Getting to the Port
From BWI Airport: 10 miles, $25–35 by rideshare. Amtrak and MARC train to Penn Station, then rideshare to the terminal. From Washington DC: 40 miles, $55–70. Parking at Cruise Maryland: $22/day, reserve via the port website. The MTA Light Rail doesn't serve the cruise terminal. Plan on rideshare or taxi for the last mile.
Tipping and Currency
USD. Standard US tipping: 18–20% at restaurants. Maryland blue crab is sold by the dozen or the bushel at seafood joints — tip your server well; picking crabs is labor-intensive for everyone involved.
Where to Eat
Maryland blue crab is the reason to eat in Baltimore. LP Steamers in Locust Point (a 5-minute rideshare from the cruise terminal) serves steamed crabs by the dozen — a table covered with newspaper, wooden mallets, and a pitcher of beer is the authentic experience. LP Steamers is reliably the best value. Faidley's Seafood at Lexington Market has the best crab cake in the city — the market itself is one of the oldest in the country. The Inner Harbor restaurants are fine; Fell's Point has the better independent bars and restaurants.
Inner Harbor and Fell's Point
The Inner Harbor is Baltimore's tourist core — the National Aquarium ($40 adults) is worth several hours if you're interested in marine life; the Visionary Art Museum is one of the best folk art collections in the US ($20, closed Mondays). Fell's Point, a preserved 18th-century waterfront neighborhood with brick rowhouses and independent bars, is a 15-minute walk from the Inner Harbor and more interesting for an evening. Fort McHenry — where Francis Scott Key watched the 1814 bombardment that inspired the national anthem — is 10 minutes from the cruise terminal.