My (horrible) Charleston Experience

[heathercruisin]

I wanted to warn everyone about departing out of Charleston. It was horrible. I was worn out by the time I made it to the ship. I can only compare it to my smooth departure out of Tampa, and I guess I was expecting the same experience - I didn't.

 

The Charleston Port Authority needs to get their act together. We arrived to the port area early, around 8am. We walked around the market area for a while to kill some time. Then around 10:30 we dropped off our checked luggage. He said that at noon we could start parking our cars in the Warehouse buildings and pointed them out. We drove down the street and saw that people were already lining up and parking on the side of the road, waiting for noon. So we parked behind them. Around 11:30, the streets were filled with people waiting. Then a port employee drove past us and announced to everyone that we needed to have our passports, ID, tickets ready and in hand. Sounded like they were going to start parking us soon. Then some of the parked cars started pulling out into the street, so we followed behind. Then we saw that they had not started parking us, and were making the people ahead of us turn around in the street and go to the end of the line (crazy!). We were able to avoid this, and then they started directing the cars into the port area.

 

One guard checked our paperwork, then drove up further and paid our parking fee (so be sure to have your cash ready) to another guard. Then we drove up to another area to drop off checked baggage (we already did this earlier, so we just had to wait on everyone in front of us and drive through). Then we drove out of this area, back onto the street, back down past where we just were and finally parked in the warehouses.

 

We got our stuff out of the car, including a stroller for my 2 year old. We walked out of the warehouse to another line. They checked the same paperwork yet again. Then we were directed to a shuttle bus. I asked if we could take the stroller on (the stroller was opened and my child was in it, not to mention bags hanging on the handles). When we started getting on the bus, he said I had to take her out of the stroller and fold it up. UGH!!

 

After the short ride (we could have easily walked, but that wansn't an option apparently) we get off at the terminal building. And another line. A lady handed out forms to fill out for the Bahamas customs or something. So I'm standing in line, filling out the forms for all 3 of us, while moving up in line. Then we get up to the security scanners, and I think they checked our passports again. I go through the scanner first, with my husband and my baby in the stroller behind me. I get through and head to grab our stuff off of the security machine. Unknown to me, they told my husband to take our daughter out of the stroller since she could walk, and had her walk through the scanner by herself. My husband set off the scanner (he had a coin in his pocket he didn't know was there) so they were using the handheld scanner. When I looked up at my husband I said "Where is she?" He looked at me with the same question. Then I started screaming for her, and an employee saw her just a few feet away. She walked through the security scanner and just kept walking. My husband thought I was getting her. Just an honest mixup that could have been avoided if they would have let her stay in the stroller.

 

After my heart attack passed by, finally something good happened - an NCL employee said we could go through the Laditudes line since we had a child with us. This was a much shorter line. I really felt for the people in the regular line because that was very long. Then we get up to the check-in counter and show the paperwork/IDs again. So I think that makes it 4 times they checked our passports/IDs.

 

Then they took our family picture, then we had to walk up several really steep ramps up to the ship. I know this had to be hard for the elderly.

 

When we sailed out of Tampa, we got there early too, but we were able to park our car in the parking lot, check our bags, and sit down outside the terminal until it opened. Then once inside, there were plenty of seats to sit down and wait until they started boarding. It was heaven compared to Charleston. I will never sail out of there again.

[Ralphinsc]

Did you research the port before you went there for boarding? All the things you described were things that I knew about beforehand by simply coming on here and asking questions from people that have boarded there before. Charleston is not Tampa. It never will be. The building there wasn't designed to host major cruise ships and the city is unwilling to invest millions to build new facilities with their current schedule. If you research Charleston the pros for embarking out of the city is it's location, the fact that it carries one of the few exclusive 7-day Bermuda cruises today from the Majesty, and not entirely too much else. Further research would of revealed to you a great alternative. Several hotels in Charleston offer a park and shuttle service that will drop you right off where the buses load at the end of Market street and keep your car parked safely for a week for a smaller charge than what the cruise line offers. That's a good way to cut the ridiculous car line and such. As for the terminal, nothing can be helped with that currently. The facility is outdated and undersized for it's current purpose. But again, the city is not going to build a new terminal facility for a half-year sailing schedule on a 1400-passenger ship that is scheduled to go out of the fleet in a few years with no guarantees of being replaced. The only thing that would of helped there would of been knowing in advance what to expect. Charleston has it's advantages and it's glaring faults. But don't beat it into the ground if you weren't willing to take a few minutes to research ahead of time. Just chalk it up as a lesson learned and enjoy your future Tampa cruise departures.

[willbrook]

Did you research the port before you went there for boarding? All the things you described were things that I knew about beforehand by simply coming on here and asking questions from people that have boarded there before. Charleston is not Tampa. It never will be. The building there wasn't designed to host major cruise ships and the city is unwilling to invest millions to build new facilities with their current schedule. If you research Charleston the pros for embarking out of the city is it's location, the fact that it carries one of the few exclusive 7-day Bermuda cruises today from the Majesty, and not entirely too much else. Further research would of revealed to you a great alternative. Several hotels in Charleston offer a park and shuttle service that will drop you right off where the buses load at the end of Market street and keep your car parked safely for a week for a smaller charge than what the cruise line offers. That's a good way to cut the ridiculous car line and such. As for the terminal, nothing can be helped with that currently. The facility is outdated and undersized for it's current purpose. But again, the city is not going to build a new terminal facility for a half-year sailing schedule on a 1400-passenger ship that is scheduled to go out of the fleet in a few years with no guarantees of being replaced. The only thing that would of helped there would of been knowing in advance what to expect. Charleston has it's advantages and it's glaring faults. But don't beat it into the ground if you weren't willing to take a few minutes to research ahead of time. Just chalk it up as a lesson learned and enjoy your future Tampa cruise departures.

well said...

[Lulachick]

We had 4 people in my group and had a very smooth embarkation for 3000+ passengers. I had an 8yo who was boucing off all the walls and my 72 yo m-i-l. I di dmy homework for Charleston and had everything ready and where it needed to be so when it was asked for it was available.

[gmasters]

five couples drove drown from norfolkm va and we all stayed at a hotel that let us keep our car and in the morning took all of us in a shuttle to the ship and when we got back to S.C. the van was waiting for us. I gues I can look up the name if needed... but then again if you want to see hell on earth then go to vancover for a alaska cruise with three ships all boarding at the same time.....

[DALSAL]

Sorry to hear your expierence was so bad...Ive never sailed from there,but I hope to! I LOVE Charleston!! :) Dot

[lvtotrvl1]

As another poster mentioned, this is how Charleston cruises operate. Unfortunatly, at a port that is used periodically, you will not find all the "nicer things" that say, FLL or MIA can offer. My cruise embarkation from Charleston was not my worst, but it was as the OP described...but I really didn't think it was that bad...just goes with the territory I guess.

[BlueHerons]

Charleston itself is such a fabulous destination that you could have easily stayed at one of the downtown hotels and used one of the many parking garages almost on top of the pier and just walked over to embarkation.

 

We see people doing it all the time.

[ybcart7]

We had 4 people in my group and had a very smooth embarkation for 3000+ passengers. I had an 8yo who was boucing off all the walls and my 72 yo m-i-l. I di dmy homework for Charleston and had everything ready and where it needed to be so when it was asked for it was available.

I would love to hear how you did it -- we have the exact same situation. 8YO and 70 year old mom!! We are very excited but nervous about the embarkation.

[ILoveScotland]

My first large ship cruise was on the Norwegian Majesty out of Charleston in 2005, and I didn't know what to expect in terms of boarding. We drove down and yes had the long wait in line, etc. And there were very long lines in the terminal which I have not encountered on subsequent cruises. However, DH used a walker at the time (now a wheelchair) so we were whisked through the embarkation process with lots of help.

 

One positive in Charleston is that people with a Handicap Tag or License Plate parks for free! At least that was the case 2 years ago.

[StarWarsGal]

Ralphinsc

Many of the things you complained about are common sense. For instance . . . your child's stroller. For the safety of you and others, I am sure, the Bus driver had you remove your child from the stroller and fold it up and as far as having your child get out of the stroller to go through the scanner . . . it's for security purposes. Don't get mad just because someone is doing their job!

 

I agree with the other posts. You should have done your homework. Charleston is not known for being a "Cruise Ship" port. Expecting Charleston to be like Tampa or Miami is like expecting Charleston to have subways like New York! We are a historic southern city full of charm, hospitality, and traditions.

 

My advise to you is do your homework next time. Knowledge is the key! No matter what port you leave from it always pays to do some research. It will save you time, stress, and usually some money.

 

It is unfortunate that you were stressed. Charleston is a beatiful place with friendly faces and an easy atmosphere. I wish you could have taken away a more positive memory. Try us again and just enjoy the plantations and the beaches.:)

[ILoveScotland]

I should also have added that even though DH is now in a wheelchair he can walk a few feet with help, and he always has to get out of the chair and go through the scanner without it.

 

StarWarsGal is right about it being for security. That's one of the realities of our world these days.

[debra816]

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience in Charleston. As I read your forum, it reminded of the Baltimore port. I've used other ports before (such as Port Canaveral and Tampa) etc. and summed it up (if it's any solace....) that ports such as Charleston and Baltimore which shares their port as a shipyard for domestic and foreign freight/cargo, etc. as well as cruise lines (as a side-kick), you will not find these terminals set up the same as other ports which use their facility mainly to accommodate cruise passengers. So in my experience with Baltimore, they had many, many layers of security (checking ones boarding passes at every opportunity seemed like) which is understandable. So to make a long story short, and by the way, I have never left from Charleston before, but I think it is the same set up (high level security) which means waiting in the long lines, and parking delays. Baltimore was the same way except for the parking. It was a little smoother. Once I got on the ship, I forgot all the hassle and had a great time! Was it worth it? YES!!