The city has proved so popular an embarkation point that Carnival and Celebrity cruise lines have decided to continue their Bahamas and Caribbean sailings beyond October, when their schedules have traditionally ended. And not to be left at the dock, Royal Caribbean will also launch all-season sailing from Charm City next July.

"Baltimore will be our farthest north year-round home port," said Vance Gulliksen, spokesman for Carnival Cruises, the world's largest cruise operator. "Even if the weather is bad, our ships will quickly be getting into warmer weather."

The cachet of winter cruises from the port of Baltimore -- at a time when New York is seeing a decline in them -- caps a year in which Baltimore's passenger volume tripled, going from 47,000 in 2008 to an expected 165,000 by the end of this year.

"This is a Maryland success story," said John Meister, marketing manager for the Maryland Port Administration. "We've been running at above capacity at times because of the convenience of driving to this port."

Baltimore was the departure point for 81 cruises this year. It has 92 scheduled for next year, and 2011 will see about 120 sailings, according to Meister.

Most Baltimore cruises are seven-day trips to the Bahamas and the Caribbean, although some ships travel to New England and Canada. And American Cruise Line's smaller ships leave from the Inner Harbor for trips in the mid-Atlantic Inland Passage and the Chesapeake Bay.

As cruise lines continue to move ships to customers, the Baltimore story is being repeated across the country. There are now more than 20 passenger cruise ports in the United States, a big shift from the early 1990s, when New York, Miami and Seattle were the main places to embark.

"After 9/11 . . . the hassle of airports really boosted interest in nearby ports," said Maureen Davis, a Fallston, Md., travel agent specializing in cruises. "The economy also is bringing us travelers who want a set rate, and the rates are a tremendous value right now." She noted fares as low as $449 per person for a five-day Baltimore cruise to Bermuda.

Five cruise lines operate out of Baltimore. Its passenger terminal, visible from Interstate 95, is a converted paper warehouse festooned with flags and containing 40 check-in stations and a seating area for more than 750 passengers. Adjoining the terminal are surface pay lots with space for 1,500 automobiles. Stevedores grab luggage from passengers' cars as they drive to the front door.

The state paid $13 million for the renovation and for dredging a channel to accept 70,000-ton, 900-foot-long ships that boast up to 11 decks of cabins, swimming pools and aqua parks, casinos, wedding chapels, gyms, spas and multiple restaurants.

Meister said the biggest challenge for ships is getting under the Chesapeake Bay and Francis Scott Key bridges, which offer the largest ones only 10 to 12 feet of clearance.