Getting Around Charleston Port With Luggage

[Fang8494]

I have read and tried to watch several videos but hoping someone can clarify exactly how the shuttle works at the Charleston port.  We will be sailing.on the Carnival Sunshine.  While we do leave our suitcases with porters, we will still have our rolling carry on suitcases with us.  Are suitcases allowed on the shuttle that you take to the ship or do you have to walk if you have luggage?  In addition, in previous cruises, we keep all of our luggage with us and carry it off when we disembark so we can go right to our car since we have a 10 hour drive.  Will we be able to board the shuttle coming off the cruise with all our luggage or is this not allowed?  Thank you so much in advance for sharing your experiences.

Edited March 16, 2022 by Fang8494

[ninjacat123]

I will be on Sunshine March 28 - April 2 and will be dealing with the shuttle issues with luggage.  If your cruise is later than mine I will report back😃

[mar214]

We checked our suitcases with the porter, and we carried our carry-on bags with us on the shuttle going to the ship after check-in. No problem doing this. We did self-debarkation and walked with our bags to the street in order to take an Uber to the airport. Sorry but I can't help you with luggage and getting to your parked car. 

[Fang8494]

10 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

I will be on Sunshine March 28 - April 2 and will be dealing with the shuttle issues with luggage.  If your cruise is later than mine I will report back😃

We are set to sail the end of May, so I would greatly appreciate a report when you return home. Also, can you let me know how disembarkation at Nassau and other port goes?  Not sure if you have to stay in room until zone is called or if you line up to get off the ship when in port?  Thanks so much and hope you have a great cruise!!

[Lane Hog]

Getting off in ports of call at a dock is usually a free-for-all where people queue up, although sometimes they will have priority for early departing excursions. 

Edited March 16, 2022 by Lane Hog

[ninjacat123]

7 minutes ago, Fang8494 said:

We are set to sail the end of May, so I would greatly appreciate a report when you return home. Also, can you let me know how disembarkation at Nassau and other port goes?  Not sure if you have to stay in room until zone is called or if you line up to get off the ship when in port?  Thanks so much and hope you have a great cruise!!

No problem!  I'll probably write a mini review like I did last time and tag you in it. My DH and I sailed on Sunshine this January and disembarking in Nassau and Bimini was easy, just walk off the ship.  No zones called. Sunshine was at 65% capacity I believe so I'll see how it goes this time around.👍

[cruiserbrianj]

We just got off the Sunshine on Monday and the port isn't confusing and super easy in my opinion.  I'll try and walk you through it....

Embarkation....you'll pull into the lot and pay for parking....drive up to the porters and they will take whatever bags you want delivered to the cabin (if you don't want anything delivered, you don't give them nothing and haul it with you).  Then, they will direct you where to park.  After that, you will walk (maybe less than 5 min) or take a tram (think amusement park tram) to a building where they check that you've done all you need to do with your health/covid items.  At that point you'll board a shuttle bus which will take you to yet another building where they'll actually check you in and where you will board the ship.  We arrived at the lot around 10:45am and had a drink in hand at 11:30am.  It was super easy and it was actually nice because EVERYONE wasn't all in one spot...they were spread out.

Debarkation...if you're doing self assist (which we did) you'll just take your bags off and board a shuttle bus which will take you to a drop off spot at which point you'll walk to your car.  I chose to not get on the shuttle bus and simply walk to my car with my bag and it may have taken me 10 min.  I'm active and the walking didn't bother me as I'd rather walk than wait in line.

I hope all this helps and happy cruising!

[skridge]

15 hours ago, Fang8494 said:

I have read and tried to watch several videos but hoping someone can clarify exactly how the shuttle works at the Charleston port.  We will be sailing.on the Carnival Sunshine.  While we do leave our suitcases with porters, we will still have our rolling carry on suitcases with us.  Are suitcases allowed on the shuttle that you take to the ship or do you have to walk if you have luggage?  In addition, in previous cruises, we keep all of our luggage with us and carry it off when we disembark so we can go right to our car since we have a 10 hour drive.  Will we be able to board the shuttle coming off the cruise with all our luggage or is this not allowed?  Thank you so much in advance for sharing your experiences.

Unless they have changed it in the last 3 years the shuttle has a trailer behind it that they load all unchecked luggage into.  The trip to the terminal only takes about 3 minutes.  I am on the March 28th cruise.

[ninjacat123]

12 hours ago, skridge said:

Unless they have changed it in the last 3 years the shuttle has a trailer behind it that they load all unchecked luggage into.  The trip to the terminal only takes about 3 minutes.  I am on the March 28th cruise.

I'll see you on board!😃

[momin05]

17 hours ago, cruiserbrianj said:

We just got off the Sunshine on Monday and the port isn't confusing and super easy in my opinion.  I'll try and walk you through it....

Embarkation....you'll pull into the lot and pay for parking....drive up to the porters and they will take whatever bags you want delivered to the cabin (if you don't want anything delivered, you don't give them nothing and haul it with you).  Then, they will direct you where to park.  After that, you will walk (maybe less than 5 min) or take a tram (think amusement park tram) to a building where they check that you've done all you need to do with your health/covid items.  At that point you'll board a shuttle bus which will take you to yet another building where they'll actually check you in and where you will board the ship.  We arrived at the lot around 10:45am and had a drink in hand at 11:30am.  It was super easy and it was actually nice because EVERYONE wasn't all in one spot...they were spread out.

Debarkation...if you're doing self assist (which we did) you'll just take your bags off and board a shuttle bus which will take you to a drop off spot at which point you'll walk to your car.  I chose to not get on the shuttle bus and simply walk to my car with my bag and it may have taken me 10 min.  I'm active and the walking didn't bother me as I'd rather walk than wait in line.

I hope all this helps and happy cruising!

Thanks for the info!  That is super fast for getting on the ship in Charleston!  I have sailed from Charleston several times but not since the restart and the change in parking and use of the warehouse for checkin. I am curious, what time was your check in time and do they still check your boarding paperwork, including your check in time, before they let you park?  

[cruiserbrianj]

1 hour ago, momin05 said:

Thanks for the info!  That is super fast for getting on the ship in Charleston!  I have sailed from Charleston several times but not since the restart and the change in parking and use of the warehouse for checkin. I am curious, what time was your check in time and do they still check your boarding paperwork, including your check in time, before they let you park?  

Our check in time was 11:30 and no, when we parked we simply paid and parked, nobody asked for our boarding passes or anything.

[momin05]

3 hours ago, cruiserbrianj said:

Our check in time was 11:30 and no, when we parked we simply paid and parked, nobody asked for our boarding passes or anything.

Good to know!  Thanks!

[2Shoes2Go]

I have looked for this info; can’t find. Does anyone know how guests with scooters and wheelchairs shuttled over? Is there an accessible bus?

Thank you!

Edited March 18, 2022 by 2Shoes2Go

[cruiserbrianj]

44 minutes ago, momin05 said:

Good to know!  Thanks!

Glad to help!

[mz-s]

On 3/16/2022 at 7:17 AM, Fang8494 said:

I have read and tried to watch several videos but hoping someone can clarify exactly how the shuttle works at the Charleston port.  We will be sailing.on the Carnival Sunshine.  While we do leave our suitcases with porters, we will still have our rolling carry on suitcases with us.  Are suitcases allowed on the shuttle that you take to the ship or do you have to walk if you have luggage?  In addition, in previous cruises, we keep all of our luggage with us and carry it off when we disembark so we can go right to our car since we have a 10 hour drive.  Will we be able to board the shuttle coming off the cruise with all our luggage or is this not allowed?  Thank you so much in advance for sharing your experiences.

 

The shuttles to embarkation have room for carry-on baggage, no problem.

When debarking the ship, the shuttles have trailers and porters will load the trailers with luggage, then you ride the shuttle, and before you get off the shuttle they unload the luggage.

 

1 hour ago, 2Shoes2Go said:

I have looked for this info; can’t find. Does anyone know how guests with scooters and wheelchairs shuttled over? Is there an accessible bus?

Thank you!

 

Yes they do have accessible shuttles with wheelchair lifts.