Absolutely Agree. The Maritime colleges are a really interesting blend of military college environment (less rigorous physically and emotionally than VMI or the Citadel programs but still much more so than your typical Civilian college environment) combined with a really solid and focused technical education. As Marist has said- NY Maritime (Ft Schuyler) is about 80% in the Regiment, and Mass Maritime requires mandatory participation in the regiment and Maine about 50%.
While you don't have to pursue getting a 3rd Mate or 3AEng License at any of the Statee Academies anymore, they offer that option and along with that comes 3 cruises - (Sea terms)- usually two on board the Training Ship and one on a commercial vessel. ( SUNY Maritime only requires you to go on cruise
if you are pursuing your license- Mass Maritime requires all Cadets- License porgram or not, to complete at least one Sea Term on board the training ship regardless of license track or not.) Going on your Training Cruise is really a unique opportunity compared to what your peers will be experiencing in college. The Empire State (Ft Schuyler's Training Ship) travels throughout Europe each summer- in recent years port of call have included include the Azores, Gibraltar, Greece, England, Ireland,Hamburg, Copenhagen, Iceland etc...). Mass Maritime has a winter Sea Term and travels throuught the Caribbean, and South Amercia and Cal Maritime will head west to Pacific ports.
NY Maritime hosts a Navy ROTC unit and you can cross town with the Army at Fordham in the Bronx. Mass Maritime has a Cross Town Army ROTC program with an instructor on Campus and you can commission in the Navy thru the Strategic Sealift Program (formerly called the Merchant Marine Reserve Program)
http://www.maritime.edu/index.cfm?pg=503. Both schools offer reduced "regional" tuition rates for residents of states that have agreements with New York or Massachusetts - these are pretty close to in state tuition rates so they are pretty affordable schools for many- this is also the case for the other state Maritimes I believe- I know it is for California and believe similar programs are in place in Maine and Texas.
As Marist has indicated- if you are interested in going to school in a military college environement and also are interested in a really solid and unique maritime education- You really should take a look at the State Maritime Academies - which include NY and Mass, along with Maine (Castine) , Texas (Galveston) and California (Vallejo)