Why not Savannah?

[Pointyhead]

Why hasn't Savannah, Georgia been picked as a cruise port? It's a huge deep water port, and is the closest port city to Atlanta, the largest metro area in the south. It just seems to me a good spot to launch from, and has enough sites and tourist attractions to make a visit worthwile.

 

Anyone know why it's not a cruise port, or are there any plans for one?

[Colton's dad]

Why hasn't Savannah, Georgia been picked as a cruise port? It's a huge deep water port, and is the closest port city to Atlanta, the largest metro area in the south. It just seems to me a good spot to launch from, and has enough sites and tourist attractions to make a visit worthwile.

 

Anyone know why it's not a cruise port, or are there any plans for one?[/quote

My wife and I wondered the same things last year when we drove down all the way to Miami, and spent one afternoon/night there. Would have been a nice 1 - 3/4 day drive down and then on ship. Seemed like a nice place.

We were so close to booking out of Chareslton S.C. for that reason , but wanted a differant ship.

[kitty9]

It's probably money more than anything. I don't think Savannah has the infrastructure to handle the huge number of cruise passengers, they don't have a passenger terminal, and then there's the cost of more shoreside employees, such as Customs and Immigration officials, security staff and things like that. Then you have the matter of the airport and how easily passengers can get to Savannah. I know I wouldn't want to have to change planes three times just to get there, and not many people want the hassle of having to drive from Atlanta. It's just a matter of logistics.

[gacruiser]

I keep wondering the same thing. I live about 30 minutes out of Savannah and would love to be able to cruise without having to drive to Fl. Of course, I don't know if my wallet would like having a cruise ship out of Sav, as we already take at least 2 cruises a year out of Fl.

[FJTinSC]

Savannah would get my business....I live in the upstate of SC and would love to only have to drive to Savannah.

 

Of course I would be happy if Charleston would get more lines there, I would absolutely love that. But so far only NCL has regular sailings, and just not interested in tryiing them out yet! JMO

[cindiedee]

We vote for Savannah! DH and I will be moving to the Savannah area in a couple of months (from FL) - one of the wonderful things about living in FL is that we can catch a ship to just about anywhere within a 3-4 hour drive tops. We were wondering when we move if we will have to look at ships out of Jacksonville (not too many that we like) or perhaps Norfolk - or else pay for plane tickets to another port. GACruiser - where do you live? We really aren't very familiar with the area at all - we are looking at perhaps the Richmond Hill area to live - but no definite area yet. Anyway, Savannah works for us to cruise out of! :D

[jima53]

I'm thinking that it is the distance from the Caribbean cruising spots. I even think that Jacksonville is pushing it as a cruise port with the old Celebration as the only regular cruise ship sailing from there.

 

 

Jim

[Leafpeeper]

At least there is cruising out of Charleston, SC and Jacksonville, Fla. I do enjoy stopping in Savannah every time we vacation in Hilton Head.

[momofmeg]

Savannah would get my business....I live in the upstate of SC and would love to only have to drive to Savannah.

 

Of course I would be happy if Charleston would get more lines there, I would absolutely love that. But so far only NCL has regular sailings, and just not interested in tryiing them out yet! JMO

 

 

I agree about Charleston and because it is interstate the whole way we can get to Charleston just as fast as we can get to Savannah. So I would like for Charleston to offer more cruises. We live in Douglasville, Ga a western suburb of Atlanta. We live 10 miles from the Atlanta Six Flags.

 

Since Bermuda is about level with North Carolina I always wondered why can't there be a ship that goes to Bermuda from Charleston. We went to Bermuda once. Had to fly to New York and then cruise for almost 3 days before we got to Bermuda. Charleston would have to be considerably closer.

 

We were the only southerners on that ship too. Maybe most southerners are not interested in Bermuda-who knows? I thought Bermuda had the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. Even more beautiful then Magin's Bay in St. Thomas.

[Pointyhead]

I agree about Charleston and because it is interstate the whole way we can get to Charleston just as fast as we can get to Savannah. So I would like for Charleston to offer more cruises. We live in Douglasville, Ga a western suburb of Atlanta. We live 10 miles from the Atlanta Six Flags.

 

Since Bermuda is about level with North Carolina I always wondered why can't there be a ship that goes to Bermuda from Charleston. We went to Bermuda once. Had to fly to New York and then cruise for almost 3 days before we got to Bermuda. Charleston would have to be considerably closer.

 

We were the only southerners on that ship too. Maybe most southerners are not interested in Bermuda-who knows? I thought Bermuda had the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. Even more beautiful then Magin's Bay in St. Thomas.

 

 

Actually, Norfok is the closest to Bermuda. It's around 725 miles from Norfolk, 775 from New York and 885 from Charleston! :eek:

 

 

And any ship at full steam (23 mph or so) it will take between 33 and 38 hours to get there.

 

 

 

Also, GaCruiser, I'm orginally from Hiram, just up the road from you!

[momofmeg]

Actually, Norfok is the closest to Bermuda. It's around 725 miles from Norfolk, 775 from New York and 885 from Charleston! :eek:

 

 

And any ship at full steam (23 mph or so) it will take between 33 and 38 hours to get there.

 

 

Also, GaCruiser, I'm orginally from Hiram, just up the road from you!

 

Well I never got statistics on it-just looking at a map-but I do beleive Norfolk is not that far from the NC line. Anyway my POINT was Charleston would have to be at day closer then New York. At least it looks that way on the map. New York looks a whole lot farther away. We left New York at 5p.m. on a Sunday and reached Bermuda 1p.m. on a Tuesday so it took 44 hours. (not 38 hours) Hey I would settle for 38 hours. That would clip off 6 hours each way or 12 hours total. then we could spend 3 and half days in Bermuda instead of 3 for a week cruise. I would be all for that.

 

And even if it is farther from Charleston it looks to me there should be some interest for a cruise to Bermuda for southerners. Hey they do 10 and 12 day cruises from New York so northerners can go to be caribbean without flying-why not a Bermuda cruise from a southern city? If it takes longer make it an 8 day cruise.

 

Are you from Hiram Georgia? That is like 12 miles from me.

[opusX]

I have a friend that is a retired tanker Captain. We met him once in Savanaha on Christmas Eve when our daughter lived there. He told me that all the Captains dislike Savanaha because the port is about twenty miles from the open water and it takes about 4-5 hours to come up the river to the port so I would guess that that is the reason no cruise ships come there. Would be a great place but don't see it happening.

[Pointyhead]

Are you from Hiram Georgia? That is like 12 miles from me.

 

 

I don't live there anymore, but I still have family and friends there. And we visit at least once a month. I live in Centerville, which is just outside Warner Robins, and the Air Force Base here.

 

And I agree that it would be a good place to launch a 8 day cruise from.

 

And Savannah is a lot closer to open water than New Orleans is!

[momofmeg]

I don't live there anymore, but I still have family and friends there. And we visit at least once a month. I live in Centerville, which is just outside Warner Robins, and the Air Force Base here.

 

And I agree that it would be a good place to launch a 8 day cruise from.

 

And Savannah is a lot closer to open water than New Orleans is!

 

 

Well I know where Warner Robbins is-just the other side of Macon from here. We pasted by Warner Robbins on Interstate 75 last month when we drove FL for our cruise.

 

I know Carnival has done a cruise or 2 to Bermuda from Charleston-but not in the last couple of yrs. I guess there was not enought interest. I would love to see Norweigan Majesty when she first switches to the Charleston port maybe do one more cruise to Bermuda in the fall and one last cruise in the spring before relocating.