New Charleston Information

[Muumuu]

Recently off Fascination and went to the future cruise, Carnival credit card meeting.

They said that "within 4 years there will be 4 [Carnival] cruise ships in Charleston"

Even said maybe the Breeze will end up there as they are buliding a mega ship dock.

Found that interesting.

[*Mach*]

Recently off Fascination and went to the future cruise, Carnival credit card meeting.

They said that "within 4 years there will be 4 [Carnival] cruise ships in Charleston"

Even said maybe the Breeze will end up there as they are buliding a mega ship dock.

Found that interesting.

 

 

And I've been told for years that we would have five ships in Galveston...

 

Don't hold your breath...

 

 

:)

[Traveler353]

And I've been told for years that we would have five ships in Galveston...

 

Don't hold your breath...

 

 

:)

 

and two in New Orleans (finally that is happening next year:D) and two in Mobile (still waiting for that to happen).

[Bunkie103]

That would be really nice for us, BUT don't know it will happen. Based on location what would be the most distant island they could reach in 7 days?

Right now the itinerary is blah as far as we are concerned. Even if they did a Grand Turk, HMC itinerary it would be better than Nassau and Freeport with Key West thrown in once in a while.

[Wahoolio]

Right now the itinerary is blah as far as we are concerned. Even if they did a Grand Turk, HMC itinerary it would be better than Nassau and Freeport with Key West thrown in once in a while.

 

Bunkie -- I think they've got a Grand Turk/HMC/Nassau itinerary already lined up. We are looking at it for next (2011) summer. Check out the Sat. - Sat. 7-day sailings on Fantasy out of Charleston in July 2011 . . .

[Cigar Dude]

Make it happen number 1. :D

[zqvol]

Charleston is ripe for expansion because it would open up driving to a lot of people on the east coast. Ships could still do 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruises with 3 ports without any trouble so it might happen.

[shof515]

While i know its a bit far, im wondering why they cant mix up the routes coming out of NYC. Like instead of stopping for 3 days at Bermuda, they could do something like Bermuda, HMC and Nassau or Grand turk.. That will be lovely :D

[jbhcw]

We did the Grand Turk/HMC/Nassau this September...nice itinerary...but they need a newer ship there...Love the Fantasy but found it a little dark, old and not such a friendly cruise this go around...sad as this was our fourth time on this ship and Charleston is an easy drive and great city:)

[gmkmetz]

Recently off Fascination and went to the future cruise, Carnival credit card meeting.

They said that "within 4 years there will be 4 [Carnival] cruise ships in Charleston"

Even said maybe the Breeze will end up there as they are buliding a mega ship dock.

Found that interesting.

 

This would be awesome we are just off the Fantasy a couple of weeks ago and she is a GREAT vessel with a very Friendly Crew

[dallas52]

would try it but dont like the ports, wish they would change them more often.

[Anjanu]

Yeah and I just heard on the news yesterday that possibly by 2012, Savannah, GA will have a cruise ship. I sure hope it happens! I don't care what the itinerary.

[mavis2222]

All they have to go is to Bermuda and sit for a few days then sail back. That would be a great cruise from Charlston. I know Fantasy is going there next yr, but its always sold out and its only there for about 18 hours.

Ive been wanting to go to Bermuda for yrs, but I dont want to fly/ drive to NY just to board a ship there.

[chihuaha]

We live just north of Charleston and love being able to drive to the cruise port. We're going on a five-day aboard Glory next week, in fact. But don't expect any significant passenger ship expansion there in the near future. While there is a plan on the books to renovate and move the existing facility a block or so north toward the Maritime Museum and Aquarium, out of the commercial yard, it's not funded and still very early in the planning stage. Worse, when renovated it would still be a ONE BERTH/ONE SHIP facility, according to the SC Ports Authority. See the press release at:

 

http://www.port-of-charleston.com/spa/news_statistics/news/pressroom/pressroom.asp?PressRelease=285

 

and the related thread from the East Coast ports forum here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1284229

 

We'd love more/different cruise options from the Holy City, but unless Carnival has something up their sleeve, that 4-ship story seems unlikely.

 

As for ports of call, Charleston is at least one to two days "closer" to the Caribbean than the northeast ports like NY/NJ, and the water is warmer almost right away due to the proximity of the Gulf Stream. The upper/western Caribbean is very practical on a seven-day cruise. We were aboard the NCL Majesty three times from Charleston before she was retired, twice on the Grand Cayman/Cozumel/Key West circuit. If a smaller, slower ship like that can do it, any in the current fleet ought to be able to do something similar.

 

I agree the Fantasy winter circuit is a little boring, but at least there is one ship in our back yard year around now, and it does offer Bermuda in season as a change of pace.

[scchasgal]

Four ships in Charleston never going to happen. Mayor Riley has already said he wants no more than one cruise ship per day in port. Charleston is also a port of call for other lines (The World was here this week).

 

Definitely less disruptive with a port of call than a multitude of homeported ships. When the Fantasy leaves midweek, roads are closed and there are plenty of PO'd people that work and live in town.

 

While I have sailed from Charleston multiple times and do love it being in my backyard that is vacation, try living here and having the whole day disruptied - not fun.

[Bunkie103]

Bunkie -- I think they've got a Grand Turk/HMC/Nassau itinerary already lined up. We are looking at it for next (2011) summer. Check out the Sat. - Sat. 7-day sailings on Fantasy out of Charleston in July 2011 . . .

 

We've done that route out of Miami and really liked it, so I'll have to check. My PVP calls me with last minute bargains because we can literally go without much notice, so I'll have to mention that to her.

[rocketmom09]

Charleston is ripe for expansion because it would open up driving to a lot of people on the east coast. Ships could still do 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruises with 3 ports without any trouble so it might happen.

 

 

That would be wonderful!! I don't like having to travel to Ft. Lauderdale to cruise!

[salty dingo]

Right now the itinerary is blah as far as we are concerned. Even if they did a Grand Turk, HMC itinerary it would be better than Nassau and Freeport with Key West thrown in once in a while.

Agreed, but skip Grand Turk ... nothing there but Margaritaville and that I can do without!

 

How 'bout Bermuda? That is the only port they need to call on, that would be fine with me!!

[sue5002]

I would love that, we have cruised out of Charleston before and loved it. I hate the drive to Fl, from the Carolinas. We are driving to Mobile in January. Mobile will be a 9 hour drive for us, according to map quest and google map. Another Charleston cruise ship would be nice.

[jessemon]

We live just north of Charleston and love being able to drive to the cruise port. We're going on a five-day aboard Glory next week, in fact. But don't expect any significant passenger ship expansion there in the near future. While there is a plan on the books to renovate and move the existing facility a block or so north toward the Maritime Museum and Aquarium, out of the commercial yard, it's not funded and still very early in the planning stage. Worse, when renovated it would still be a ONE BERTH/ONE SHIP facility, according to the SC Ports Authority. See the press release at:

 

http://www.port-of-charleston.com/spa/news_statistics/news/pressroom/pressroom.asp?PressRelease=285

 

and the related thread from the East Coast ports forum here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1284229

 

We'd love more/different cruise options from the Holy City, but unless Carnival has something up their sleeve, that 4-ship story seems unlikely.

 

As for ports of call, Charleston is at least one to two days "closer" to the Caribbean than the northeast ports like NY/NJ, and the water is warmer almost right away due to the proximity of the Gulf Stream. The upper/western Caribbean is very practical on a seven-day cruise. We were aboard the NCL Majesty three times from Charleston before she was retired, twice on the Grand Cayman/Cozumel/Key West circuit. If a smaller, slower ship like that can do it, any in the current fleet ought to be able to do something similar.

 

I agree the Fantasy winter circuit is a little boring, but at least there is one ship in our back yard year around now, and it does offer Bermuda in season as a change of pace.

Thank for saving me having to look for those articles.....

[jessemon]

Agreed, but skip Grand Turk ... nothing there but Margaritaville and that I can do without!

 

How 'bout Bermuda? That is the only port they need to call on, that would be fine with me!!

You need to get outside of the port....Dive, snorkel, do a sea tour on personel watercraft and stop at Jack's Shack right down the beach from M-ville.....;)