South Carolina Ports announces end of Carnival Cruise contract

cruise terminal charleston sc

Vehicles with handicapped permits (placard or license plate) may park free of charge. Money orders and major credit/debit cards are accepted for payment. If you are driving into town, this brings up the question of what to do with your car while you are on your trip. While you have a few options, the best choice for most is parking at the port’s official lot, right next to the ship.

Taking Uber & Lyft to the Charleston Cruise Port

Shopping (boutiques, gifts, local crafts, art galleries and gourmet shops) is available along East Bay Street and within a 10-minute walk from the cruise port. While we are optimistic about what appears to be a new direction for the future of the cruise industry in Charleston, we look forward to learning more about the implications of this decision. We also need more information about whether ships will be docked overnight. The Charleston cruise port offers the most convenient parking option, located right at the port and a short ride aboard a shuttle (or walk) to the ship. The Market stretches for blocks before you and is bordered north and south by a broad variety of shops, galleries and restaurants. It's here that the carriage tours begin and end, and beyond is the main shopping district.

Hotels With Cruise Shuttles For Every Major Port in America

The robust landside operations ensure smooth embarkation and disembarkation processes while prioritizing safety. The port isn’t just a gateway to your cruise adventure – it’s part of the journey itself, designed to enhance your voyage from start to finish. Are you planning a scenic cruise journey, and your stopover is the Charleston Cruise Port?

Related Cruises

In addition to the deepening project, Port Charleston started a major program for upgrading its terminal infrastructure and equipment. Union Pier Main Gate of the Charleston Cruise Port, located at 32 Washington Street,  is the main entry point for guests being dropped off. The Port of Charleston features both covered and non-covered parking in a safe and secure location. Here is a look at the history of Union Pier, including its sale to Charleston businessman and entrepreneur Ben Navarro. The SPA relented rather than continuing to fight a long, expensive and losing battle. And when the authority announced it wouldn't renew its contract with Carnival, which expires at the end of 2024, terminal opponents dropped their lawsuits.

Beaches Near Charleston Cruise Port

Carnival cruisers find cars flooded at port: 'People (were) in tears' - USA TODAY

Carnival cruisers find cars flooded at port: 'People (were) in tears'.

Posted: Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Other unique items that are widely available are handwoven sweetgrass baskets. Since Charleston once served as a major tea exporter thanks to the many tea plantations surrounding the city, it continues to be a tea drinker’s ideal city. You will have plenty of options, with numerous restaurants showing off the city’s renowned culinary scene. Particular highlights are the many soul food and Southern cuisine restaurants in the historic downtown area. The Charleston Museum showcases and celebrates the city’s history and the American South as a whole.

About the Port

cruise terminal charleston sc

Taxis can be requested at the Ground Transportation booth located in the Arrivals area or right outside Baggage Claim. The drive from the Charleston International Airport (CHS) to the cruise terminal takes about minutes. You’ll have to enter the cruise terminal via the Union Pier Main Gate (located at 32 Washington Street). Follow the green highway signs to Union Pier Terminal (the route is also marked with small brown-and-white signs bearing a cruise ship logo). Cruises out of Charleston will depart from the Port of Charleston, just a few blocks away from Charleston's historic downtown.

Leaders address future of cruise ships in Mount Pleasant - WCBD News 2

Leaders address future of cruise ships in Mount Pleasant.

Posted: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The plan for development of the Charleston cruise ship terminal includes construction of a new building. The old (southern end) part of the building will be redeveloped. The Ports Authority (SPA) will sell 0,15 km2 (0,06 ml2) Union Pier property for private development right after the completion of the new terminal. This premium waterfront area will be developed as a new neighborhood and will be of no maritime use. It will feature new streets, public parks, shops, residential homes and businesses, thus increasing the access to the waterfront.

Restaurants Near the Charleston Cruise Terminal (Plus Shopping and Other Services)

The majority of those were by the homeported here Carnival Ecstasy, operating on year-round 5-day roundtrips to Bahamas (Nassau, Freeport, Half Moon Cay). Among the new cruise ships visiting in 2017 was TUI Mein Schiff 6 (2 calls). Scheduled were transition calls from large-sized vessels of Royal Caribbean, AIDA, P&O UK. Most luxury ships visiting Charleston SC are on transition routes and most of them stay in port overnight or depart late-evening. The nearest Amtrak station to the Charleston cruise port is in North Charleston close to the airport. Getting to the cruise terminal from the Amtrak station by public transport requires two buses and a 10-minute walk.

Port Charleston SC cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Charleston SC, South Carolina. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link. In addition to a successful resolution of those lawsuits, the authority needed Carnival to commit to a decadeslong stay in Charleston and pony up millions of dollars to help build the new terminal. All of the financial numbers had to work, even as the SPA kept a commitment to the city that limited the number and size of cruise ships docking near the Historic District.

With locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and an ever-evolving menu, this trendy bistro is always worth checking out. Fort Sumter is a well-preserved sea fort built on an artificial island off the mainland of Charleston. View gun emplacements and a Civil War Museum on the exact location where the war’s first shots were fired. In January 2017, the city agreed to limit the per-year number of cruise vessels scheduled to dock in Port Charleston. The new passenger terminal's construction will cost USD 35 million. Public hearing was also called by the US Army Corps of Engineers after receiving a new federal permit for putting additional pilings beneath one of the old terminal's warehouses.

After all, Union Pier has been described as a gem, a unique piece of property and the most desirable waterfront land in the Southeast, possibly the entire East Coast. "If we put it out and don't get a good response, if there's not good competition and people are waiting for the market to change and capital markets to open up a little bit back to where they were, we could pull it," he said. "Truthfully, we're not hitting the market exactly where I'd like to see it timing-wise," Stern said, adding that the authority isn't cash-strapped and doesn't have to sell Union Pier if the right offers don't come in. The City Council ultimately approved the SPA's plan for a north-end terminal and a new residential neighborhood on Union Pier's south side, but the opposition never faded. Newsome decided about a decade ago that the SPA shouldn't be in the business of owning real estate it didn't use for maritime purposes.

Silversea also visits this port with its luxurious ships that cater to discerning travelers seeking an upscale cruising experience. With its fun-filled atmosphere and wide range of amenities, Carnival cruises are a popular choice for those looking to experience a memorable vacation at sea. Alongside Carnival, other cruise lines visit Charleston, including Celebrity Cruises, American Cruise Lines, Silversea, and Royal Caribbean International. Complimentary parking is available free of charge for vehicles that have a valid handicap placard or license plate with identification.

There are no dining or shopping options inside the cruise terminal, but nearby there are plenty of choices for both. Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) operates bus service in and around the city, including service from Charleston International Airport to Transit Mall downtown. However, this bus service doesn't serve a convenient station or stop to the cruise port. Read on for our breakdown of the Port of Charleston, including address information, cruise line terminals, directions, services and more.

One thing to note is that there is no shuttle to the cruise ship. You’ll need to get a ride to the cruise port (see our port transportation page here). While that’s an added expense, the lower cost of the parking lot more than makes up for the price of the ride. Watch out for young people trying to sell palmetto roses, made from the fronds of the local trees.

Charleston is a beautiful city filled with exciting things to do and see. Ridesharing services, particularly Uber and Lyft cars, are also becoming a popular and affordable alternative. Although there are limited shuttle services, the city has plenty of public buses operating in its downtown core, which can help you save a bit of money while you explore. Port Charleston is located in South Carolina (SC), on the Atlantic coast of the USA.

They're eager to share it and will go out of their way to help visitors, which explains why Charleston has been named the "Most Polite" city in America several years in a row. While Sullivans Island does not have short-term rentals or hotels available, Folly Beach offers a variety of accommodation options for those looking to extend their stay. Embarking passengers have the opportunity to explore these nearby beaches before or after their cruise, as well as visit historic plantations and play golf at world-class courses in Charleston. In 2017, the cruise port had scheduled a total of 104 ship calls.

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