Charleston port advice regarding parking or staying at a hotel with a shuttle

[Zhaan]

We'll be cruising in early 2022 out of Charleston for the first time. We're driving down and will have our car.  I have three questions for those who have cruised from that port:

1. Is it better to drive to the port and park there or get a hotel and use a hotel shuttle to and from the port?
2. If we do use a hotel - any recommendations on hotels that have shuttles to the port? We prefer Marriott but are open to other suggestions
3. If we do use a hotel shuttle, how often to they run? Do you have to wait around a long time?  We want to hit the road as quickly as we can once we disembark from the ship.

Thank you!

[blgamn]

following this as well.  We are flying in a few days early and renting a car - wondering if you can return rental at port or to stay somewhere with shuttle.   Don't see much discussion on this

 

[DKNE]

We've driven twice to this port. It is super easy to park there, while you are away at sea. We usually go to the port an hour before the parking lot opens, give or take and then park and board the ship. 

Last time we stayed at the Charleston Resort and Marina. It was so nice and we woke up to seeing our ship in port. 

Both times, we parked at the port, so I don't have any info on a hotel shuttle. 

[Mrs f.]

I I believe Carnival SUNSHINE leaves from Charleston.   I would try asking either on the Carnival general site or one of the roll calls for SUNSHINE. 

[JordanAndJJ]

We prefer to park at the terminal. It’s a small port and an easy in/easy out. One time we used an Uber but haven’t used a hotel shuttle. If we ever cruise out of Charleston again-we will do the terminal parking again. 

[BBigfoot613]

On 9/7/2021 at 9:34 AM, blgamn said:

following this as well.  We are flying in a few days early and renting a car - wondering if you can return rental at port or to stay somewhere with shuttle.   Don't see much discussion on this

 

 Have you gotten answers to this? We are cruising in June and are under similar circumstances and wondering the same thing. 

[navybankerteacher]

Courtyard by Marriott on Calhoun Street - center of historic district- is about three blocks from the cruise terminal.   If you spend a night in Charleston, think about having dinner at High Cotton, on Bay Street - great food and atmosphere.

[mz-s]

There are hotels in Mt. Pleasant that used to offer shuttles to the port, but I don't know if they still do.

 

In general I'd rather leave my car in the secured port area than I would a hotel parking lot, so I've never done the hotel shuttle thing.

[floinnc]

We live in driving distance of Charleston and have always parked at the pier. I recently called  several hotels in the area to ask if they had a park and cruise deal. None did. So we’ll park at the pier as usual, which is convenient.  By the way, if you have a handicap plate or tag it’s free to park there. ( it’s been a few years since we cruised from Charleston so I hope that’s still true!) 

[mz-s]

On 12/11/2021 at 6:32 PM, floinnc said:

We live in driving distance of Charleston and have always parked at the pier. I recently called  several hotels in the area to ask if they had a park and cruise deal. None did. So we’ll park at the pier as usual, which is convenient.  By the way, if you have a handicap plate or tag it’s free to park there. ( it’s been a few years since we cruised from Charleston so I hope that’s still true!) 

 

It was as of this past October, it's state law in SC that handicap park free in government-owned lots (like the parking decks scattered around downtown Charleston).