Hotel/Transportation to Charleston Cruise Port

[LovetoKruz]

We are traveling from Atlanta to Charleston and would like to stay overnight prior to our cruise departing. Can anyone recommend an inexpensive hotel that also provides transportation to and from the cruise port? Are we better off staying farther away from the port and paying for transportation - i.e. a limo type service? We are two families traveling together for a total of 8. Thanks for your help!

[gameover]

I found this site that contains a collection of hotels with park and ride packages.

http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitors/special_offers/packages_stay.html

 

I am debating parking at port versus stay n cruise as well. Am I better off parking at the port. I don't want to disembark only to wait for a hotel shuttle van. Unless if driving to and parking at the port is a total nightmare I wonder if parking at the port is an better option.

[MardiGras316]

Here is my adventure with parking at the port terminal parking last May:

 

When we disembarked at 7:30 in the morning with our luggage there was an ambulance outside the terminal and some firetrucks (first responders). As we stood in line for Customs we watched the line of shuttle buses getting backed up. The buses were for driving people to their cars at the port parking lot about 1/2 a mile away. In front of the port terminal there is a horseshoe driveway. With the emergency crews right there at the front of the terminal no one could get through. Streets in that part of Chaleston are one way so the shuttles couldn't back up and go anywhere else really.

 

When we got through Customs and out of the terminal some of the port authority people said "you can wait awhile for this to clear and then you can get on a shuttle (there were already X number of people standing next to a few of the shuttles so they were the passengers for those) OR YOU CAN WALK TO YOUR CAR". since we, my DH, myself and our 5 year old DD, had rolling carryons only, decided to walk. So did a few hundred other people. So there we were, wandering down the street with our luggage at 8am. We were the first wave of people off the ship, so we were the first batch of "Walkers". When the parking lot people saw us coming they immediately got on their walkie talkies and you kept hearing "why are these people walking? Tell them to stop walking to their cars! They need to be on the shuttles" Luckily, we got to our car without being turned around and we were out of the parking lot at 8:10 and on our way back to Raleigh,NC!

 

So keep in mind, this isn't the biggest cruise terminal and it is in an odd area of the city, driving/parking wise. Might be best to get a cab/shuttle there and if you are able, WALK into the terminal.

 

When we were embarking on the cruise there was also another emergency outside of the terminal, but we were already inside getting our cabin paperwork done. But firetrucks rolled up blaring. Which means all traffic into the horseshoe was about to come to a standstill for awhile.

 

Also, getting TO the parking at the terminal parking lot was odd. All the one way streets make it tricky. And don't follow you GPS or common sense. They have police and parking people directing traffic and you have to actually go down a few city blocks AWAY from the ship and the parking lot and wrap around a city park area to get into the parking line que.

 

****And if you are carrying on all your luggage let them know that when you are paying for parking and showing passports and cruise paperwork!!! Otherwise they will send you to the porters, and when you tell them don't need their services they send you back out to the long parking lot que!!! CRAZY!**** Saw it happen a few times!

 

Enjoy Charleston if you can. Great city!

[LovetoKruz]

Thanks for your suggestions and help. Finally booked a room at the Hawthorn Suites in Charleston under their See and Stay promotion which includes parking and transporation in the price - only $99. Now on to more important things like excursions......

[tccauley]

Thanks for your suggestions and help. Finally booked a room at the Hawthorn Suites in Charleston under their See and Stay promotion which includes parking and transporation in the price - only $99. Now on to more important things like excursions......

Hi There - My friends and I are driving from Atlanta also for our cruise on June 16, 2010. We are staying at the Fairfield Inn and their special was $99 also. Will you post again once you return to let us know how your experience was with the shuttle and check-in for the ship? We are soooooo excited - we have 8 cabins - and for most of us, it is our first cruise.

[tccauley]

Hi There - My friends and I are driving from Atlanta also for our cruise on June 16, 2010. We are staying at the Fairfield Inn and their special was $99 also. Will you post again once you return to let us know how your experience was with the shuttle and check-in for the ship? We are soooooo excited - we have 8 cabins - and for most of us, it is our first cruise.

Sorry I said Fairfield Inn but we are staying at the Springhill Suites.

[LovetoKruz]

Sorry I said Fairfield Inn but we are staying at the Springhill Suites.

 

Yes I will absoulutely post and let you know how check in goes etc. This is my first trip out of this port and have no idea what to expect either! Sounds like ya'll are going to have a great time! Enjoy!

[deffenm]

Please post when you get back and let us know. We are booked on the July 17-24th cruise out of Charleston and we are driving there 2 days early to enjoy Charleston prior to the cruse. This is our first family cruise and my fear is being stuck in long lines with 3 children.

[gkrnjlr]

Wow what a mess and what a horrible experience you had here in Charleston at the port. UGH! Downtown is tight and parking is tough as is but now with the emergency vehicles on top of it. Ack!

 

I vote for the pre-cruise park and cruise packages you can find. There are several hotels here that offer them! Enjoy Charleston and your cruise!!!

[sebie]

Things have changed a bit from those who traveled out of here last year. You can no longer walk up to the terminal. The port authority rules here, not the cruise ships.

 

Most of you will be gathered in a out door waiting area (see my attachment). For what it's worth, there is no VIP service until you clear security. Remember all documentation, ID & paitence.

 

We stayed at the Springhill (nice, clean & breakfast is craziest from 8-9am). We also used their shuttle service to the port (don't believe they are doing that any more). We left about 10:40, dropped luggage & was standing at the pier waiting area by 11:10-ish.

 

Have fun!

Port Charleston Map of street & embarkation process .pdf

[NCTribeFan]

This is all very confusing, and the photo/map just sort of confused me even more (maybe because there are no people or vehicles, so hard for me to visualize).

 

I'll be on a hotel shuttle from the Hawthorne Suites. Do they stop one place and drop off the luggage to be checked and then drive around and drop people to check in?

 

Does everyone get off the shuttle and tip the porters, then reboard?

 

Where is the actual terminal building? :confused:

 

What are the white tents for? Is that where the luggage is dropped or where the people are dropped. And if for the people, what happens at the white tents? You get dropped there by your shuttle from the hotel, and wait for the shuttle to the terminal building?

 

If you're VIP (Carnival), you still have to stand outside in the elements and wait? Wait for what? Even if VIP?

 

See! Told you I was confused!

 

Just that I may have a last-minute cruise buddy. I'm Platinum so have VIP. She's a cancer patient. Just seems wrong that we should have to stand outside. I've assured her that since I'm VIP that checkin will be very easy for her. Don't want to be lying about that to her!

[sebie]

This is all very confusing, and the photo/map just sort of confused me even more (maybe because there are no people or vehicles, so hard for me to visualize). The photo was taken at 5pm (sail away), so that's why there isn't any activity. Since you will arrive via a shuttle (confirm with the hotel), the shuttle will do all the work. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

I'll be on a hotel shuttle from the Hawthorne Suites. Do they stop one place and drop off the luggage to be checked and then drive around and drop people to check in? Our hotel shuttle first took us to a place on the pier to drop luggage. We stayed on the shuttle whilst the driver opened the luggage doors for the porters, no interaction with us. BE SURE TO KEEP anything you need including DOCUMENTATION & ID with YOU!

 

The driver then dropped us off at the area I marked in yellow (map- Concord & N. Market) around 11:10 am. There you will wait with everyone else for the shuttles (ours started at noon). This maybe different for you as I don't know what time your sailing. The shuttles will then take you up to the Terminal as you can not walk up to the terminal.

Does everyone get off the shuttle and tip the porters, then reboard? No, see above.

 

Where is the actual terminal building? :confused: It's east/mid/lower town in Charleston. Click here for port info. Click here for a driving map. Another port pdf. On my map, it's marked it in red at the bottom of the page.

 

What are the white tents for? The smaller ones are just for shelter with some chairs. Is that where the luggage is dropped or where the people are dropped. If you are being dropped at the curb without going first to the porters out on the pier like our shuttle did, then yes, you can take your luggage up to the porters by the tents. And if for the people, what happens at the white tents? You get dropped there by your shuttle from the hotel, and wait for the shuttle to the terminal building? Correct.

 

If you're VIP (Carnival), you still have to stand outside in the elements and wait? Wait for what? Even if VIP? Correct, one of the main reasons I made the map, so that folks would know what to expect.

 

See! Told you I was confused! No problem. That's why we are all here out on Cruise Critics... to figure it all out. :)

 

Just that I may have a last-minute cruise buddy. I'm Platinum so have VIP. She's a cancer patient. Just seems wrong that we should have to stand outside. I've assured her that since I'm VIP that checkin will be very easy for her. Don't want to be lying about that to her!

 

As you probably already gathered, VIP perks don't start until your at the terminal. Charleston is a lovey city, but until the port authority can come up with a different answer, it is what it is. Don't let it stop you, it's just something we need to plan for.

 

Another possibility (after your dropped off) would be to wait out the lines by visiting a coffee shop, etc. There are a few of them, just a block or so up on Market street.

 

I wish for you and your friend a blessed recovery & smooth sailing! I hope I have been of some help. Let me know otherwise.

~ Sebie

[NCTribeFan]

Thanks for the additional info. I expected Charleston to be a bit "different" but this sounds like it is going to be really different!

 

We sail at 4 pm. Not sure when the hotel shuttle will leave. There are several of us on our Roll Call that are staying there.

 

I'm an early riser, so normally like to be onboard around lunchtime or else I'm ready to faint by the time I hit the buffet!

 

Tell me more about maybe going to have a cup of coffee rather than sitting and waiting under a little tent...

 

If the hotel shuttle drops us off early, but the shuttles haven't started running to the terminal yet, we can just walk off? And then after we've had our late-morning coffee, we can just walk up to the tent and get in line again?

 

Really don't like that there's no way to get through the security line quickly. That is where the backup normally is. The line to actually check in always seems to move really quickly.

 

Oh well. It is what it is. Don't know why they can't do it like they did in FLL. Just stop the security line, put the VIP people through the scanner and continue on. It's just a couple of people with a couple of carryon bags. Only holds up the others for about 30 seconds!

[dreamcruiser525]

any more folks return from Charleston recently and can give us your experiences, where you stayed and your boarding adventures?

[minnemom]

Thanks for this helpful information.