenue, new Harborwalk and the Northern Avenue bridge for pedestrians.
From the cruise terminal you can take a taxi, a bus or use the cruise line’s shuttle bus service.
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How To Get To The Port From The Airport
If you flew into the Logan Airport, there are a couple of different ways to get to the cruise port. It all depends on your travel budget and preference.
Probably the fastest way to get to the port is by a water taxi, which will take only 7 minutes. Rowes Wharf Water Taxi offers various rates, as well as luggage storage. You can give them a call when you fly in to come pick you up or book your ride in advance on their website.
There fees include:
You an also get a ride in a regular land taxi, which should run you about $25 and will take roughly 10-15 minutes to get from the airport to the cruise terminal. Or, you can embrace the modern age and order a ride from Uber or Lyft, which will be a lot cheaper than a regular taxicab.
And probably the final, and least expensive, option of getting to the cruise port from Logan is to take the MBTAs Silver Line bus. The ride is going to take much longer but is only going to cost between $2-$3, so is an excellent budget travel option if youre trying to save on spending cash.
Breaking: Cruises To Resume From Boston New York Starting In August
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Add Boston and New York to the list of cities where cruising is resuming.
Crystal Cruises on Tuesday announced it would become the first cruise line to restart departures out of the two cities with sailings to Bermuda beginning in August.
The Miami-based luxury line said its 922-passenger Crystal Symphony initially would sail a series of four seven-night voyages to Bermuda out of Boston starting on Aug. 22.
The ship then will reposition to New York for a series of nine seven-night voyages to Bermuda starting on Sept. 24.
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All of the voyages will bring two full days and two nights in Bermuda.
The 13 voyages to Bermuda replace initial restart cruises that Crystal had planned to operate this summer in the Caribbean out of the islands of St. Martin and Antigua. Those trips recently were canceled.
Crystal suggested that U.S. cruisers right now are looking for voyages out of easy-to-reach, close-to-home ports such as Boston and New York.
Crystal said the voyages would operate at a reduced capacity and only would be open to passengers vaccinated for COVID-19.
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Holland America Cruise Lines
The ms Maasdam, which departs from Boston on seven-, 14-, 17- and 35-day, one-way and round-trip journeys, sails to ports in Europe and the northeastern United States and Canada. One-way journeys sail to final destinations in Montreal, Quebec, and Dover, England. Cruises depart between May and October. Awarded four out of five stars in overall consumer satisfaction by Cruise Reviews Online, the nine-deck ms Maasdam has a passenger capacity of 1,266. The ship was launched in 1993 and features 24-hour room service, formal and casual dining options and the Greenhouse Spa and Salon on the ship’s Lido Deck.
Holland America Cruise Lines
hollandamerica.com
Holiday Inn Express Boston
69R Boston Street, Boston, MA | 617-288-3030
This is a great one for those driving and needing a place to park during their cruise. The Holiday Inn Express Boston has a Park Stay and Go package which includes 1 night accommodation, 10 days of parking in their parking lot.
As for a shuttle, the package only provides a complimentary shuttle to and from the airport, not the cruise port.
Average nightly rate for this package is $259. While that may be a bit high, if you were already planning on staying somewhere close to the cruise port, this should save you money on parking.
- Average price : $259
- Distance from port: 1.8 miles
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What Cruise Ships Leave From Boston
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Top Things To Do Before Your Cruise From Boston
Go to an Ivy League School
Boston is in close proximity to some top universities. Just across the Charles River in Cambridge youll find Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . In addition to having pretty grounds and stately buildings, Harvard is home to a number of museum collections, including the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and Harvard Art Museums.
See Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
One of Bostons defining moments in history is the Boston Tea Party, and you can learn about that event in an interactive and fun way at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. Youll be escorted on a 1-hour tour through the facility by a guide dressed in 18th century garb. During the tour youll get to participate in reenactments like a city hall meeting as well as tour a ship fully rebuilt to reflect the ship that was ransacked during the Boston Tea Party. Youll also get to help reenact the tea being thrown overboard while seeing the ship.
Visit the New England Aquarium
The New England Aquarium is a family-friendly attraction in Boston that has thousands of sea creatures you can see. Its located on the Central Wharf of Boston and overlooks Bostons harbor. Popular animals to see at the aquarium include penguins, sea turtles, northern fur seals, and the giant Pacific octopus.
Explore the Museum of Fine Arts
Where can I eat near the Boston cruise port?
An Irish Pint
Quincy Hall snacking
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The Us State Dept Has Cautioned Against Cruise Travel So Some Companies Are Offering Credit
Cruise ship in Boston The Norwegian Gem docked at Boston’s Black Falcon Cruise Port Terminal.
BOSTON The U.S. State Department has cautioned citizens against traveling on cruise ships while countries around the world are working to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.
But many in Boston may have already cruises out of the Seaport starting in April.
Several cruise lines who sail out of Boston are telling their passengers they can cruise with confidence meaning they can cancel within 48 hours of a trip for a future trip credit but not a refund.
One company says you have to cancel 30 days before the trip. Each cruise line has endpoints for these offers.
Some are offering incentives not to cancel, despite the State Dept. Advisory.
Heres what the major cruise lines that sail out of Boston are now saying:
NORWEGIAN
Norwegian Cruise Line is encouraging travelers to plan their next vacation with its new Peace of Mind policy, offering guests who book voyages through Sept. 30, 2020 the opportunity to cancel up to 48 hours prior to the sail date and receive a 100% future cruise credit for use on any sailings through Dec. 31, 2022. This new offer applies to all new guests as well as those already booked on voyages beginning March 10, 2020.
HOLLAND AMERICA
In order to give travelers greater peace of mind surrounding their upcoming vacation plans, Holland America Line is announcing new programs to offer greater flexibility and choice during these uncertain times.
Related Boston Cruise & Sightseeing Articles
- Use this map to get an overview of the city – See the South Boston Waterfront location where the Cruise Terminal is located
- Boston Shore Tours – Fun sightseeing tours of Boston, Cambridge, Lexington, & Concord
- Hotels near Cruise Port – Where to stay in the South Boston Waterfront near Cruise Port
- Boston Water Taxis – The fastest way to get from the Cruise Terminal to Downtown Boston
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Cruise Ship: Norwegian Gem
Currently, the Norwegian Gem is the only major cruise ship that sails from Boston to Bermuda. Recently refurbished , this huge ship has all modern conveniences, amenities and services youve come to expect from a 21st-century cruise ship.
The ship has a plethora of dining options as well as Freestyle Cruising, while accommodations range from affordable yet spacious staterooms to ultra-luxurious romantic and multi-room suites. Theres something on board for everyone, in other words. The ships total guest capacity is no less than 2,394 and there are more than 1,000 crew members on board, too.
These are some of the many highlights of the Norwegian Gem:
- Mandara Spa and Body Waves Fitness Center with Thermal Suite and Vitality Pool
- Bliss Ultra Lounge & Night Club
- Specialty dining at venues such as Cagneys Steakhouse, Le Bistro, La Cucina and Moderna Churrascaria
- Art Gallery