Cruises From Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, SC, is a growing cruise home port offering five to 11-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. The historic and cosmopolitan southern city, which continues discussions on building a new passenger terminal, also provides plenty of sights and activities to draw travelers for pre- or post-cruise stays. Of necessity, shorter cruises feature two ports in The Bahamas--Freeport and Nassau. Longer cruises include eastern or western Caribbean ports, such as Cozumel, Mexico, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, and Belize City, Belize.
Although only Carnival and Celebrity cruise lines use Charleston as a home port, meaning they both embark and disembark there, many other lines offer Charleston as a port on east coast and/or colonial America itineraries.

Carnival Cruises

Carnival Cruise Lines, which has a long relationship with Charleston's port, offers five-, six- and seven-night cruises to The Bahamas for most of the year. The 4-star Carnival Glory, a 110,000 gross ton vessel that carries 2,974 guests, will offer two five-night cruises to The Bahamas on May 24, 2010, and again on Nov. 1, 2010. The 3-star Carnival Fantasy offers six-night Key West/Bahamas cruises and seven-night Exotic Eastern Caribbean cruises throughout the year. These cruises are a good value and convenient to east coast residents who prefer to drive to Charleston.

Carnival Cruises
3655 NW 87th St.
Miami, FL 33178
(888) CAR-NIVAL
http://www.carnival.com/

Celebrity Cruises

Upscale Celebrity Cruises will offer 10- and 11-night cruises from Charleston in spring 2010 and 2011. The 4.5-star Mercury, which carries 1,870 guests and features a golf simulator, jogging track and Aqua Spa, will offer 10-night Western Caribbean cruises departing Charleston on Feb. 26, March 19 and April 9. These cruises visit Costa Maya (Mexico), Costa Maya (Mexico), Cozumel (Mexico) and Nassau in The Bahamas. On alternate cruises, the Mercury, which has three outdoor pools and a large water slide, will sail 11-night Eastern Caribbean voyages with ports in San Juan, PR; St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Tortola.

Celebrity Cruises
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
(800) 647-2251
http://www.celebritycruises.com/

Other Lines Visiting Charleston

Over the course of the year, numerous cruise ships sail into Charleston, visit for the day, and proceed on their itineraries. These include vessels from ultra-luxury lines Regent Seven Seas and Silversea Cruises and popular premium lines Holland America and Royal Caribbean. For a complete list of cruise lines that visit Charleston, check out CLIA's (Cruise Lines International Association) website, http://www.cruising.org/.

Article Written By Debbie Selinsky

Debbie Selinsky is an award-winning writer based in North Carolina. Selinsky is the former senior editor of "Success Magazine" and deputy director of the Duke University News Service. She has written about travel for many years and specializes in cruise travel, having sailed on more than 100 cruises. Selinsky attended North Greenville University, Oregon Institute of Technology and the Poynter Institute for Journalistic Excellence.

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