Cruise ships set sail out of Baltimore for the first time since bridge collapse

By CNN Newsource

Published May 27, 2024 7:21 AM

By Sydney Bishop and Colin McCullough, CNN

(CNN) — Two cruise ships set sail for the sea from Baltimore this weekend for the first time since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed.

Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Sea left Baltimore on Saturday for a five-night voyage to Bermuda, according to Port of Baltimore Director Jonathan Daniels.

“Cruising is back at the Port of Baltimore,” Daniels said in a video posted on X from the Port of Baltimore account.

Carnival Cruise’s Pride followed suit on Sunday when the ship headed off for a 14-day voyage to Greenland and Canada.

“Just a week ago, this terminal was being used as an incident command post. In one week, it’s been transformed back to starting out that guest experience,” Daniels announced in the video, as tropical cruise music played in the background, “The Port of Baltimore is back, cruising is back. It’s absolutely great to be able to welcome everybody here.”

In a news release posted on the state’s website Tuesday, the Port of Baltimore administration had said, “The Port of Baltimore’s permanent 700-foot wide, 50-foot-deep channel is expected to be reopened by the end of May.”

The Port of Baltimore was temporarily blocked following the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The 1.6-mile structure fell after the 213-million-pound cargo ship Dali collided with the bridge and struck one of its crucial support columns.

In 2023, 444,000 passengers departed on cruises from the Port of Baltimore. The Port supports 15,330 direct jobs and 139,180 jobs in Maryland, according to the state’s website. The cruise industry adds $63 million to Maryland’s economy, the website notes.

CNN’s Kathleen Magramo contributed to this report.